rebuilt a little farther off a fize bigger, and the number o f them
increafed at the fame time.
Thus they continually enlarge their apartments, pull down,
repair, or re-build, according to their wants, with a degree o f
fagacity, regularity, and forefight, not even imitated by any other
kind o f animals or infefts.
The nurferies are inclofed in chambers o f day, like thofe which
contain the provifions, but much larger. In the early ftate o f the-
neft they are not bigger than an hazel-nut, but in great hills- are'
often as large as a child’s head o f a year old.
The difpofition o f the interior parts o f thefe hills is very much
alike, except when fome infurniountable obftacle prevents; for
inftanee, when the king and queen have been firft lodged near
the foot o f a rock, or o f a tree, they are certainly built out of the
ufual form, otherwife pretty nearly according to the following
plan.
The royal chamber is fituated at about a level with the furface
o f the ground, at an equal diftanee from all the fides of the building,
and direSly under the apex o f the hill. It is on all fides,
both above and below, furrounded by what may be called the
royal apartments, which have only labourers and foldiers in
them, and can be intended for no other purpofe than for thefe to
wait in, either to guard or ferve their common father and mother,
on whofe fafety depends the happinefs, and, according to the
negroes, even the exiftence o f the whole community.
Thefe apartments compofe an intricate labyrinth, which extends
a. foot or more in diameter from the royal chamber on every
fide. Here the nurferies and magazines o f provifions begin, and
being, feparated by fmall empty chambers and galleries, which go
round them, or communicate from one to the other, are continued
on all fides to the outward {hell, and reach up within it two-thirds
or. three-fourths o f it’s height, leaving an open area in the middle
under the dome,' which very much refembles the nave o f an old
cathedral; this is furrounded by three or four very large gothjc-
fhaped arches, which are fometimes two or three feet high next
the front o f the area, but diminifh Very rapidly as they recede
from thence, like the arches o f aides in perfpeftive, and are foon
loft among the innumerable chambers and nurferies behind them..
All thefe chambers, and the palfages leading to and from them,
being arched, they help to fupport one another; and while the
interior large arches prevent them falling into the center, ’and
keep the area open, the exterior building fupports them on the
outfide.
There are, comparatively fpeaking, few openings into the great
area, and they for the moft part feem intended only to admit that
genial warmth into the nurferies which the dome colle&s..
The interior building, or alfemblage o f nurferies, chambers,
&c. has a flattifli top, or roof, without any perforation, which
would keep the apartments below dry, in cafe through accident
the dome Ihould receive any injury, and let in water; and it is-
never exaQIy flat and uniform, becaufe they are always adding to;
it by building more chambers and nurferies : fo that the divifions,
or.