87 



to iDrotect the ankles, leather gloves, a handkerchief or netting over 

 head and neck, coat-collar turned up and tobacco in full blast, I 

 could never have obtained some of the plants now in my possession, 

 especially' those from the bogs. In such attire, with the thermo- 

 meter at 80° in the shade, it can easily be understood that botanising 

 was not in all respects a delightful occupation. On reaching the 

 hotel, troubles were by no means at an end. In spite of my having 

 barricaded, as I supposed, every possible means of ingress, I often 

 spent hours before getting to sleep in vaia endeavour to slay the 

 last of the enemy in the room. A single flaw in the meshes 

 of the doublj' wired window frames was certain to be 

 descried by the diabolical cunning of these little imps ; moreover, a 

 few always managed to effect an entrance into my bed-room with 

 me, concealed about my clothes. When at length I succeeded in 

 falling asleep it was only too often to be awakened by the " tinkle- 

 tinkle," announcing the approach of that miserable cow bringing 

 her little lot ! In the evenings, a perforated pail, packed with damp 

 leaves and twigs, was kept burning till bedtime, at the entrance to 

 almost every house. This gave off a volume of pungent smoke and 

 was called a " smudge." No device was so effectual in keeping out 

 the mosquitoes. I have even seen a smudge attached to the extremity 

 of the pole of an ox waggon, with the pail swinging to and fro 

 between the heads of the oxen, and giving off a pillar of smoke that 

 reminded one of the passage of the Israelites through the wilderness. 

 On the window panes inside the unprotected dwellings, the mos- 

 quitos congregated in scores and hundreds. ]\Iany were frequently 

 to be seen with bodies so distended with the blood of their victims 

 that they had the appearance of little animated bottles of red ink ! 



The only specimen I brought home proves to be Aedes {Ochlero- 

 tatiis) jiinictor, Kirby. As Isaac Walton philosophically observed, 

 " Every misery that I miss is a mercy " ; and not the least of the 

 blessings accompanying life in our little island is its comparative 

 freedom from the biting gnats. 



In conclusion, bear with me while I endeavour to recall a typical 

 evening stroll, after a da}' of glorious sunshine, in that great country, 

 which I for one shall never see again. 



I send a message to my good old friend the Postmaster, who lives 

 in the four-roomed shack he erected long ago with his own hands, 

 of rough- hewn logs. He will be ready as soon as his day's work is 

 done. I put on a light rain cloak, as the evenings are always chilly, 

 although the day may have been burning hot. 



