THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT.
TIME glided away smoothly at our camp amidst the storms of the
rainy season. The Arabs had nothing to do, and suffered much from
the absence of their herds, as there was a great scarcity of
milk. The only animals that had not been sent to the north were
a few goats; these were so teased by the flies that they produced
but a small supply. Fever had appeared at the same time with the
flies, and every one was suffering more or less, especially
Florian, who was seriously ill. I was in full practice as
physician, and we congratulated ourselves upon the healthiness of
our little isolated camp, when suddenly my wife was prostrated by
a severe attack of gastric fever, which for nine days rendered
her recovery almost hopeless. At length the fever gave way to
careful attendance, and my Arab patients and Florian were also in
a fair way towards recovery. The plagues of Egypt were upon us;
the common house-flies were in billions, in addition to the
cattle-tormentor. Our donkeys would not graze, but stood day and
night in the dense smoke of fires, made of sticks and green
grass, for protection.
The plague of boils broke out, and every one was attacked more or
less severely.
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