Wandering Ants. 
195 
even driven Mm, the house-master, out of it. Made inquisitive by the 
information, we hastened to have a look and found that an innumerable 
host of wandering ants had taken up their quarters there. The whole 
room was hung as with a blackish-brown moving cloth while densely- 
clustered clumps of already settled individuals formed as it were the 
capitals that supported this living drapery. The floor was so thickly 
covered with the creatures busily running about that when le Breton 
wanted to fetch us a little luncheon out of his larder, two of our people 
had to use a broom to open up a trench through the swarms of besiegers. 
The original residential site of these curious insects had so far not been 
ascertained for certain. For the rest, their presence brings the estates 
profit rather than loss because they do not damage the plants but on the 
contrary destroy all other insects, even large amphibia, that they come 
across. They emerge from the virgin forest in one endless train and 
just as suddenly disappear in it again. Their invariable motto is 
“Straight ahead.” Pressed closely together, these processions move 
along and do not allow themselves to be forced aside by any obstacle 
that steps in their way. The two Hanks of the column are invariably 
escorted by powerful and courageous warriors always ready for a fight, 
and every insect, every reptile or smaller mammal that cannot escape 
the latter by the most rapid flight, is absolutely doomed to destruction. 
The many skeletons lying bleached in the sun indicate to the subsequent 
wayfarer the passage of such a host. When a house is reached it is 
quickly filled to overflowing with the busily inquisitive creatures, and the 
day of reckoning fixed for every spider and other insect that has up to 
now enjoyed a comfortable rest in its safe little corner. When evening 
sets in they lump themselves up into thick clusters like swarming bees, 
which at break of day unloosen, when, hurrying off through door and 
window, the raiders resume their road to robbery. Though the presence 
of these ants was very annoying to honest le Breton and particularly so 
to-day, he was nevertheless very glad that his house had been once more 
radically cleared of all other troublesome guests and fellow inmates. 
644. After getting our corials over the lock we made our way through 
the as yet uncultivated portion of the estate until we soon reached the 
cane-fields and a glorious avenue of orange trees that stretched along 
both sides of the broad dam. Though overladen indeed with golden- 
yellow fruit, they were unfortunately regularly smothered with the 
destructive parasite, Loranthus unifloras Linn. 
645. Mr. Pearson, the manager, received us most heartily, and in 
spite of our protests, especially mine and Hancock’s on account of our 
bandaged feet and more than rough clothes, introduced us into the 
numerous circle of a brilliant company where we, whom they had long 
mourned as dead, were welcomed with general sympathy. Some 
imaginative Indian had spread the news particularly along the coast that 
the whole expedition had been wiped out by Spaniards, and that Mr. 
King had already had his head blown olf Avith a cannon-ball. 
