Thefe hills continue quite bare until they are fix or eight feet
high; but in time the dead barren clay, ofwhich they are corn-
poled, becomes fertilized by the genial power of the elements in
thefe prolific climates, and the addition o f vegetable falts and
other matters brought by the wind; and in the feqond or-third
year, the hillock, if not over-lhaded by trees, becomes like the
reft o f the earth, almoft; covered with grafs and other plants,;
and in the dry feafon, when the herbage is burnt up by the rays
o f the fun, it is not much unlike a very, large hay-cock.
Every one o f thefe buildings confifts of two diftinQ; parts, the
exterior and the interior.
The exterior is one large, fliel], in the manner o f ,a dome, large
and ftrong enough to inclofe and Ihelter the interior from the
viciflitudes of the weather, and the inhabitants from the attacks
o f natural-or accidental enemies. It is always, therefore, much
ftronger than the interior building, which is the habitable part,
divided with a wonderful kind of regularity .and contrivance into
an amazing number o f apartments, for the refidence of the king
and queen, and the nurfing o f their numerous progeny; or for
magazines., which are always found well filled with ftores and
provifions.
Thefe hills make' their firft appearance above ground by a
little turret or. two, in the fhape of fugar loaves, which are run a
foot high, or more.; foon after, at fome little diftance, while the
former are increafing in height and fize, they raife others, and fo
go on increafing the number, and widening them at the bafe, till
their works below are covered with thefe turrets, which they
always
-always raife the higheft and largeft in the middle, and by filling
np the intervals between each turret, colleft them as it were into
one dome.
They are not very curious or exa6l about thefe turrets, except
in making them very folid and ftrong ; and when, by the junction
o f them, the dome is completed, for which purpofe the turrets
anfwer as fcaffolds, they take away the middle ones entirely, except
the tops, (which joined together make the crown of the
-cupola) and apply the clay to the building of the works within,
-or to erecting frefh turrets for the purpofe o f railing the hillock
Hill higher; fo that no doubt fome part o f the clay is ufed feveral
times, like the boards and polls o f a mafon’s fcaffold.
The outward Ihell, or dome, is not only ofufe to proteci and
fupport the interior buildings from external violence, and the
heavy rains, but to collect and preferve a regular degree o f genial
warmth and moifture, which feems very neceffary for hatching
the eggs and cherilhing the young ones.
The royal chamber, which, on account of it’s being adapted
for, and occupied by the king and queen, appears to be, in the
opinion o f this little people, o f the molt confequence, being
always fituated as near the center o f the interior building as
poffible, and generally about the height of the Common furface
of the ground, at a pace or two from the hillock; it is always
nearly in the fhape of half an egg, or an obtufe oval within, and
may be fuppofed to reprefent a long oven.
O 0 In
IS