WEBVTT 1 00:00:11.720 --> 00:00:14.800 You are isolated on a remote plantation in the crawling 2 00:00:14.839 --> 00:00:19.000 Amazon jungle, and an immense army of ravenous ants is 3 00:00:19.079 --> 00:00:22.559 closing in on you, swarming in to each you alive, 4 00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:38.079 a deadly black army from which there is no escape. 5 00:00:39.399 --> 00:00:43.479 Escape produced and directed by William N. Robson, and carefully 6 00:00:43.479 --> 00:00:46.159 contrived to free you from the four walls of today 7 00:00:46.600 --> 00:00:54.799 for a half hour of high adventure. To night, we 8 00:00:55.039 --> 00:00:59.600 escape to the Amazon jungle and to a creeping, crawling terror. 9 00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:04.719 As Carl Stevenson told it in his gripping story Liningen 10 00:01:05.239 --> 00:01:06.280 Versus the Ants. 11 00:01:17.680 --> 00:01:21.519 I first met Lningen while performing my duty as district commissioner. 12 00:01:22.319 --> 00:01:24.840 As my boat neared his plantation landing, I saw him 13 00:01:24.920 --> 00:01:28.519 upon the river bank, regarding me with mild interest. A 14 00:01:28.599 --> 00:01:32.519 great hulk of a man with bristling gray hair, bulky nose, 15 00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:37.280 and pale eyes. His entire appearance somehow suggested an aging 16 00:01:37.319 --> 00:01:41.079 and shabby eagle. He escorted me to the terrace and 17 00:01:41.079 --> 00:01:43.640 had a drink brought. I came quickly to the point 18 00:01:43.640 --> 00:01:47.680 of my visit and issued my warning. Liningen puffed placidly 19 00:01:47.719 --> 00:01:50.480 at a huge cigar and listened as I told him. 20 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:53.159 Unless they altered their course, and there's no reason why 21 00:01:53.239 --> 00:01:55.920 they should. They'll reach your plantation in two days at 22 00:01:55.920 --> 00:01:57.640 the latest. 23 00:01:56.799 --> 00:02:00.760 Ah, well, it was reason to you paddling all this 24 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:04.480 way just to give me the tip tip, Commissioner. Even 25 00:02:04.519 --> 00:02:07.439 a herd of crocodiles couldn't drive me from this plantation 26 00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:08.000 of mine. 27 00:02:08.199 --> 00:02:12.120 But these aren't creatures you can fight. They're an elemental force, 28 00:02:12.599 --> 00:02:18.520 a gigantic catastrophe, ten miles long, two miles wide. Ants 29 00:02:18.560 --> 00:02:21.560 nothing but ants, and each one as big as your thumb, 30 00:02:21.960 --> 00:02:25.479 And each of them are fiend from hell. Unless you 31 00:02:25.560 --> 00:02:27.319 clear out at once, there'll be nothing left of you 32 00:02:27.400 --> 00:02:29.960 but a skeleton picked as clean as your own plantation 33 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:30.280 will be. 34 00:02:30.919 --> 00:02:34.319 I'm not getting out. But you can't fight. Yes I can. 35 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:39.000 I've got the best weapon there is, Commissioner intelligence. 36 00:02:39.039 --> 00:02:41.560 But can't I make you understand the hitting I think 37 00:02:41.560 --> 00:02:44.400 it is you who do not understand. In the three 38 00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:47.080 years I've been here, I've met and defeated more than 39 00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:52.719 one catastrophe, flood, drought, a plague, events which caused many 40 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:56.080 of my neighbors to flee for the lives. No, Commissioner, 41 00:02:56.159 --> 00:02:59.439 all my life, I have lived with one creed. The 42 00:02:59.520 --> 00:03:02.800 human brain needs only to become fully aware of its 43 00:03:02.840 --> 00:03:08.159 powers to conquer even the elements. Liningen, your obstinacy is 44 00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:10.599 endangering not only your own life, but the lives of 45 00:03:10.639 --> 00:03:14.159 your workers and their families. You don't know these ants, 46 00:03:14.719 --> 00:03:25.080 I tell you, you don't know these ants. But Liningen 47 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:27.680 merely sat there, puffing at his cigar and regarding me 48 00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:30.560 with a smug grin, And I knew it was hopeless. 