,andblack,fiercelycontendingwithoneanother.Havingoncegotholdtheyneverletgo,butstruggledandwrestledandrolledonthechipsincessantly.Lookingfarther,Iwassurprisedtofindthatthechipswerecoveredwithsuchcombatants,thatitwasnotaduellum,butabellum,awarbetweentworacesofants,theredalwayspittedagainsttheblack,andfrequentlytworedonestooneblack.ThelegionsoftheseMyrmidonscoveredallthehillsandvalesinmywood-yard,andthegroundwasalreadystrewnwiththedeadanddying,bothredandblack.ItwastheonlybattlewhichIhaveeverwitnessed,theonlybattle-fieldIevertrodwhilethebattlewasraginginternecinewartheredrepublicansontheonehand,andtheblackimperialistsontheother.Oneverysidetheywereengagedindeadlycombat,yetwithoutanynoisethatIcouldhear,andhumansoldiersneverfoughtsoresolutely.Iwatchedacouplethatwerefastlockedineachother’sembraces,inalittlesunnyvalleyamidthechips,nowatnoon-daypreparedtofighttillthesunwentdown,orlifewentout.Thesmallerredchampionhadfastenedhimselflikeavicetohisadversary’sfront,andthroughallthetumblingsonthatfieldneverforaninstantceasedtognawatoneofhisfeelersneartheroot,havingalreadycausedtheothertogobytheboardwhilethestrongerblackonedashedhimfromsidetoside,and,asIsawonlookingnearer,hadalreadydivestedhimofseveralofhismembers.Theyfoughtwithmorepertinacitythanbull-dogs.Neithermanifestedtheleastdispositiontoretreat.Itwasevidentthattheirbattle-crywasConquerordie.Inthemeanwhiletherecamealongasingleredantonthehill-sideofthisvalley,evidentlyfullofexcitement,whoeitherhaddespatchedhisfoe,orhadnotyettakenpartinthebattleprobablythelatter,forhehadlostnoneofhislimbswhosemotherhadchargedhimtoreturnwithhisshieldoruponit.OrperchancehewassomeAchilles,whohadnourishedhiswrathapart,andhadnowcometoavengeorrescuehisPatroclus.Hesawthisunequalcombatfromafar,—fortheblackswerenearlytwicethesizeofthered,—hedrewnearwithrapidpacetillhestoodonhisguardwithinhalfaninchofthecombatantsthen,watchinghisopportunity,hesprangupontheblackwarrior,andcommencedhisoperationsneartherootofhisrightfore-leg,leavingthefoetoselectamonghisownmembersandsotherewerethreeunitedforlife,asifanewkindofattractionhadbeeninventedwhichp