LOG AUTY SIZE DESTRUCTI VENESS . 469 



open country. It is confined to particular spots, and is nev- 

 er known to shift its haunts. Thus cattle may be seen graz- 

 ing securely on one side of a river, while the opposite bank 

 swarms with the insect. Should the natives, who are well 

 acquainted with localities frequented by the fly, have occa- 

 sion to change their cattle-posts, and are obliged to pass 

 through tracts of country where it exists, they choose, I am 

 told, a moonlight winter's night, as, during the hours of rest 

 in the cold season, it does not bite. 



In size the tsetse is somewhat less than the common blue 

 fly that settles on meat, but its wings are longer. Yet, though 

 so small and insignificant in appearance, its bite carries with 

 it a poison equal to that of the most deadly reptile. Many 

 is the traveler who, from his draft-oxen and horses having 

 been destroyed by this pestiferous insect, has not only had 

 the object of his journey completely marred, but his personal 

 safety endangered by the loss of his means of conveyance. 



Very lately, indeed, a party of Griquas, about twenty in 

 number, who were elephant-hunting to the northwest of the 

 Ngami, and who were provided with three wagons and a 

 large number of trek, or draft-oxen, lost, prior to their re- 

 turn to the Lake, all their cattle by the bite of the tsetse. 

 Some horses, brought with them to further their sport, shared 

 a similar fate. 



The very same year that this disaster happened to the 

 Griquas, a party of Englishmen, among whom was my friend 

 Mr. Frederick Green, attempted to reach Libebe ; but they 

 had only proceeded seven or eight days' journey to the north 

 of the Ngami when both horses and cattle were bitten by the 

 fly in question, and the party were, in consequence, compelled 

 to make a hasty retreat. One of the number, I am told, was 

 thus deprived of as many as thirty-six horses, excellent hunt- 

 ers, and all sustained heavy losses in cattle. 



There are large tribes which can not keep either cattle or 

 sheep because tlie tsetse abounds in their country. But it is 