49 00:03:34.960 --> 00:03:37.759 As I boarded my launch and cast off, I realized 50 00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:40.240 I had never met a man like that, and I 51 00:03:40.280 --> 00:03:41.199 could not help. 52 00:03:41.080 --> 00:03:44.639 Wondering about the strange look and the Commissioner's eyes as 53 00:03:44.639 --> 00:03:48.800 he boarded his launch and cast off. Undoubtedly he thought 54 00:03:48.840 --> 00:03:52.280 me insane. H Well, he would not have been the 55 00:03:52.319 --> 00:03:56.560 first to think so. But I, Liningen knew my own powers. 56 00:03:57.560 --> 00:04:01.560 I was sure of myself. I knew old intelligence directed 57 00:04:01.639 --> 00:04:04.479 the right always makes man the master of his fate. 58 00:04:06.759 --> 00:04:09.159 That night, I called my Indian workers together in front 59 00:04:09.199 --> 00:04:13.280 of the plantation house. I saw their faces go ashen 60 00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:15.960 with terror as I told them that the ants were coming. 61 00:04:17.079 --> 00:04:21.199 Watch them as they meld around, muttering me. I said 62 00:04:21.240 --> 00:04:24.959 nothing more to them. Finally, one of the men stepped forward, 63 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:28.240 Blast the foreman patron. 64 00:04:29.480 --> 00:04:33.519 We have worked hard here for these three years, all 65 00:04:33.560 --> 00:04:38.040 of us. We have built the finest plantation in this district, 66 00:04:38.839 --> 00:04:42.000 we all sharing it. It has been a home for 67 00:04:42.319 --> 00:04:46.680 all of us and our families. Now the ants come. 68 00:04:47.519 --> 00:04:52.120 So those ditches we dug last year, the pipe we 69 00:04:52.199 --> 00:04:55.000 put in the ground, that was for the ants. 70 00:04:55.279 --> 00:04:56.839 Yes, that was for the ants. 71 00:04:57.040 --> 00:05:00.839 If we moved our families across the river, the ants 72 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:01.800 could not reach them. 73 00:05:02.199 --> 00:05:02.639 That's right. 74 00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:09.560 And you, the ants are mighty. We know what they 75 00:05:09.560 --> 00:05:14.839 can do. All of us think that you are mighty. Butron, 76 00:05:14.920 --> 00:05:17.959 we will stay with you and fight against the ants. 77 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:20.560 I knew that the men would give me that answered. 78 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:25.319 I counted on it. I thought of the commissioner and 79 00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:29.720 wondered what he would say at such unquestioning confidence. Would 80 00:05:29.720 --> 00:05:32.360 he still think I was in sane all that? Or 81 00:05:32.399 --> 00:05:34.199 had he dismissed an out of my mind? 82 00:05:35.120 --> 00:05:38.600 One man who calmly evaluated his chances against a deadly 83 00:05:38.680 --> 00:05:41.639 menace coolly decided he could win and was willing to 84 00:05:41.639 --> 00:05:44.120 stake his life on it, to risk a horrible death 85 00:05:44.160 --> 00:05:48.639 for it. It was terrifying, and yet it was fascinating. 86 00:05:50.199 --> 00:05:52.600 The next morning I sent for my assistant. Together we 87 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:54.519 went to the huge map of the district which hung 88 00:05:54.519 --> 00:05:56.439 from a wall of my office, and checked the last 89 00:05:56.480 --> 00:05:57.639 reported position of the. 90 00:05:57.600 --> 00:05:58.800 Ants last night. 91 00:05:58.879 --> 00:06:02.439 They had reached Tea, about seventy miles above this fork 92 00:06:02.439 --> 00:06:06.360 in the river, traveling southeast, Yes, directly toward lining toward 93 00:06:06.399 --> 00:06:09.839 the homes. That plantation at the band in the river 94 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:14.160 belongs to a man named Leningen. When would you say 95 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:15.160 the ants will reach there? 96 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:19.199 Oh? Yeah, I don't know. I mentioned about tomorrow noon, 97 00:06:19.240 --> 00:06:22.600 tomorrow noon, still time, still the time? What do you mean? 98 00:06:22.839 --> 00:06:24.879 Wh why? Nothing? 99 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:32.800 But what did I mean? Still time for? What for 100 00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:36.759 Liningen to flee? Or still time for me to Even 101 00:06:36.759 --> 00:06:38.800 as I rejected the thought with horror, I knew that 102 00:06:38.839 --> 00:06:41.439 the fascination of that man was more than I could resist. 