THE STEPPES OF INNER AFRICA. 181 



spond to a jot with the sandy soil, thanks also to their habit of bury- 

 ing themselves during the day, or during their resting hours, with 

 only their short tactile horns protruding from the sand, one usually 

 searches for them in vain during daylight. But as soon as night 

 comes, and the camp-fire burns brightly, they are unmistakably 

 on the spot, coiling and hissing all around. Sometimes they appear 

 in terrifying numbers and keep the tired traveller awake till 

 towards midnight, for all those which have been resting within the 

 range of the fire, or have been attracted to it on their nocturnal 

 rambles, come gliding towards the flames. At last, wearied out 

 and heavy with sleep, we throw down the tongs and betake our- 

 selves to bed, but we never know how many of the reptiles will 

 come creeping over us in the night, and we often discover evidence 

 of their visits when the carpet is lifted in the morning. For under 

 its folds one or more may be found lurking, or may be seen quickly 

 disappearing into the sand. Little wonder that it was on this 

 steppe-land that I first became impressed with the fact, which no 

 one had at that time stated, that, with few exceptions, the venom- 

 ous snakes, and certainly all the vipers and crotaline snakes, are 

 nocturnal in habit. 



But the above-mentioned animals do not by any means complete 

 the list of those which are troublesome in the steppe. There is one, 

 among the smallest of all, which, though giving no direct cause for 

 anxiety as far as life is concerned, is of immense importance in 

 relation to the property of those who live or travel in this region. 

 I mean the termite, a little insect not unlike an ant, which, in spite 

 of its minuteness, does more damage than the voracious locust (still 

 able to constitute a plague), and may work more destruction than 

 a troop of elephants devastating the fields. It is one of the most 

 omnipresent and persistent of injurious insects. Whatever the 

 vigour of plant life creates will fall before the sharp jaws of the 

 termites, and they are not less unsparing of the products of human 

 art and industry. High above the grass-forest of the steppe they 

 rear their conical earthen towers; on the ground and on the trees 

 they make their tunnels and passages. They begin and end their 

 destructive work at night or in darkness. First they cover the 



