226 IN THE GRIP OF THE NYIKA chap. 



give copious draughts of very hot tea on the top 

 of phenascetin, and cover the patient up in a pile 

 of blankets. Mrs. B. naturally objected very much 

 to this drastic proceeding, but on being told that 

 it was the only way she would get fit, quickly re- 

 signed herself to the discomfort. In less than an 

 hour she was bathed in perspiration, and the tempe- 

 rature went down to ioi°. For the next three days 

 her temperature kept rising and falling, and in the 

 end she was so weak that she could hardly move. 



Of course it was a very anxious time for me, as 

 B. was also far from well, and I had the whole 

 strain of the double illness on my shoulders, far 

 away in the nyika and cut off from all possibility of 

 medical aid. I little realised at the time I was 

 doctoring Mrs. B. that before so very long our roles 

 M^ould be reversed, as it was my misfortune to be 

 struck down by a severe illness, which would 

 probably have made an end of me but for her 

 skilful nursing. 



It was a relief to find that my patient made a 

 very rapid recovery. On the fourth day the fever 

 abated, and Mrs. B. was well enough to be carried 

 in a hammock, so we left Killethamia and made a 

 short march alonof the river. 



I noticed some of the genuine tsetse-fly, with 

 their peculiar crossed wings, in this neighbourhood, 

 and feared for our horses, as a single bite from one 