103 00:06:41.879 --> 00:06:45.439 That Liningen's fight was drawing me back toward that plantation 104 00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:49.959 and death. I knew now, past all doubt, that I 105 00:06:50.160 --> 00:06:51.040 was going back. 106 00:06:52.319 --> 00:06:57.560 I had to. 107 00:07:08.519 --> 00:07:10.480 It was ten o'clock in the morning when I rounded 108 00:07:10.519 --> 00:07:13.839 the bend and saw lan Engine's plantation before me. I 109 00:07:13.879 --> 00:07:15.600 put in at the dock and tied up the lunch. 110 00:07:16.279 --> 00:07:19.000 Then I saw him standing on the bank above me, 111 00:07:19.240 --> 00:07:22.800 arms folded, stubby cigar in his mouth, and that same 112 00:07:22.920 --> 00:07:26.439 smug grin on his face. I made my way up 113 00:07:26.439 --> 00:07:32.360 to him, back with another warning, Commissioner, no, back to 114 00:07:32.360 --> 00:07:36.879 stay a while. Yes, you don't seem surprised. 115 00:07:36.959 --> 00:07:40.680 I have not. You expected me. I thought you'll be 116 00:07:40.759 --> 00:07:43.959 back here. Come along, we'll get some horses. Don't want 117 00:07:43.959 --> 00:07:46.279 to ride around the plantation. Take a look at the defenses, 118 00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:48.879 I rigged up. Yes, I'll want to see the defense, 119 00:07:49.079 --> 00:07:51.279 and the ants will be getting a glimpse of them 120 00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:55.279 before long. I should think, yes, they are. 121 00:08:06.800 --> 00:08:10.920 The defences lin Engen had devised were quite impressive. Surrounding 122 00:08:10.920 --> 00:08:13.519 three sides of the plantation like a huge horseshoe, was 123 00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:17.279 a ditch twelve feet wide. The ends of this horseshoe 124 00:08:17.279 --> 00:08:19.360 shaped ditch ran into the river, which formed the fore 125 00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:22.120 side of the plantation that the up river entrance to 126 00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:24.480 the ditch. Line Engine had constructed the dam by which 127 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:26.240 the river water could be diverted. 128 00:08:25.800 --> 00:08:26.480 Into the ditch. 129 00:08:27.399 --> 00:08:30.079 A large handwheel controlled the floodgate of the dam, and 130 00:08:30.120 --> 00:08:33.399 apparently land Engine had ordered it open immediately after my arrival. 131 00:08:33.960 --> 00:08:36.440 Whereas we now approached the ditch and rode along it, 132 00:08:36.759 --> 00:08:38.440 I could see that it was nearly full. 133 00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:43.240 Ah, how do you like my first line of defense, Commissioner. 134 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:46.360 It's reassuring, like a molt around a castle. 135 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:49.320 To Unless the ants know how to build rafts, they 136 00:08:49.320 --> 00:08:52.960 won't reached the plantation. But this is only the automotor. 137 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:55.360 There's a better one than this. Now, come along, we'll 138 00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:57.120 go up to the high ground where the buildings are 139 00:08:57.639 --> 00:08:58.919 and get a view from there. 140 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:03.679 Liningen, Eh, I didn't see any women or children around 141 00:09:03.720 --> 00:09:05.320 the plantation, or any animals. 142 00:09:05.399 --> 00:09:07.240 Yes, that's right. Moved them across the river. 143 00:09:07.320 --> 00:09:08.720 And even you think there is danger. 144 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:13.360 Not because of danger, Commissioner. Matter of efficiency. Efficiency, Yes, 145 00:09:13.480 --> 00:09:15.399 cuts down on the efficiency of the men if they're 146 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:19.879 worried about their families. Critical situations only become crises when 147 00:09:20.279 --> 00:09:22.080 oxen and women get excited. 148 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:24.919 I see, ah, here we are. 149 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:27.120 Ye see the ditch. 150 00:09:27.799 --> 00:09:29.519 It's much smaller than the others. 151 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:31.480 As you've noticed, how all the buildings are on this 152 00:09:31.559 --> 00:09:34.159 piece of high ground in a ditch surrounds them, and 153 00:09:34.480 --> 00:09:35.759 it's lined with concrete. 154 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:38.679 But even filled with water, this is no barrier. It's 155 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:41.440 not big enough. Why if they get this farther there. 