mounds are sometimes ten or twelve feet high, and eight or ten feet in diameter at the base. These ants are about the size of the large black ant in the United States. The queen, however, is much larger-some of them two inches in length and nearly two inches in circumference. In the interior of the mound, about half-way from the bottom, is a large vaulted chamber, the floor of which is very hard and smooth. In the center of the floor is the nest, in the inmost recess of which lives the queen in luxurious ease, accompanied by the king, whose size does not vary much from the ordinary ant, but who is easily recognized by a striking difference in physical conformation. When the queen dies, or is captured, all the ants desert the hill, which is left to "crumble into dust again." Many of these deserted mounds may be seen in almost every part of Liberia.

9. Another species of ants (familiarly known by the name of Drivers) is still more remarkable. They are about the size of the black ant of America-that is, about one fourth to one half of an inch in length. They may frequently be seen marching along in the most systematic order and regularity of movement. They move in a solid compact column of great length, and they appear to be under the direction of able leaders and rigid disciplinarians. No common obstacle turns them out of their course, and whoever is so unfortunate as to come in their line of march will have to pay for his temerity, and will be reminded to be more careful in future. Hundreds seize fiercely on the intruding foot, and the unwary object of their vengeance is compelled to retreat from the scene of attack.

10. These tiny warriors are very troublesome, but they are exceedingly useful in expelling noxious vermin from every place into which they may enter in the course of their perambulations. Whenever a battalion of drivers. enters a dwelling-house, the inmates are obliged, for the time, to yield undisputed possession, at least of that

part of the house which the little warriors may be searching.

11. They are not, however, always unwelcome visitors, for they never fail to expel rats, mice, and every species of vermin-making a clean sweep as they go. Whenever they come to a small water-course, the larger and stronger ones dextrously form themselves into an arch by clinging to each other, thus making a bridge over which the smaller ones pass dry-shod. Even in their ordinary march over level ground they seem to cling to each other in a solid phalanx, the stronger ones occupying the flanks, and arching themselves over the weaker ones, who occupy the center, and who are thus protected by the others.

12. All kinds of animals, both large and small, are afraid of drivers, nor have they any regard to size in the objects of their warfare. They are very useful in chasing away or killing snakes, lizards, scorpions, centipedes, etc., which, were it not for the drivers, would be exceedingly troublesome, and even dangerous. Whenever they visit a house, they search it all over and expel every living, moving thing that they find; after which they retire-peaceably, and yield possession to the former occupants. They make their nests beneath the surface of the ground; and I presume they sally forth from their quarters only in search of food, at which times the line of march is sometimes a hundred yards or more in length.

13. The principal domesticated animals in Liberia are bullocks or beeves, cows, goats, swine, geese, turkeys, ducks, and chickens. Beeves are frequently brought into the settlements for sale by the natives, and they are sometimes raised by the citizens. They may be raised easily in any desirable quantity.

14. Cows are numerous, but they do not give much milk. Some of the cows which are brought from the interior, one or two hundred miles from the coast, are as large as ordinary cows in the United States, but they do not give half so much milk. If properly attended to,

however, I think they would afford milk much more plentifully.

15. Sheep and goats can be very easily raised in Liberia-as easily, perhaps, as in any other part of the world; and they both afford good wholesome animal food. The sheep are covered with hair instead of wool. The goats furnish very good milk. Swine do not thrive so well in Liberia as in some parts of the United States, but they can be raised in sufficient abundance for the wants of the people.

16. Geese and ducks may be raised without any more difficulty than in the United States, and within a few years past turkeys have become much more plentiful than they formerly were. Perhaps in no other part of the world can chickens be raised more easily and more plentifully than in Liberia. With very little trouble, every family may always have a sufficient supply of chickens.

17. Horses are plentiful in the interior, within three hundred miles of the coast, but they do not thrive well in the settlements; perhaps in consequence, principally, of the want of proper management. They are occasionally brought down by the natives, and some of them are very beautiful. They are small-seldom more than twelve hands high. I am quite satisfied that they never can be used to much advantage, as draft animals, in the present settlements of Liberia.

18. But for all necessary purposes the native oxen can be used as a substitute for horses. I have seen some of the small bullocks broken to the yoke, and working steadily and effectually. The Liberians, however, have not yet given much attention to the breaking and working of oxen-by no means as much as they ought to give. I trust that the time may not be distant when the plow and the cart will be much more extensively used than at present.

55

CHAPTER XVII.

EMIGRATION TO LIBERIA.

1. THE first emigration of colored people from the United States to Africa was conducted by the celebrated Paul Cuffee, in 1815. This remarkable man was born at New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1759, of an African father and an aboriginal mother. His early years were spent in poverty and obscurity; but possessing a vigorous mind, by industry and perseverance, guided by practical good sense. he rose to wealth and respectability. He was largely engaged in navigation, and in many voyages to foreign countries commanded his own vessel.

2. His desire to raise his colored brethren of this country to civil and religious liberty in the land of their forefathers, induced him to offer some of the free people of color a passage to the western coast of Africa. About forty embarked with him at Boston, and landed at Sierra Leone, where they were kindly received. Only eight of these were able to pay their passage, the whole expense of the remainder, amounting to nearly $4,000, was defrayed by the noble-minded Paul Cuffee. Had he possessed the means, he might in 1816 have taken 2,000 people from New England to Africa, but he died the following year.

3. The American Colonization Society was founded in the city of Washington, in December, 1816, by patriotic and benevolent gentlemen from various parts of the country, for the purpose of colonizing the free people of color of the United States.

4. In 1818, Messrs. Samuel J. Mills and Ebenezer Burgess were commissioned by this Society to proceed by the way of England to the English settlements and other ports of the western coast of Africa, to acquire information and ascertain whether a suitable territory could be obtained

for the establishment of a colony. They visited all the ports from Sierra Leone to Sherbro, a distance of about 120 miles.

5. At this last place they found a small but prosperous colony of colored people settled by John Kizzel. This man had been brought from Africa when very young, and sold as a slave in South Carolina; during the Revolutionary war he joined the British, and at its close was taken to Nova Scotia, from whence, about the close of the last century, he sailed with a number of other colored persons to Africa. Here he prospered in trade, built a church, and preached the Gospel to his countrymen. By Kizzel and his people the agents were kindly received and hospitably entertained. After having fulfilled their arduous duties, they embarked for the United States, but Mr. Mills died on the passage.

6. The missionary character and efforts of this man were thus referred to in a public discourse by the Rev. Leonard Bacon: 66 A young minister of the Gospel once said to an intimate friend, 'My brother, you and I are little men, but before we die, our influence must be felt on the other side of the world.'

7. "Not many years after, a ship returning from a distant quarter of the globe paused on her passage across the deep. There stood on her deck a man of God, who wept over the dead body of his friend. He prayed, and the sailors wept with him-and they consigned that body to the ocean. It was the body of the man who, in the ardor of youthful benevolence, had aspired to extend his influence throughout the world. He died in youth, but he had redeemed his pledge, and at this hour his influence is felt in Asia, in Africa, in the islands of the sea, and in every corner of his native country.

8. "This man was Samuel John Mills, and all who know his history will say that I have exaggerated neither the grandeur of his aspirations nor the results of his efforts. He traversed our land, like a ministering spirit, silently