64 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [ANNO 1781. 



the common surface of the ground. These hills continue quite bare till they 

 are 6 or 8 feet high; but in time the dead barren clay, of which they are com- 

 posed, becomes fertilized by the genial power of the elements in these prolific 

 climates, and the addition of vegetable salts and other matters brought by the 

 wind; and in the 2d or 3d year, the hillock, if not over-shaded by trees, becomes, 

 like the rest of the earth, almost covered with grass and other plants; and in 

 the dry season, when the herbage is burnt up by the rays of the sun, it is not 

 much unlike a very large hay-cock. 



Every one of these buildings consists of 2 distinct parts, the exterior and the 

 interior. The exterior is one large shell in the manner of a dome, large and 

 strong enough to inclose and shelter the interior from the vicissitudes of the 

 weather, and the inhabitants from the attacks of natural or accidental enemies. 

 It is always therefore much stronger than the interior building, which is the 

 habitable part, divided, with a wonderful kind of regularity and contrivance, into 

 an amazing number of apartments for the residence of the king and queen, and 

 the nursing of their numerous progeny; or for magazines, which are always 

 found well filled with stores and provisions. 



These hills make their first appearance above ground by a little turret or two 

 in the shape of sugar loaves, which are run a foot high or more. Soon after, 

 at some little distance, while the former are increasing in height and size, they 

 raise others, and so go on increasing the number and widening them at the base, 

 till their works below are covered with these turrets, which they always raise the 

 highest and largest in the middle, and, by filling up the intervals between each 

 turret, collect them as it were into one dome. They are not very curious or 

 exact about these turrets, except in making them very solid and strong; and 

 when by the junction of them the dome is completed, for which purpose the 

 turrets answer as scaffolds, they take away the middle ones entirely, except the 

 tops, which joined together make the crown of the cupola, and apply the clay 

 to the building of the works within, or to erecting fresh turrets for the purpose 

 of raising the hillock still higher; so that doubtless some part of the clay is used 

 several times, like the boards and posts of a mason's scaffold. 



When these hills are little more than half their height, it is always the practice 

 of the wild bulls to stand as centinels on them, while the rest of the herd is 

 ruminating below. They are sufficiently strong for that purpose, and at their 

 full height answer excellently well as places to look out. Mr. S. has been with 

 4 men on the top of one of these hillocks. Whenever word was brought of a 

 vessel in sight, they immediately ran to some bugga bug hill, as they are called, 

 and clambered up to get a good view; for on the common surface it was seldom 

 possible to see over the grass or plants, which, in spite of monthly brushings, 

 generally prevented all horizontal views at any distance. 



