The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1889-08-09


the l4lh of April, 1928. Mai. Mac
kenzie, while walking in field on
his farm, saw a great portion OF The
ground covered with herring fry,
three TO tour inches III length, fresh
and entire. The spot was all of
three miles from the Firth OF Ding
we'll. About two years later, in
the Island of lslay, in Argyleshire,
after 4 day Of very heavy rains,
the inhabitants were surprised TO
find large number of fresh her
rings strewn over their fields. More
recently Wick newspaper stated
that one morning large quantity
at the same species of fish were
found scattered in Il garden IN that
town. These, 1t is stated, he peas
ants cooked and ate, though not
without misgivings as to the possl-
bllity Of some satanic agency hav-
ing been concerned in transferring
them 10 such spot.
One of tie most curious instan-
ces of this nature is related by an
English officer, who. while reading
in Calcutta, saw quantity of live
fish descend in heavy shower OF
rain. THE most strange thing that
struck me in connection Tith this
event." said The officer twas that
the fish did not fall helter. skelteT,
everywhere, or here and there, but
in ar even, straight line, not more
than a cubit in BREADTH" Of all
remarkable events of this charac-
ter, however, the most sensational
was The famous "Kentucky meat
shower which mystilied so many
people some twenty years ago.
This was at first regarded by many
as Il hoax, but was found to be a
vertable occurrence, although
hardly susceptible of thoroughly
satisfactory explanation. This
"nesh-taIl" took place on the farm
of Mr.. Crouch, which was IN a spot
surrounded by high hills and
mountains, in Bath county, Ky.
The account given by Mrs. Crouch
was substantially as follows:
"Between ii and II O'clock l was
in my yard, not more than forty
steps from the house. There was
a light wind coming from the west,
but The sky was clear and the sun
was shining brightly. Without any
prelude or warning of any kind,
and exactly under these circum-
stances, the shower commenced.
The fall was of no less than one
nor more than two minutes dura-
tion. When The flesh began 10 fall
| saw large piece strike the
ground close by me, with snap
ping-like noise when it struck. |
was impressed with the conviction
that it was a miracle or a warning.
The largest piece that saw was as
long as my hand and about half an
inch wide. 1t looked gristly, as if
it had been torn from the throat of
some animal. Another piece that
| saw was half round in shape and
about the size OF a half dollar"
An old hunter, residing in the
neighbOrhood, on being shown a
piece of the flesh, declared it 10
be bear meal, and stated that it
had "that uncOmmonly greasy
feel" REGULAR to the flesh of that
animal. A butcher who was per-
suaded TO taste The meat changed
his mind about swallowing any of
it, and declared that il tasted neith-
er like flesh, fish or fowl. 1t look
ed TO hm like mutton, but the smell
was a new one. Some of the meat
was quite dry, and there seemed to
be fine, wood-like fiber running
through it. A great deal OF the
flesh was sent to chemists and 9TH
ers in various parts OF the country,
and analysis were made by several
well-known scientists. Prof. j. l..
Smith was at first inclined 10 pro-
nounce it the dried spawn of frogs,
but it it was found under The mi-
crOScope to possess undOubted
characteristics peculiar 10 the flesh
of animals, this theory WAS aban-
doned. Perhaps the most reasona-
bic explanation is that OF Prof.
Peter, of Lexington, Ky, who be-
lieved The tall of flesh TO be simply
the result of a kind ol post pran-
dial diSgorging by a flock of buZ-
yards, who had been feasting them
selves more abundantly than wise
ly ON the carcass of a sheep. This
is the simplest and perhaps, after
all, The most satisfactory explana-
tion that can be given of The sup
posed miracle.
Of showers of insects there are
a few instances on record, and il is
undoubtedly true that the sO-called
colored rain and snow-storms are
in many cases caused by minute
insects and shells of infusOria car.
ried into the atmosphere by the
winds. 1t is related IN a Russian
newspaper of the year 1927 that
heavy snow-stOrm occurred on the
18th of October in that year at
Pakroff, in the Government of
Tver. This snow was accompanied
by a prodigious number of black
insects about an inch long, with fiat
shining heads, anienae, velvety
kind of skin, marked with rings or
bands, and feet which enabled
them TO crawl rapidly over the
snow. Such Of them as were car
ried into a warm place died in a
short lime, but ibe rest remained