LEECHES 177 



Ibo ; this was the only regular native track we used, and 

 these few miles across from the Mimika to the Tuaba 

 were the only place where we had not to cut our own 

 path. The mud in that part of the jungle was quite 

 exceptionally bad, even for New Guinea ; in the com- 

 paratively dry weather it was like walking through por- 

 ridge, and in the wet weather you were continually 

 struggling through liquid slime almost up to your knees. 

 We were very much annoyed there, though not more 

 in that than in other parts of the jungle, by the leeches -^ 

 which swarmed everywhere. These hateful little crea- 

 tures sit on the leaves or twigs stretched out to their 

 fullest length and expectant of the passer-by. It is not 

 necessary to beUeve, as some people do, that they jump 

 or even that they fall upon you as you pass beneath 

 them ; there are so many that as you brush through the 

 jungle you must inevitably touch many outstretched 

 heads and as soon as they are touched they attach them- 

 selves immediately to you. They are extremely rapid in 

 their movements, and their touch is so delicate that you 

 do not feel their presence until they have nearly gorged 

 themselves with blood. Your legs, unless they are well 

 protected with putties, are most liable to their attacks, 

 but you find leeches on all parts of your body, and I 

 have found them in my eyes and in my mouth and once 

 just captured one as it was preparing to enter one of my 

 nostrils. They are able to consume an astonishingly 

 large quantity of blood, and when, as often happens, 

 they open a small vein, the bleeding continues after they 

 have dropped from their feeding place. It is not advis- 

 able to pull a leech from your body ; it often results in 



N 



