TRAVELLING UNDER DIFFICULTIES 



vance-guard, "Siafu," warns them of a swarm of ants 

 which is crossing the path of the caravan ? 



Snakes in East Africa are neither so plentiful nor so 

 dangerous as, for instance, in India, where a reward is 

 paid for the skins of poisonous ophidians. On all my 

 African expeditions I lost but two men who were bit- 

 ten by vipers. Of course, the travelling carriers are less 

 exposed to poisonous snakes than natives working on 

 plantations. 



In the chapter on buffaloes I have already mentioned 

 the numerous kinds of ticks which, in some districts, 

 can make life a burden to a European, while the tough- 

 skinned natives are less molested by them. 



No doubt, the greatest obstacle in the way of coloni- 

 zation of East Africa by Europeans is the malarial fever, 

 which attacks the white settler, not once, but periodi- 

 cally, wears him out, and forces him back into healthier 

 climes. Even settlers in the mountainous regions, 

 which are comparatively free from malaria, are exposed 

 to it on their travels through the lower steppe. The 

 prophylactic dosing with quinine amounts almost to 

 driving out the devil with the help of Beelzebub. The 

 quinine is a preservative in one direction; it is, however, 

 on the other hand, especially in the tropics, highly detri- 

 mental to the nervous system. I do not see how any 

 one who knows the facts can encourage immigration, 

 on a large scale, into the fever-breeding districts of 

 East Africa. It is different with the traveller, hunter, 



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