Eats his blind way, and saps with secret guile 
The deep foundations of the floating pile. 
In vain the forest lent its stateliest pride. 
Rear’d her tall mast, and fram’d her knotty side : 
The martial thunder’s rage in vain she stood, 
With every conflict of the stormy flood ; 
More sure the reptile’s little arts devour 
Than wars, or waves, or Eurus’ wintry pow’r. Warton. 
These destructive animals advance bj myriads to their work, 
under an arched incrustation of fine sand, tempered with a mois- 
ture from their body, which renders the covert-way as hard as 
burnt clay, and effectually conceals them at their insidious em- 
ployment. 
I could mention many curious instances of depredation by 
the termites; one happened to myself: I left Anjengo in the rainy 
season to pass a few weeks with the chief at his country house at 
Eddova, in a rural and sheltered situation. On my departure, I 
locked up a room, containing books, drawings, and a few valuables; 
as I took the key with me, the servant could not enter to clean the 
furniture: the walls of the room were white-washed, adorned with 
prints and drawings, in English frames and glasses: returning home 
in the evening, and taking a cursory view of my cottage by candle- 
light, [found every thing apparently in the same order as I left it; 
but on a nearer inspection the next morning, I observed a number 
of advanced works, in various directions, towards my pictures; the 
glasses appeared to be uncommonly dull, and the frames covered 
with dust: on attempting to wipe it off, I was astonished to find 
