346 EXPEDITION TO THE 



greatest annoyance, which we had to encounter, was the 

 mosquetoe, which arose in such swarms, as to prove a 

 more serious evil than can be imagined by those who have 

 not experienced it. We never were tormented at any pe- 

 riod of our journey, more than when travelling in the vi- 

 cinity of the St. Peter. The mosquetoes generally rose all 

 of a sudden about the setting of the sun. Their appearance 

 was so instantaneous, that we had no time to prepare our- 

 selves against them ; whenever we had the good fortune to 

 encamp previous to their sallying from their hiding places, 

 our great object was to complete our evening meal, before 

 they commenced their attack, for this we found ourselves 

 unable to resist; and we have not unfi-equently been so 

 much annoyed by these insects, as to be obliged to relin- 

 quish an unfinished supper, or to throw away a cup of tea, 

 which we could not enjoy, while stung on all sides by 

 countless numbers of mosquetoes. When a high wind re- 

 duced their numbers, we found some relief from remain- 

 ing in a dense cloud of smoke ; but even this proved of no 

 avail, when, from the calmness or heat of the atmosphere, 

 their numbers were undiminished. In such cases, our only 

 alternative was to endure their stings, or to smother under 

 the weight of a blanket in which we wrapped ourselves 

 up, covering our faces, hands, &c. To protect our feet and 

 legs, we were obliged to lie with our boots on. The an- 

 noyance continued until sometime after sunrise, when the 

 increasing heat of the day, drove them back into their re- 

 cesses. The sleepless nights which we frequently passed, 

 when exposed to this torment, rendered this part of our 

 journey the most fatiguing. Our horses fared even worse, 

 for they were exposed like us, during the night, to the 

 sting of the mosquetoe, and during the day the big horse- 

 fly proved equally noxious. 



