The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-09-28
The Terrible BashAAouay.

Mr.. Du Chaillu, in his work Explorations
and Adventures in Equatorial Africa,
thus describes terrible species, with al
most unequaled powers Of destruction:
In the forests Of this part OF Africa are
found vast numbers Of ants. some Of whose
tribes are SO terrible to man, and even to
the beasts Of the wood, from their venom
Gus bites, their fierce temper and voracity,
that their path is freely abandoned to
them, and they may be called the lords
Of the forest. l know Of ten different
species Of ants found in these regions ait
differing widely in their choice OF food.
the quality Of their venom, the manner oi
their attack, or the time OF their operation.
The most remarkable, and the most dread
ed Of all, is the baShikouay. This ant,
also called nchOWnOu by the MPongwe, Is
very abundant in the whole region have
Travelled over in Africa, and is the most
voracious creature ever met. 1t IL the
dread of all living animals, from the leoP'
ard to the smallest insect.
do not think that they build nest or
homo Of any kind. At any rate, they
carry nothing away, but eat all their prey
on the spot. II il their habit to march
through the forests in long, regular line
ID line Of say two inches broad, and often
several miles in length.
All along this line are larger ants, who
act as officers, stand outside the ranks.
and keep this singular army in order. II
they arrive at place where there are no
trees to shelter them from the sun. whose
heat they cannot bear, they immediately
build underground tunnels, through which
the whole army passes in column to the
forest beyond. These tunnels are four or
five feet under the ground, and are used
only in the heat Of the day, or during
storm. When they get hungry, the long
file spreads itself through the forest in .
front line, and attacks and devours oil 1t
comes to with fury which is quite ire
sistibIe. The elephant and gorilla alike
fly before this attack. The black men run
for their lives. Every animal that lives
in their line Of march is chased. They
seem to understand and net upon the tao
tics of Napoleon, aud concentrate, with
great speed, their heaviest forces upon the
point Of attack. In an incredibly short
space Of time tho mouse, or dog, or deer
is overwhelmed, killed, eaten, and the bare
skeleton only remains. They seem to
travel night and day Many time have
been awakened out Of deep sleep, and
obliged to rush from the hut and into the
water, to save my life, aud after all suf-
fered intOlerablc agony from the bites Of
the advanced guard, who got into my
clothes.
when they enter house they clear It
Of all living things. Reaches are devoured
in an instant. Rats and mice spring
around the room in vain. An overwheI-
ming force Of ants kill a strong rat in less
than q minute, in spite Of the most fran
tic struggles, and in less than another
minute it's bones are stripped. Every liv-
ing thing in the house il dcvourcd. They
will not touch vegetable matter. They
are, in reality, very useful Gas well as dan.
gerous) to the negroes, who have their
huts cleaned Of all the abounding vermin,
such as immense reaches and centIpedes,
at least several times year.
When on their march the insect world
flies before them, and | have often had
the approach Of the bashikouay army her
aided to me by this means. Wherever
they go they make clean sweep, even
ascending TO the tops Of the highest
trees in pursuit Of their prey. Their man.
ner Of attack is an impctuous leap. In.
stantly the strong pincers are fastened,
and they only let 60 when the piece gives
way. At such times this little animal
seems animated by kind of fury which
causes 1t to disregard entirely its own
safety, and to seek only the conquest Of
its prey. The bite is very painful. The
negroes relate that criminals were in form
or times exposed in the path Of the bash
ikouay ants, as the most cruel way of
putting them to death.
Two very remarkable practices Of theirs
remnin to be related. When on their line
of march they must cross stream, they
throw themselves across and form tun-
mel "A living tunnel - connecting two
trees or high bushes on opposite sides Of
the little stream. This is done with great
speed, and is effected by great number
Of ants, each Of which clings with its fore
claws to its next neighbours body or hind
claws. Thus they form a high, safe tabu.
lar bridge, through which the whole vast
regiment marches in regular order. II
disturbed, or IL the arch Is broken BY the
violence Of some animal, they instantly
attack the offender with the greatest ami
mostly.
The bashikouny have the sense Of smell
finely developed, as indeed have ell the
ants I know Of, and they nre guided very
much by it. They are larger than any
ants we have in America, being at least
half an inch long, and are armed with
very powerful fore legs and sharp jaws,
with which they bite. They are red or
dark brown in color. Their numbers are
so great that one does not like to enter
into calculations; but l have seen one
continual line passing at good speed par
ticular place, for tmcire hours. The read
er may imagine for himself how many
millions on millions there may have been
contained here.
There is another species Of bashikouay
which is found in the mountains to the
south Of the equator. 1t is Of great size.
The body is grayiSh-white in color; the
head of reddish black. Its fangs are very
powerful, and it is able to make clean
bite out Of piece of flesh. 1t is thus a
very formidable animal; but fortunately
it's motions are not so quick as those Of
its fierce brother; it does not march in
such vast armies, nor does it precipitatc
itself upon its prey with such irresistible
fury. In its motions it is almost slUg-
gish. They do not invade villages nor
climb trees in pursuit Of prey; and do
not think them nearly SO voracious as
their fellows before mentioned. II they
were, they could doubtless clear the cOun-
try of every living thing, for they are
much more powerful. They are, in fact,
to ants what whales are to fishes.