at it, and then with the two lines easily hauled into the canoe. John
and I tried our skill; but our arrows missed their aim, and I very
nearly shot our friend Pedro instead of the turtle.

Another small canoe had been sent for, which now arrived. So rapidly
were the turtle shot that both canoes were actively engaged in picking
them up. Fully forty were thus killed in a short time. The net was
then spread at one end of the pool, while the rest of the party began
beating the water from the opposite side with long poles, some along the
edges and others in the canoes. We could see the backs of the turtles
as they swam forward. When they got close to the net the two ends were
rapidly drawn together, surrounding a large number of them; and then all
hands uniting at the ropes, quickly dragged it towards the shore. As
they appeared above the water, the men seized them, and threw them into
the canoes, which came up to the spot. Many, however, managed to
scramble out again before they were turned on their backs. Arthur and I
rushed in with the rest to assist in their capture, when suddenly I felt
an extraordinary sensation in my foot.

"Oh, I have been bitten by a water-snake!" I exclaimed, leaping up.

"And so have I!" cried Arthur. And we rushed on shore, both of us
looking anxiously down at our legs. No wounds, however, were to be
seen.

When the net was finally drawn on shore, after a vast number of small
turtle had been taken out of it, several curious fish were seen, and
among them five or six eel-looking creatures, with large heads. The
Indians cried out something; but not understanding them, I took up one
of the creatures to examine it, when instantly I felt the sensation I
had experienced in the water, and now discovered that they were electric
eels. To prove it yet further, I took out my knife, and Pedro, Arthur,
and I, with several Indians, joined hands, when instantly the rest,
greatly to their astonishment, felt the shock as if they had touched the
fish itself. We persuaded the other Indians to try the experiment; and
they were greatly amused and astonished at finding the electric spark
pass through their systems.

Altogether we caught upwards of a hundred turtle. We then moved on to
another lake with a sandy shore, where the net was again drawn for the
sake of obtaining fish. I had never seen so many and various fish taken
together. It would be impossible to describe them. Among them was a