The Portland daily press., 1863-03-31

One day when went out TO my woodpile,
or rather TO my pile of stumps, observed two
ants, the one red, the other much larger, near
ly half an inch long, and black, fercely con
tending with each other. Having once got
hold, they never let go, but struggled and
wrestled and rolled on the chips incessant-
ly. Looking further, was surprised to find
that the chips were covered with such COM
batants, that 1t was not a duelluDl, but a BEL
tlm, war between two races of ants, the red
always pitted against the black, and frequent
ly two reds to one black. The legions of these
myrlnidons covered all the hills and dales in
my woodward, and the ground was already
strewn with the dead and dying both red and
black. II was the first battle which had ever
witnessed, the first battlefield had ever trod
while the battle was raging; internecine war;
the red republicans on the one hand, and the
black imperalsts on the other. On every side
they were engaged in deadly combat, yet with
out any noise that l could hear, and human
soldiers never fought so resolutely.
watched couple that were fast locked in
each others embraces. In a little sunny valley,
amid the chips, now at noon-day. prepared TO
fight until the sun went down or life went out
The smaller red champion had fastened him
self like vice to his adversary's front, and
through all the tumbling on that field never
for an instant ceased TO gnaw at one of the
black ones feelers near the root, having al
Etduy cdtceu Tue otneT 10 go Dy the Doafu.
while the stronger black one dashed him from
side to side and, as saw, on looking nearer,
had already divested him ofseveral of his men,
bers. They fought with more pertinacity than
bulldogs. Neither manifested the least dis
position to retreat. 1t was evident that their
battle-cry was conquer or die. In the mean
while there came along a single red ant on the
hillside Of this valley, evidently full of excite
ment, who either had dispatched his foe or
had yqtr raE mari in he baft hal lv
the latter, for ne had lost none OF his limbs
whose mother had charged him to return with
his shield or upon IL. Or perchance he was
some Achilles, who had nourished his wrath
apart, and had now come to revenge or rescue
his Patroclus. He saw the unequal combat
from afar-for the blacks were nearly twice
the size of the reds-he drew near with rapid
pace till he stood on his guard within half an
inch of the combatants then, watching his OPP
portunity, he sprang upon the black warrior,
and commenced his operations near the root
of his right fore leg, leaving the foe to select
among his own members; and SO there were
three united for life, as if new kind OF attrac-
ton had been invented, which put all other
locks and cements to shame.
should not have wondered by this time to
find that they had their respective musical
bands stationed on some eminent chip, and
playing their national airs the while, to excite
the slow and cheer the dying combatants. /
was myself excited somewhat, even as If they
had been men. The more You think of it. the
less the difference. And certainly there is not
a fight recorded in Concord history, at least if
in the history of America, that will bear a mo-
ments comparison with this, whether for the
numbers engaged in it, or for the patriot
ism and heroism displayed. For numbers
and carnage, il was Austerlitz or Dres-
den Concord fight! Two killed on the pat
riots side and Luther Blanchard wounded!
Why here every ant was Buttrick-" Fire!
for Gods sake fire and thousands shared
the fate OF Davis and Hosmer. There was
not one hireling there. l have no doubt it
was principle they fought for, as much as
our ancestors, and not to avoid a three-penny
tax on their tea and the results of this battle
will be as impor ant and memorable to those
whom IL concerns, as those of the battle of
Bunker Hill at least.
/ took up the chip on which the three
have particularly described were struggling,
carried il into my house, and placed it under
a tumbler on my window sill, in order to see
the issue. Holding microscope to the first
mentioned red ant, saw that though he was as
siduously gnawing at the near fore leg, having
severed his enemy's last feeler, his own breast
was all torn away, exposing what vitals he had
there TO the jaws of the black warrior, whose
breast-pate was apparently too thick for him
TO pierce; and the dark carbuncles of the
sufferers eyes shone with ferocity such as
war only could excite. They struggled half
an hour longer under the tumbler, and when
looked again the black soldier had severed the
heads of his foes from their bodies, and the still
living heads were hanging on either side of
him like CHASTITY trophies at his saddle-bow, ap-
parently as firmly fastened as ever, and he was
endeavoring with feeble struggles, being with
out feelers, and with only the remnant Of leg,
and know not how many other wounds, to
divest himself of them; which at length, after
haitian hour more, he accomplished. / raised
the glass and he went off over the window
sill in that cripped state. Whether he tnally
survived that combat, and spent the remain
der Of his days in some Hotel des Inraiides. |
do not know; but thought that his industry
would not be worth much thereafter | never
learned which party was victorious, nor the
cause Of the war; but / felt for the rest of
that day as If l had had my feelings excited
and narrowed by witnessing the struggle, the
ferocity and carnage Of human battle before
my door.-l"Walden'' by Henry ID. Thoreau.