156 00:09:41.320 --> 00:09:44.399 Don't get no farther. This ditch wasn't built for water, Commissioner. 157 00:09:44.919 --> 00:09:47.919 You see the pipes leading into it. See those storage 158 00:09:47.960 --> 00:09:51.480 tanks on the hill petrol. We can throw up a 159 00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:54.399 wall of flame, catab it. They won't like that. 160 00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:57.720 I hope you're right Lymington. Look over at the edge 161 00:09:57.720 --> 00:09:58.200 of the jungle. 162 00:09:58.200 --> 00:10:02.480 All those animals running like the wind, everything from jaguars 163 00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:05.600 and monkeys. Good heavens. Remember they don't have any ditches. 164 00:10:06.200 --> 00:10:07.120 Can they escape? 165 00:10:07.240 --> 00:10:08.799 They'll be all right as long as they don't get 166 00:10:08.799 --> 00:10:11.000 caught between the river and the ants. They can outrun 167 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:13.840 the crawlers. But if they get trapped, it's either the 168 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:17.200 ants or the crocodiles. Huh. 169 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:18.960 Look Look up. 170 00:10:18.879 --> 00:10:22.039 There over the horizon, there are your ants. 171 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:36.879 Look at them. 172 00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:40.639 It was the sight I will never forget. Over the 173 00:10:40.720 --> 00:10:43.000 range of hills, as far as I could see, crept 174 00:10:43.000 --> 00:10:46.879 a darkening hem ever longer and broader, until the shadows 175 00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:51.639 spread across the entire slope, then downward, downward. I'm cannily swift, 176 00:10:52.039 --> 00:10:54.240 and all the green herbage on the entire slope was 177 00:10:54.279 --> 00:10:57.519 being mowed as by a giant sickle, leaving only the 178 00:10:57.600 --> 00:11:02.799 vast moving shadow extending deepening, and or was moving nearer. 179 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:06.279 There are linings, and we can't last against that. 180 00:11:06.440 --> 00:11:08.279 Look at them? Why they will figure. 181 00:11:08.039 --> 00:11:10.120 Ditches with their corpses, who still have enough to destroy 182 00:11:10.159 --> 00:11:10.799 every one of us. 183 00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:15.559 We've got to run. Well, hey, no, they haven't gotten 184 00:11:15.559 --> 00:11:17.000 towards yet, and they never will. 185 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:34.879 The hostile army was approaching in perfect formation. No human battalions, 186 00:11:34.879 --> 00:11:36.440 however well drilled, could ever hope to. 187 00:11:36.519 --> 00:11:38.159 Rival the precision of that advance. 188 00:11:39.240 --> 00:11:41.799 Along a front that moved forward as uniformly as a 189 00:11:41.879 --> 00:11:44.320 straight line, the ants drew nearer and nearer to the 190 00:11:44.360 --> 00:11:47.639 water ditch as they approached. Two outlying wings of the 191 00:11:47.720 --> 00:11:50.519 army detached themselves from the main body and started marching 192 00:11:50.519 --> 00:11:53.399 along the sides of the ditch, no doubt expecting at 193 00:11:53.399 --> 00:11:56.960 some point to find a crossing. And during this hour 194 00:11:57.039 --> 00:12:01.919 long flanking movement, the main army remained still across the 195 00:12:01.960 --> 00:12:05.080 scant twelve feet of ditch. I stared at them, and 196 00:12:05.159 --> 00:12:10.240 they stared back at me. Solid mass, everyone as big 197 00:12:10.279 --> 00:12:16.200 as my thumb, with reddish black body and long legs. Suddenly, 198 00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:18.360 a sounds so unearthlys as to freeze our blood, jerked 199 00:12:18.360 --> 00:12:19.759 our heads from the direction of the jungle on the 200 00:12:19.799 --> 00:12:22.559 far side of the ditch. Coming toward the ditch at 201 00:12:22.559 --> 00:12:25.600 a stumbling gallop, was a singular being a writhing animal 202 00:12:25.720 --> 00:12:28.799 like blackened statue with a shapeless head and four quivering feet. 203 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:32.679 It was a stag covered over and over with ants. 204 00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:37.120 Lin engine threw up his rifle and the stag fell 205 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:39.840 lifeless to the ground, its agonies. 