U NARRATIVEOFAN 



CHAP, main unmolefted, they fuck the blood till they are 

 . fcarcely able to fly. Every pun6lnre they make is fuc- 

 ceeded by a large blotch, or rather tumour, accompanied 

 with an itching, which is almofl intolerable. The pre- 

 fence of the mufquitoes is indicated by their buzzing' 

 noife, which alone is fufficient to make one fweat, and 

 which is fo very difagreeable to thofe vvha have fufferedi 

 from their flings, as to have obtained for them the name^ 

 of the DeviPs 'Trumpeters, They are indeed inconceiv« 

 ably troublefome in every refpedt. The candles are- no- 

 fooner lighted in an evening, than riiey are fluck full of 

 them; all kinds of food and drink are expofed to their 

 difagreeable vifits, from which even the mouth and eyes: 

 are not exempted. 



The beft cure for their flings is an application of the: 

 juice of lemons or limes, mixed with water, which, is 

 alfo a tolerable prefervative againft their attacks. Im- 

 mediately before fhutting the windows, the inhabitants 

 commonly burn tobacco in their apartments, the fmoke 

 ef which occafions the infecSls to fly about the room,. 

 when the negro girls unrefervedly throw off their petti« 

 coats, which is the whole of their covering, and running 

 naked about the chamber,- chafe the gnats therev/ith out 

 at the windows, or deflroy them* The more delicate ox 

 luxurious amongft the natives flill employ their Haves in 

 fanning them during the whole night, excepting fuch as 

 have green gauze doors to their beds or pavilions ; but 

 the generality of the people in Surinam fleep in roomy 



cotton 



