228 WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 



undergo a kind of ordeal unknown in Europe. There is 

 a species of large red ant in Guiana, sometimes called 

 Ranfjer, sometimes Coushie. These ants march in millions 

 through the country, in compact order, like a regiment of 

 soldiers ; they eat up every insect in their march ; and if 

 a house obstruct their route, they do not turn out of the 

 way, but go quite through it. Though they sting cruelly 

 when molested, the planter is not sorry to see them in his 

 house ; for it is but a passing visit, and they destroy every 

 kind of insect vermin that has taken shelter under his roof. 

 Now, in the British plantations of Guiana, as well as in 

 Europe, there is always a little temple dedicated to the 

 goddess Cloacina. Our dinner had chiefly consisted of 

 crabs, dressed in rich and different ways. Paumaron is 

 famous for crabs, and strangers who go thither consider 

 them the greatest luxury. The Scotch gentleman made a 

 very capital dinner on crabs ; but this change of diet was 

 ju'oductive of unpleasant circumstances : he awoke in the 

 night in that state in which Virgil describes Cseleno to 

 have been, viz. " fsedissima ventris proluvies." Up he got, 

 to verify the remark, 



" Serius aut citius, sedem properamus ad unam." 



Now, unluckily for himself, and the nocturnal tranquillity 

 of the planter's house, just at that unfortunate hour, the 

 Coushie Ants were passing across the seat of Cloacina's 

 temple; he had never dreamed of this; and so, turning 

 his face to the door, he placed himself in the usual situation 

 which the votaries of the goddess generally take. Had a 

 lighted match dropped upon a pound of gunpowder, as he 

 afterwards remarked, it could not have caused a greater 

 recoil. Up he jumped, and forced his way out, roaring for 

 help and for a light, for he was worried alive by ten thousand 

 devils. The fact is, he had sat down upon an intervening 



