The Red Cloud chief., 1880-07-29
fHE DRIVER MS OF wEf
AfElCt.

nc have zny "slsgSards ansoRg ths
active AmenvAa b1ss sad Etfts so
read the Mes lors - Rrvsr, thins
they mas zitAin consttsrshse p~tosa
by consl4rrng the Nass e.. ~auss It ,
ant. q West Africa 1Ar~ LITTLE n
.-ets are very snsii. AMI Vet a. DE-
~stractiVs - lie sna rrpPsTtg thA, ihe
natives cf the cssgutry az ssfnstimcs
Obliged Ia take their styss and shidr--
sni ieAyc ;keir houses 80 n haas -
these visitors. who dUys EVER thins
AWAY before them. whai Wesld hap
p~n Il ,h~y rcna ned' Nhy. hunarva,
and Thousand. q. bla-k ants. cs tbr~e
different sizes. soaii march tase TIE
doEBr In a .o,ti c~olaun ais,ai AZ ncA
wide. rAns1ck ever cpruvr, carr of
every hit oi meat ihcy road had drive
AVA the uis. nice LESrsi. nsorksts
and fow,. and then climb ufSsE ths
children. and opvntLs their Erva; wde
laws close them wiih a sn1dsu grasp
IL the fs.h. hNins Ia their teeth With
such furce thai soaact mes they can
only be Withdrawn b, cu;sns The essiy
IN two. They would ihrn move thVar
Jaws from side - side til th.y meet.
and such suffering be caused BY shstf
bites. that. ~ n great many sl~str
make the attack =. once. IN \ short
time they woald Kill rhi.drvn. pculty.
sheep and even SNAKES oi the largest
description.
These q. Visiting Ants" OF priv
ers," generally make their visit. nj
night. climbing on the beds IN hong
streams. or dropping from The ceiling
with their half Killed prey still grssfred
in their Jaws. 4 missionary tells us
that on one occasion his whole SCHOOL
was thus turned IA ot do-ors IN The
middle 81 the night. and ne oaly fsuni
safety and rrg-css BY pa,ting all the
feet If the bcdsteais into cups nllrd
with vinegar and making the csllag 80
tight that nothing could g.t through
H. Drivers live Ia communities at
mn millions ia shallow SNcavsitotIs
uUAer the roots ot trees. With none 81
the mechanical conVivancrs iOr which
the TerUgnc.. or White Ants. are crle-
bratcd They arc a raCe Il robbers.
aud live, ~ robbers do. Ia caves. hiding
their prey in the Loose gravel and
assures in the ground anu crcvices IA
rocks In cloudy days and a, night
they sally out ia n long. steady col
umn. having first seat out small for
aging parties Ia find % Il there - n
dead chicken or pis. or some other
dead animal. within their reach. Whom
the scouts come back again. instead VI
rushing a, once Ia the prey, the largest
class. OF soidier.. 20 tea work and
clear n path about IN inch wide ct
every movable obstruction; dead
leaves, sticks. small Stones and
grass are drawn out of the way.
sometimes by an ant not qusr..r
th0r size. sometimes by two at three
wd Mag together. The ueSt step IN the
WAY Of preparation j. the construct on
Of an arched roof al along the path.
under the shadow Of which the work
ers may carry of their prey. IL II b.
n sunny morning. tn arch II composed
II dirt cementcd together by n fiuid
from their mouths. or II grass. sticks.
etc, are in the path. these ar joined
with the muddy cement, much labor
being thus saved. The object 81 this
arch Is to shield the workers from the
heat Of the African sun. whose power.
especially il increased by reflection. -
instantly fatal Ia them. Indeed. II they
are DELAYED in their WORK TIL ate IN
the morning, they viii often break
ranks and rest under las shade of
weeds and bushes till the cool 81 even
ing again calls them out 30 complete
their work. Ia cloudy DAYS the arch is
c~uriously composed ii the bOsliesof the
workers, the largest class planting
their long legs firmly in the ground
and grasping each other by the Jaws
{ AMI flFftss..sg .r, -us.u.r TIL an aFpA al
many ants in width IL formed. Thi.
network is instantly broken II an
alarm Is given. The soldiers forming
themselves in two lines Of defense on
each side Of the workers. who 20 q
and fro under the protecting shadow.
carrying the heavy burdens IL food
which still another class-hayiBg first
pulled out the fea;hcr--are busiiy
cutting from the chicken. or whatever
il may be, with the regularity and or
4 der Of an arny under strict military dis
|, cipline.
, Sonnet mes the inhabitants lo-e pa
tience with these troubsc-ome and fero-
cious n~eighbors. and attempt IN &c, nd
Of them by burning out their home.
MANY Thousands are thu. killed. bu; he
rest Immediately -, forth on a migra
ton to- more eom1eLiAble quarters a
their usual regayar and Inkky.iica! man
ner. the sinai hest class car.aaS "a.
baby ants and the provisions -
h slung under their stomsehs. and a
n larger marching a n holy guard {
each side. or forming the pro'ectir
arch above their heads. While prepa
ing for this migration. they take refus
v on tree trunks. etc climbing az .
a each others backs IN n very singul.
n manner.
q The missionary before alluded 10 sa'
A OF cue Of these scenes. "From n
- lower limbs -four feet bigh) were r.
% toons OF lines Of the size of a man
= thumb. reaching % the plants ~
ground below. consisting entirely
these insects. One 81 these I saw
the act of formation. xnt after n
!. coming down from above. extend 4
their long limbs and opening wide the
y laws. gradually l~engthening out q
living chain till IL touched the bros
Leaf IL a Gamma ~corcines below. IL no
swung to aud fro in the wind. the e
-. minaf ant meanwhile epdezvor5ng
y attach IL by his Jaws and legs 90 u
y leaf: not succeeding. znosssr ant 81 q
" .nme class (the very argsst) vas 80
70 ascend the plant. snd. nxiDg hs hsf
!. legs firmly To the Lead. reach f"rfh D
u torelezs. open wide his jsxs snd grs'
his COMPANION above. thu- comPseiss
sr the most curious ladder IN the wors
Nc ,pon which others we're eons; snily =
/, ending and ~de-ceDdiDz. ard hosdl1
"a free and ready communication vita u
Y upper and loser portions Of the mss
When the Drivers are usveiing.
"a they cosse 70 . large stream % ss,s
they go In another direction. ont u
a = small. they c~onstrsei . bridge
heir - bodes. IA ihe sane mann
~ 3 the ~testoons o. arches are onsf- OF
&c which the main body passes "a ssist
Us These little insects have \ e11tbosr
of preserving Themselves frpn oeii
"a droxned during the inundssiosss shl'
I'd sometimes cover mp Their homes dar1'
P the rainy season. for days sogeths
T. Az such times they ou out al 20
h;dinz-pIaees, fhros themselves info
rounded ball. with the csisdren- ~ea
IN ones etc. in the center. snd d