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BIRMAH. 145
insufficient to guard against their attacks. The ser-
vants, and even the boatmen, got no rest all night.
kind of reed that grows on the banks, breeds and har-
bours them in the greatest abundance. Fortunately,
this pest does not extend many miles up the river: a
war-boat, quickly rowed, can soon escape from them,
but a heavy vessel must lie for one tide exposed to their
"
action. They assailed us," says Col. Symes, " even
in the day-time, and in such numbers, that we were
obliged to fortify our legs with boots, and put on thick
gloves, while, by continual flapping with a handkerchief,
we endeavoured to defend our faces. But no
sooner had darkness commenced, than these troublesome
insects redoubled their attacks in such multi-
tudes, of such a size, and so venomous, that, were a
European with a delicate skin to be exposed uncovered
to their ravages for one night, it would nearly prove
fatal. The Birman boatmen, whose skins are not
easily penetrated, cannot repose within their action,
and the Bengal servants actually cried out in torment."*
Indigo is cultivated here in patches on the
* This is nothing to the insect plagues of the New World. Along
the whole course of the Magdalena, innumerable insect tormentors
wage war upon the lord of the creation. Mosquitoes near the sea,
and further up, enormous flies glut themselves with his blood.
See MOD. TRAV., Colombia, p. 292. A very interesting account
of the singular manner in which these insects attach themselves to
a particular spot, exhibiting varieties of species in the space of a
few leagues, and never intermixing, and of other phenomena connected
with their geographical distribution, may be found in
Humboldt's Pers. Narr., vol. v. pp. 85118. " How comfortable
must people be in the moon !" said an Indian to Father Gumilla;
"she looks so beautiful and clear, that she must be free from
mosquitoes." "When two persons meet in the missions of the
" How
Orinoco, the first questions they address to each other are :
did you find the zancudoes (venomous gnats) during the night ?
How stand we to-day as to mosquitoes ?"
"
These questions,"
adds the learned "
Traveller, remind us of a Chinese form of
PART I. K
A