This Does Not Attack Dwellings, But Subsists Upon Fallen
Trees.
The second variety is not so large; this species seldom enters
buildings.
The third is the greatest pest: this is the smallest, but
thick and juicy; - the earth is literally alive with them, nor is there
one square foot of ground free from them in Latooka.
"June 19th. - Had a bad attack of fever yesterday that has been hanging
about me for some days. Weighed all the luggage and packed the stores in
loads of fifty pounds each for the natives to carry.
"June 20th. - Busy making new ropes from the bark of a mimosa; all hands
at work, as we start the day after to-morrow. My loss in animals makes a
difference of twenty-three porters' loads. I shall take forty natives as
the bad roads will necessitate light loads for the donkeys. I have now
only fourteen donkeys; these are in good condition, and would thrive,
were not the birds so destructive by pecking sores upon their backs.
These sores would heal quickly by the application of gunpowder, but the
birds irritate and enlarge them until the animal, is rendered useless. I
have lost two donkeys simply from the attacks of these birds; - the only
remaining camel and some of the donkeys I have covered with jackets made
of tent-cloth.
"June 21st. - Nil.
"June 22d. - We were awoke last night by a report from the sentry that
natives were prowling around the camp; - I accordingly posted three
additional guards. At a little after 2 A.m. a shot was fired, followed
by two others in quick succession, and a sound as of many feet running
quickly was heard passing the entrance of the camp. I was up in a
moment, and my men were quickly under arms: the Turks' drum beat, and
their camp (that was contiguous to mine) was alive with men, but all was
darkness. I lighted my policeman's lantern, that was always kept ready
trimmed, and I soon arrived at the spot where the shot had been fired.
The natives had been endeavouring to steal the cattle from the Turks'
kraal, and favoured by the darkness they had commenced burrowing with
the intention of removing the thorn bushes that formed the fence.
Unfortunately for the thieves, they were unaware that there were
watchers in the kraal among the cattle: it was a pitch dark night, and
nothing could be distinguished; but the attention of one of the sentries
was attracted by the snorting and stamping of the goats, that evidently
denoted the presence of something uncommon. He then perceived close to
him, on the other side the hedge, a dark object crouching, and others
standing, and he heard the bushes moving as though some one was at work
to remove them. He immediately fired; and the sound of a rush of men in
retreat induced both him and the other sentry to repeat the shot. By the
light of the lantern we now searched the place, and discovered the body
of a native lying close to the fence just above a considerable hole that
he had scraped beneath the thorns, in order to extract the stems that
were buried in the ground, and thus by drawing away the bushes he would
have effected an entrance.
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