gan to scatter, they appeared like snow-flakes
floating about in the air. They were, I suspected, white ants. After
flying a considerable distance they alighted on the ground, when, as we
watched them, they bent up their tails, unhooked their wings, and began
immediately digging away with wonderful rapidity into the earth. They
had good need of haste, for birds were seen assembling from all
quarters, numerous hawks being among them, who began snapping them up
with the greatest avidity. The natives, too, immediately set to work to
collect them, giving them a pinch and putting them into baskets which
they carried at their sides. They were quite as eager to obtain them as
the birds were. On picking some of them up I found that they were fully
half an inch long, as thick as a crow-quill, and very fat. One I caught
had its wings on, and fancying from the ease with which its fellows got
rid of these appendages themselves that I could help it, I made the
attempt, but the wings appeared to me as if hooked into the body, and I
tore away a piece of the flesh at the same time. As long as an ant was
to be found, the natives continued picking them up; and I suspect, out
of the whole brood but a small number could have reached places of
safety beneath the earth.

Our companions hurried home with their prizes, when they immediately
lighted fires, and roasted the ants, much as they might have done
chestnuts. All hands gathered round and ate them eagerly, evidently
considering them among the greatest of delicacies. When they saw us
watching them, they offered us some. "No, no," said Natty; "I do not
know what I may do, but I have not come to that yet." The chief, who
had the larger share brought to him, sat on the ground, rolling his eyes
round as he dropped insect after insect into his mouth, evidently
enjoying the repast, and seemed to look with an eye of pity on us when
we declined partaking of it.

Soon after this we observed a number of the men dressing themselves up
in a curious manner. Some had covered their heads with caps made of the
skins of water-antelopes, with the horns still attached, part of the
skin hanging down over their shoulders so as to conceal the upper part
of their bodies. Others had manufactured the heads and beaks and long
necks of white cranes into coverings for their heads. Carrying their
bows and arrows in their hands, and quivers and darts at their backs,
they set forth to the bank of the la