12-brute neighbors-第2部分

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young　when　I　could　not　see　the　parent　bird。　　There　too　the　turtle

doves　sat　over　the　spring；　or　fluttered　from　bough　to　bough　of　the

soft　white　pines　over　my　head；　or　the　red　squirrel；　coursing　down

the　nearest　bough；　was　particularly　familiar　and　inquisitive。　　You

only　need　sit　still　long　enough　in　some　attractive　spot　in　the　woods

that　all　its　inhabitants　may　exhibit　themselves　to　you　by　turns。

　　　　I　was　witness　to　events　of　a　less　peaceful　character。　　One　day

when　I　went　out　to　my　wood…pile；　or　rather　my　pile　of　stumps；　I

observed　two　large　ants；　the　one　red；　the　other　much　larger；　nearly

half　an　inch　long；　and　black；　fiercely　contending　with　one　another。

Having　once　got　hold　they　never　let　go；　but　struggled　and　wrestled

and　rolled　on　the　chips　incessantly。　　Looking　farther；　I　was

surprised　to　find　that　the　chips　were　covered　with　such　combatants；

that　it　was　not　a　duellum；　but　a　bellum；　a　war　between　two　races　of

ants；　the　red　always　pitted　against　the　black；　and　frequently　two

red　ones　to　one　black。　　The　legions　of　these　Myrmidons　covered　all

the　hills　and　vales　in　my　wood…yard；　and　the　ground　was　already

strewn　with　the　dead　and　dying；　both　red　and　black。　　It　was　the　only

battle　which　I　have　ever　witnessed；　the　only　battle…field　I　ever

trod　while　the　battle　was　raging；　internecine　war；　the　red

republicans　on　the　one　hand；　and　the　black　imperialists　on　the

other。　　On　every　side　they　were　engaged　in　deadly　combat；　yet

without　any　noise　that　I　could　hear；　and　human　soldiers　never　fought

so　resolutely。　　I　watched　a　couple　that　were　fast　locked　in　each

other's　embraces；　in　a　little　sunny　valley　amid　the　chips；　now　at

noonday　prepared　to　fight　till　the　sun　went　down；　or　life　went　out。

The　smaller　red　champion　had　fastened　himself　like　a　vice　to　his

adversary's　front；　and　through　all　the　tumblings　on　that　field　never

for　an　instant　ceased　to　gnaw　at　one　of　his　feelers　near　the　root；

having　already　caused　the　other　to　go　by　the　board；　while　the

stronger　black　one　dashed　him　from　side　to　side；　and；　as　I　saw　on

looking　nearer；　had　already　divested　him　of　several　of　his　members。

They　fought　with　more　pertinacity　than　bulldogs。　　Neither　manifested

the　least　disposition　to　retreat。　　It　was　evident　that　their

battle…cry　was　〃Conquer　or　die。〃　　In　the　meanwhile　there　came　along

a　single　red　ant　on　the　hillside　of　this　valley；　evidently　full　of

excitement；　who　either　had　despatched　his　foe；　or　had　not　yet　taken

part　in　the　battle；　probably　the　latter；　for　he　had　lost　none　of　his

limbs；　whose　mother　had　charged　him　to　return　with　his　shield　or

upon　it。　　Or　perchance　he　was　some　Achilles；　who　had　nourished　his

wrath　apart；　and　had　now　come　to　avenge　or　rescue　his　Patroclus。　　He

saw　this　unequal　combat　from　afar　　for　the　blacks　were　nearly

twice　the　size　of　the　red　　he　drew　near　with　rapid　pace　till　be

stood　on　his　guard　within　half　an　inch　of　the　combatants；　then；

watching　his　opportunity；　he　sprang　upon　the　black　warrior；　and

commenced　his　operations　near　the　root　of　his　right　fore　leg；

leaving　the　foe　to　select　among　his　own　members；　and　so　there　were

three　united　for　life；　as　if　a　new　kind　of　attraction　had　been

invented　which　put　all　other　locks　and　cements　to　shame。　　I　should

