Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-01-17
nEYnrRING LOCUsIs.
Their Rayagcs in Algiers-How They arc De-
stroyed-A Sacred Custom.

sffONeQ-A NutEfu 'susADuhs
Az present Algiers 10 suffering under
terrible plague of locusts. Since the con
auest OF the province this is the second
glsita.ion of this kind. In may, 1874, the
locusts appeared In such numbers that
the richest agricultural districts were
oade deserts. The incidence of the ma
tives and the unsettled condition of the
country wers against any systematic et
forts to exterminate the little pests
Moreover the sUpeIstitious natives charg-
Cd the Christian cOnquerors with conIur-
ing the evil one, and rebelliuns we're the
result
In March, 1855, the lOeusts again made
their appearance. Two months later the
districts Altmale, Bou-Ssada, Boghar
Cnslala, and Laghouet we're overrun and
the fields stripped of every kind of growth.
In the spring of 1856 the loeusts reap
peared. This year the sirocco-that ter
rble hot wave of the desert-swept over
Aigiers with unusual ferceness, charged
With the sand of the great Sahara and
with millions and millions of locusts. In
few days the whole cOuAtry was covered
with III ese pests. The ravages are terri
Bile. The cattle. of which the colony con
tanned 5000, 900, are dying for want Of
nourshment and famine is threatening
the European colonists. The government
EMPLOYS thousands of natives and all of
The available troops in a systematic fort
to destroy the voracious little insects.
Various devices are resorted TO. Two
that are not in favor are the 'meinafas
and "apparells cypriotes." The former
consists OF cotton or wooden cloth of d
very rough surface, which Is spread over
| the ground. I he loeusts are caught ID
he coating, are shaken together, and
| turned into deep bitches OF sta ID ped "a
death. The "apparells cypriOtes" are
sheets about two hundred feet long and
/ three feet wide, stretched over frames
aud placed upright along the path ofthe
! invaders. IL IS the habit OF the locust to
/ turn in it's pros ress, but TO endeavor to
surmount every obstacle in its way. II
| Will Try TO climb the cloth, which is beat
en by sticks. The insects fail to the
ground, are swept together, and destroy
| cd The artillery also fires heavy charges
of blank cartridges into the swarms
| Tn cavalry is mplOyed 20 stamp the in
sects into the ground, and the native
! troops are furnished with rRiiOus OF meaf
in order to stimulate their appetite fol-
the great national dish, stewed lOcusts
| broiled locus, and locDsts reWs.
! 1t is an ancient and sacred custom Of
! the natives TO eat these insects. Tradi-
| ton has it that at their first appearance
| Muhammed instructed his diciples not Il
destroy them. Bat one day the great
| prophet noticed on the wings of one oil
these insects an Inscription in II, brew
characters, saying: ave are the soldiers
of GOO We lay ninety. nine eggs. When
| ever we have laid one hundred, the uni
verse will have been destroyed by u.s.
HorIi6ed at this sacriledge, the prOphe
| strgia ntway interviewed the Lord, ane
| received the order that, as a punishment
/ of the locusts, the faithful should hll
and eat them. That the natives higlyl
r,lish the dish appears from the saying
| Next TO the date the locust il the sweete'
morse." The Koran prohibits the iieat
of animals not born, but the Mohamme
/ dan doctors of law, az become wise anC
dnti!ul guardians OF their hocks, decided
| that loousis were nor flesh, and that th'
common people might eat them, while
/ the men in holy orders should deny them
selves this sweet mOrsel in order to ayo!t
the temptation to gorge themselves
Certainly very wise and liberal inter
| probation TO prevent q famine among Tho
| poor.