The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1899-04-25
AN INSECTS TRAVELS
Progress of a South American Pest
Around the World.
The Small Bat TroubIe~ome Jferer
Is Finding Its Way Into Every
Warm Counfry-Transport-
ed in Sand.

The jigger, one of the insect pests Of
the WestIndies and South America. has
at last crossed equatorial Africa from
the Atlantic TO Zanzibar. about 2.7oO
miles. % years after its introduction
into the continent. This variety Of the
flea, much smaller than the common
flea. is very troublesome. and If its at
tscks upon few animals. including
man. are not prevented. II is sometimes
fatal TO life. The fact that its gradual
advance among the natives of Africa
threw them into CONSERVATION. often
causing the abandonment Of villages
and districts. has made ii easy TO trace
its progress step by step. and brief
summary Of its journey across Africa
viii be interesting as a striking illus
tTztiop Of insect navigation.
a sailing vessel arrived at Ambriz.
Angola. in September. 1872. from Brazil
with sand ballast. which she dumped
on the beach. The iigger had crossed
the ocean in this sand. and,its propensi-
y for boring through the skin and
lodging between the cuticle and the
flesh soon made its presence known.
There are effective means of preventing
its attacks. but before the natives
learned how TO deal with ii the little
pest caused great suffering. 1t was
long ago evident that the jigger was net
using its own powers CT Iccomotion 10
any large extent in IFS journey through
Africa, but that ii was carried by cara
vans in the porterage service.
In 1855 travellers crossing the CONT
nent from Zanzibar heard nothing of
the jigger TIL they arrived within go
miles of the Atlantic II had taken the
insect 10 years to penetrate this dis
lance into Africa The natives at Stan
ley pool had Witnessed with sorrow the
advent of the unwelcome visitor that
abided with them. but sent on colonies
further up the river. Thenceforth the
jigger's progress was more rapid. for
steamboats, and caravans were multi
plying on the upper Congo. Seven
years later. in 1892. DR.. Oscar Baumana
reported she arrival Of the pest al Bu-
lumbi gulf. midway On the south coast
of Victoria Mama It was still IN
known on the east shores of the lake.
The natives declared that it had been
brought 10 the west coast by Stanley-s
expedition for she relief of Euin Pasha-
However that may &c. the Tiger zp-
peared about the same tine through
out mcst OF the central lake region.
following the caravan route from the
upper Congo through Msnyeina TO Lake
Tang1nyika. The natives along the
edge Of Victoria Nyanza suffered terri
by from the infection. and many vii
lagos were abandoned.
Three years more elapsed before the
missionaries al Mpwapwa reported the
arrival OF the jigger among the noun
tains at that point. eco miles from the
Indian ocean. II took the insect two
years more 10 reach the coast towns
OF East Africa. where il appeared al
most simultaneously. late in 1897. a,
all the towns between Bagamoya and
Pangaai. along 20 miles Of the coast.
and another year elapsed before. late
last fall. il was jumping along the sands
of Zanzibar island.
The people OF tie east coast have sut-
fered comparatively little in comPari-
sonwith the inland tribes. for hundreds
of Zanzibaris who had worked for years
on the Congo have returned home and
spread the information that rubbing
with tobacco leaves and. above all.
cleanliness and the wearing Of shoes.
are effective protection against the jig
ger.
After its long journey from Brazil the
jigger is now established at the busy
mart whence many vessels sail tor the
East Indies and Oceanica. There seems
no good reason why this persevering
and successful traveller should not CIR
die the tropical world.-N. Y. Sun.