64 THE ARCTIC PRAIRIES 



we got out to the Buffalo country, there were 15 to 25 

 on the one side of the hand and elsewhere in proportion. 

 On the Nyarling, in early July, the number was in- 

 creased, being now 20 to 40. On Great Slave Lake, 

 later that month, there were 50 to 60. But when we 

 reached the Barren Grounds, the land of open breezy 

 plains and cold water lakes, the pests were so bad that 

 the hand held up for 5 seconds often showed from 100 

 to 125 long-billed mosquitoes boring away into the 

 flesh. It was possible to number them only by killing 

 them and counting the corpses. What wonder that 

 all men should avoid the open plains, that are the 

 kingdom of such a scourge. 



Yet it must not be thought that the whole country 

 is similarly and evenly filled. There can be no doubt 

 that they flock and fly to the big moving creatures they 

 see or smell. Maybe we had gathered the whole mos- 

 quito product of many acres. This is shown by the 

 facts that if one rushes through thick bushes for a dis- 

 tance, into a clear space, the mosquitoes seem absent 

 at first. One must wait a minute or so to gather up 

 another legion. When landing from a boat on the 

 Northern Lakes there are comparatively few, but even 

 in a high wind, a walk to the nearest hilltop results in 

 one again moving in a cloud of tormentors. Does not 

 this readiness to assemble at a bait suggest a possible 

 means of destroying them? 



Every one, even the seasoned natives, agree that they 

 are a terror to man and beast ; but, thanks to our fly- 

 proof tents, we sleep immune. During the day I wear 

 my net and gloves, uncomfortably hot, but a blessed 



