A TERRIBLE RAZZIA. 
265 
sergeants or “ pivot-men,” whom we saw on the flanks, and who would 
not permit any one to straggle. (This is a circumstance known to 
everybody who has seen a file of ants on the march.) But the novel 
and astonishing thing to me was, that gradually those who were at the 
head drew near to each other, and advanced only by turning; they 
passed and repassed the whirling crowd, describing concentric circles; 
a manoeuvre evidently fit to produce enthusiasm, and to augment 
energy,—each, by contact, electrifying himself with the ardour of all. 
Suddenly the revolving mass seemed to sink and disappear. There 
was no sign of ant-hills in the turf; but after a while we detected an 
almost imperceptible orifice, through which we saw them vanish in less 
time than it takes me to write these words. We asked ourselves if 
it was an entrance to their domicile; if they had re-entered their 
city. In a minute at the utmost they gave us a reply, and showed us 
our mistake. They issued in a throng, each carrying a nymph on its 
mandibles. 
From the short time they had taken, it was evident that they had a 
previous knowledge of the localities, the place where the eggs were 
deposited, the time when they were to assemble, and the degree of re¬ 
sistance they had to expect. Perhaps it was not their first journey. 
The little blacks on whom the red ants made this razzia sallied out 
in considerable numbers; and I truly pitied them. They did not 
attempt to fight. They seemed frightened and stunned. They only 
endeavoured to delay the ravishers by clinging to them. A red ant was 
thus arrested; but another red one, who was free, relieved him of his 
burden, and thereupon the black ant relaxed his grasp. In fine, it 
was a pitiful scene for the blacks. They offered no serious resistance. 
The five hundred red ants succeeded in carrying off nearly three 
hundred children. At two or three feet from the hole, the blacks 
ceased to pursue them, abandoned all hope, and resigned themselves 
to their fate. All this did not occupy ten minutes between the 
departure and the return. The two parties were very unequal. It 
was evidently a facile abuse of strength,—very probably an outrage 
often repeated,—a tyranny of the great, who levied a tribute of 
children from their poor little neighbours. 