206 00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:39.840 At an end. 207 00:12:41.320 --> 00:12:44.360 Horrified as I was, my curiosity impelled me to glance 208 00:12:44.399 --> 00:12:47.320 at my watch. I had to know how long the 209 00:12:47.360 --> 00:13:02.919 ants would tape. After six long minutes, only the white, 210 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:11.120 polished bones of the stag remained. Now I could see 211 00:13:11.120 --> 00:13:14.679 a change in landing, and gone was the sporting zest 212 00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:18.080 of the novel contest. In its place was a cold, 213 00:13:18.159 --> 00:13:22.600 violent purpose. He had to beat the ants because he 214 00:13:22.759 --> 00:13:25.480 now knew how long it would take them once they 215 00:13:25.519 --> 00:13:33.759 got to us. Around tour in the afternoon, the ant 216 00:13:33.799 --> 00:13:37.200 scouts having found no crossing, there was a stirring among 217 00:13:37.240 --> 00:13:40.240 the main army, and then an immense flood of ants 218 00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:42.639 about one hundred yards in width commenced touring and a 219 00:13:42.679 --> 00:13:44.399 glimmering black cataract down. 220 00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:45.600 The flower slope for the ditch. 221 00:13:46.039 --> 00:13:48.799 Thousands drowned instantly, but the rest began using the bodies 222 00:13:48.840 --> 00:13:51.320 as bridges landing and immediately swung into action. 223 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:55.399 Up in the flood gate a little more. We've got 224 00:13:55.399 --> 00:13:58.679 to get the water in the ditch moving pass. Look 225 00:13:58.679 --> 00:13:59.399 at him drowned. 226 00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:02.600 But they keep coming, even though the current carries many 227 00:14:02.600 --> 00:14:03.039 of them away. 228 00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:06.879 They're and fancy will pick them. How about those shovels 229 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:08.960 and petrol sprinklers. You pass them out to the mead 230 00:14:09.320 --> 00:14:11.000 it has been done. Then get all hands here in 231 00:14:11.039 --> 00:14:15.559 a hurry. That's looked like spot reaction. Commissioner. Yes, we're 232 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:17.759 getting to see what I was talking about. What do 233 00:14:17.799 --> 00:14:20.399 you mean about intelligence being more than a match for 234 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:24.720 anything in tackles deke leants, they've got no intelligence. If 235 00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:26.919 they had, they'd have attacked along the whole length of 236 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:29.679 the ditch instead of a narrow crot like this they 237 00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:33.320 have been across by now. No, too bad. I'm not 238 00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:34.919 running their campaign for them. 239 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:37.919 You can joke about it like that with ants halfway across? 240 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:38.320 All right? 241 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:41.559 Then? Is it with the shovels now dump some sand 242 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:44.399 and quads on them? See how they like that here 243 00:14:44.440 --> 00:14:50.679 with the petrol sprinklers not potting, ha ha. They don't 244 00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:52.519 like it, Commissioner, they don't like it a bit. 245 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:54.720 Look at them, yes, but look at the ones on 246 00:14:54.759 --> 00:14:56.519 the fast side of the ditch whole, clumps of them 247 00:14:56.559 --> 00:14:59.039 rolling into the water. The rest are using them for bridges. 248 00:15:00.039 --> 00:15:02.559 More than that thought, now widening the front too. 249 00:15:02.759 --> 00:15:04.000 Some of them are getting across. 250 00:15:04.919 --> 00:15:08.879 Uh. Grab a shovel, and Commissioner, make them regret the matter. 251 00:15:10.919 --> 00:15:14.440 Lit out my eyes and handful ideas, Yasha, hands to 252 00:15:14.519 --> 00:15:18.600 the petrol. Don't stop now the rest of it weavem heaven. 