| THE RUINS.-GARRAPATAS.-BLACK ANTS. 237
that seen for the first time at Kewick, ornamented
with painting.
This building stood in front of another more over-
grown and ruined, which had been an imposing and
important edifice. The plan was complicated, and
the exterior of one part was rounded, but the round-
ed part was a solid mass, and within the wall was
straight. In the back wall was a recess, once oc-
cupied, perhaps, by a statue. Altogether, there was
much about this edifice that was new and curious ;
and there were other cerros, or mounds, of undistin-
guishable ruins.
Short as my visit was, there were few considera-
tions that could have tempted me to remain longer.
The garrapatas would soon be over, but they contin-
ued with the rainy season, and, in fact, increased
and multiplied. I discovered them the moment I
dismounted, and at first attempted to whip them off,
but wishing to get through before night, I hurried
round this building, creeping under branches and
tearing aside bushes, and, actually covered with the
abominable insects, started for the road.
In hurrying forward I unwittingly crossed the track
of a procession of large black ants. These proces-
sions are among the extraordinary spectacles of that
country, darkening the ground for an hour at a time ;
and the insect has a sting equal to that of hornets,
as I quickly learned on this occasion. When I
reached- the road I was almost numbed with pain,
and when I mounted I felt that nothing could tempt
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