hing at last," muttered he, as he flung himself to
the ground, and commenced gathering the stalks of a small herb that grew
plentifully about. It was an annual, with leaves very much of the size
and shape of young garden box-wood, but of a much brighter green. Of
course we all knew well enough what it was, for there is not a village
"common" in the Western United States that is not covered with it. It
was the well-known "penny-royal" (_Hedcoma pulegioides_), not the
English herb of that name, which is a species of _mentha_.

Redwood also leaped from his horse, and set to plucking the "weed." He
too, from experience, knew its virtues.

We all drew bridle, watching the guides. Both operated in a similar
manner. Having collected a handful of the tenderest tops, they rubbed
them violently between their palms--rough and good for such service--and
then passed the latter over the exposed skin of their necks and laces.
Ike took two small bunches of the stalks, crushed them under his heel,
and then stuck them beneath his cap, so that the ends hung down over his
cheeks. This being done, he and his comrade mounted their horses and
rode on.

Some of us--the hunter-naturalist, the Englishman, and myself--
dismounted and imitated Ike--of course under a volley of laughter and
"pooh-poohs" from Besancon, the Kentuckian, and the doctor; but we had
not ridden two hundred paces until the joke changed sides. From that
moment not a mosquito approached us, while our three friends were bitten
as badly as ever.

In the end they were convinced, and the torment of the mosquitoes
proving stronger than the fear of our ridicule, all three sprang out of
their saddles, and made a rush at the next bed of penny-royal that came
in sight.

Whether it is the highly aromatic odour of the penny-royal that keeps
off these insects, or whether the juice when touched by them burns the
delicate nerves of their feet I am unable to say. Certain it is they
will not alight upon the skin which has been plentifully anointed with
it. I have tried the same experiment often since that time with a
similar result, and in fact have never since travelled through a
mosquito country without a provision of the "essence of penny-royal."
This is better than the herb itself, and can be obtained from any
apothecary. A single drop or two spilled in the palm of the hand is
sufficient to rub over all the parts exposed, and will often ensure
sleep, where otherwise such