GALLA MODE OF CROSSING FLY-BELTS. 225 



Stationery Office by Harrison & Sons, St. Martin's Lane, 

 Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty.) 



" We must encourage the unchecked increase of the 

 negro population in British Central Africa, for the pre- 

 sence of millions of men with strong arms, and relatively 

 proof against malarial fever, or, at any rate, amongst 

 whom life is very cheap, will soon dispel malaria, the 

 Tsetse-fly, and other drawbacks to the utility of British 

 Central Africa. . . . The Tsetse-fly loathes the presence 

 of man, and is already fast disappearing from the Pro- 

 tectorate. It is never, in any case, found in the hills, and 

 we have only to get those great riverain plains and lake 

 shores densely peopled to be able to chronicle its entire 

 extinction " (p. 1 2). 



Disappearance of the Tsetse-fly from the country to the 

 aouth of Lake Nyasa. — The bringing down of cattle from 

 Lake Nyasa to Blantyre ** has shown in many cases how 

 completely the Tsetse-fly has disappeared from regions 

 where formerly its presence in large numbers would have 

 killed almost all the cattle that crossed the infested 

 territories" (p. L5). 



139. 1896. J. W. Gregory. 



" The Great Rift Valley " (London : John Murray), 

 pp. 21-22. 



Tsetse-fly in belt of forest between Witu and the const. — 

 " There were no preparations for firing the belt of forest 

 at Pangani through which the road passes, and which is 

 the haunt of the Tsetse-fly (Glossina morsitans, Westw,). 

 On the journey through it on our way up, I had found 

 this dreaded fly. To expose our camels to an attack from 

 it was to risk the whole safety of the caravan ; I had 

 therefore sent back a note to say that before the baggage 

 animals entered this belt of forest, fires ought to be 

 lighted in it and the animals driven through the smoke. 

 This is the method commonly used to protect animals 

 when passing through a fly-haunted district. I found out 

 afterwards that the Galla in the Tana valley know all the 

 fly-infested patches, and always adopt this precaution 

 when driving their cattle through them. As Dr. Rae 

 seemed better, he went on with two men, and I stopped 

 there to prepare the fires, sending on a note urging that 



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