The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-01
LOCUSTS In INDIA.
A Graphic Description Of Battle
with the Pests.
The Natives Turn Out with Cannon ana
Firearms But Are Unable to stem
the Terrible Tide of Adj
yancing Insects.

I see by the foreign kilograms that
north Africa is threatened by swarm
of locusts. which reminds me, says an
India correspondent Of the st. Louis
Globe Democrat, that / saw devastating
attacks of those terrible insects IN
southern and northern India. Inc
first was in the Tinnevally district
Madras presidency. in the great famine
wear. / was finishing my big break
fast when the tehsildar came to my
tent and said 1--WE are going to be
again troubled" "What WITH "Lo-
Gusts" | had heard of their visits ana
7 pulled a long face. The famine was
practically over. The crops were just
beginning to show their grecnery, and
everything was propitious. The gov
eminent was merely carrying the
natives over till such time as the gram
ripened and harvest commenced. fol-
lowed the tehsildar to the door OF my
tent and saw huge black cloud IN the
east
1t came nearer and nearer, and soon
the Sky grew darkened, the sun was
COMPLETELY obscurcd and Whlrr and
click like many millions of sewing ma
chimes were in the air. The noise was
terrific. Suddenly that great black
animated cloud settled on patch about
a mile distant and gave us breathing
time against their assault. The tehSlldar
hurried back to the village. My serv-
ants stripped the huge tents Of their
verandas and placed the awning care
fully over a young row Of green peas.
c., orIy HnVprpf
In the village all was turmoil. The
women were wailing and the men ana
bows rushing aimlessly about with tom
toms, guns and other nOlSe-producln8
Instruments The tchSildar had given
orders to charge full of gunpOwder an
ancient fieldpiece, relic of the days OF
Dutch supremacy. The fiat stone roofs
were covered with men carrying arms
and whistles and the great parapets of
the huge temple were alive with human
beings.
On came the locusts. The guns
bar.1ed. the cannon numbered, the
whistles blew, the tom-tOm ciashed,
women screamed and men shouted, dogs
snarled, but it was of no avail. The In
sccts settled down on the fields adjOin-
ing the village, and on the trees, and IL
few hours the place was clean of veg
citation. | never saw such destruction
50 complete so absolute, so thorough
Thousands of the pests were slain, but
the click Of their jaws ceased not, ano
when every blade was devGured, or
they swept. The next time / made the
acquaintance of the hungry Iccust was
in Agra l was staying with - gentle
man well known throughout the north
west, whose house on the Jumna rOaC
is much admired for the beauty of the
gardens. In it there are magnificent
tamarind trees, noble avenue of mul
berry trees, mango. and other lovely
trees belonging to 1ndia.i
The locusts attacked the place about
ten a. M, and after they had satisfied
themselves You would have imagined
that a great fort had opened fire on the
| devoted place. Enormous branches hat
| been broken down by the winged pests
! and in several instances only the Eslren'
| stem Of the trees was standing. An out
| house, which was covered with
! gorgeous creeper, was literally crushed
in on account of the numbers that set
| tied thereon. Agra was bare. Not ;
| garden was left, not a blade OF gr ass
and the expenditure of gunpOwCer wa
| fearful. The lOcusts are said to b
| edible. but | never yet found Il person
| who had initiated John the Baptist.