396 INSECT LIFE. Chap. XXX. 



living near the Zambesi. The side upon which the elephant 

 fell had a short broken tusk ; the upper one, which was ours, 

 was large and thick. The messengers returned with a basket 

 of corn, a fowl, and a few strings of handsome beads, as a sort 

 of thank-offering, and said that they had thanked the Barimo 

 for our success, concluding with the permission, " There it is; 

 eat it and be glad." Had we begun to cut it up before we 

 got this permission, we should have lost the whole. They 

 had brought a large party to eat their half, which they 

 divided with us in a friendly way. My men were delighted 

 with the feast, though the carcase was pretty far gone in 

 consequence of the delay. An astonishing number of hygenas 

 collected round, and kept up a loud laughter for two whole 

 nights. I asked my men what they were laughing at ; they 

 replied that it was because we could not take the whole, and 

 there would be plenty left for them. 



On coming to the part where the elephant was slain we 

 passed through grass so tall that it reminded me of that in the 

 valley of Cassange. Insects are very numerous after the rains 

 commence ; while waiting by the elephant I observed a great 

 number of them like grains of fine sand moving on my boxes. 

 On examining them with a glass four species were apparent ; 

 one of green and gold preening its wings, which glanced in 

 the sun with metallic lustre, another clear as crystal, a third 

 of a vermilion colour, and a fourth black. These insects 

 consume the seeds of probably every plant that grows, each 

 plant having its own peculiar insect. The rankest poisons, 

 as the Kongwhane and Euphorbia, are soon devoured — the 

 former by a scarlet insect ; even the fiery bird's-eye pepper is 

 devoured by a maggot. I observed here great numbers of 

 centipedes with light-reddish bodies and blue legs ; great 

 myriapedes are seen crawling everywhere, and excite a feeling 

 of loathing. In the quietest parts of the forest there is heard 

 a faint but distinct hum, which tells of insect joy. One may 

 gee many whisking about in the clear sunshine among the 

 green glancing leaves ; but there are invisible myriads, all 

 brimful of enjoyment, working with never-tiring mandibles 

 on leaves, and stalks, and beneath the soil. Indeed the 

 universality of organic life seems like a mantle of happy 

 existence encircling the world, and betokening the presence 



