pointed spirit. As I saw the ensign uncurl itself to the wind
I said internally, "If I have but life, and health, and opportunity, I
trust, notwithstanding the bitterness of this disappointment, I shall
yet contrive to unfold, in like manner, the flag of my own fortunes
to the world."

Just as this magnanimous thought crossed my mind's eye, the Admiral
placed his hand so gently on my shoulder that the pressure would not
have hurt a fly, and said, in a cheerful tone, "Never mind this
mishap, master Hall; everything will come right in time; and if you
only resolve to take it in the proper and manly temper, it may even
prove all the better that this has happened. Nothing is without a
remedy in this world; and I'll do what I can to make good this maxim
in your case. In the mean time, however, come along, and help me to
rout out these rascally white ants. Off coat, however, if you please;
for we shall have a tough job of it."

It cost us an hour's hard work; for we had to rip up the planks along
the whole of the verandah, then to shape a course across two cellars,
or _godongs_, as they are called in the East, and finally the
traverses of these singular insects obliged us to cut a trench to the
huge hillock or nest, which rose to the height of five or six feet
from the ground, in numberless shoots, like pinnacles round the roof
of a Gothic church. We might have attacked them at headquarters in
the first instance, had we wished it; but the Admiral chose to go more
technically to work, and to sap up to his enemy by regular approaches.
In this way we had the means of seeing the principles upon which these
ants proceed in securing themselves, at every step of their progress,
by galleries or covered ways, which, though extremely feeble, are
sufficiently strong to keep off the attacks of every other kind of
ant. It is curious enough, that, although the white ant be the most
destructive of its species, it is said to be, individually, by far
the weakest, and cannot move a step without the artificial protection
of the galleries it constructs as it goes along; just as the besiegers
of a fortification secure themselves in their trenches and zigzags.

We now brought our spades into play; and having cut the hill across,
laid open the secrets of these most curious of all the ant tribe. At
last we reached the great queen ant, the mother of millions of her
race, a most enormous personage to be sure, nearly four inches long,
and as thick a