253 00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:20.879 We canna hold it your n. 254 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:25.519 Keep it, keep, tell it done. Stump down the waters 255 00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:28.120 and y'all got the flood gates openers. They can't hold 256 00:15:28.159 --> 00:15:32.039 around against the curl. Now look at them, Commissioner. The 257 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:33.360 water is carrying them away. 258 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:35.399 We've cleaned them. 259 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:36.639 We've won out. 260 00:15:49.080 --> 00:15:53.360 It was true Leningen had won at least the opening round. 261 00:15:54.279 --> 00:15:56.320 The flood gets were left open the four stall any 262 00:15:56.399 --> 00:15:59.960 night crossing, But when dawn came, the dark blanket was 263 00:16:00.039 --> 00:16:03.679 still there, motionless across the ditch. Then we noticed a 264 00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:06.960 feverish activity on the other side of the plantation. Here 265 00:16:07.039 --> 00:16:09.559 a grove of Cameron trees lined the far end of 266 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:12.799 the ditch, and every tree is swarmed with the crawling insects. 267 00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:16.519 But instead of eating the leaves, they were merely gnawing 268 00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:19.320 through the stems, so that a thick green shower fell 269 00:16:19.399 --> 00:16:23.960 steadily to the ground. Well, it looks as if it's 270 00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:26.519 feeding time for our friends, eh. 271 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:30.039 Glass, have all the petrol prompts brought here, Get everyone 272 00:16:30.039 --> 00:16:32.480 over here except the lookouts on the other side, and 273 00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:33.600 pass out the shoulders. 274 00:16:34.840 --> 00:16:36.759 Going to deprive them of a meal? 275 00:16:37.559 --> 00:16:37.960 A meal? 276 00:16:38.840 --> 00:16:40.200 Aren't they cutting down. 277 00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:44.000 The leaves for food? No, I wish they were. Looks 278 00:16:44.039 --> 00:16:46.960 like I underestimated them when I said they didn't have intelligence. 279 00:16:47.240 --> 00:16:49.200 What do you mean? I said, if they wanted to 280 00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:52.399 get across, they'd have to have rats. And that's just 281 00:16:52.440 --> 00:16:56.240 what they've got. Those leaves their rats. 282 00:17:00.279 --> 00:17:02.879 Even as he spoke, the leaders went tumbling down the 283 00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:05.519 far bank by the thousands. The current drew them away 284 00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:08.119 from the bank, and each leaf carried several ends. 285 00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:10.240 I don't worry. As long as it keeps spraying them 286 00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:12.200 and shoveling dirt on the ramps, they can't land. But 287 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:13.599 it will be too many, It's true. 288 00:17:13.880 --> 00:17:15.599 Look more leaves in the ditch all the time, where 289 00:17:15.640 --> 00:17:17.799 they'll have a solid carpet to walk across in a minute. 290 00:17:18.039 --> 00:17:20.079 Not so vast, Commissioner, I've still got a trigger, my 291 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:21.519 slave for them. The water. 292 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:24.559 The ditch is drying up. Of course he's drying up. 293 00:17:24.920 --> 00:17:26.720 That's the plan. Those are the orders I said to 294 00:17:26.759 --> 00:17:29.000 the dam. Are you mad? This is as empty? 295 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:31.440 What's to prevent the end? Look, the water's way down, 296 00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:33.759 it's almost dry. They'll be able to come across the bottom. 297 00:17:34.200 --> 00:17:35.720 They'll not make it. The man at the dam will 298 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:37.839 have opened the gates by now to flood the ends. 299 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:39.880 Right, what a chance to take. 300 00:17:40.079 --> 00:17:44.359 If anything should happen here it comes, Here comes the 301 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:47.640 water as well. Give the crawlers a ditch to rider 302 00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:51.160 right out to the river. A look at them. 303 00:17:51.200 --> 00:18:02.160 Go line engine's tactics, who were successful at first, the 304 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:04.759 violent flow of water at the original depth raced through 305 00:18:04.799 --> 00:18:07.799 the ditch, overwhelming leaves and ants and sweeping them along. 