THE CHILDREN OF THE NEW FOREST. 165 



As for myself, in spite of wearing large gauntleted 

 leather gloves, and tying the wrists and ankles with 

 string, the insects led me such a life that I hardly dared 

 enter the forest. At last a bright idea struck me. I 

 rubbed my hands, ankles, face, and neck with naphtha, 

 and kept a little bottle in my pocket for renewal when- 

 ever the odour seemed to become faint and ineffectual. 

 After taking this precaution I enjoyed a delightful 

 immunity from insects, which more than compensated 

 for the very unpleasant smell of the naphtha. Even in 

 the course of a long day's sojourn in the forest depths 

 not a fly dared meddle with so potent an odour, and it 

 was amusing to see a great loud-winged insect come 

 charging along, ready for action and thirsting for blood, 

 and then to see it pause in full career, balance itself for 

 a moment on quivering wings, and dart off at an angle 

 from the hateful scent. 



Upon many a tree were the nests or c cages ' of the 

 squirrel, denoting the abundance of these pretty little 

 animals in the neighbourhood. Before very long a 

 reddish dot was seen moving among the grass, and we 

 immediately determined to stalk up to the creature 

 and to watch its habits. Being accustomed to wood- 

 craft, and knowing how to take advantage of every 

 cover, to pass among branches without noise, and to 

 avoid snapping dried sticks with the feet, we crept to a 

 tree-trunk within six yards of the squirrel, and there 

 sat quietly looking at him. 



There he was, blithe and joyous, totally ignorant of 



