A K-NOBBY APPEARANCE. 317 



not stand being eaten alive. It was utterly im- 

 possible to work ; one's whole time was occupied 

 in slapping viciously at face, head, and body, 

 stamping, grumbling, and savagely slaughtering 

 hecatombs of mosquitos. Faces rapidly assumed 

 an irregularity of outline anything but consonant 

 with the strict lines of beauty ; each one looked 

 as if he had gone in for a heavy fight, and lost. 

 Hands increased in size with painful rapidity, 

 and without intending a slang joke one was 

 in a k-nobby state from head to heel. 



The wretched mules and horses were driven 

 wild, racing about like mad animals, dashing into 

 the water and out again, in among the trees; 

 but, go where they would, their persecutors stuck 

 to them in swarms.. The poor dogs sat and 

 howled piteously, and, prompted by a wise instinct 

 to avoid their enemies, dug deep holes in the 

 earth ; and backing in lay with their heads at the 

 entrance, whining, snapping, and shaking their 

 ears, to prevent the mosquitos from getting in 

 at them. 



There was no help for it our camp had to be 

 abandoned ; we were completely vanquished and 

 driven away the work of about a hundred men 

 stopped by tiny flies. Our only chance of escape 

 was to retire into the hills, and return to complete 



