SEFARI LIFE 143 



rubbed into the corner of your eye, may bring a severe 

 inflammation. The men's eyes and skin are often badly 

 inflamed from this cause, and they are much tougher, in such 

 matters, than we are. 



When you are on elevated plateaus, such as Laikipia, 

 or Nzoia, you will find no insect life, to trouble you much; 

 but when you descend or are hunting the country nearer 

 Nairobi, or near the Athi, Theka, or Tana rivers, or, if you 

 visit the fine hunting country near Megardi, and pass toward 

 the German line, you must prepare yourself carefully, to 

 ward off poisonous insects, of several kinds. In these 

 lands never wear slippers in the evening or morning, and 

 under no circumstances permit your men to place your 

 tent, or theirs, if you can help it, on the site of old 

 encampments. 



Jigger fleas abound, and the jigger is a terror! He is 

 so tiny, it is hard to see him, and even when he has taken up 

 his home and established his family in your toe, his only 

 mark is an infinitesimal speck on the skin, spite of the horrid 

 irritation, you cannot see anything. At last a small red 

 spot appears, and, if your tentboy is skilful, he will cut a 

 splinter of hardwood, and root at your foot, till he shows 

 you, beneath that red spot, a sack the size of a marrowfat 

 pea. This he carefully removes, not on any account break- 

 ing it, or causing the opening to bleed, see it put in the 

 fire, not thrown on the ground, and rub some disinfectant 

 in. This is not, I fear, a pleasant description, nor is the 

 job any pleasanter, but it must be done, and done thor- 

 oughly, or you may find yourself unable to walk for weeks. 

 Wear long, light, mosquito canvas, boots, round camp of an 

 evening. You can get them at any outfitters in London, 

 or at the Citadel Stores, Cairo, where, by the way, you will 

 find, if you are introduced, an admirable assortment of 

 camping fixtures, more complete and quite as cheap, as 

 anywhere in London. 



