122 THE DOWNFALL OF THE DERVISHES slept on a raised bed—eyg. the “ Salisbury ” bed, made by Silvers—were not so much exposed to risk as the possessors of the ‘“Wolseley Valise”"—a mattress which lies on the ground, and forms a most inviting hiding-place for creeping things innumerable.

The pain experienced by a European from a scorpion’s sting is very acute while it lasts, but passes off in a few hours. The natives were continually stung, and one of the correspondents had atttained a great reputation from the skill with which he scarified the affected portions of native bodies, prior to the application of Scrubb’s Ammonia. One poor fellow—a private in the Lancashire Fusiliers—was stung by a scorpion in three places along his spine, and speedily died in a state of coma. | Another insect pest was a huge yellow spider of loathsome aspect and malignant disposition, called by the natives ‘Abu Shebek” (Father of Spiders). This creature was frequently captured and conveyed to some regimental mess, where it was forced to engage in single combat with a scorpion. These adversaries were, as a rule, pretty evenly