Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1885-05-15

when they are half-benumbed by the
chill of night, and their wings are damp
with dew, so that they cannot fly. Then
they lie thickly clustered under every
bush that can afford them shelter, and
can easily be captured and shove!ed in
to baskets. But when the sun has warm
ed the earth and dried their wings, they
are all on the alert, and spring away at
the approach Of the hunter, who never
theess can often strike them down with
stick, as they fly. On December 81 Lady
Anne records that the previous night
had been so cold that all the locusts
were dead, anG the small birds of the
desert were holding high festival.
myself have seen considerable num-
bers Of locus;s winSing their flight
across the Red Sea, from Arabia towards
Egypt. Many fell on the deck Of the
vessel in which | was sailing. At an
other time, when crossing the lima
layas, overlooking the valley OF the Sut-
ledge, remarked tremulous appear
ance in the atmosphere. as of a mirage.
On further investigation, a>certained
that this strange quivering was pro-
duccd by the glancins OF light on the
myriad wingS of a great swarm OF lo-
Gusts, which were passing over the val
ley like 4 cloud. But those glimpses of
the locust hosts were as nothing COM
pared with the vast flights described by
my brother Roualeyn Il. Gordon Cum
ming, in the interior of South Africa.
He was standing in the middle of an
immense plain when he first noticed
their approach. On they came. like
suowslorm, flying slow and steady,
about hundred yards from The ground.
He stood looking ut them until the air
was darkencd with their masses, while
the plain on which he stood became
denscly covered with them. Far as the
oye could reach-.cast, west, north,
soutb-they stretched in one unbroken
cloud, and more than an hour elapsed
before their devastating leSions had
swept by.
Not long afterwards he fell in with
another swarm. lie was marching
through heavy sandy country Of
boundless level plains, covered with
rank yellow grass, varied with detached
clumps of thorny mimoSas. He came
upon Il swarm of locusts which had
alighted to rest for the night on the
grass and bushes. They lay so thick
that they covered the large bushes, just
as warm of young bees covers the
branch on which it pitches. lie could
easily have collected enough to fill all
his large wagons, the piercing cold OF
night, with white hoar frost, having
rendered them unable to take wing un-
til the sun should restore their powers.
He met a party of natives carrying
heavy burdens Of them on their backs,
and his hungry dogs made fine feast
of those they captured for themselves.
raviry some dif,lcultv al that time in
r,ocurirg sufficient food for all hi, dogs.
this locust.swarm proved most valua-
ble addition to the larders lie took a
LARGO blanket and spread il under a
bush. the branches of which were bent
70 ,bc crourd with the mass Of locusts
which covered il. and. having shaken
the busb. there fell on to the blanket
more locusts than he could possibly
carry. These he roasted for himself, his
servants and his dogs. He found that
they were highly prized by the natives
of South Africa, as afIording fattening
and wholesome food TO man. birds and
all sorts of bpasts-cows and horses,
lions. iacl<als. hyenas. anteIopes, ele-
phants. etc. deyour them.
Tho following morning. soon after
sunrise he Iookcd hack. and saw the To-
rusts ,trotcbino 10 the west in vast
clouds roso,,,I.linc sr,oL,o. lint .oon af-
forwards rhe wind veeripo round.
brought them back towards him. and
they flew over his head. actually dark
ening the sun for considerable period.
Equally wonderful i. the account of a
locust invasion of Syria, as related by
DR.. William Thomson. He tells how,
in the early spring, a flying squadron
the pioneers of the vast army-passed
over the land, leaving it ttickly sown
with their eggs, lying in little masses,
cemcnted together, scattered all over
fields, plain and desert ground. This
done, these harbingers Of woe vanished;
but within a couple of months the very
/ dust seemed TO awaken to life and 10