382 Notes on an alleged species of poisonous Lizard, fyc. 



direction, while a shout arose of " back again /" " unpitch 

 tents !" I had soon enough to do to take care of myself, with- 

 out looking to others. But for the sepoys, we (I mean the 

 Europeans of the detachment) would have been most seri- 

 ously affected by these inveterate insects. With branches 

 of trees with which they flogged away the bees, they suc- 

 ceeded in partially protecting us; I say partially, because 

 notwithstanding our utmost care, we were severely stung, 

 and the necessity of keeping the eyes closely shut, for fear 

 of their being stung too, rendered us all very helpless. The 

 scene too, though it was serious enough to the sufferers, 

 had a strong dash of the ludicrous in it, of which we 

 were not quite aware till we saw each other afterwards 

 face to face, and compared notes. Among those most 

 cruelly visited, was my lamented friend Capt. David Rud- 

 dell. Who that knew that fine soldier and generous and 

 accomplished man, that does not love his memory ? Poor 

 David ! I remember on going up to him that we both 

 burst into a hearty fit of laughter, and the reason was, the 

 ludicrous change in physiognomy which the little avengers 

 had produced, for independent of swelling and redness 

 where they stung, they left their stings in the skin, so that 

 Ruddell's face looked exactly as if it had a beard of a hoary 

 hue, from his chin to the top of his forehead ; as others 

 came up, they presented with less or more variation, the same 

 appearance. He who suffered most, however, was Lieut. 

 Brett of the Ramghur Corps. In an evil hour he lost his cap, 

 and thought of getting under a blanket, (his bed and bed- 

 ding having reached the ground) but hosts of the enemy got 

 under his covering, before it could be folded round him, and 

 his struggles to get loose again from his diabolical tormen- 

 tors were misunderstood into efforts to keep himself under 

 the blanket, and at last poor Brett burst out, and it was 

 hard to say, whether he was most indignant with the bees, or 

 with his native friends, who in their kind endeavours to help 



