EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 



rent fpecies, that once I had a pair of new cotton ftock- 

 ings perfectly deftroyed by them in one night only. 

 Thofe which frequent the eftates are generally fmall, but 

 very troublefome. The only way poffibly to keep them 

 from the refined fugar, is by hanging the loaf to the 

 ceiling on a nail, and making a ring of dry chalk around 

 it, very thick, which crumbles down the moment the ants 

 attempt to pafs it. I imagined that placing my fugar- 

 boxes in the middle of a tub, and on ftone, furrounded 

 with deep water, would have kept back this formidable 

 enemy, but to no purpofe : whole armies of the lighter fort 

 (to my aftonifhment) marched over the furface, and but 

 a very few of them were drowned. The main body con- 

 ftantly fcaled the rock, and in fpite of all my efforts made 

 their entry through the key -holes; after which, the only 

 way to clear the garrifon is to expofe it to a hot fun, which 

 the invaders cannot bear, and all march off in a few mi- 

 nutes. That the ants provide for winter, as not only 

 Dr. Bancroft and many others, but even King Solo- 

 mon, reports, is found to be an error by the raofl mo- 

 dern inveftigation. In Surinam, indeed, there is no 

 winter; but where there is, the ants lie dormant, during 

 which torpid ftate they want no food. 



My friend Captain Van Coeverden, at this time, march- 

 ing in the woods, fuffered a much worfe depredation at 

 Paramaribo, where not the ants, but the negro-flaves, 

 had broken open his boxes, and robbed him of all his 

 beft efFe6ls, and near twenty guineas in money. 



Vol. I. 3 A On 



