220 APPEAEAXCE OF TSETSE AT CHIMOIO. 



that of the Erer, visited lower clown by Dr. Smith. , . ." 

 ' The valley itself is described by the latter [Major 

 Mainwaring] as quite the Eden of Somaliland, being 

 thickly wooded, and the tops of the smaller hills covered 

 with fresh green grass. At the bottom of the valley were 

 found a running stream, luxuriant tropical vegetation, 

 brilliant-plumaged birds, and bright flowers. It is un- 

 fortunately infested by a fly, apparently a species of 

 Tse-tsi, which proved fatal to the animals." 



134. 1895. W. A. Eckersley. 



" Notes in Eastern Mashonaland" {The Geographical 

 Journal, Vol. V. London : The Royal Geographical 

 Society). 



Appearance of the Tsetse-fly at Chimoio, Portuguese 

 East Africa, on the line of the Beira Raihcay in 1894 ; 

 two ponies talcen by the survey party in 1893 through the 

 fly-belt to Chimoio tcithout suffering any ill effects. 



" The temporary terminus of the railway, usually 

 known as the ' Seventy -five mile peg,' is 43 i miles 

 from Chimoio by the line recently surveyed for the 

 proposed extension to that point ; the distance measured 

 in a sti'aight line is very considerably shorter. The 

 Seventy-mile terminus is connected with Chimoio by a 

 waggon road lately cut through the forest, thus bringing 

 the railway into direct communication with the ' Selous ' 

 road to Massi-Kessi, Umtali, and Salisbury. The terminus 

 is unfortunately situated well within the Hmits of the district 

 infested by the ' Tsetse-fly,' thus rendering imperative the 

 early extension of the line to Chimoio, or even further to 

 the west. Chimoio, up to the present, has been entirely 

 fi'ee fi'om the fly. The doubt has been expressed that 

 the presence of a large number of horses, oxen, and other 

 animals at Chimoio, attracted thither by the facilities of 

 transport ofi"ered by the railway, might in its turn be the 

 means of attracting the destructive fly to that place. 

 This doubt has now become a certainty, recent letters 

 containing the news that the dreaded fly had actually 

 made its appearance in Chimoio. 



" It is interesting to note that two ponies, purchased 

 in Natal for the use of the survey party, passed through 

 Beira, Eontcsvilla, and the intervening ' fly-belt,' to 



