The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-11-29
An Army of l.ocUsts.

An Army of I.ocusts.
y late number Of tho Ninehc,ih Gen.
tury has the following account Of locust
invasion of Syri, as related by DR.. Will
liam Thompson. He tells how, in the
early Spring, a flying squadron-,he
pioneers of the vast army-passed over
the land, leaving it thickly sown with
their eggs, lying i'll little masses, cement.
ed together, scattered all over fields, plain
and desert ground. This done, these
harbingcrs OF woe vanished; but within
couple of months the very dust seemed
to awaken to life and to creep. Soon
these inhniteSimal moving atoms dcvcl-
oped into minute grasshoppers, who be-
gau their destructive existence, all NOV.
ing forward in one general direction-a
creeping, jumping mass of living par
ticles.
DIR. Thompson describes his first glimpse
of this phenomenon. He was riding
near Fuliyeh, when it struck him that
the side of a l.ill had n peculiar appear
ance. Riding up to it, to his amazement
the whole surface became avitated. and
began to roll downwards. Ills horse was
so frightened that lie had to dismount.
Then he perceived that this animated
dust was composed of myriads Of minute
locusts, so young that they could not even
jump; but in their infantile alarm they
rolled over and over, producing au effect
like the movement Of fluid mortar.
On another occasion he rode through
district where the work of extirpation
was going on. 1t was near the Plain of
Acre, and a. ssswarm of locusts had over
run the whole region. The governor of
kabul had summoned every man, woman
and child in the neighborhood to lend
their aid in the common cause. The foe
had not yet grown their wings, and, being
unable to fly, were compelled to run in
whatever direction they were driven.
So the people formed vast circle, beat
ing the bushes and shouting, in order to
frightcn the insect host and drive them
toward an isolated hill covered with dry
grass. Soon the hill became black with
the countless myriads which thronged it.
Then the grass was set on fire in different
places, and the flames famed by u strong
breeze, soon spread over the whole hill,
filling the air with an overpowering smell
Of roast locust. The same operation was
performed at many different points in
the neighborhood with very excellent re-.
suits.
Some years later DIR. Thompson made
still more intimate acquaintance with
these gentle destroyers. He was living
at Abeih, on Mount Lebanon, when an
alarm was raised that incalculable
swarms Of young locusts were marching
up the valley towards the village. The
inhabitants turned out to endeayor, if
possible, to turn aside their line Of march.
This they soon found to be altogether
futile. The whole face of the mountain
WAS black with the closely serricd ranks,
which advanced steldily like we'll dis.
ciplined army. TLry were at the wing
less stage, and of the size of average
grnsshcppers. Nothing checked their
steady onward progress. Trenches were
slain; Still fresh hords pressed on in
bewildering multi,udes. Right up the
mountain they advanced, scaling rocks
and walls, hedges and bitches, the
corpscs OF the slain only serving as
bridges to facilitate the progress of the
newcomers.
Even when the foremost ranks reached
the palace of the emir, they did not turn
aside to avoid its walls, but climbed
straight up and went over the other side.
Thus they scaled every house in the town,
always going straight ahead, regardless
of all obstacles. If it be true, as the
saying goes, that straightforward makes
the best runner" in life, we might, per-
chance fine worse examples than the To-
Gusts.
Hoping at least to be able to protect
his own little garden, DR.. Thompson
hired number Of laborers to keep up
fires, and to remain on watch, beating
the locus.a of .he walls with branches Of
trees. For some hours the struggle was
kept up; but rs the irresistible army
continued to advance in ever-increasing
multitude, they gave up the effort in de.
spair, and surrendered to the conquerors.
-Four days did this gigantic march
past" continue, till at length diminu-
ton in their numbers was apparent, and
at last there remained only few strag-
glers. But alas ! for the change in the
aspect of the land, which before their
approach had been as pleasant garden,
but was now scorched as though the
breath of furnace had passed over it.
Large vineyards which had been loaded
with young grapes, orchards of olive, fig
and mulberry trees, all promising an
abundant harvest, were left clean bare
not cluster of fruit, not a green leaf
remaining, only melancholy naked
branches. Vegetable gardens that had
been green as a meadow were left bare as
a dusty road, whole fields Of tall corn
were stripped of every leaf, and only
naked stalks remained to mock the un
happy husbandman. Not blade oil
grass had escaped to reward the most
careful search the pastures had disap.
peared, and the herds of cattle and flocks
of sheep were left absolutely without
food.
The rustling noise made by these busy
multitudes when marching and foraging,
is compared to the sound of heavy
rainfall in forest, when myriad rain.
drops are patterinp on the green leaves