The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1889-02-14

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garded as such; the people even go SO
far as to say that statement to this
effect is written in Arabic on the wings
of the insect Perhaps this is true, but
seeing is believing, and until behold
the mystic writing l shall have my
doubts on the subject.
Locusts only come in large swarms
every fourth or fifth year and usually
about the first of June. In the Bible
magnificent description of their
coming is given in the second chapter
of Joel; the awful yet grand sight must
have greatly impressed that prophet,
so vividly does he describe it.
Those who have never seen an army
OF locusts can have but a small idea Of
the countless numbers it comprises.
An an army was ouce seen in Ma
hartea X ending in a column 500
miles long, and so thick that the sun
was completely hidden, leaving the
country in total darkness like the
time of an eclipse. Mr. Gordon Cum
ming in his book, Hunters Life In
South Africa, compares the coming
of these insects to snow storm; they
spread in every direction as far as the
eye could reach, flying slowly and
steady about hundred yards from
the earth, and fully an hour elapsed
before these living snow flakes flew
by. Mr.. Cumming says that the plale
upon which he stood soon became
densely covered with them, and the
very air was darkened.
1t is simply impossible for me to
tell yon all the havoc committed by
these creatures 1t suffices to say that
ever thing in the way OF vegetation en-,
countered by an army of locnsts is ut
terly destroyed. There is certain
species of blood red color while at
taeking trees and other plants give
them also the appearance of bleeding;
an appearance that after all seems but
natural, considering the cruel treat
ment the poor victims are receiving
from these small but merciless foes.
There are many ways of killing these
insects; perhaps the most common is
spreading nets over them while they
are busy in the fields, and then pour
ing on boiling water. Large rewards
have been given for kthe collection of
their eggs. which can easily be turned
out of the earthly nests where they
we're so carefully laid. That many
can be destroyed by these and other
methods l do not deny; but then so
many more remain, that the result Of
trying to get rid Of them is about salts
factory as endeavoring to drain river
by means of buckets, But if mans
attempts fail. natures are more success.
full Great nrmbers are drowned by
the high tides which overflow the
marshes, frequently the wind blows
them into the sea. Their dead bodies
have been known to block rivers, and
when washed ashore, if they are not
quickly removed, tho air for miles
around becomes tainted by their
decaying bodies.
America is not nearly so troubled by
locusts as are the nations of the East,
though at one time during the 18th
century, northern New England was
so ravaged by them that days of prayer
and fasting we're held on account of the
calamity. Much of the mischief done
by locusts in this country is attributed
to grasshoppers, and in the United
States the harvest fly and certain
species of grasshoppers are even called
locusts.
In Africa and Arabia locusts are
used as food; the legs and wings ara
pulled off and the bodies fried in oil,
or else they are dried in the sun,
pulverized and made into bread. In
many of the Arabian towns there are
shops where they are sold by measure,
and one can buy them fried, dried, or
in the form of -four. Having never
tasted locusts myself, cannot tell you
what sort of dish they make; but the
Arabians seems to relish them, and by
many they are considered a delicacy.