wo days in a
state of collapse, began to swell, and at last were distended to such an
extent that they seemed as if ready to burst. In point of fact the
creatures were actually as full as they could hold; and when at length
they dragged themselves slowly, almost unwillingly, out of the pool, any
sudden jerk or motion caused some of the water to run out of their
mouths!

Some time after that we were compelled to part with our poor steeds, in
consequence of their being bitten by an insect which caused their death.

This destructive fly, which is called tsetse, is a perfect scourge in
some parts of Africa. Its bite is fatal to the horse, ox, and dog, yet,
strange to say, it is not so to man or to wild animals. It is not much
larger than the common house-fly, and sucks the blood in the same manner
as the mosquito, by means of a proboscis with which it punctures the
skin. When man is bitten by it, no more serious evil than slight
itching of the part follows. When the ox is bitten no serious effect
follows at first, but a few days afterwards a running takes place at the
eyes and nose, swellings appear under the jaw and on other parts of the
body, emaciation quickly follows, even although the animal may continue
to graze, and after a long illness, sometimes of many weeks, it dies in
a state of extreme exhaustion.

The tsetse inhabits certain localities in great numbers, while other
places in the immediate neighbourhood are entirely free. Those natives,
therefore, who have herds of cattle avoid the dangerous regions most
carefully; yet, despite their utmost care, they sometimes come
unexpectedly on the _habitat_ of this poisonous fly, and lose the
greater part of their cattle.

When our poor oxen were bitten and the fatal symptoms began to appear,
we knew that their fate was sealed; so we conducted them into a pleasant
valley on which we chanced to alight, where there was plenty of grass
and water, and there we left them to die.

Another incident occurred to us in this part of our journey which is
worthy of record.

One day Peterkin and I had started before our party with our rifles, and
had gone a considerable distance in advance of them, when we
unexpectedly came upon a band of natives who were travelling in an
opposite direction. Before coming up with their main body, we met with
one of their warriors, who came upon us suddenly in the midst of a
wooded spot, and stood rooted to the earth with fear and amazement