ere over, in spite of his strength, entirely consume him.
They have been known to attack horses and cattle shut up in a confined
space, and to reduce them to skeletons in less than a couple of days.
They sometimes enter a dwelling-house through a small hole, and
literally take possession, proceeding across the floor, over the walls
and ceilings. "When I resided in the Brazils," said Senhor Silva, as we
stood surveying the ants at work, "I was one morning seated at breakfast
with my wife and little boy, when I heard outside the house a great
commotion, and in rushed a black servant carrying the cage of our
favourite parrot in one hand and grasping a number of pet fowls in the
other; while our negro girl, hurrying in from another direction, and
catching up the lapdog, cried out, `See! they come--they come! Fly,
senhor. Fly, my dear mistress--fly, or you will all be eaten up.'
Looking down to the ground, towards which she was directing her alarmed
gaze, I saw that it was covered by countless numbers of white ants,
which came swarming in through a small hole in the wall. I can only
liken the appearance of the insects to a stream of water suddenly
bursting into the house, so rapidly did they make their way through the
opening. It was too late to think of stopping it, for the room was in a
few seconds full of them. My wife, taking the advice of the girl,
seized our boy by the hand and fled into the garden. I followed
quickly, for already I felt the ants biting at my feet. Not for some
hours were we able to return, when we found that our invaders had
devoured every particle of food in the house. They did us, however, an
essential service, by destroying all the mice and cockroaches, as well
as other insects which they encountered, so that on that account we were
much obliged to them; but there are many instances on record of their
destroying human beings unable to move on account of sickness, and with
no one to assist them. Formerly, it is said that criminals secured by
shackles were laid in their way; happily, however, this terrible custom
no longer exists, even among the most savage tribes. They, in most
cases, as in ours, effectually rid a house of mice, and take but few
minutes to devour one, leaving only its bones and hair."

We were glad to leave the wonderful insects to their repast on the dead
gorilla, and, returning to our camp, found out bearers ready for
starting.

We toiled on all day, ascending the side