326 
A COLONY IN THE MAKING 
CHAP. 
should remember that what they call excess represents 
merely the small pleasures omitted for six months but 
now concentrated in some five days. 
Although it cannot be denied that in certain parts 
horse-sickness occurs periodically, yet it is pretty 
certain that British East Africa, for its size, is likely to 
take quite a high place among horse-breeding countries. 
The insect which carries horse-sickness in its two 
forms is not yet known, but it is certain that it is 
nocturnal, and in all probability some form or other of 
mosquito. Those horse-owners who see that their 
animals are shut up by nightfall in a decently con¬ 
structed stable are likely to suffer very few losses. If 
the locality bears a bad name for the disease, a good 
preventive is to rub the horse over every evening with 
a cloth damped in kerosine. Another precaution where 
stables are of bamboo or communicate internally is to 
have a small fire of greenwood in the windward box 
whence the smoke can permeate throughout the whole 
stable. Some stables are made mosquito-proof, a 
safeguard of somewhat doubtful benefit, since, while 
they cannot effectually keep out mosquitos, they will 
to a certain extent help to retain any that make their 
entrance through the door. Boxes should be separated 
by partitions extending right up to the roof. It must 
occasionally happen that a horse is out at night, and 
if the box is isolated the opening of the one door 
affects one horse alone. Again, if one horse be 
infected the carrier of the contagion cannot com¬ 
municate the disease to the adjoining boxes. Apart 
from horse-sickness, which, after all, is very far from 
widespread, and is certainly on the decrease, horses 
do splendidly in the Protectorate. There are great 
stretches of short, sweet grass, abundantly watered, 
