BISON. 127 



and tree ferns, while clumps of flowering cannae and 

 lilies* studded the adjacent ground. In some of the little 

 dells were to be found several kinds of ferns, chiefly 

 varieties of maiden-hair and polypodium, but it was in 

 an enchanting spot of this kind that I first encountered 

 the hill-leech, a diminutive but repulsive reptile, which 

 progresses by doubling up its body like a loop, and then 

 projecting the head forward for another stride. I sat down 

 to smoke a pipe, and soon discovered some of these pests 

 skirmishing up my gaiters, and on pulling off my socks 

 on arrival in camp, two hideous writhing objects rolled 

 out on the floor of the tent. These little leeches are 

 the curse of these and many other jungles. It is very 

 difficult to keep them out, the best plan being to wear two 

 pair of socks over the shooting breeches. If one pair of 

 socks only is worn, they push their heads through, and, 

 leaving the bodies outside, fill them from within. The 

 bites are very irritating and liable to fester if scratched. 

 Some parts of the jungles simply swarm with them, and 

 elephants and bison give these places a wide berth. 



On return to camp we found the chokra in a great state 

 of mind, as, shortly after our departure in the morning, he 

 had been interviewed by a very large " plenty bad " black 

 monkey, which suddenly appeared at the door of his hut, 

 and on his attempting to drive it away by throwing sticks 

 and shouting, it made hideous grimaces and hostile demon- 

 strations, pretending to jump on him. He said it would 

 certainly return in the morning with its family to eat him, 

 and that he could not stay alone in the camp another day, 

 so a Mulser was left to keep him company. We started the 

 following morning in a southerly direction, and walked for 

 several hours, finding nothing but some elephant tracks 



* Caladium. 



