These dreadful
insects the Spaniards name mosquitoes. Nor were they the only flies, for
hundreds of other creatures, no bigger than a pin's head, had fastened
on to me like bulldogs to a baited bear, boring their heads into the
flesh, where in the end they cause festers. They are named garrapatas
by the Spanish, and I take them to be the young of the tic. Others there
were, also, too numerous to mention, and of every shape and size, though
they had this in common, all bit and all were venomous. Before the
morning these plagues had driven me almost to madness, for in no way
could I obtain relief from them. Towards dawn I went and lay in the
water, thinking to lessen my sufferings, but before I had been there ten
minutes I saw a huge crocodile rise up from the mud beside me. I sprang
away to the bank horribly afraid, for never before had I beheld so
monstrous and evil-looking a brute, to fall again into the clutches of
the creatures, winged and crawling, that were waiting for me there by
myriads.
But enough of these damnable insects!
CHAPTER XIII
THE STONE OF SACRIFICE
At length the morning broke and found me in a sorry plight, for my face
was swollen to the size of a pumpkin by the venom of the mosquitoes, and
the rest of my body was in little better case. Moreover I could not
keep myself still because of the itching, but must run and jump like a
madman.
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