PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 81 



jack-spaniards, and crawled down again to the floor, dragging 

 off their prey, and doing the child no harm. 



" From this room I went to the adjoining bed-chamber and 

 dressing-room, and found them equally in possession of the 

 chasseurs. I opened a large military chest full of linen, 

 which had been much infested ; for I was determined to take 

 every advantage of such able hunters. I found the ants 

 already inside; I suppose they must have got in at some 

 opening at the hinges. I pulled out the linens on the floor, 

 and with them hundreds of cockroaches, not one of which 

 escaped. 



" We now left the house, and went to the chambers built 

 at a little distance ; but these also were in the same state. I 

 next proceeded to open a store-room at the end of the other 

 house for a place of retreat ; but, to get the key, I had to 

 return to the under room, where the battle was now more 

 hot than ever. The ants had commenced an attack upon the 

 rats and mice, which, strange as it may appear, were no 

 match for their apparently insignificant foes. They sur- 

 rounded them as they had the insect tribe, covered them 

 over, and dragged them off with a celerity and union of 

 strength, that no one who has not watched such a scene can 

 comprehend. I did not see one rat or mouse escape, and I am 

 sure I saw a score carried off during a very short period. We 

 next tried the kitchen, for the store-room and boy's pantry 

 were already occupied ; but the kitchen was equally the field 

 of battle, between rats, mice, cockroaches, and ants killing 

 them. A huckster negro came up selling cakes; and seeing 

 the uproar, and the family and servants standing out in the 

 sun, he said, 6 Ah, misses, you've got the blessing of God to- 

 day, and a great blessing it is to get such a cleaning.' 



" I think it was about ten when I first observed the ants ; 

 about twelve the battle was formidable; soon after one 

 o'clock the great strife began with the rats and mice ; and 

 about three the houses were cleared. In a quarter of an hour 

 more the ants began to decamp, and soon not one was to be 

 seen within doors. But the grass round the house was full 

 of them ; and they seemed now feasting on the remnants of 

 their prey, which had been left on the road to their nests ; 



VOL, II. G 



