ST. AUGUSTIN TO BAHAMA ISLANDS 305 



lack of self-attention, this egg-sack is not removed in 

 time, the young chiggers mature, creep out, eat farther 

 on beneath the skin, make new nests, and rummage 

 through the whole foot. In so hot a climate, and where 

 there chance to be foul humours in the body, occasion 

 is thus given for vicious sores, severe inflammations, 

 and even gangrene, so that at times it has been neces- 

 sary to take off the limb. There is no sure preventive 

 against chiggers ; people indeed who go much bare- 

 foot, afford them more of a field, but stockings and 

 shoes are no protection. Certain people are quite 

 free of this plague, even chiggers having their selec- 

 tive taste. Is one attacked by them, or apprehensive 

 of attack, he must have the soles of his feet exam- 

 ined daily, for that is the ground they choose first and 

 like best. The black women are very skilful in this 

 regard; with a needle or a sharp pointed knife they 

 carefully dig out the insect and the sack as well, when 

 this has been formed. There must be care taken to 

 bring out the whole sack, unbroken as far as possible ; 

 for any eggs remaining behind set up pains and in- 

 flammation, and one must also be careful to see 

 whether mature eggs have been fully hatched. Usually 

 a little snuff-tobacco is sprinkled in the wound. A 

 European once had the conceit to take this western 

 pest baclT'home with him as a curiosity alive in his 

 feet ; but the incessant pain compelled the queer col- 

 lector to rid himself of his curiosities on the voyage. 

 On my return voyage, after we had been already a 

 week at sea, I observed a hard little swelling between 

 the index and the middle finger of my right hand, 

 without in the least suspecting that a chigger had 

 nested there ; the continual itch and the considerably 



