OPERATION OP TSETSE POISON 
48 
away the mosquitos, which abound on the Mahabe atxS 
Tamunak’le more than in any other part of the country. 
The head-man of this village, Majane, seemed a little want- 
ing in ability, but had had wit enough to promote a youngoi 
member of the family to the office. This person, the most 
like the ugly negro of the tobacconists’ shops I ever saw, 
was called Morba Majane, or son of Majane, and proved an 
active guide across the river Sonta, and to the banks of 
the Chobo, in the country of Sebituano. We had come 
through another tsetse district by night, and at once passed 
our cattle over to the northern bank to preserve them from 
its ravages. 
A few remarks on the Tsetse, or Qlossina morsitans, may 
here be appropriate. It is not much larger than the com- 
mon house-fly, and is nearly of the same brown color as 
the common honey-bee; the after-part of the body has 
three or four yellow bars across it ; the wings project be- 
yond this part considerably, and it is remarkably alert, 
avoiding most dexterously all attempts to catch it with 
the hand at common temperatures; in the cool of the morn- 
ings and evenings it is less agile. Its peculiar buzz when 
once heard can never be forgotten by the traveller whose 
means of locomotion are domestic animals; for it is well 
known that the bite of this poisonous insect is certain 
death to the ox, horse, and dog. In this journey, though 
we were not aware r,f any great number having at any 
time lighted on our cattle, wo lost forty-three fine oxen by 
its bite. Wo watched the animals carefully, and believe 
that not a score of flies were ever upon them. 
A most remarkable feature in the bite of the tsetse is its 
perfect harmlcssness in man and wild animals,- and ever 
oalvos so long as they continue to suck the cow. Wt‘ 
never experienced the slightest injury from them ourselves, 
personally, although we lived two months in their hnbitot i 
which was in this case as sharply defined as in many’ others, 
for the south bank of the Chobe was infested by them, and 
the northern bank, where our cattle were placed, only fifW 
