THE ATTACK. 12% 
the point of attack. They must certainly understand 
each other; but how, we shall never be able to know. 
Surely there must be commanders for these vast hordes 
of soldier ants, for when in a line on the march not one 
will leave the ranks, even though the insects, which they 
would devour in an instant. when spread for a raid, are 
close by. Itis but seldom that they are able to capture 
antelopes, for these animals run away too fast for them. 
As I have said before, they travel night and day. 
Many a time some of you who have perused my books 
may have read that I have been roused from sleep and 
obliged to rush from the hut, sometimes into the water, or 
at other times have been obliged to protect myself with 
fires, or by spreading hot ashes or boiling water around 
me. Often I have suffered terribly from their advanced 
guard, who had got into my clothes, and who would not 
get out, and soon managed to get on my body. 
When they enter a house they clear it of all living 
things. Roaches are devoured in an instant. Rats and 
mice spring round the room in vain. An overwhelming 
force of ants kills a strong rat in less than a minute or 
two, and in an incredibly short time, despite the most 
frantic struggles, its bones are stripped. Every living 
thing in the house is devoured. Centipedes, scorpions, 
small spiders can not escape, and of this I was glad. 
They will not touch vegetable matter. Thus they are 
in reality very useful; for without them the insects 
would become so numerous that man would not be able | 
to live. I always rejoiced when they got hold of a ser- 
pent, though these are pretty shy, and manage generally 
to get out of the way, except when they are in a state of 
torpor. 
F 
