462 THE WHITE ANTS. 



they do so quickly that they seem to vanish ; for-, 

 in a few seconds, all are gone, and the soldiers rush 

 out as numerous and as vindictive as before. On 

 finding no enemy, they return again leisurely into 

 the hill ; and, very soon after, the labourers appear 

 loaded as at first, as active, and as sedulous, with 

 soldiers here and there among them, who act just in 

 the same manner, one or other of them giving the 

 signal to hasten the business. Thus the pleasure of 

 seeing them come out to fight or to work alternate- 

 ly, may be obtained as often as curiosity excites, 

 or time permits ; and it will certainly be found that 

 the one order never attempts to fight, nor the other 

 to work, let the emergency be ever so great." 



It is exceedingly difficult to explore the interior 

 parts of a nest or hill. The apartments which sur- 

 round the royal chamber and the nurseries, and, 

 indeed, the whole fabric, have such a dependence 

 on each other, that the breaking of one arch gene- 

 rally pulls down two or three. Another great 

 obstacle is the obstinacy of the soldiers, who, says 

 our author, " fight to the very last, disputing every 

 inch of ground so well as often to drive away the 

 negroes who are without shoes, and make white 

 people bleed plentifully through their stockings. 

 Neither can we let a building stand so as to get a 

 view of the interior parts without interruption; 

 for, while the soldiers are defending the outworks, 

 the labourers keep barricading all the way against 

 us, stopping up the different galleries and passages 

 which lead to the various apartments, particularly 

 the royal chamber, all the entrances to which they 



