170 
AN ANTEATEll. 
Chap. VIII. 
guide its tail to the ants. It is probably a new species of ant- 
lion {Myrmeleon formicaleo), great numbers of wliicli, both in the 
larvae and complete state, are met with. The ground under 
every tree is dotted over wdth their ingenious pitfalls, and the 
perfect insect, the form of which most persons are familiar vdth 
in the dragon-fly, may be seen using its tail in the same active 
manner as this insect did. Two may often be seen joined in 
their flight, the one holding on by the tail-forceps to the neck of 
the other. On first observing this imperfect insect, I imagined 
the forceps were on its head; but when the insect moved, their 
true position was seen. 
The forest, tlu’ough wliich we Avere slowly toihng, daily became 
more dense, and we were kept almost constantly at work with the 
axe; there Avas much more leafiness in the trees here than farther 
south. The leaves are cliiefly of the pinnate and bi-pinnate forms, 
and are exceedingly beautiful Avhen seen against the sky; a great 
variety of the papilionaceous family groAV in this part of the country. 
Elemmg had until this time ahvays assisted to drive his OAAm 
Avaggon, but about the end of March he knocked up, as Avell as 
his people. As I could not drive tAvo wnggons, I shared Avith liim 
the remaining Avater, half a caskful, and Avent on, with the inten¬ 
tion of coming back for liim as soon as Ave should reach the next 
pool. Heavy rain now commenced; I AA^as employed the Avhole 
day hi cutting doAvn trees, and every stroke of the axe brought 
doAvn a thick shoAver on my back, wliich in the hard Avork was 
very refreshing, as the Avater found its way doAvn into my shoes. 
In tlie evening Ave met some Bushmen, Avho volunteered to show 
us a pool; and having unyoked, I walked some miles in search of 
it. As it became dark they showed tliek pohteness—a quality 
Avliich is by no means confined entirely to the civilized—by Avalk- 
ing in front, breaking the branches Avhich hung across the path, 
and pointing out the fallen trees. On returning to tlie Avaggon, 
Ave found that being left alone had brought out some of Fleming’s 
energy, for he had managed to come up. 
As the water in this pond dried up, Ave Avere soon obhged to 
move agaui. One of the Bushmen took out Ins dice, and, after 
throAving them, said that God told Inni to go home. He tln^ew 
again in order to shoAV me the command, but the opposite result 
folloAved; so he remained and Avas useful, for Ave lost the oxen 
