e top of one of them. After apparently satisfying
their curiosity, they came back towards us.

"They are not huts," exclaimed Natty, "but curious mounds, three or four
times as high as we are."

"What do you say to those mounds or clay-built domes being the houses of
ants, and built entirely by themselves?" said Senhor Silva.

As we approached we saw a dozen or more such mounds, scattered about at
short distances from each other. Having got to a secure distance from
the last, two of our bearers put down their loads, and advancing towards
it with the poles they carried, began to attack it with heavy blows,
knocking off one of the small turrets on the side. Instantly a white
ant was seen to appear through the opening thus made, apparently
surveying the damage done. Immediately afterwards, hundreds of other
ants came to the spot, each carrying a small lump of clay, with which
they began to repair the damage; and even for the short time we
remained, they had made some progress. We could discover, however, no
outlet or opening in the mound; nor, except at the hole made by our
bearers, were any ants seen. We, however, could not remain to watch the
progress of the work. Just as we were going, one of our bearers, much
to my regret, commenced a still more furious attack on the citadel,
exposing the whole centre to view, when it appeared crowded with
thousands and tens of thousands--so it seemed--of ants, who issued forth
with pincers stretched out, evidently intending to attack us. David
caught up one of the ants to examine it; but we were all too glad
hurriedly to make our escape. We found the creature, on examining it,
to be a quarter of an inch in length, with a flat hard head, terminating
in a pair of sharp horizontal pincers, something like the claws of a
crab.

Several, who, in spite of our flight, caught hold of us, bit very hard,
and did not fail to draw blood. Senhor Silva, as we marched on, gave us
a very interesting account of these white ants, with the habits of which
he was well acquainted, as he told us he had had one of the mounds cut
completely in two, so as to examine the interior. The under part alone
of the mound is inhabited by the ants; the upper portion serving as a
roof to keep the lower warm and moist for hatching the eggs. His
description put me somewhat in mind of the Pyramids of Egypt. The
larger portion is solid. In the centre, just above the ground, is the
chief cell, the residence