Reset Password
Reset Link Sent
| Blogs > ltw222 > Wildfather |
|
Large leeches, small leeches Taiping is situated at the foot of the Malayan Mountain Range. As such, there are a number of foothills around Taiping from which, rivers and streams flow slowly to the sea. Taiping is a town built from tin-mining. The tin-mining industry is over now and the tin dredgers have disappeared, leaving behind numerous mining ponds in ex-mining land - a bleak and barren land of white sand, pebbles and stones where only a few hardy shrubs and patches of tall grass called lalang can grow. When I was about twelve, our family relocated to Kamunting, a small village about 5 kilometers away from Taiping and the last place to be mined. On weekends, my new-found friends and I would play in the ex-mining land that surrounds the village. One morning, while we were washing our feet in a small river that meanders through this land, we noticed that there were "Buffalo" leeches in the water. ("Buffalo" leeches are large leeches about 10 cm long and 1 cm thick with brown variegation on its back. It lives in water and are frequently found attached to water buffaloes, hence its name). We then decided to have some fun with these leeches. We divided ourselves into two teams. One team dived into the river, which is about 30 feet wide, and quickly swam to the other bank, with the leeches in hot pursuit. One of them then dived into the water again and swam back to this side of the river, with the leeches following behind. When the leeches had reached this side, a member of the second team dived into the river and swam to the other side, with the leeches again in pursuit. Our relay race with the leeches went on and on and I cannot remember who won but, I do know that there was a bunch of very tired "Buffalo" leeches on that day. Then, there are the "land" leeches. These are smaller, about 3 cm long and 3 mm thick, and are dark brown in colour. They move the same way as caterpillars do and are often found amongst wet grass. Sometimes though, they may just drop onto you from the branch of a tree. One memorable experience I had with these smaller leeches was when two friends and I were climbing up a forested hill on the way to a durian orchard. When we reached a clearing, we decided to stop for a rest. We were chatting when one of my friends suddenly shouted, "Leeches!" and pointed to the ground about 20 feet away. When I looked, I saw an army of leeches among the grass, racing towards us! Needless to say, we hurried off up the hill. On another occasion, I found a leech between my toes when I was at home in the kitchen. Pulling it off, I then threw the leech onto some burning charcoal in a stove. Imagine my surprise when the leech began to suck the flame from the charcoal, expanded like a balloon and then exploded. Apparently, these leeches will suck anything that's warm, be it blood or flame! However, these blood-suckers are not all bad. Leeches have anti-clotting proteins in their saliva which allow them to continue to draw a smooth flow of blood from their hosts. An anti-clog drug, called hirulog, derived from the hirudin protein in leech saliva, is already in the market. It is used to keep blood smooth-flowing and thus prevent that heart attack or stroke arising from a clogged artery. Lee  Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past |
|||
|
I look back on those leeches with some distaste. I was serving in Malaya in the 1950s and came across them often when we were in the ulu. We had to wear a condom at all times we were in the jungle to prevent the leeches finding an easy way to our warmest parts. Lee, I also spent some time in Taiping, which if memory serves me correctly is in the state of Perak? I can no longer remember the names of the roads I took to get to the place I stayed while I was there, but I came in on the main road from the south, turned to the left, traveled along a few miles and turned left again. This took me to two army camps. One was the signal corps and the other was the R.E.M.E. I recall they had great mushroom banjoes there. So long ago, seems like another time and another place. Alfie.. 
| ||
12/31/2007 7:17 am |
I love hearing about your country,so exotically different from my own, yet chidren all over the world are the same, fiding ways to entertain themselves.I particolarly enjoyed your catapult story.
| ||
|
I look back on those leeches with some distaste. I was serving in Malaya in the 1950s and came across them often when we were in the ulu. We had to wear a condom at all times we were in the jungle to prevent the leeches finding an easy way to our warmest parts. Lee, I also spent some time in Taiping, which if memory serves me correctly is in the state of Perak? I can no longer remember the names of the roads I took to get to the place I stayed while I was there, but I came in on the main road from the south, turned to the left, traveled along a few miles and turned left again. This took me to two army camps. One was the signal corps and the other was the R.E.M.E. I recall they had great mushroom banjoes there. So long ago, seems like another time and another place. Alfie.. Yes, Taiping is in the state of Perak and Hawkslayer, you would be surprised to know that the army camp that you stayed in is in Kamunting, the village across the road from the British Military Hospital (BMH), and where the relay race with the leeches took place.  Didn't you notice the huge tin dredgers back then? Do you remember the All Saints School? I relocated to Kamunting around 1960. I am now staying very close to the REME. Small world!Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
|
Interesting story. I don't mind leeches at all, I've had hundreds of them on me over the years as I've spent a lot of time in jungles and other areas in SE Asia. I've had them all over my body, in places I don't want to mention! Luckily though I've never encountered the buffalo leech. My worst leech experience was on my eyelid whilst I was sleeping.... but a friend actually had one that went behind the eyeball and was only found several days later when he went to hospital. Incidentally there was a good documentary on leeches a few weeks ago on Astro. I like playing with leeches when they are full, roll them into balls, stretch them and let flick them away like elastic bands, even squashing them with a stone so all the blood flies out
| ||
|
Hi summerlane, Thanks for visiting and a Happy And Prosperous New Year to you, too. Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
|
I love hearing about your country,so exotically different from my own, yet chidren all over the world are the same, fiding ways to entertain themselves.I particolarly enjoyed your catapult story. Thank you for reading my stories and for your kind comments. I love hearing about other countries, too because I cannot visit them all. I have heard that your country's coastline is one of the most beautiful in the world, dotted with deep beautiful lakes caused by glaciers that flow into the sea. Perhaps, you could write about your country, too. Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
|
Hi Ola, Happy New Year! Thank you for your nice comment. The leeches are really not that frightening. Whiterose plays with them. If you get bitten, you can use a cigarette to remove them or better still, use salt. Salt "eats" away the tube-like body of the leech. Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
|
Hi flakes, HAPPY NEAR YEAR! I believe "Buffalo" leeches can detect their prey by the movement of the water. Instead of using a cigarette, salt would be better. Salt just "eats" away the leech. Or, maybe, you could send the leeches to Whiterose. She loves to play with them.  Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
|
Interesting story. I don't mind leeches at all, I've had hundreds of them on me over the years as I've spent a lot of time in jungles and other areas in SE Asia. I've had them all over my body, in places I don't want to mention! Luckily though I've never encountered the buffalo leech. My worst leech experience was on my eyelid whilst I was sleeping.... but a friend actually had one that went behind the eyeball and was only found several days later when he went to hospital. Incidentally there was a good documentary on leeches a few weeks ago on Astro. I like playing with leeches when they are full, roll them into balls, stretch them and let flick them away like elastic bands, even squashing them with a stone so all the blood flies out Happy New Year! The full leech will drop off their host and is very lazy. In that sense, they are like the full python. Squashing them with a stone until all the blood flies out? Urgh! What are you doing in the jungles of SEA feeding yourself to the leeches? Hmm, you must either be a mercenary or with the CIA. Whatever it is, I think it makes interesting reading so are you ready to write about your experiences?Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
|
×
×