44 THE OUT-STATION; OR, 



not so to us ; there is not a blade of grass on the 

 whole parade ground that is not the local habitation 

 of a leech ; not content with the grass, they patronise 

 the trees, and drop down into one's neck and hair 

 without number, and so small are they, that they in- 

 sinuate themselves through the button-holes in one's 

 dress, and the slightest puncture in the world makes 

 the victim aware when each young blood-sucker has 

 set to work. 



As to detaching them at the time, that, not con- 

 stituting one of the new drill manoeuvres, is totally 

 impracticable ; and often have I, on reaching the 

 bungalow, after smarting for an hour or two under 

 their tender mercies, rushed into my bedroom and 

 removed from one hundred and fifty to two hundred 

 of the bloated rascals from my neck, arms, and legs, 

 which of course were streaming with blood. 



However, as the district surgeon consoled me with 

 the information that they tended in a great measure 

 to regulate the corporeal thermometer, I made up my 

 mind, after a time, to bear all their blood-thirstiness 

 patiently ; although when some fellow, presuming on 

 my forbearance, gave a nip that made me start again, 

 I own it was not without "malice prepense" that I 

 inflicted such a kick on the particular spot of my leg 

 on which I supposed him to be located, with the heel 

 of the other foot, as almost sent me on my knees in 

 the midst of some very complicated light infantry 

 tactics. 



