Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-02-10

MAVlG% was put TO Eighth
a us. Probably never, before this
war. was the flight Of an army, ma
tin. and king from victorious
enemy eifectually stopped by a fly
Nor l. the iy. which barred the path
az l.obengula and his people, very
lar9c or very formidable looking. OF
ab mi the size Of the ordinary Ameri-
can house fly, this African fly seems 10
have peculiar functions. one OF which,
~ that particular time, was 10 stop
the aight 81 the defeitei Matabeles
frnm the pursuing British. How this
happened constitutes an interesting
st,eg.
When Lobengula was defeated in the
great fight AZ the laager he retreated
with the remains of his force TO his
capital Buluwayo. Being sharply
pu, sncd by the British he lied thence
n1rihWard with nearly the entire
Matabslc nation. IL was his inte ntion
IL cross the Zumbezi river, and take
rrfug In the swampy, mias matte
country whereabouts.
1hos. who have been reading the
reports 81 the war closely have noticed
that l.Oncngula's fight was stopped
suddenly by his arrival az the "tsetse
us count Probably be knew Of
the tset.e Ms. but Ia his hurried flight
forgot about H.
The tsstsc ily belt extends through
the Iamhcz country. The tsetse Is
found among bushes or weeds, and
MEYER Ia The open country. This par
ti,ular belt u territory Il never leaves.
il bite cr sting j. certain death 10
cattle. houses, sheep and dogs IL
has no harmful effect upon men, mules
and goats LobcnRila and his people
could have passed safely through the
f>etse Ms country, but he would have
f,ern compelled TO leave his cattle be-
hind. Then most Of his psople would
I,irr starved "a death. MS hunting was
nnt ~ the question as a means 81 fur
nishiug food for 50 many. Nearly all
the south and Central African negro
tfibcs have large herds Of cattle, the
milk and fesh Of which constitute
their chief sustenuncc 81 when Lob.
rugula and his men came TO the tsetsc
Ifs country the promised haven Of
refuge wah cut of. There was moth.
Ing Tor them 20 do but 10 turn back
aud attempt another stand against the
British ~ surrender.
The formidable tsetsc Is shade
larger than our ordinary house fly.
II, head q 4 dirty yellow color and Il
has large eyes The thorax n a chest.
nut red. with longitudinal black CARS.
Tie abdomen "A a dirty yellow. with
black bristles above: the first segment
has round black spot at each side,
aud the four following have a broad,
dark brown band, interrupted in the
middle. The wings are considerably
longer than the body
The organ with which the tsetse
slays its victims Is long, horny pro
bo. els II contains compound bris
tie. or two needle like pierccs. Thes'
picrrrs communicate with poison
bulb at the base.
The tsotse iionrishes best in very warm
weather. In the cool of the mornings
and evenings Il Is sluggish, But when
Il throxs of its sloth. with tn, com
ing of the heat. Il Is very active AND
cannot be caught IL makes q lout
and peculiar buzzing noise. Oddly
enough. this buzzing does not alarm
the animals for which It's sting is fatal
The tsctse lays no eggs, nor has i
any sting in its tlil. 1t thrusts IL
nroboscis into the animals body. ant
then pumps the poison through IL
veins from the bulb Of the base. Tn,
tsetsc's sting produces no immediat,
effect but In few days there appears
an emulation for about half an incl
around the punctures. The eye ant
nose begin TO run. The skin quivers
Is with cold, and swelling under th'
jaw occurs The animal grows thin
and weak, until il is but little mor'
than skeleton. 1t may live In tina
m