not　have　wondered　by　this　time　to　find　that　they　had　their

respective　musical　bands　stationed　on　some　eminent　chip；　and　playing

their　national　airs　the　while；　to　excite　the　slow　and　cheer　the

dying　combatants。　　I　was　myself　excited　somewhat　even　as　if　they　had

been　men。　　The　more　you　think　of　it；　the　less　the　difference。　　And

certainly　there　is　not　the　fight　recorded　in　Concord　history；　at

least；　if　in　the　history　of　America；　that　will　bear　a　moment's

comparison　with　this；　whether　for　the　numbers　engaged　in　it；　or　for

the　patriotism　and　heroism　displayed。　　For　numbers　and　for　carnage

it　was　an　Austerlitz　or　Dresden。　　Concord　Fight！　　Two　killed　on　the

patriots'　side；　and　Luther　Blanchard　wounded！　　Why　here　every　ant

was　a　Buttrick　　〃Fire！　for　God's　sake　fire！〃　　and　thousands

shared　the　fate　of　Davis　and　Hosmer。　　There　was　not　one　hireling

there。　　I　have　no　doubt　that　it　was　a　principle　they　fought　for；　as

much　as　our　ancestors；　and　not　to　avoid　a　three…penny　tax　on　their

tea；　and　the　results　of　this　battle　will　be　as　important　and

memorable　to　those　whom　it　concerns　as　those　of　the　battle　of　Bunker

Hill；　at　least。

　　　　I　took　up　the　chip　on　which　the　three　I　have　particularly

described　were　struggling；　carried　it　into　my　house；　and　placed　it

under　a　tumbler　on　my　window…sill；　in　order　to　see　the　issue。

Holding　a　microscope　to　the　first…mentioned　red　ant；　I　saw　that；

though　he　was　assiduously　gnawing　at　the　near　fore　leg　of　his　enemy；

having　severed　his　remaining　feeler；　his　own　breast　was　all　torn

away；　exposing　what　vitals　he　had　there　to　the　jaws　of　the　black

warrior；　whose　breastplate　was　apparently　too　thick　for　him　to

pierce；　and　the　dark　carbuncles　of　the　sufferer's　eyes　shone　with

ferocity　such　as　war　only　could　excite。　　They　struggled　half　an　hour

longer　under　the　tumbler；　and　when　I　looked　again　the　black　soldier

had　severed　the　heads　of　his　foes　from　their　bodies；　and　the　still

living　heads　were　hanging　on　either　side　of　him　like　ghastly

trophies　at　his　saddle…bow；　still　apparently　as　firmly　fastened　as

ever；　and　he　was　endeavoring　with　feeble　struggles；　being　without

feelers　and　with　only　the　remnant　of　a　leg；　and　I　know　not　how　many

other　wounds；　to　divest　himself　of　them；　which　at　length；　after　half

an　hour　more；　he　accomplished。　　I　raised　the　glass；　and　he　went　off

over　the　window…sill　in　that　crippled　state。　　Whether　he　finally

survived　that　combat；　and　spent　the　remainder　of　his　days　in　some

Hotel　des　Invalides；　I　do　not　know；　but　I　thought　that　his　industry

would　not　be　worth　much　thereafter。　　I　never　learned　which　party　was

victorious；　nor　the　cause　of　the　war；　but　I　felt　for　the　rest　of

that　day　as　if　I　had　had　my　feelings　excited　and　harrowed　by

witnessing　the　struggle；　the　ferocity　and　carnage；　of　a　human　battle

before　my　door。

　　　　Kirby　and　Spence　tell　us　that　the　battles　of　ants　have　long　been

celebrated　and　the　date　of　them　recorded；　though　they　say　that　Huber

is　the　only　modern　author　who　appears　to　have　witnessed　them。

〃AEneas　Sylvius；〃　say　they；　〃after　giving　a　very　circumstantial

account　of　one　contested　with　great　obstinacy　by　a　great　and　small

species　on　the　trunk　of　a　pear　tree；〃　adds　that　〃this　action　was

fought　in　the　pontificate　of　Eugenius　the　Fourth；　in　the　presence　of

Nicholas　Pistoriensis；　an　eminent　lawyer；　who　related　the　whole；

