The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-31
ROUTED BIZ BLIND MOSQUITOES.
suherinEs Of Texas Troops Sent to Guard
the louisiana Coast.

NEW ORLEANS. July 29.-The New Orleans
papers report the first repulse to the American
volunteers, and that. too. on American soil. at
the railroad station known as Rigolets. Just on
the border line Of Louisiana and Mississippi.
where Lake Pontchartrain empties into Missis-
sippi Sound. Part OF the Third Texas Regiment,
stationed there to guard the coast against Span
ish invasion. suddenly put in its appearance at
New Orleans the other day and declared that it
could stand the place no longer. and had been
compelled to retreat before tho most savage
and bloodthirsty enemy American troops have
yet encountered-the rare Lake Borgne blind
mosquito. The New Orleans papers poked .
great deal Of fun at the soldiers, who, as Tex
ans, were supposed to be able to stand any
thing; but those who laughed knew little Of
the fury of the ''~maungouin."
At the beginning Of the war a Defence Com
mittee was organized In New Orleans. and con-
sisted of leading business men. It was then
feared that the Spanish might make q dash for
some American seaport, and as New Orleans
was particularly exposed the committee under
took to stir up the Secretaries Of War and the
Navy. One of the danger points was the Rigo-
lets. Vessels of sixteen feet draught can enter
Lake Pontchartrain BY that channel and ap-
proach within three miles Of the city. near
enough to bombard IL. There are no defences
Of any kind. old Fort Pike having been aban-
doned and dismantled some years ago. The
Secretary OF War was accordingly asked
to station troops there that would. at
least. make some defence II the enemy
should attempt to enter the lake. The
situation changed In a very short time
thereafter. 1t was evident that the Spaniards
did not propose to make any dash on. our coast,
and the Committee of Defence adjourned sine
die. About a month after its dissolution the
petition for a garrison at RiGolets reached
the office OF the Secretary OF War. and in
the latter part OF this month q detaeh-
ordered to the little fishing village. or
rather istation-for there are only three or
train and Borgne. The companies were very
enthusiastic as they passed through New
nearer the enemy than the rest Of the regiment.
emacIated as though they had been through
the entire Santiago campaign, and had lost q
ve.r!y, considerable amount Of blood.
,0 nNSo }. one can imagine tnfd what 2 aS .m we su e
complain OF 80 small a matter. but life was un-
endprable. persecuted as we were right and
RlGolets has a bad reputation for mosquitoes.
Opposite II are the ~. Bernard marshes. cover
Ing some 2OVH square miles: an 2 ideal breeding
particularly unfortunate as they struck 3 very
rare visitor in that s~ection-the blind MOSQUITO.
teven the big ones: It IA yellow rather than
gray or black. and prlpy; II makes no warning
cry OF QUIZ, out SeLtItb Oh 10 VlcClLu, ulu Keeps
sucking blood until 1t Is killed. There 10
no. fighting or tanning or driving, It on;
1t Ia easy to kill. leaving q dot OF blood behind
about the size Of q dime; but when one has been
killing them all day. pounding and Shaping
himself until he il red with blood, the process
becomes exhaustings and he Is finally so worn
suck him as dry as a vampire ~would-and It is
was a man who had met a blind MOSQUITO.
This brand Of the insect Is rare on the Lou
isiana or Mississippi coast even at hiGolets. and
nDfg in lIa AnnAuTunHH not mora than once In
ten years. It's coming is due TO a steady and
violent wind from tile st. bernard and Chan
deleur swanSps and the climate and tide con-
ditions. which hatch out large quantities OF the
insects. The stories told by the nativas Of
the scenes occurring during n blind mosquito
raid seemed too like hunchauSen to DO be-
lieved by any one who has not seen the plague.
for they declare that In places whore the mos
Quitoes are driven by the wind against houses
or fences the ground lis so covered by their
corpses as to conceal the grass.
The Texas troops, not knowing what they
were being sent against aud imagining that at
the worst they would merely fight Spaniards,
went upprovided with mosquito netting and
suffered accordingly, and their sunerings were
80 intenge that they were at once relieved from
duty at the Rigolets and allowed 10 reloin their
regiment. They can comfort themselves with
the knowledge that they are not the trst troops
to be thus repulsed,. for some years ago the
Mississippi State militia tried 70 hold a camp
at a point not very far distant from Rigolets,
where the mosquitoes arc far less savage. and
were compelled TO abandon IL.