SNAKES, VERMIN, AND FISH. 
173 
our notice in consequence of the peculiar crippled gait 
of the poultry. 
A snake was caught amongst the rocks, measuring 
six feet five inches ; it was of a bluish-black colour. 
M'nana^ee brought it in a wicker basket to show me. 
He said he had had it for three days, and meant to 
keep it as a pet. Although one of his men held it 
fearlessly by the neck, they were afraid to allow me 
to do so, because they called it poisonous ; however, 
no fangs were visible. It was one of the few snakes 
seen in Karague. Eats were in swarms, and were 
very troublesome to the traders, stealing their beads 
and cowries in considerable quantities, and concealing 
them in their holes ; unfortunately we had no poison 
with us when asked for some by M nanagee. This 
shows that the natives have no means to rid them- 
selves of them ; some pills of flour and pounded 
caustic were made up, but we never heard whether 
they were effectual. In the low flat valleys near the 
lakes, large grey-legged musquitoes bite through your 
socks and trousers, keeping your limbs in constant 
motion ; but on the higher ground, where wind blows, 
we were never annoyed by any. The bee that pro- 
duces the honey of the country resembles our common 
hive-bee at home ; and although beautifully granulated 
honey was brought for sale, we observed no hives. 
It certainly is not a productive country in this respect 
— the hills are barren of flowers. There are quanti- 
ties of fish in the lake ; but during my residence no 
fisherman was ever seen or heard of. Except one 
fish, the makambara, brought me by the sultan as a 
curiosity alive in a jar, and a half- pound -weight 
macquareh, caught by a Seedee in the Kishakka lake, 
