BY W. MACLEAY, F.L.S. 203 



If the former mode were adopted, it would not be a common fly, 

 or a "Bottle," green or blue. If the latter, any fly could com- 

 municate the virus. 



" A very sad death occurred, that of a worthy butcher, he was 

 bitten or stung — or whatever the wound was —under the ear, 

 and died in awful agon}' in a few hours. He received the virus 

 from a fly at his own slaughter house, where it was supposed to 

 have been feeding on some putrid garbage. 



'' The Colonial Government in a blind panic published an 

 " Arrete," (Ordinance), commanding under pain of fine or 

 imprisonment, or both, that every land-owner should instantly 

 bury or burn, not only every carcase but every bone on his 

 property. It was in vain I pointed out to the officials that this 

 could be made an engine of official oppression, or private spite, 

 to an alarming extent, and quite inconsistent with " the liberty 

 of the subject." '■' ''' -'' -'' Unfortunately the first victim of 

 the '' Arrete" was a cranky half-mad Englishman — a large landed 

 proprieter. You must here understand that the French Gendar- 

 merie is a peculiar corps. The members are " Sworn to the 

 truth " when first appointed. This oath serves them for ever. 

 If a member makes a "process verbal" against you, you are 

 deamed guilt}'-, unless you can prove you are innocent. You may 

 never have the power of crossquestioning your accuser, he may 

 be a hundred miles away, but you must prove you are not guilt}'. 



" A Gendarme found a dead bullock in the forest, on the land 

 of my cranky countryman. He ordered it to be burned, saw it 

 done, and the fragments buried by the native servants of the land- 

 owner — so far so good ; but, weeks after, the Englishman im- 

 pounded the Gendarme's goats for a trespass on his garden. 

 Unhappy man ! the Gendarme found on the ground at the place 

 of incremation, a dry bone of the defunct ox. The landowner 

 says he dug it up. A " process verbal" was immediately made, 

 and my cranky countryman, suffering judgment to go by default, 



