532 
THE OCEAN WORLD. 
the water, and chasing their enemies, were objects at once appalling 
and picturesque. In less than five minutes two horses were drowned. 
An eel, more than five feet long, glided under one horse, discharged 
its apparatus through its whole extent, attacking at once the heart, 
the viscera, and the plexus of the nerves of the animal, probably 
benumbing and finally drowning it. 
When the struggle had endured a quarter of an hour, the mules 
and horses appeared less frightened, the manes became more erect, the 
eyes expressed loss terror, the eels shunned in place of attacking them , 
at the same time approaching the bank, when they were easily taken by 
throwing little harpoons at them attached to long cords, the harpoon, 
sometimes hooking two at a time, being landed by means ot the long 
cord. They were drawn ashore without being able to communicate 
any shock. 
Having landed the eels, they were transported to little pools dug in 
the soil, and filled with fresh water; but such is the terror they 
inspire, that none of the people of the country would release them 
from the harpoon — a task which the travellers had to perform them- 
selves, and receive the first shock, which was not slight — the most 
energetic surpassing in force that communicated by a Leyden j» r > 
completely charged. The gymnotus surpasses in size and strength all 
the other electric fishes. Humboldt saw them five feet three inches 
long. They vary in colour according to age, and the nature of the 
muddy water in which they live. Beneath, the head is of a fine yell 0 "' 
colour mixed with red ; the mouth is large, and furnished with small 
teeth arranged in many rows. 
The gymnotus makes its shock felt in any part of its body which 
is touched, but the excitement is greater when touched under the 
belly, and in the pectoral fin. The gymnotus gives the most fright! 0 
shocks without the least muscular movement in the fins, in the bea > 
or any other part of the body. The shock, indeed, depends upon the 
will of the animal, and in this respect differs from a Leyden jar, whic 1 
is discharged by communicating with two opposite poles. It happ e ° 3 
sometimes that a gymnotus, seriously wounded, only gives a veiy 
weak shock, but if, thinking it exhausted, it is touched fearless i V 
and at once, its discharge is terrible. Indeed, the phenomena depen 
so much upon the will of the annual, that, according to Yon Hunibo > 
if it is touched by two metallic rods, the shock is communicated some 