history　of　the　battle　with　the　greatest　fidelity。〃　　A　similar

engagement　between　great　and　small　ants　is　recorded　by　Olaus　Magnus；

in　which　the　small　ones；　being　victorious；　are　said　to　have　buried

the　bodies　of　their　own　soldiers；　but　left　those　of　their　giant

enemies　a　prey　to　the　birds。　　This　event　happened　previous　to　the

expulsion　of　the　tyrant　Christiern　the　Second　from　Sweden。〃　　The

battle　which　I　witnessed　took　place　in　the　Presidency　of　Polk；　five

years　before　the　passage　of　Webster's　Fugitive…Slave　Bill。

　　　　Many　a　village　Bose；　fit　only　to　course　a　mud…turtle　in　a

victualling　cellar；　sported　his　heavy　quarters　in　the　woods；　without

the　knowledge　of　his　master；　and　ineffectually　smelled　at　old　fox

burrows　and　woodchucks'　holes；　led　perchance　by　some　slight　cur

which　nimbly　threaded　the　wood；　and　might　still　inspire　a　natural

terror　in　its　denizens；　　now　far　behind　his　guide；　barking　like　a

canine　bull　toward　some　small　squirrel　which　had　treed　itself　for

scrutiny；　then；　cantering　off；　bending　the　bushes　with　his　weight；

imagining　that　he　is　on　the　track　of　some　stray　member　of　the

jerbilla　family。　　Once　I　was　surprised　to　see　a　cat　walking　along

the　stony　shore　of　the　pond；　for　they　rarely　wander　so　far　from

home。　　The　surprise　was　mutual。　　Nevertheless　the　most　domestic　cat；

which　has　lain　on　a　rug　all　her　days；　appears　quite　at　home　in　the

woods；　and；　by　her　sly　and　stealthy　behavior；　proves　herself　more

native　there　than　the　regular　inhabitants。　　Once；　when　berrying；　I

met　with　a　cat　with　young　kittens　in　the　woods；　quite　wild；　and　they

all；　like　their　mother；　had　their　backs　up　and　were　fiercely

spitting　at　me。　　A　few　years　before　I　lived　in　the　woods　there　was

what　was　called　a　〃winged　cat〃　in　one　of　the　farm…houses　in　Lincoln

nearest　the　pond；　Mr。　Gilian　Baker's。　　When　I　called　to　see　her　in

June；　1842；　she　was　gone　a…hunting　in　the　woods；　as　was　her　wont　（I

am　not　sure　whether　it　was　a　male　or　female；　and　so　use　the　more

common　pronoun）；　but　her　mistress　told　me　that　she　came　into　the

neighborhood　a　little　more　than　a　year　before；　in　April；　and　was

finally　taken　into　their　house；　that　she　was　of　a　dark　brownish…gray

color；　with　a　white　spot　on　her　throat；　and　white　feet；　and　had　a

large　bushy　tail　like　a　fox；　that　in　the　winter　the　fur　grew　thick

and　flatted　out　along　her　sides；　forming　stripes　ten　or　twelve

inches　long　by　two　and　a　half　wide；　and　under　her　chin　like　a　muff；

the　upper　side　loose；　the　under　matted　like　felt；　and　in　the　spring

these　appendages　dropped　off。　　They　gave　me　a　pair　of　her　〃wings；〃

which　I　keep　still。　　There　is　no　appearance　of　a　membrane　about

them。　　Some　thought　it　was　part　flying　squirrel　or　some　other　wild

animal；　which　is　not　impossible；　for；　according　to　naturalists；

prolific　hybrids　have　been　produced　by　the　union　of　the　marten　and

domestic　cat。　　This　would　have　been　the　right　kind　of　cat　for　me　to

keep；　if　I　had　kept　any；　for　why　should　not　a　poet's　cat　be　winged

as　well　as　his　horse？

　　　　In　the　fall　the　loon　（Colymbus　glacialis）　came；　as　usual；　to

moult　and　bathe　in　the　pond；　making　the　woods　ring　with　his　wild

laughter　before　I　had　risen。　　At　rumor　of　his　arrival　all　the

Mill…dam　sportsmen　are　on　the　alert；　in　gigs　and　on　foot；　two　by　two

and　three　by　three；　with　patent　rifles　and　conical　balls　and

spy…glasses。　　The