234 



THE LAKE REGIONS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 



it settled in the region of the liver. On the 10th Oc- 

 tober, suddenly waking about dawn from a horrible 

 dream, in which a close pack of tigers, leopards, and 

 other beasts, harnessed with a network of iron hooks, 

 were dragging him like the rush of a whirlwind over 

 the ground, he found himself sitting up on the side of 

 his bedding, forcibly clasping both sides with his hands. 

 Half-stupefied by pain, he called Bombay, who having 

 formerly suffered from the " Kichyoma-chyoma" — the 

 "little irons" — raised his master's right arm, placed 

 him in a sitting position, as lying down was impossible, 

 and directed him to hold the left ear behind the head, 

 thus relieving the excruciating and torturing twinges, 

 by lifting the lung from the liver. The next spasm 

 was less severe, but the sufferer's mind had begun to 

 wander, and he again clasped his sides, a proceeding 

 with which Bombay interfered. 



Early on the next morning, my companion, supported 

 by Bombay and Gaetano, staggered towards the tent. 

 Nearing the doorway, he sent in his Goanese, to place 

 a chair for sitting, as usual, during the toils of the day, 

 outside. The support of an arm being thus removed, 

 ensued a second and violent spasm of cramps and 

 twinges, all the muscles being painfully contracted. 

 After resting for a few moments, he called his men to 

 assist him into the house. But neglecting to have a 

 chair previously placed for him, he underwent a third 

 fit of the same epileptic description, which more closely 

 resembled those of hydrophobia than aught I had ever 

 witnessed. He was once more haunted by a crowd of 

 hideous devils, giants, and lion-headed demons, who 

 were wrenching, with superhuman force, and stripping 

 the sinews and tendons of his legs down to the ankles. 



