In This Case The Two Elder Wives Of This Old Man Had Each Relinquished An Eye, And No Doubt The

Time was soon approaching when the youngest would also show her conjugal fidelity and love by similar mutilation, unless the

Old heathen should happen to die shortly and she become espoused to some other, rejoicing in the possession of a full complement of eyes - a consummation devoutly to be wished.

The position of this rock and watering-place I found to be in latitude 30 degrees 32' and longitude 133 degrees 30'. The heat still continued very great, the thermometer at its highest reading never indicating less than 104 degrees in the shade while we were here. The flies at this place, and indeed for weeks before we reached it, were terribly numerous, and we were troubled also with myriads of the large March flies, those horrid pests about twice the size of the blowfly, and which bite men, horses, and camels, and all other animals indiscriminately. These wretches would not allow either us or the animals a moment's respite, from dawn to dusk; they almost ate the poor creatures alive, and kept them in a state of perpetual motion in their hobbles during daylight all the while we were here. In the daytime it was only by continued use of our hands, in waving a handkerchief or bough, that we kept them partially off ourselves, for with all our efforts to drive them away, we were continually bitten and stung almost to madness.

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