THE TUBUKI LAKES 11 



other, Tuburi to the west, Tikem to the east. On 

 the surface water-lilies and lotus float, colouring the 

 heaven-reflecting waters with whites, pinks, mauves, 

 and blues. Humbler flowers grow amongst them, tiny 

 golden blossoms each supported by its own bladder, 

 and the graceful water - violet. Tall grasses invade 

 the lakes, and the watermen, when they seek some 

 fish-trap in their midst, throw their paddles out on 

 to them and then walk quickly from one paddle to 

 the other, for the stems support the long wooden 

 poles for a fraction of a minute. From a little distance 

 the effect is as if they were walking on the water. 



The high, nodding rushes are beautiful to look at, 

 but mosquitos breed there, and the pain of their bite 

 and the perpetual tang of their buzz drove us near 

 distraction. 



We had been told that it is the female who carries 

 the malarial poison, and that she bites silently, while 

 the male makes an offensive noise but does no serious 

 damage. Whether it be true, or a traveller's tale, I 

 can only say the story destroyed any peace of mind I 

 may have had, for it made silence as dreadful as noise. 



I soon learnt, however, the lesson that my com- 

 panions already knew : that it recked little what one 

 thought or what protection one sought, for after dark 

 none was to be found. 



If the boys have been able to make one's bed before 

 sundown, and one is quick and careful about getting 

 into it, and allows neither hand nor foot to touch 

 the curtains, then there is safety. If, however, it is 

 worth staying up, which it always is, even a mosquito- 

 proof tent is of little avail, except to keep out flying- 

 ants, who drop their wings into the soup. The only 



