The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1865-08-04
The Plague of Locusts.-Sinaular Scenes
In JalIn.
A letter dated at Jads, tPalestin.l, June 90, de-

n lttter uhtcu AZ AfAlcstlne1, June ~, DE-
scribes -isitstion Of locusts as follows;
In the month Of April last we observed twice,
large dark clouds resembling smoke, moving TO
and fro as II swayed by the wind. One morning
these clouds came down and proved TO be locusts,
40 great In number that the whole land wss COW
cred with them. The grain at that time was full
in and nearly ripe, but the locusts did not
touch Il or any vegetation. Soon after, however,
II Observed that they buried themselves In the
soil and there deposited their innumersble eggs
Tho Arabs and peasants saw tho approaching
mischief, and went through the land In thousands
digging for these eggs; thoy succeeded 10 certain
degree, and destroyed incrodtsbls numbers with
water and fire, but all their efforts had very little Of
iect About tho middle OF May small black creA.
lures, at q distance resembling largo ants, were
observed accommodating In large heaps throughout
the country, and . few days after they had beon
thus seen they began to leap, and manifested tho
coming calamity and invasion OF the fearful army,
as described emphaticsly In Joel II. The PEG,
plo now began to sweep them together and bury or
burn them in bitches dug for the purpose. But
al TO little OF no efec., and as they grew httlo
larger, the extent OF their multitude began to be
seen. aud the coming catastrophe could not be
mis- AIKEN. The roads were covered with them,
oil marching IN regular limos like armies OF sol
ders. with their leaders in 'front.' and all the oppo-
sitou Of man TO arrest their progress vas in vain
They first consumed the plantations around
| Rameh, Lydia and the smaller villages near
| them, and then entering the towns and village
consumed tho vlctuas, &c, In the market and
]
! houses and covering the walls outside AZ we'll as
made. IL seems that every thinG which is moist
sned by their saliva Is poisoned, Tor the cattle
shat feed on the remnants which are left all die
7 ] IN self saw nisy oxen dead In the villages OF
Delta DsggOn and Z4tlarish, that had fed gu the
roluuau. ol lurrAh Incian cornl lef By the To-
. cusit and tue night before last twenty more dlod
! from tle same cause. About two weeks ago they
were seeu 70 a fearful extent all round Ja1a, but
| sul without wings. Tho town for several days
sppoHi Il iorsaken, all shops Aero shut all buIi-
ness Suspended. Almost all the luh abtants b ad
goue ouI ~ destroy and drive away the invading
army they made tremendous dtches, and buried
anu burned countless myriads, but as BEFORE oil
| in vain, Tor the more they destroyed tho more
seemed 10 arise from h.ding-places, and as they
grew In size 80 they seemed TO grow in multitude
and towards the East from here they covered the
ground for m'les and miles 10 . height Of several
inches. AS their wings are still too small to
enable then to fly and 10 visit tho several hun.
dred gardens within the cultivated part Of tie dis
ulct OF Jsna, gthey have hitherto confined thor
distractions 70 the outer gardens, OF which
about fifty have been completely laid
waste, every green leaf vegetable, tree, and
even the bark Of young trees, deyoured,
aud thess leauuful gardens look Ike tirch tree
forest In WINTER Our garden was one Of the first
attacked. For several days we saw the destructive
host advancing; all our isrn servants, As well As
several hired llborers, we're employed ~ keep them
Oh, 10 drys them away, or bury them, but We
iouuu them as joel describes them, chap, H., yer 4
"Ilsy shall rot break ,hel ranks" WIZ eau