306 00:18:08.599 --> 00:18:11.799 Three times the ditch was emptied, three times the ants 307 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:14.720 raced across its bottom, and three times the rushing water, 308 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:19.279 arriving just in time, carried them away. But the fourth 309 00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:21.319 time was the water lowered nearly to the bottom of 310 00:18:21.319 --> 00:18:24.079 the ditch. We waited in vain for the rushing waters. 311 00:18:24.240 --> 00:18:27.359 And then what's the matter? What's gone wrong with them? 312 00:18:28.680 --> 00:18:30.640 Just as the men at the them lord the water 313 00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:33.839 almost to the bottom, the ans attacked before he could 314 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:34.599 open the flood it. 315 00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:38.240 He was almost surrounded here run the ants kipped coming 316 00:18:38.519 --> 00:18:39.960 they had across the ditch. 317 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:46.240 Lin engine stood motionless, absorbing the news of his defeat 318 00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:49.839 without a word. Then he raised his pistol and fired 319 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:53.000 three shots of the air, the pre arranged signal for 320 00:18:53.039 --> 00:18:55.119 all the men to retreat instantly to the second line 321 00:18:55.119 --> 00:18:57.960 of defense, the concrete ditches more than a mile from 322 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:00.880 the point of the invasion. After we arrived there, the 323 00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:04.839 natives commenced, straggling in silently. Lannington waited until all of 324 00:19:04.839 --> 00:19:06.319 them had gathered. Then he spoke to. 325 00:19:06.279 --> 00:19:10.759 Them, Oh, lads, we won the first round. What's the second. 326 00:19:11.400 --> 00:19:15.440 But we'll smash the crawlers yet. Anyone who thinks otherwise 327 00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:17.519 can draw us pain and push off. There are wraps 328 00:19:17.640 --> 00:19:19.440 enough on the river, and plenty of time still to 329 00:19:19.480 --> 00:19:27.200 reach them. You'll stay that good age, lads, and you, Commissioner. 330 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:29.759 I can't persuade you to give up the fight. 331 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:31.200 You cannot. 332 00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:33.240 Then I stayed too. 333 00:19:34.440 --> 00:19:38.279 I knew you would if you were bet they are 334 00:19:38.279 --> 00:19:41.880 trying to get across. I didn't think they would. There's 335 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:45.440 plenty of food out there for them. I fields and orchards, 336 00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:57.160 the work of three years. It'll last them until morning anyway. Yes, 337 00:19:57.359 --> 00:19:58.559 we were safe for that night. 338 00:19:58.799 --> 00:20:01.720 But the next morning the black swarm was solid around us, 339 00:20:01.720 --> 00:20:04.000 and their shock troops were hard at work. They were 340 00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:06.440 dropping shreds of bark and twigs and leaves into the 341 00:20:06.440 --> 00:20:09.720 petrol filled ditches, forming a floating bridge across the surface 342 00:20:09.720 --> 00:20:13.000 of the liquid. Lin Eene stood silently watching this operation, 343 00:20:13.079 --> 00:20:16.680 and I could see a grudging admiration in his face. Then, 344 00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:31.720 after several hours, the attack came down the ditch. They 345 00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:33.920 poured millions of them and across the bridge of twigs, 346 00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:37.440 rapidly approaching the inner side and lining, and sat motionless, watching, 347 00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:41.359 watching them liningen, for the love of God, don't sit 348 00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:43.000 there like a statue. There'll be on us in a moment. 