AUTHOR OF THE DELTA LETTERS. 109 



did sometimes die without hanging, which the Spaniards 

 attributed chiefly to their manufacturing spirituous liquors 

 from the canes, and therewith getting drunk at times, though 

 some thought that hard work had a little helped to kill them. 

 The negroes, though liking the liquors, not liking the extreme 

 labour they had to endure, ran away at times ; and this, — 

 as there was great plenty of them, — brought them, when 

 captured, to their natural end, namely, the gallows. 



In spite of these little troubles with runaway negroes, the 

 plantations were now (in 1519) nourishing, and the planters 

 rejoiced in a good return for their troubles ; but on a sudden 

 all this pleasant prospect was destroyed by a dire calamity 

 which fell upon them. This was a " plague of ants," to such 

 an extent, that fears were entertained of its causing the aban- 

 donment of the Islands of Espanola and Porto Rico. " As 

 to the ants," says Oviedo, " I do say that in this island of 

 Espanola there are very many, and especially in this city of 

 Sancto Domingo, many more than we wish for, though infi- 

 nitely fewer than formerly," — that is to say in the years 1519- 

 20, and part of the year 1521. 



Countless were the myriads of myriads which desolated every 

 plantation, especially of Espanola. Though in Porto Rico 

 they were equally numerous, yet they were smaller, and not so 

 injurious to the trees, but their sting was much more acute. 

 Already in the glorious Vega of St. Domingo, extending from 

 sea to sea above eighty leagues, watered by innumerable limpid 

 streams, and blessed with a most fertile soil, had innumerable 

 plantations been formed. The Franciscans, in particular, had 

 a most magnificent orchard of orange trees of every variety, 

 pomegranates, and Cassice jistulce. In a moment all was de- 

 stroyed. The ants attacked them at the roots; and "imme- 

 diately," says Herrera, " as if fire had fallen on them from 

 heaven, they were withered and destroyed. Such was, likewise, 

 the fate of every plantation in the Vega and the rest of the island. 

 Wherever the ants were, there was desolation; and the ants 

 were everywhere. Even the houses in the city were filled 

 with them ; and to sleep safe from them at night, it was neces- 

 sary to place the feet of the bed in large vessels of water. 



" And in the time of this plague," says the gallant Alcayde 

 of the fortress of the city of St. Domingo, " hardly could any 

 persons live in their houses, neither could they keep provisions 



NO. II. VOL. IV. Q 



