36 



PUEBLO VIEJO. 



mon consent, for the scene of their laborious devast- 

 ation. The weight and size of the loads carried by these 

 minute insects are truly astonishing. They are furnished 

 with a strong pair of serrated forceps, with which they 

 operate upon the leaves and flowers with great force and 

 rapidity ; and that must be indeed an unaspiring denizen 

 of the little republic, who does not stagger off with a 

 cargo thrice his own bulk. 



There was a small shrub of about a yard in height, 

 with bright green leaves, and pretty white jessamine- 

 shaped flowers, which I soon discovered to be a favour- 

 ite ; and the pathway leading from it to the distant hole, 

 might not inaptly be compared to a gay town promen- 

 ade on a sunny day, crowded by fine ladies armed with 

 green and white parasols, for it was difficult to distin- 

 guish the bearer under the burden which he elevated to 

 keep it out of the way of his neighbour's, or his own 

 toes. The rapidity with which they move, is withal 

 marvellous. I was more than once philosopher enough 

 to oppose a temporary obstruction to the regularity of 

 their proceedings, by placing a pebble upon the aperture 

 of the nest. You must have a lively imagination, if you 

 can fancy the scene which ensued, or conceive the hur- 

 ry, and bustle, and confusion of the increasing crowd, 

 with their gaudy burdens ; the alarm which ran like wild- 

 fire along the lines; the quarrels which ensued among 

 the impatient and short-tempered, and the busy impor- 

 tance of sundry knowing old ants, which would drop 

 their cargo, and, climbing the obstruction, take a survey 

 of the nature and extent of the evil. 



Our arrangements advanced slowly, and for at least 

 ten days we had alternately to postpone and refix the 

 day of final start. 



We found that the country, all El Dorado as it might 

 be to those about us, was not likely to prove so to us, for 

 the price of the most simple article was so excessive, 

 that our eyebrows and our shoulders threatened to 

 take an habitual elevation, from the constant state of 

 surprise and vexation to which we were reduced. 



