120 OBSERVATIONS ON A SALMON RIVER 



of our visitors the flies were a real terror. 

 There were many remedies, some of them 

 worse almost than the disease, notably a hor- 

 rible brown unguent with which we were ex- 

 pected to smear our faces. Pieces of rag 

 dipped in malodorous essences were not 

 quite so bad. Veils which interfered with 

 one's breathing and clung to one's skin when 

 one was perspiring were, I thought, intoler- 

 able. When driven to desperation, I found 

 that the best plan was to light a " smudge " 

 in the canoe. A smudge is a little fire of 

 touchwood which can be kindled in a glue- 

 pot, and when fairly set going, supplemented 

 by a little damp moss, so as to produce a 

 dense column of pungent smoke. This the 

 mosquitoes at any rate will not face ; and by 

 keeping close to the smudge, and yet not 

 within its fumes, it is possible to elude the 

 enemy ; but, as I have said before, I was for- 

 tunate, which was more than I could say 

 for all our visitors. One of them, a rather 

 full-blown, well-nourished Britisher, was a 

 sight for gods and men after a fortnight's 



