MOSQUITOES. 57 



Against all these insects you can find abundant 

 protection. The following precautions, which we 

 have adopted with complete success, I would recom- 

 mend, especially to such of my lady readers as con- 

 template a visit to this or any other inland region. 

 For the hands, take a pair of common buckskin 

 gloves and sew on at the wrists a gauntlet or 

 armlet of chamois-skin, reaching to the elbow, 

 and tightly buttoned around. Do not leave any 

 opening, however small, at the wrist, else the 

 gnats may creep up the arm. This gives per- 

 fect protection to the hand. For the face, take a 

 yard and a half of Swiss mull, and gather it with 

 an elastic band into the form of a sack or bag. 

 Have the elastic so as to slip over the head, which 

 when you have done, fix the elastic inside the 

 collar-hand, and you can laugh defiance at the mos- 

 quitoes and gnats. We, in addition to this, take in 

 a piece of very fine muslin, some four yards square, 

 which, if threatened with gnats or flies, having first 

 thoroughly smoked the tent or lodge, we drop over 

 the front or doorway, and behind its protection sleep 

 undisturbed. To sportsmen, and indeed to all, I 

 suggest this also. Take in a bottle of sweet oil 

 and a vial of tar. These the guide will mix, and 

 with a small bottle of the compound in your pock- 

 et you can go and come night or day as you please. 

 All manner of insects abhor the smell of tar. 

 AVhftn, therefore, you have need to fish or hunt or 



