The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-07-29
The Ensliikauay,

Du Chatliu gives the following description
OF that terrible equatorial ant "the Bashi-
kousy." Some portions are rather hard to be-
lievs, but it is the fashion now to believe Uu
Chailln implicitly
1T is their habit TO march through the
fores. = in Il long bHd regular line, about two
inches broad and often ten miles in Ter & h -
al Along HIS line are larger ants, who act as
CiECerS. stand outside the ranks and keep his
Singular army in order. If they come TO a
place wherr there are no trees to shelter thaC,
frcG1 the sHn, whose heat they canno. bear,
they imue iItely build underground tunnels,
through which The whole army passes in CO
lumus 10 the forest beyond. These tunnels
are fon- or i've feet under ground. and are
used only IN the heat OF the day or during I
storm
w hen they get hungry, the long Tile spreads
i'aeli through the forest in 4 1. snt line, and
Gevours all 1t comes 10 with 8 fury whic Il IS
quite Irresistible The eierhant and gorilla
liz before this attack The black men run
for their lives. Every animal that lives in
their llne Of march Is chased. They seem to
understand and act pom the tics OF NapN-
Icon and concentrate with great speed ther
h@Hvi-~t forces upon the point of attack. In
a. incrs dtbly short space OF time the Inonsa,
or dog, or leopard. or deer, is overwhelmed,
klli' Z, eaten, and the bare skeleton only re-
u-IAz.
They seem 10 travel night and day. Many
a time have been awakened out OF 4 sleep.
ANA iiged 10 rush from the nut and IL 20 the
water - save my life. aud after ali suffered
intoiera6ie agony from the bites OF the al
E1uce guard, who mad got into my clothes -
hen they enter house they clear it Of all
Avn = thugs. * aches are devOured III an in =
staut. Rats and mice spring round the room
IA vain. An ovarW hslu,lng force OF auts kills
strong rat ia less than minute, In spite OF
The most frantic struggles. and in less than
another minute It's bones are stripped livery
living thing IL the house is devourad. They
VIII not touch vegetable matter. Thus rhey
are ia reality very useful las well rs danger
D. h
cleaned OF all the abnuniing vermin, such as
Immense reaches and cenIIpedes, 1T lie IS. sew
era times 8 wear.
"Wheu on their march the insect world
Il rs before them, and ! have often had the
approach OF s. bashikcuay army herGid7d 70
me By this means Wherever they 20 they
make q clean sweep, even ascending to the
tops of the highest trees in pursuit of their
prey. Their manner of attack is an impetu-
Gus leap lustantly the strong pinCeTs are
fastened. and they only let go when the piece
gives away. at snch times this little animal
seems animated hy kind of fury. v hich
causes IL 10 disregard entirely it's own safety,
and 10 seek only the conquest of its prey
I he bite Is very painful,
The negroes relate that criminals were in
former times exposed in the path OF the bash
+hondy ants, rs the most cruel manner OF
putting 10 death.
Two very remarkable practices of theirs
Tera"in 10 De related. When, on the line Of
march, they must cross n stream, they throw
them selves across and form a tunnel--a living
understanding two trees or high bushes
opposite sides of the little stream This
Is done with great speed, is effected by
great number OF ants, each OF which ciings
with its fore claws to its next neighbOr's b0-
dy or hind clows. Thus they form q high
su", tubular bridge, through which the whole
st regiment marches il regular order. II
disturbed, or if the arch is broken by the vio-
Ienee of some animal, they Instantly attack
the cHendPr wi n the greatest aujmCsitv.
The blshIkOuay have the sense OF smell
nneiT GpyPiODpH. indeed all II Is l
know q, and they guided very much by
IL They are larger than ANY ant We have IN
America being at least half an inch long
and are armed with very powerful fore legs
and sharp Avs, with which they bite. They
are red or Ark brown in color. Their mum
b.rs ara SO great that one does not ike TO enter
INFO calculations; but L have seen one CON
tinuai line passing III good speed 4 PAL ticuiar
place tor twelve hours. The reader may ina
glne for Himself how many millions ON mil
lions there may have been Contained here