Eastern times., 1853-01-20
Locusts for Food.

In and about this valley were great flights
of locusts. During the day, they are flying
around very thickly in the atmosphere but
the copious dews and chilly air. in the night
render them unable TO fly, and they settle down
on the bushes. 1t was the constant employ
ment of the natives in the night 10 gather these
insects from the bushes, which they did in
great quantities. My masters family, each
with small bag, went out the first night npon
this employment, carrying very large bag to
bring home the fruits Of their labors. My
mistress, Fatima, however, and the two
little children, remained in the tent. | Ge-
clined this employment, and retired to rest un-
der the large tent. The next day, the family
returned loaded with locusts, and Judging by
the eye Of the quantity produced, there must
have been about fifteen bushels. This may ap-
pear to be large quantity to be gathered in so
short time but it is scarcely worth mention
ing when compared with loads of them gath
cred sometimes, in the more fertile parts ofthe
country over which they pass, leaving track
of desolation behind them. But as they were
the first, in any considerable quantity that had
seen, and the first had seen cooked and eaten,
| mention in this place, hoping hereafter to
give my readere more particular information
concerning these wonderful and destructive in
sects, which, from the davs Of Moses TO this
time, have been considered, by the Jews and
MahOmetans, as the most severe Judgment that
Heaven can inAict upon man. But whatever
the Egyptians might have thought in ancient
days, or the Moors and Arabs in those of mod
ern date, the Arabs who were compelled to
inhabit the desert of Zahara, so far from con-
sidering flight Of locusts as judgment upon
them for their transgressions, welcome their
approach as the means, sometimes, OF saving
them from famishing with hunger. The whole
that were brought to the tent at this time were
cooked alive, as indeed they always are, for a
dead locust is never cooked. The manner Of
cooking is by digging deep hole in the
ground, building fire at the bottom, as before
described, and filling it up with wood. After
it is heated as hot as possible, the Goals and
embers are taken out, and they prepare to fill
the cavity with the locusts, confined in large
bag. A sufficient number Of the natives hold
the bag perpendicularly over the hole, the
mouth of it being near the surface of the
ground. A number stand around the hole with
sticks. The mouth Of the bag is then opened,
and it is shaken with great force, the locusts
falling into the hot pit, and the surrounding
natives throwing sand upon them to prevent
them from flying off. The mouth of the hole
is then covered with sand, and another fire built
upon the top of it. In this manner they cook
all they have on hand, and dig number Of
holes sufficient to accomplish it, each contain
ing about five bushels. They remain in the
hole until they become sufficiently cooked to
be taken out with the hand. They are then
picked out, and thrown upon tent-cloths or
bla nkets, and remain in the sun 10 dry. where
they must be watched with the utmost care, 10
prevent the live locusts from devouring them,
if a fight happens 10 be passing at the time
When they are perfectly dried, which is not
done short Of two or three days, they areslight-
ly pounded, and pressed into bags or skins.
ready for transportation. To prepare them to
eat, they are mixed with water sufficient to
make kind ofdry pudding. They are, how
ever, sometimes eaten singly, without pulver-
izing, by breaking off the head, wings, and
legs, and swallowing the remaining part. In
whatever manner they are eaten, they are
nourishing food.