349 00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:48.599 Let him pull the ditch first. Ah Now, all right, 350 00:20:49.160 --> 00:20:57.839 everyone back a torch. Oh, we'll see how our friends like. 351 00:20:58.000 --> 00:20:59.119 A little heat. 352 00:21:00.839 --> 00:21:03.039 Names from the ditch, hot into the air, devouring ants 353 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:05.559 by the midians. It was some time before the petrel 354 00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:07.359 burned down to the bed of the ditch, but when 355 00:21:07.359 --> 00:21:11.240 it did, the devils came back for more Again. Lioneton 356 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:13.480 fired the ditch to destroy them, and still again they 357 00:21:13.519 --> 00:21:15.920 came on, but at each success of firing, the task 358 00:21:15.960 --> 00:21:17.960 of the ants grew easier because of the film of 359 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:20.799 ash which now covered the petrol. And as they returned 360 00:21:20.799 --> 00:21:23.880 to the assault time after time, a slow, sickening horror 361 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:26.519 crept into my mind. And look quickly at Vantage and 362 00:21:26.559 --> 00:21:29.279 then at the petrol tanks. He read my gaze and 363 00:21:29.359 --> 00:21:30.200 nodded slowly. 364 00:21:30.839 --> 00:21:33.960 That's right, Commissioner. We could hold him off forever if 365 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:38.519 our supply of petrel was unlimited. But it isn't. We've 366 00:21:38.519 --> 00:21:40.640 got enough to fill the ditch once. 367 00:21:40.599 --> 00:21:44.000 More, liningen, isn't there any way anyway at all? We've 368 00:21:44.039 --> 00:21:44.839 got to do something. 369 00:21:44.839 --> 00:21:47.079 We know, I know there must be away, There must 370 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:52.200 be yes, yes, what is it? We'll flood the whole plantation. 371 00:21:52.599 --> 00:21:55.079 But the river's higher than any point except this high 372 00:21:55.079 --> 00:21:57.440 ground we're on now. If the river was damned all 373 00:21:57.440 --> 00:21:59.799 the way it did, overflow that stone breakwater and flood 374 00:21:59.799 --> 00:22:02.440 the whole plantation. We've got to close the flood gate 375 00:22:02.440 --> 00:22:04.200 of the damn. That'll do it. You're mad. 376 00:22:04.480 --> 00:22:06.160 Damn is more than a mile away, more than a 377 00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:06.799 mile of heads. 378 00:22:07.160 --> 00:22:12.079 Listen to me, lessen words. I'm proud of you now, 379 00:22:12.119 --> 00:22:14.880 there's still a chance. By shutting the floodgates from the 380 00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:18.079 dam and fighting the whole plantation from the river the 381 00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:21.039 moment I'm over the dead, set fire to it. That'll 382 00:22:21.079 --> 00:22:23.279 allow time for the flood to wash away the ants. 383 00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:25.880 Then all you'll have to do is wait for me. 384 00:22:25.960 --> 00:22:26.880 It's impossible. 385 00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:28.759 You can't get to the damn, let alone back. 386 00:22:29.079 --> 00:22:33.319 That's why you're wrong, Commissioner. I'll get them, I'll get back, 387 00:22:34.759 --> 00:22:36.440 take care of things while I'm gone. Huh. 388 00:22:41.559 --> 00:22:44.799 I watched him as he calmly pulled on high level boots, 389 00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:48.039 drew gauntlets over his hand, and stuffed the spaces between 390 00:22:48.119 --> 00:22:52.400 breeches and boots, gauntlets and arms with petrol soaked rags. 391 00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:56.440 He sealed his eyes with close fitting mosquito goggles and 392 00:22:56.480 --> 00:22:59.960 plugged his nostrils and ears with cotton. Then the native 393 00:23:00.200 --> 00:23:04.079 drenched his clothes with petrol. Blass, who acted as doctor 394 00:23:04.119 --> 00:23:06.079 to the men's smeared a salve over him, and finally 395 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:09.559 Linington was ready. As he stood calmly saying ready for 396 00:23:09.640 --> 00:23:10.000 the run. 397 00:23:10.079 --> 00:23:14.079 I realized that this as it should be. A lininggen 398 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:17.759 would meet the ants and defeat them or be defeated 399 00:23:17.799 --> 00:23:23.519 by them. Lining Gen versus the ans. Yes, it was 400 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:26.680 right that it should be like this. But now there 401 00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:30.720