ready for
embarking, and all our goods packed up. I was awoke by hearing Domingos
cry out--

"Some rats, or other creatures, have got into the hut, and are eating up
the farinha."

On striking a light, we hurried to the corner in which our provisions
were stored, intending to drive out the intruders, when, instead of
rats, we found a column of ants passing to and fro between the door and
our baskets of food. Each of them carried a grain of a tapioca-like
substance as big as itself. In vain we tried to drive them off. Though
hundreds were killed, others came on in a most determined manner, as if
they had resolved to rob us at all cost. At last John proposed that we
should blow them up. We called out to Ellen not to be alarmed, and then
spread a train of powder across the column, when we set it on fire.
This seemed to stagger them, but others still came on. Not till we had
performed the operation three times did they seem to discover their
danger, when the first coming on turned round and warned those behind,
and the whole took their departure. The next morning we traced them to
a spot at a considerable distance, where we came upon a mound of earth
between two or three feet high, and nearly eleven yards in
circumference. This we found was the dome which protected the entrance
to the abode of our visitors of the previous night. It was a wonder
they had not found us out before. It was of a different colour to the
surrounding ground. This was owing to its being composed of the
under-soil brought up from below. We perceived a number of small holes
in the sides--the commencement of galleries. We discovered, on digging
into it, that each led to a broad gallery four feet in diameter. This
again led down into the centre of the wonderful habitation.

"Hilloa!" cried Arthur; "here comes Birnam Wood in miniature."

He was at some distance from us. On going up to him we found what
looked like a vast number of leaves moving along over the ground. On
examining them, we discovered that each was of the size and shape of a
small coin, and carried by an ant. On tracing them back we found the
tree at which they were at work. It was covered by vast multitudes.
Each ant was working away at a leaf, cutting out a circle with its sharp
scissor-like jaws. As soon as the operation was complete, it lifted it
up vertically and marched away towards the mound. As one lot of
labourers descended, others ascended and took their p