Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1899-05-20
AN INSECTS TRAVELS
Progress of a South American Pest
Around the World.
The Small but Troublesome Jigger
Is Finding Its way Into Every
Warm Country-Trnnsport
ed I'm sand.

The iigger, one Of the insect pests of
the WestIndies and South America, has
at last crossed equatorial Africa from
the Atlantic to Zanzibar about 2.7O0
miles. 20 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
tacks upon a few animals. including
man, are not prevented, IT 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 madc il easy TO trace
its progress step by step. and brief
summary of its journey across Africa
will be interesting as a striking illus
tration of insect navigation.
A sailing vessel arrived at Ambri2.
Angola, in September, 1872, from Brazil
with sand ballast, which she dumped
Oh the beach. The igger had crossed
the ocean in this sand, and'its propensi-
ty 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 il the little
pest caused great suffering. 1t was
long ago evident that the jigger was not
using its own powers Of locomotion TO
any large extent in its journey through
Africa, but that it was carried by cara
/ -. ~
In 1885 travellers crossing the CONT
nent from Zanzibar heard nothing of
the igger till they arrived within 300
miles of the Atlantic. II had taken the
insect - 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. Thencefcrth the
iigger's progress was more rapid. for
steamboats, and caravans were multi
plying on the upper Congo. Seven
years later, in 1892, DIR. Oscar Baumann
reported the arrival of the pest at Blu
lsumbi gulf, midway on the south coast
of Victoria Nyanza. tt was still I'M
!
The natives declared that IL had been
brought TO the west coast by Stanley's
expedition for the relief of Emin Pasha.
However that may be. the jigger APP
peared about the same time through
out most Of the central lake region,
following the caravan route from the
upper Congo through Manyeina TO Lake
! Tanganyika. The natives along the
edge Of Victoria Nyanza suffered Terri
bly, from the infiction. and many vii
, lagos were abandoned.
Three years more elapsed before the
missionaries at Mpwapwa reported thu
, arrival of the jigger among the noun
0 lains at that point, 200 miles from The
Indian ocean. 1t took the insect tive
2 years more TO reach the coast towns
= OF East Africa, where il appeared al
r most simultaneously. late in 1897. a
d all the towns between Bngamoya an'
= pangani, along 20 miles of the coast
q and another year elapsed before. lat
= last fall, was jumping along the sand
l. OF Zanzibar island.
}. The people of the east coast have suf
- fcred comparatively little in oomparl
son with the inland tribes, for hundred
). of ZanYibaris who had worked for year
on the Congo have returned home an
J, spread the information that rubbing
y with tobacco leaves and, above al
= cleanliness and the wearing of shoes
Is are effective protection against the JIG
ger
!, Afterits long journey from Brazil tn
Z. jigger is now established at the bus
3 mart whence many vessels sail Tor tn
Il East Indies and Oceanica. There seem
h. no good reason why this perseyeiin
Y and successful traveller should not gu
j die the tropical world.-N. Y. Sun.