The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-06-30
SEA GULLs AND CRICKETs.
HOW THE CoRNFIELDs OF THE MORMON
PIOGEERs WERE SAVED FROM
DESTRUCTION.

The salt Lake Herald says: There is
no biped for which the old farmer of
this country has more genuine affection
than the utterly valueless-iu market
able sense-sea gull This rather pref
" bird was quite abundant in this val
lev the present year-in fact, il is stat
ed. only once before were there So many.
In the fields a few miles below the CITY,
a week or two ago, thousands OF them
could be seen. They followed the plow-
man along the furrow and were almost
as tame as chickens. Wherever there
was newly plewed field, there you
could see the gull, ard as fast as fur
row was turned up the birds would hy
behind the plowmen and commence de-
vouring the insects which were thus ex-
posed TO sight. They seemed perfectly
fearless, and they have good reason to
be fearless here. for the farmer looks
upon them as his friend, and they seem
TO understand fully that he holds them
in that light. They fly all about him,
within three or four feet, and while,
perhaps, unwilling to submit to being
caught, they allow any other familiarity
that can be practiced, for they them
selves will take great many good ma
tured liberties. They will not touch
grain, or anything the farmer desires to
remain untouched they only eat the
worms and insects which are injurious
to the soil and crops. ears ago a law
was passed making it an offense to kill
one of these birds. The law is probably
yet on the statute books, but it is liter
ally a dead letter, because there has
been no occasion to call the law into
life. A farmeT-in fact, any person ac-
quainted with the habits of the sea-gull
would as soon think of wantonly kill
ing one of his own chickens as of in
tentlonally harming one of these queer
birds. AS before stated, law was
passed by the legislature, making it an
otfense to kill sea-gull it was passed
for this reason
In the second year after the pioneers
had arrived herein 1S4S-the large
black crickets common to these noun
famous regions made their appearance
in this and some other valleys in clouds
-fguratiyely speaking. They did not
fv, but came hopping down the noun
tain sides in myriads. So vast were the
numbers the mountains were black. and
seemed literally alive with the great big,
black, ugly things, each one about the
size of a common man 8 thumb. It was
at the time the crops we're promising
everything looked green the future
outlook looked bright, and the heart of
the sunburDt and toll worn pioneer
grew lighter as the pros poets of a great
er harvest and greater comforts grew
more and more tangible with each days
growth of the heavy grain. But blacker
than the coalblack which crickets came
hopping down the mountain slopes in
countless numbers. leaving barrenness
ard desolation in their wake. were the
cloud of despair which filed the heart of
of the weary farmer as this new and un-
looked for curse came slowly and surely
toward the pride, the JOY and the prom
ise of the early SettleT--hs field of wav-
ing corn and grain. The foe was utter
ly unconquerable so far as human efforts
were concerned; there was nothing the
heartsick farmer could do but stand idly
by and see the labor of the season des-
troyed. Children gaZed with wonder
and terror women looked with eyes full
of tears, and strong men watched with
hearts of despair. 1t was an awful
hour. But 10 wonder ! The sky is
filled with large birds they fly to the
scene of the disaster. and then light in
the fields where the crickets hold sup
RENE sway. Then comes change. At
once the flOcks of birds begin to eat the
cTickets. From morn till night they
continue, never ceasing. When filed
until they can hold no more they vomit
up the black mass aud again continue
to eat the crickets. This is kept up day
after day, until not one of the devour-
ing host is seen the crops are saved
and the birds fly away. This bird was
the one which could recently be seen in
the fields, and was then even more
abundant than at any time since the
above mentioned event. 1t was not sur
prising that the pioneers should return
thanks to God for his succor, and for
ever after the sea gull should be looked
upon as dear friend, to be protected
and encouraged.