102 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



there is an abundance produced by a very small bee about the 

 size of a common housefly, and as he never by any chance 

 washes himself, you will readily perceive what an agreeable 

 object he presents after a few days', or weeks', accumulation of 

 dirt is added to the sticky substance. 



Of vermin, such as fleas, bugs, and lice, the north-west is 

 mearly free, the climate being apparently too hot and dry to suit 

 'their constitutions, which is something to be thankful for, for 

 were they as abundant as in some other places life would scarcely 

 be bearable ; and what condition the unfortunate natives would 

 be in is almost beyond conjecture. The only exception is a dog- 

 flea, and even this is only found in dogs resident in the town, 

 their bush brothers being entirely free from it. But if there are 

 none of these vermin, their absence is to a great extent supplied 

 by flies and mosquitos, the latter being especially numerous 

 after rain. The mosquitos are not the common Victorian ones, 

 which may be compared to what the Indian coolie is to the 

 Afghan — the former mild, and only occasionally rousing up to 

 energy, whilst the latter is always on the war-path ; so with the 

 north-west mosquito, and whilst the white man has to cover his 

 ■head with a handkerchief or seek the aid of a mosquito net, the 

 native does not even trouble himself about them, being 

 apparently protected by the thick layers of dirt on his body, 

 through which the mosquito cannot force his proboscis, and 

 consequently retires from the contest in disgust. In the 

 Kimberley district, where they are much more fierce and 

 numerous than on the north-west, the natives protect them- 

 selves by building a small mud hut with only one aperture, 

 through which as many crawl as the hut will hold, and then the 

 aperture is closed up. In this worse than black hole they will 

 lie and sleep, apparently not at all inconvenienced from the 

 want of fresh air ; and what the inside atmosphere must be like 

 with all their dirty bodies, and still dirtier habits, I can only 

 leave to your imagination. I have never yet heard of any white 

 man who had the courage to try the effect of a night's lodgings 

 in one of these huts, and I feel sure if he accepts an anvitation 

 he would never live to relate his experiences, even if he had 

 previously gone through as much as your well-known " Vaga- 

 bond." 



The natives, like all black races, are exceedingly treacherous, 

 and you have to be very careful not to allow them to get behind 

 you, for at the first favourable opportunity the}' will go for you. 

 One favourite and very cruel way they have of killing a sleeping 

 man is that of filling his ears, nose, and mouth with sand ; and 

 they take a special delight in watching the agonies of the 

 wretched victim as he vainly endeavours to free himself, but, 

 needless to say, he rarely, if ever, succeeds. A refinement of 

 their treachery may be instanced in their occasionally meeting 



