64 A VOYAGE TO Book I, 



of Spain * ; the third gegenes, which are veryfmall and 

 of a different ihapc, reiembhng the weevil, aboct the 

 fize of a grain of muftard-feed, and of an aih-colour. 

 The fourth are the mantas blancas, or vvhite cloaks, 

 and {o very minute that the inflammation of their bite 

 is felt before the infe6l that caufcd it is feen. Their 

 colour is known by the infinite numbers of them which 

 fill the air, and from thence tlicy had their name. 

 From the two former, few houfes are free. Their 

 fíing is follov/ed by a large tumour, the pain of vrliich 

 continues about two hours. The two lafi, which 

 chiefly frequent fields and gardens, raiic no tumour, 

 but caufe an infiipportable itching. Thus, if the ex- 

 treme heat renders the day troublefome, thefe imper- 

 ceptible infeéls difturb the repofe of the night. And 

 though the mofquiteros, a kind of gauze curtains, in 

 fome meafure defend us from the three former, they 

 are no fafeguard againfi: the latter, which make their 

 way between the threads ; unlefs the fluff be of a 

 clofer texture, in which cafe the heat becomes infup- 

 portable. 



The infeil of Carthagena called nigua, and in Peru 

 pique, is fliaped like a flea, but almoft too fmall for 

 fight. It is a great happinefs that its legs have not 

 the elaflicity with thofc of fleas ; for, could this infect 

 leap, every animal body would be filled with them ; 

 and, confcquently, both the brute and human fpecies 

 be foon extirpated by the multitudes of thefe infects. 

 They live amongft the duft, and therefore are mofl: 

 common in filthy places. They infinuate themfelves 

 into tb.e legs, the foles of the feet, or toes, and pierce 

 the Ikin with fuch fubtilty, that there is no being aware 

 of them, till they have made their way into the flelh'|". 

 If they are perceived at the beginning, they are ex- 

 trailed with little pain; but if the. head only has 



* Or the gnat of England. A. 



f They Icldom infinuate themfelves into the legs,. A. 



pierce dl 



