The Red Cloud chief., 1881-08-25

ray of light.
After o few hours had elapsed. I
raised the cover aud looked in upon the
busy workers. The sudden food of light
cansedgreat consternat on among them:
they hastily d sappearel TO the rooms
below through two VIDE entrance. which
they had opened since the frame was
placed. They had divided the large
space into two rooms. with a slight par
titlon between and adoor lcaing INTO
each room. The ground had teen lev
eied and smoothed aud slightly scooped
out. Many of the workers came to the
doors, put their heads GU and hastcnei
back as if afraid. / had disarrangcd
none OF their work. having simply
raised the cover. but they seemed 10 be
unable to comprehend the unusual
light, aud were frightened at the
strangeness of the sudden exposure.
Two Of the blacks. more courageous
their comrades. resumed work.
They scrapcd the earth with their feet
and rolled it in 4 lump. then took il IN
their mandIbles and carried il 10 the
edge of the frame and dropped il.
carefully excluded the light and left
them IN peace until the next dgv, wien
! aga n raised the cover and found the
inside of the frame nearly filled with
chrysa!iiS. a great CONSERVATION
seized the inhabitants; they rushed
from the galleries. seized the chrysa-
Ids and carried them below. | soon
exc uied the light, hut every day
looked in upon them. A large
number of masters and slaves were now
constantly outside OF the frame, walk
ing over and a ound il a IL o. guard,
50 that / was obliged Ia raise the
cover very quickly 10 AVOID being at
tackled By the furious creatures. As |
laid the cloths back they rushed upon it
and bit it, aS if chastisino the author OF
the mischief.
On the 18th of June the chrySalidS
had d sappcared and the interior of the
frame was Swarmng with winged midi
v.daals. The workers were still eX-
C ted; when 1 raised the cover. they
lad hold OF the young queens and
males by the %antcnnr or lcs and hur-
RED them below. The entrances were
soon blocked by the panic-strickrn in
habiiants, and the widest confusion
prevailed.
Both masters and Caves exercised
great care Over the winged gentry. IL
the young queens or males wandered ont
SIDE Of the frame, they were Immediately
conducted back BY the vIgilant guard.
This state of affairs continued until the
9th of july, when | found that 4 great
change hal Dcen wrOughtin theappcir-
and OF the interior; not a winged intivid-
ual was To be seen. The rooms had been
swept AMI garni,hcd. and all the debris
was piled i'll one cOrnc About Il hand
full of larvae and puprof future workers
occupied Il portion % n OF the rooms.
The debris consisted mostly of empty
coconns and the WINS OF the recent Oc-
cupants. Tie sl2ye-makcrs are not noe
iurnal in their habits. auI yet the
winged members took their flight 4 lit
tie after Sundown, between seven and
eight o'clock. From the amount of
wings pied among the debris there was
evidently a large numbcroi queens con-
cca ed within the formicarr.
Tie queens. after taking fight, did
not return II the nest OF their own ac-
cord; but the workers were on the
watch. and conducted back a large num-
Der. Their WINS were now removed,
and henccforth they remained within
the formicary, taking no part in the
wars or work OF the colony, but were
fed and tended by the slaves. The
males few with the queens. bit after
their flight the workers paid no atten-
ton 10 these helpless. homeless wan
dcrcrS. passing them with the utmost
indifference. but ca ccrlr Selling a queen
and hurrying her back to the tormicary.
On the morning of the 9TH of July
the winged members Of the colony be-
inc disposed GA new movement was
evidently on foot. The masters were
forming in line and marching to battle.
No blacks were 10 be seen in this line.
The chivalrouS slave-owncrS did not
allow their cap:iveS to participate in
the wars and invasionS upon other
tribes. although but = few days pre-
viouS, when the move wa made. the
blacks had kept in the line and ma lc Is
good portcrs rs their masters. The
war-path was about SIX inches in width.
and extended seventy feet to a colony
of blacks, where the vast army halted
and was soon engaged in conflict. Their
wars with other tribes | will not dwell
upon. as they have been fully discussed
elsewhere. Observers are divided in
opinion with regard to the primary OBJ
iect which the Slave-makers have in
capturing SO MANY blacks. Some in
cline TO the belief that the ants are cap
tured for food, and that those not eaten
are reared Is slaves.
The invaders. after q successful bat
tie. returned home with the Spoils and
remained closely housed for two or
three DAYS; il was easy 10 imagine that
a great feast was going on in theundcr-
ground rooms. While the ants were
thus housed the slaves d d not move anv
of the larvae or puma which their mas
tiers had been bringing in to the nursery
above; but rs soon As the warriolSagain
formed in line and marched TO battle.
the slaves became very active. Some
carried out the debris that was piled i'll
the corner OF the nursery and deposited
il AZ the foot of the hill. Oilers brought
9p pupe and Larvae and placed them in
the warm nursery; but the number
brought up bore 10 comparison 10 the
great amount that had been carried be-
low. If all the pupe and larvae were
reared that were carried home during
the five or SIX weeks that these wars
continued. there ought TO have been ten
or 4 dozen blacks 10 n red MASTER.
whereas there seemed to be fully rs
MANY masters As slaves.
On the other hand, l have seen some
things which make it doubtful if the
helpless Young are eaten. The first
colony of blacks that were attacked this
season had their upper nursery arrang-
ed beneath a board, which | could raise
and thus have 4 good view of their
Young. A large cavity was TILED with
cocoons. from which wingedants won d
eventually emerge. These cocoonS are
easily recognized, as they are consider
ably larger than those containing work
erS. After q fierce struggle. the VIC
toriouS slave-makers drove the blacks
from home and sacked the nurseries o.
all the Larvae and pupethat would make
workers, but the large cocoonS, holding
winged ants. were lett. These would
be of no use as slaves. Another fact:
l have never found the remains of the
pupe or Larvae among the debris where
the refuse of insects and the dead bodies
of the blacks are piled. Notwithstand-
inc these pulling facts, | think the