Untitled - The Alfred Russel Wallace Website

loS NOTES OF A BOTANIST CHAP.
forest and not reaching the river margin as on the
Maranon), it has been necessary to go ashore
ourselves first with our firearms.
A little before sunset we reached the upper point
of an island, clad with a willow-like Composite, and
rapidly becoming covered with water. Here we
made fast, intending to pass the night, but shortly
the Indians took alarm at seeing how easily an
enemy could approach our encampment concealed
by bushes which, although growing pretty close,
admitted an ; easy passage so we moved off to the
middle of the river, here very broad and shallow,
with several prostrate dead trees sticking out which
the rising waters had not yet liberated, though they
were beginning to move them. I was not sorry for
the change, for zancudos were very numerous and
fierce on the island, though not entirely wanting
on the river. The nocturnal zancudo is a small
slender gnat with spotted wings rest of body a
uniform black. It is called birotillo (the little dart)
because its puncture is so cruel, often leaving pain
and swelling. When the days are dull we have
them in the canoes at all hours, and the small
mosquitoes are as abundant as on the Maranon.
My skin has been in a very sensitive state since
the journey from Tarapoto to Chasuta, and some
of the mosquito wounds are beginning to ulcerate.
In the woods I have made acquaintance with a
minute and very active tick, which sucks a little
here and there, and does not, like the other species,
hang on to one place till it gets full ; its bites
cause an intolerable itching, and if one scratches,
ulcers ensue.
April 12- Don Victoriano's dog, which had