The record-union., 1893-11-17
MARCH OF WARRIOR ANTS.
Insects. and Even Reptiles. Retreat
From the Advancing Column.

1uSocISs ana Even KeDUI1eS.
From the Advancing Column.
1t was in Honduras, near the Caribbean
coast, while on a Government survey,
says a correspondent of the Omaha
World Herald, that L first saw warrior
ants-those strange insects which march
through the tropical forests in armies,
attacking every living creature in their
path. One intensely hot day as | sat in
hammock under the thatched roof OF my
bamboo hut native came running in,
and, with excited gestures. bade me fol-
low him. [ did so wonderingly, and,
going out into the open, looked in the
direction he indicated. There, on the
rolling savannah stretched wide black
belt, extending far back into the deep
shadows of the adjacent forest. 1t rose
and fell with every formation OF the
ground, and, like huge snake, slowly
crept toward the village. The warrior
ants" explained the native in strange
patois of English and Spanish, which |
shall not attempt to initiate. They will
soon be here,'' he continued. "Y ou had
better unite your dogs or the ants will
kill them." Acting upon his advice L
loosened my dogs, and, retiring to safe
distance, watched tho approach of the
warriors. In countless multltudes they
swarmed over the plain, marching III
compact order, like well-drilled army.
mass of lizards, graSshoppers, frogs,
beetles and other manner OF insects and
reptiles in wild scamper to reach
place of safety.
Presently the advanced guard reached
my hut and disappeared within: then the
main column appeared, and soon the
roof, floor, walls and rafterS were black
with them, Like the soft rustic of dried
grass stirred by a gentle breeze came the
nf N
my matched roof. The sounds increased
in loudness as the rats, mice, lizards,
cOckroaches, centipedes and others of
their ilk, who had long made the roof
their home, tried vainly to escape. Some
succeeded in getting away from the
house, but only to fall victims to the sur
rounding hordes without. One large
cocSroach, l noticed, made plucky
fight, but, overpowered by mum bers, he
gradually relaxed his efforts and was
dismembered, each ant carrying OF por-
ton OF his body as trophy. The most
exciting battle was with snake
about three feet long, that tried to slip
away unseen. The ants quickly sur
rounded him, however, and fought with
terrible ferocity. With every switch of
his tail the snake killed score of his
tormentors, but their places were soon
filled by the black swarm which swept
increasingly on. Finally the writings
of the snake became fainter and fainter,
and at last ceased entirely, and not until
then did the ants relinquish their attack.
All day long they marched through the
house until at sundown the end OF the
column had passed and was lost to view
in the thickness of the forest. | entered
the house and prepared to survey rue
fully my larder, bat my anticipations OF
sorrow were premature, for there were all
my provisions as L had left them, un-
touched. There was but one exception
a poor turkey which l had tied to a stake
that morning, intending to keep him
alive for few days before making him
into soup. He was stone dead. but the
rumpled earth about him showed that he
had made hard fight for life. Not dead
ant was to be seen, they had all been car
ried of by their comrades. L afterward
learned that the warrior ants refuse to
touch any food that they themselves have
not caught and slain, which accounted for
my provisions remaining unmOlested.
was overjoyed at the change in my house
not a cOckroach, lizard or any other in
sect or reptile was left; they had been
completely eXterninated.