A NEW COMMUNITY. 
273 
dismembered fragment of the republic. They marched with a firm step, 
and recoiled before no obstacles. We could not frighten them. If we 
placed in their way any impediment,—a bit of twig or our finger,—they 
crouched upon their loins, manoeuvred with great address their tiny 
arms, and patted us like a young kitten. 
In their revolutions around our vase, they encountered upon the 
sand some ashy-black ants which had taken possession of our garden, 
and constructed underneath its soil a large establishment. The latter 
do not have recourse to timber, but build in masonry,—cementing 
the earth with their saliva, and drying and seasoning it with their 
formic acid. 
The spot was rendered peculiarly agreeable to them by its rose 
trees, apple and peach trees, which furnished them with abundant 
herds of gnats, that they might extract honey-dew for themselves and 
their little ones. 
The rencontre was not very friendly. Though among the big car¬ 
penters were some ants of a sufficiently diminutive stature, they wholly 
differed from the black through their long legs and the red-spotted 
corselet. They were pitiless. Perhaps they suspected the blacks had 
been sent out as spies, to explore the ground, and lay snares for the 
emigrant colony which had just been disembarked. At all events, the 
big carpenters slew the little masons. 
The act was followed by terrible and wholly unexpected results. 
Our vase was unfortunately placed near an apple-tree covered with 
those woolly grubs which are the despair of the gardener and the joy 
of the ants. Our masons had just taken possession of the precious 
sugary herd, and encamped themselves in the very roots of the tree, 
within reach of the invaluable booty. There they were, under the 
ground, a complete nation, an infinite number. 
The massacre took place about twelve o’clock. At a quarter past 
eleven, or a little later, all the black legions were warned, aroused, 
erect, and ascending from their subterraneous habitations, poured out 
through every gate. The sand was hidden beneath the long black 
columns; our paths were all alive. The sun, shining full upon the little 
garden, stimulated and burned up the multitude, which only quickened 
18 
