EAST AFRICA 163 



under curtains, as, even if there are no mosquitoes, sand- 

 flies, or other noxious insects about, curtains help to keep off 

 miasma to a very great extent. Before having the mosquito 

 curtains removed in the morning, it is a good thing to take 

 a cup of coffee or cocoa before getting out of bed, as I believe 

 when so fortified a man is less liable to the influences of 

 miasma, which, if floating about at all, is worse just when 

 getting up, between 4 and 5 A.M., than at any other time. 



A good, well-assorted medicine chest is a sine qua non. 

 All medicines should be, if possible, in compressed tabloid 

 form. Messrs. Burroughs & Wellcome, of Snow Hill, Holborn, 

 supply every kind of chest suitable for African travel. For 

 the porters, &c., an extra supply of certain medicines should be 

 taken out, such as spirits of nitre, quinine, chlorodyne, ipecac- 

 uanha, Warburgh's tincture, castor oil, laudanum, extract of 

 male fern for tapeworm (a common complaint amongst 

 them), powdered sulphur (for itch, also a common and most 

 disagreeable complaint), a few bottles of Elliman, iodoform (for 

 ulcers and sores), and a good cough mixture in a concentrated 

 form. 



STORES, ETC. 



Although European stores, wines, and spirits of every kind 

 are obtainable at Mombasa, I should recommend everybody 

 intending to go out on a sporting trip to take a certain amount 

 of stores with them, particularly those which would come under 

 the head of medical comforts, such as Brand's soups and 

 extracts, arrowroot, champagne, brandy, and port wine. Other 

 stores for ordinary use which can be purchased at Mombasa are 

 not always fresh, and as there is very little difference between 

 the price of those taken from England, including the freight 

 out, and of those bought on the spot, I am in favour of taking 

 everything from home. The quantity to be taken depends 

 entirely on the length of the trip and the individual tastes of 

 the sportsmen. The kinds usually taken are soups, erbswurst 



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