of the Old World. 331 



the trail of a large herd, which, from unmistakeable 

 signs, we knew could not be far in advance. 



It was very lucky that we came provided with 

 leech-gaiters, made of very fine long-stockings, which 

 we wore over our ordinary hose and breeches, and 

 under the gaiters, as we found the land-leeches 

 swarming in the damp grass and rank vegetation. 

 These pests of the jungle are very insignificant in 

 size, not being above an inch in length, or thicker 

 than a knitting-needle, but when distended with 

 blood they attain double that length and are about 

 as thick as a good-sized quill. They have the power 

 of planting one extremity on the ground, and poising 

 themselves erect to watch for prey, towards which 

 they advance rapidjy by doubling up the body and 

 holding on with their head and tail. They are of a 

 yellowish -brown colour, streaked with black, with 

 one greenish line along the whole length of the back, 

 and a yellow one on each side. Their bites scarcely 

 give any pain at the time, the punctures being so 

 small as hardly to be perceptible, but they cause an 

 uncomfortable irritation, and with persons in a bad 

 state of body often occasion nasty ulcers, which are 

 slow to heal. The gang were accustomed to smear 

 their naked legs with some peculiar kind of grease 

 mixed with ashes, the scent of which prevented the 

 leeches from biting, otherwise they would have been 

 seriously inconvenienced by their attacks. 



