so A NATURALIST IN THE GUIANAS 



spread out to dry, our clothes and hammocks, a couple of 

 curassows tied to a branch, everything almost which had 

 been left exposed, had been used by these flies for de- 

 positing their disgusting larvae. From the moment of 

 their arrival they had been occupied passing our things 

 over the fire so as to rid them of the filth left by these 

 disagreeable visitors. 



Baoul had shot three curassows. We dined off these 

 and roasted ripe bananas, and then retired to our damp 

 hammocks. Although I was very tired I passed a bad 

 night, as the quantity of bush-ticks I had collected on my 

 body during our day's tramp kept me awake the greater 

 part of the time. 



At daybreak we had the usual cup of black coffee, 

 which becomes indispensable after a time. "With Maite's 

 assistance I managed to get rid of some of the ticks with 

 which I was covered, and I then had a good long bath so 

 as to allay the irritation caused by the garrapatas, as ticks 

 are called by the natives. With sunrise the flies began to 

 arrive, and by eight o'clock they were numerous enough 

 to be disagreeable. By the time we had finished break- 

 fast half an hour later they were around us in swarms ; it 

 was time to think of getting away. The Indians made 

 up their packs as hastily as they could, and we left with- 

 out regret this paradise of flies. Although my naked 

 companions were much more heavily laden than Turban, 

 Guy, or myself, we found it difficult to keep up with 

 them until we reached the stream which we had passed two 

 days before. There they left us and hurried on ahead, 

 and we did not see them again until we reached our 

 camp late in the afternoon. It never occurred to them, 

 considering that their track was in places difficult to 

 follow, that we might go astray and get lost in the forest. 



