The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1855-03-03
EGYPTIAN PLAGUE IN GREECE
op--tt InEUSJS

An Eastern summer is full of wonders but
there is perhaps nothing about it more awfully
appalling than those vast flights Of locusts
which sometimes destroy the vegetation Of
whole Kingdoms in u few days, and where they
found d garden leave wilderness.
l am riding along u pleasant hill side
towards the end of May. There is sharp
parttering noise, like that of April rain falling
on the ground. look attentively towards the
earth, knowing that il cannot be a shower this
clear, halniy morning, and ! see a countless
multitude Of little black insects no bigger than
pins head. They are hopping and springing
about in myriads, under my horses teet-along
the hard stony road, which is quite black with
them, and far away among the heather, which
is turned black also. | ride miles and miles,
vet the ground is still darkened with those little
insects, and the same sharp pattering noise con-
tinues. They are the young Of The locnsts,
who lefs their eggs in the ground last year.
| They have just come to life. Three days ago
there was not one to be seen.
| A little later and | am passing, through
Greek village. The alarm has spread every
where, and the local authorities have bastirred
themselves TO resist their enemies while still
weak. Large fires are burning by the river
side, and immense cauldrons full of boiling
water are steanling over them. The whole
country side has been out locust-hunting
They have Just returned with the result Of their
days eSertion. Twenty-three thousand pounds
weight of these little insects, each, as have
said, no bigger than pins head, have been
brought in already in one day.
They have been caught in surface OF less
than Eve square miles. There has been no diff
fculty in catching them. Children Of six years
lold can do it as well as grown men. A sack
and II broom is all that is necessary. Place
the open suck on the ground and you may
sweep it full of locust9 as fast as you can move
your arms. The village community pay about
a iarthipg pound for locuuts, Some OF the
hunters have earned two or three shilings d
day. As the sacks are brought IN they are
thrust into the cauldrens Of boiling water, and
boiled each for some twenty minutes. They
are then elnptied into the. rapid little river
swollen by the melting Of mountain SHOWS.
The plague goes on spreading daily from
village to vllage--from town to town. This
is the fourth year since they first appeared al
] Mitylene, whence | am writing. II ssaid thai
they seldom remain at one pnce longer, but
thai, in the fourth generation, the race dies ou
unless IL is recruited from elsewhere, am no
uNulC NHClliSl lIi5 10 u }JpIihtti ~, ahi
: tion, or a fact based on experience. The,
I show, however, certainly no symptom Of weak
. ness or diminution of numbers. In ten day
4 they have increased very much in size. The.
: are now us long as cockchafers, only tatteI
J, They seem to be of several distinct species
q Their bodies are about Oh inch and a hal
long, but some are much larger round tla
It Others They have six legs. The hind legs c
l bo -,rJn ,l,, IN
is or twice the length of the body. The have in
" mense strength, and can spring four or tiy
e Yards at q tine The legs are terminated b
r Sharp, long claws, and have lesser claws goin
e, about half way up at the sides Of them. The
\ hold is singularly tenacious. Their heads III,
l. shoulders are covered with kind Of horny n
,e NOR, very tough. Some are Of bright gree
color all over, some have brown backs III
ic yellow bellies with red legs, and are speckl(
e not unlike q partridge. Some are nearly blac
ic all over, and have long wings. Ile large
e species have immensely long itelers projecir
n out near tho eyes. | noticed some Of the
he flelers twice the length of the rest Of the bod
a. The bite Of the largest kind is strong enous
III to bend pin. This locust has immense shal
ID tusks, furnished with saws inside. His mou
I'd opens cn oil four sides, and closes ike a Vi
Of His eyes are horny, and he cannot shut thel
Id The largest kind have two short yellow win
wv and long pointel iicshy taiE-the slnallt
in have four long black wings and no tail. I
a. head il always large in comparison to /
OF body, and not unlike that Of q lobster,
en- moving its scales make noise like the crea
cr ing OF rev leather.
W The loc,lsts are ON the wing. They ha
to risen from the ground into the air. Jl
darkeu the sky in their steady flight for hou
ng and they make noise like the rushing Of
is mighty wind Far as the, eye can see o'
,en land and water brools thc same ominous clni
he The Imagination refuses 10 grasp thoir ntlnb
Of Ii must he counted by millions Of miiho
to Count the tai- $ Of sliowrstorm, the sopda