The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-01-17

The Lcmming "a small burrOwing animal
of the rat species found in the North of Eu-
rope multiplcS so rapidly that in the course
of ten or twelve seasons food becomes scarce,
and on the approach of some winter when the
food question has become one of life or death,
the ovcr.stockcd market is relieved by an eX-
pedicnt unparalleled in It's nature among four
footed animals. This singular little creature
is so local in its habits, that, unlcssS under
the circumstances We are about TO naTrate, 1t
meyer leaves the mountain regions to estaD-
lish itself on the plains, where food Is more
abundant. The inhuman suggestion of y
modern writer that our paupCrs should be
hacked into rotten ships, which should be sent
out TO sea and scuttlcd, is something like the
method adopted by the Jennings themselves,
to avert the famine which threatens to annihi-
late the entire species. When the time for
the settlement of the question of partial eX-
termination by starvation can no longer be
DELAYED, they assemble in countless thousands
in some of the mountain valleys leading into
the plains, and the vast army of martyrs be
ing selected, they pour across the country in
a straight line, a living stream, often exceed
ing a mile in length and many yards in
breadth. dcyouring every green thing in their
line of march: the country over which they
have passed looking rs if it had been plOWCd
or burned with fire They march principally
by night and in the morning, resting during
the day, but never seeking to settle in any
particular locality, however abundant food
may be in it, for their final destination is the
distant sea, and nothing animate or inanimatc,
if it can be surmountcd, Ictards the straight
onward tide of their advance. When the rein
deer gets cnvclopcd in the living stream, they
will not even 90 round IFS limbs, but bite It's
legs until, in its agony and terror, II plunges
madly about, crushing them to death 10y hun
dreds, and even biting them with lis teeth.
If a man attempts to stem the living torrent
they leap upon his legs; and II he lay about
him with stick, they seize it with their
teeth, and hold on to it with such determined
pertinacity that he may Swing it rapidly
round his head without compelling them to
loosen their hold fla corn or hay rick be
in the way, they eat their way through it; and
on arriving at the smooth face Of a rock, they
pass round 1t, forming up in close column
again on the other side. Lakes however
broad, are boldly entered, and the passage at
tempted, and rivers, however deep and rapid,
are forded, impediments in the water being
as boldly faced as those on shore. They have
been known to pass over boat and TO climb
on the deck of a ship, passing without stop or
stay into the water on the further side Their
natural instincts are not in allegiance during
this migration, Us females are often seen with
their young, and carrying in their teeth some
one which had suCcumbcd to the satigues of
the march, which might not be stayed until
the helpless one Was recruited. Foxes, lynXcs,
Wcasels, kites owls, etc. hover On their line
of march and destroy them by hundreds.
The fish in the rivers and lakes lay heavy
toll upon them, and vast numbers are drown