226 EDGE OF THE JUNGLE 



swiftest pace vouchsafed them. There were fool- 

 ish folk who climbed up low ferns, achieving the 

 swaying, topmost fronds only to be trailed by 

 the savage ants and brought down to instant 

 death. 



Even the winged ones were not immune, for 

 if they hesitated a second, an ant would seize 

 upon them, and, although carried into the air, 

 would not loosen his grip, but cling to them, ob- 

 struct their flight, and perhaps bring them to 

 earth in the heart of the jungle, where, cut off 

 from their kind, the single combat would be 

 waged to the death. From where I watched, 

 I saw massacres innumerable; terrible battles in 

 which some creature a giant beside an ant 

 fought for his life, crushing to death scores of 

 the enemy before giving up. 



They were a merciless army and their num- 

 ber was countless, with host upon host follow- 

 ing close on each other's heels. A horde of war- 

 riors found a bird in my game-bag, and left of 

 it hardly a feather. I wondered whether they 

 would discover me, and they did, though I think 

 it was more by accident than by intention. 

 Nevertheless a half-dozen ants appeared on the 

 foot-strands, nervously twiddling their antennee 



