386 
EXCURSIONS BEYOKD EGA. 
Chap. YI. 
being the head-quarters of mosquitoes, and it fully 
deserves the title. They are more annoying in the 
houses by day than by night, for they swarm in the dark 
and damp rooms, keeping, in the daytime, near the floor, 
and settling by half-dozens together, on the legs. At 
night the calico tent is a sufficient protection ; but 
this is obliged to be folded every morning, and in 
letting it down before sunset, great care is required to 
prevent any of the tormentors from stealing in beneath, 
their insatiable thirst for blood, and pungent sting, 
making these enough to spoil all comfort. In the forest 
the plague is much worse ; but the forest-mosquito be- 
longs to a different species from that of the town, being 
much larger, and having transparent wings ; it is a little 
cloud that one carries about one's person every step on 
a woodland ramble, and their hum is so loud that it 
prevents one hearing well the notes of birds. The 
town-mosquito has opaque speckled wings, a less severe 
sting, and a silent way of going to work ; the inhabi- 
tants ought to be thankful the big, noisy fellows never 
come out of the forest. In compensation for the abun- 
dance of mosquitoes, Fonte Boa has no piums ; there 
was, therefore, some comfort outside one's door in the 
daytime ; the comfort, however, was lessened by there 
being scarcely any room in front of the house to sit 
dowii or walk about, for, on our side of the square, the 
causeway was only two feet broad, and to step over the 
boundary, formed by a line of slippery stems of palms, 
was to sink up to the knees in a sticky swamp. 
Notwithstanding damp and mosquitoes, I had capital 
health, and enjoyed myself much at Fonte Boa; swampy 
