The Electric Fish.

Otago Witness, Issue 2782, 10 July 1907, Page 89

The Electric Fish.

—The Athlete, a Wager, and a Throw That Failed. — Here is the latest fish story i — An old fisherman- was unloading a big catch of mackerel from hia boat when a Cockney tripper, in knickers and cricketing shirt t | stopped to look on. "You. look strong enough to carry fish," said the old man, "but there is a fish there" i — pointing to what appeared to be a skate — I "that you can't lift. I'll "bet you a sovereign you can't throw him up on. the wharf." The- tripper laughed as he replied r . "Don't you- be foolish \ I'm the strongest man. in our athletic club." .The old man passed his sovereign up to the coastguardsman, telling him to' hold the stakes, and the- athlete promptly covered the* 'deposit. Then the crowd gathered round to see fair play as the young man rolled up his shirt-sleeves and stepped on bdard. "The crowd opened out, and the athlete grabbed that fish, " raising it a coupte \rf ' feet. Then he uttered a fearful yell and took a header into the water, nearly cap-, sizing the boat. The crowd, says the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, yelled with ieiigat as he scrambled out and demanded to know who hit him on the back of the neck just as he was lifting the skate. When assured that no one had touched him he sank down in a heap and declared that he had got a stroke of paralysis. It was explained to him that the fish he tried to lift was a torpedo ray, as full of electricity as a Leyden jar.