TERIMliS. 
443 
iiig morning, and its destruction follows very soon 
of course. In consequence of this disposition, the 
woods never remain long encumbered with the 
fallen trunks of trees or their branches; and thus 
it is, as I have before observed, the tc/tal destruc- 
tion of deserted towns is so effectually completed, 
that in two or three years a thick wood fills the 
space; and, unless iron-wood posts have been made 
use of, not the least vestige of an house is to be 
discovered. 
‘‘ The first object of admiration which strikes 
one upon opening their hills is the behaviour of 
the soldiers. If you make a breach in a slight 
part of the building, and do it quickly with a strong 
hoe or pick-axe, in the space of a few seconds a 
soldier will run out, and walk about the breach, 
as if to see whether the enen\y is gone, or to ex- 
amine what is the cause of the attack. He will 
sometimes go again, as if to give the alarm: but 
most frequentl}^ in a short time, is followed by 
two or three others, who run as fast as they can, 
straggling after one another, and are soon followed 
by a large body who rush out as fast as the breach 
will permit them, and so they proceed, the num- 
ber increasing, as long as any one continues batter- 
ing their building. It is not easy to describe the 
rage and fury they shew. In their hurry they 
frecpiently miss their hold, and tumble down the 
sides of the hill, but recover themselves as quickly 
as possible ; and, being blind, bite every thing 
they run against, and thus make a crackling noise, 
while some of them beat repeatedly witb their 
