ir
eyes expressed less pain and terror. The eels, at the same time,
instead of following them, swam slowly towards the shore, when they,
like those first caught, were harpooned, and, by a line fastened to the
weapon, jerked on to the bank.

The doctor observed that they had lost much of their electric force;
also, that the natives took care that the lines should not get wet. I
wished to try my hand in catching one of the creatures, but they warned
me that should I allow the line to touch the water, I would feel a shock
which would well-nigh knock me down.

The doctor then invited some of the men to join hands, which he and I
did with several of them; then touching one of the eels with the point
of his long knife, a shock passed through the whole of us, which made
the natives jump and shriek out--one or two of them falling to the
ground, overcome with astonishment at the unexpected sensation rather
than by the force of the shock.

Hideous as the creatures are, the natives declared that they were very
good for food, and a number of them were packed up and carried back to
the farm.

So powerful is the electric force possessed by the eels, that several of
the horses were killed immediately; and our companions assured us that
the strongest man, if struck by one of them when crossing a river, would
become so benumbed that he would certainly lose his life.

The doctor told me how the employment of their electric powers is
spontaneous; and this exhausts the nervous energy, so that they need
repose and an abundance of nourishment before a fresh accumulation of
electricity is produced. These curious creatures have the power of
making holes for themselves in the marshes and mud of watercourses which
remain filled with moisture during the rainy season; and they are thus
able to support existence in their usual localities until the return of
rain, when they come forth and prey upon all living animals within their
reach.

It took us several days after this to reach the camp. I was warmly
greeted by my gallant chief, who heartily congratulated me on having
escaped the dangers to which I had been exposed. My companions, also,
had a kindly welcome.

"Though we have been inactive for some time, we shall soon have work for
all of you," he remarked, laughing: "you, Barry, to take a part in the
fighting; you, senor doctor, to attend the wounded; and you, senor
padre, to shrive the dying. Each man to his trade,--though, to con