Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1883-07-12
The Plague of Locusts.


The Plague of Locusts.
American CHtvator.
In old times the plague OF locusts
used to be one of the annually dreaded
calamities in Egypt, Syria and all parts
of southern Asia. These voraclous IN
sects used to make their appearance
almost without warning, and in such
numbers to destroy every green thing
in an exceedingly brief period. The
country over which they passed was
utterly rendered desolate, and pesti-
lence and famine not infrequently fol-
lowed in their track. They died in in
conceivable numbers, and from their
putrefaction pestilence arose, while
famine came as direct result of the
food they had destroyed.
Both in common parlance and scien-
tifc nomenclature the terms "locusts"
and "grasshoppers' have become con-
founded There is, however, n Ainship
between the two which gives some war
rant for this confusion. In our own
country the locustS or grasshOpperS
seem TO have come with the trade
winds-from the Pacific slopes, and are
gradually extending their destructive
empire on this side of the Rocky Noun
tains. BY several of the Indian tribes
they are eaten as food, and are actually
regarded as delicacy. Subjected to
heat, and then crushed or ground up,
they are said to resemble shrimp or
crawfish in taste. In this condition
they are preserved in large quantities,
especially by the Digger Indians, for a
winter supply, and on that account
the Diggers are marked notch lower
down than other Indians in the scale of
humanity. This is evidently unjust,
for the locust was q well.known article
of food before the commencement of
the Christian era. When Moses spec-
fled the different kinds OF food which
the Hebrews were permitted to eat, he
said: Even these thou mayst eat; the
locust after his kind; the bald locust
after his kind; the beetle after his kind;
and the grasshopper after his kind. -
Indeed, the fact that the Indians use
lscusts and grasshoppers for food
seems to point indirectly TO their He.
braic origin. OF the Forerunner it was
written: "His food was locusts anC
wild honey"
Not only have these voracious insects
invaded the tier of states and territOr
les nearest the Rocky Mountains, bu
also Manitoba. in the Canadian Domin
ion. They fly in numbers so immense
and to such distances, and breed in sucl
out-ot-the-way and sterile places-gen
orally coarse, gravelly table-lands
where vegetation is very scant-that a.
yet no remedy has been discovered, a
least when the insects are in the per
fact state and furnished with powerful
wings.
1t is to be hoped that our scientists
will devote their energies to the disCov
cry of a remedy for the locust plague
Fire and water have been tried in vain
yet it is not impossible that some eff
fective means may not be discovered Il
prevent their propagation in such for
midable numbers. In recent time
Egypt does not appear to have beer
afflicted by them rs she was in ancien
days, but we have heard no reason as
signed for this exemption. Possibl,
our American stock will in time eX
haust itself, but it is to be hoped that
result so desirable will be hastened by
artificial md scientific agencies.
The man who has failed in the use D
Soma in1irpptupss is hal nod varv Rtt1o INV tb.