RED ANTS. 377 



Highland fling, although rather too energetic to be 

 decent, and appropriately enough accompanied by 

 yells and groans ; "for their bite is extremely pain- 

 ful, and the voracious little vermin have such 

 strong nippers that their heads generally come off 

 before they will let go their hold. They are the 

 greatest torments of the African bush, and in stalk- 

 ing game . I have frequently been severely bitten 

 before I perceived them. The woods through 

 which we passed were very luxuriant, and amongst 

 numberless unknown shrubs I noticed some im- 

 mense cotton-trees and African cedars, with a fine 

 tree .with large eleven-lobed leaves that looked 

 somewhat like a horse-chestnut, but considerably 

 larger. 



We again dined at Daddy Jim's, whose house 

 seemed the general " rendezvous " for naval officers 

 when ashore, and had a very pleasant evening. 



The next day, January 30th, we bade adieu to 

 our kind entertainers, and embarked on board the 

 " Minerva," where Walker and his companion 

 Mr. Knight did everything to make us com- 

 fortable. Daddy Jim sent me a huge clothes- 



