the Termites of Africa and other hot Climates. xjj 
bottoms of the ports, of which the Tides of the buildings are 
compofed, bore quite through them, following the courfe of 
the fibres to the top, or making lateral perforations and cavities 
here and there as they proceed. 
While Tome are employed in gutting the ports, others afcend 
from them, entering a rafter or Tome other part of the roof. If 
they once find the thatch, which Teems to be a favourite food, 
they Toon, bring up wet clay, and build their pipes or galleries 
through the roof in various direftions, as long as it will fupport 
them ; fqmetimes eating the palm-tree leaves and branches of 
which it is compoTed, and, perhaps (for variety Teems very 
pleating to them) the rattan or other running plant which is 
uTed as a cord to tye the various parts of the roof together, and 
that to the ports which Tupport it : thus, with the afiiftance of 
.the rats, who during the rainy feafon are apt to ihelter them- 
Telves there, and to burrow through it, they very Toon ruin the 
houfe by weakening the faftenings and expofing it to the wet. 
Ia the mean time the ports will be perforated in every : direclion 
as full of holes as that timber in the bottoms of flips which 
has been bored by the worms; the fibrous aiid knotty parts, 
which are the hardeft, being left to the laft^k f: 
I ” . i • )fj<. ,! ,V - -• -~r- . J 
■ - 1 • ' . V . ’ 1 < ; v . 
i , , . 
' ■ ' • ; i X : y .> '-‘''-'i ‘ 
(3 6 ) The fea worms, fo pernicious to our dipping, appear to have -the Tame 
office allotted them in the waters which the Termites have on the land. They 
will appear, on a very little conlideration, to be molt important beings in the great 
chain of creation, andplealing demonftrations of that infinitely wife and gracious 
Power which formed, and fiill preferves, the whole in fuch wonderful order and 
beauty; for if it was not for the rapacity of thefe and fuch animals, tropical 
rivers, and indeed the ocean itfelf, would be choked with the bodies of trees 
which are annually carried down by the rapid torrents, as many; of them 
would lad for ages, and probably be produ&ive of evils*, of 'which, Juppity* 
Vol. LXXI. A a wc 
