18 GAITERS. 



cover fitted to mine, as a protection from the rays 

 of the sun during the heat of the day. 



In forests where the tree-leech 



abounds, leech-gaiters must be worn, 

 for these animals insinuate themselves into every 

 aperture of your dress, generally making for 

 your ankles or the back of your neck, as if by 

 instinct. 



When in such jungles it is absolutely neces- 

 sary to wear leech gaiters, or long, closely-woven 

 cotton stockings, over your socks, under your 

 boots and gaiters, and over your breeches, as far 

 as they will go. Even with this safeguard I 

 have sometimes found my boots and stockings 

 drenched with blood in the evening, though I 

 could not ascertain how they got in. 



These pests of the jungle are very insignificant 

 in size, not being above an inch in length, or 

 thicker than a knitting-needle; but when dis- 

 tended with blood they attain double that length, 

 and are about as thick as a good-sized quill. 

 They have the power of planting one extremity 



