Ants and their Dwelling

           Atthismomentthestormburstwithaviolenceunknownintemperatelatitudes.

           ItwasprovidentialthatDickSandandhiscompanionshadfoundthisrefuge!

           Infact,theraindidnotfallindistinctdrops,butinstreamsofvariousthickness.Sometimesitwasacompactmassformingasheetofwater,likeacataract,aNiagara.Imagineanaerialbasin,containingawholesea,beingupset.Undersuchshowersthegroundwashollowedout,theplainswerechangedtolakes,thestreamstotorrents,therivers,overflowing,inundatedvastterritories.Intemperatezonestheviolenceofthestormsdecreasesaccordingtotheirduration;butinAfrica,howeverheavytheyare,theycontinueforseveralentiredays.Howcansomuchelectricitybecollectedintheclouds?Howcansuchquantitiesofvaporbeaccumulated?Itisverydifficulttocomprehendthis.However,sucharethefacts,andonemightsupposehimselftransportedtotheextraordinaryepochsofthediluvianperiod.

           Fortunately,theant-cone,withitsthickwalls,wasperfectlyimpervious.Abeaver’shut,ofwell-beatenearth,couldnothavebeenmorewater-tight.Atorrentcouldhavepassedoveritwithoutasingledropofwaterfilteringthroughitspores.

           AssoonasDickSandandhiscompanionshadtakenpossessionoftheconetheyoccupiedthemselvesinexaminingitsinteriorarrangement.Thelanternwaslighted,andtheant-hillwassufficientlyilluminated.Thiscone,whichmeasuredtwelvefeetinheightinside,waselevenfeetwide,exceptinitsupperpart,whichroundedintheformofasugarloaf.