138 NARRATIVE OF AN 



CHAP, this devaftation was to feed a blind ferpent under ground : 

 XXII. ^i^Q truth is, that it ferves for nourifliment to their 



young brood, who cannot help themfelves, and are fome- 

 times lodged to the depth of eight feet in the earth. 

 Madam Merian fays, they form themfelves in chains from 

 one branch to another, while all the others pafs over 

 thefe temporary bridges ; and that once a year thefe for- 

 midable armies travel from houfe to houfe, killing all the 

 vermin, 8cc. that comes in their way ; neither of which 

 fa<Sls ever came within the limits of my obfervation : but 

 that they can bite confoundedly I have found by expe- 

 rience, though their attack is not nearly fo painful as the 

 bite of that diminutive infe6t the fire-ant already de- 

 fcribed. 



The following day we proceeded along the banks of the 

 river Cottica, till we came near the Claas Creek, (where 

 I formerly fwam acrofs with my fabre in my teeth) and 

 early flung our hammocks ; from whence 1 was detached, 

 with a few rangers, to lay in ambufcade in the mouth of 

 the creek till it was dark. Here, however, I difcovered 

 nothing, except that the rangers were poflelTed of the 

 fame fuperftition as the rebels, with regard to their amu- 

 lets or odias making them invulnerable. They told me 

 that the latter mentioned procured them from their prieft, 

 and that they themfelves bought theirs from Graman 

 ^acy, a celebrated and cunning old negro, whom 1 Ihall 

 in a proper place circumftantially defcribe. When I 

 afked them, " How came any of you, or of your invul- 



nerable 



