The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1893-09-16
MORMON LEGENDS.
Singular Instances Of Providen-
tial Preservation.
How the Latter Day Saints Were Saved
from Cr:ckets by Sea Gulls and
from Grasshcppers by
Yams.

The announcement that legions of
black crickets an inch in length have
invaded the vicinity of Lost Cabin.
Wyo., and are stripping the country of
vegetation, recalls the experience of
the Mormons in the Salt Lake valley
in the summer of 1s4S, says the Du-
buque Telegraph. In the spring of
that year, the second of the Mormon
advent, much ground was broken, seed
sown, and many irrigation bitches
dug, and there was bright promise Of
abundant crops. But in June crickets
similar to those now devastating Wy
oming descended in clouds from the
mountains and began devouring every
thing green. The people could do moth
ing to prevent the destruction, and as
they were more than thousand miles
from civilization and without rail-
roads, and the total annihilation OF
the crops seemed inevitable, they rap
idly drifted into condition Of gloomy
despair. Starvation stared them in
the face, all were anticipating most
horrible death, and dependency was
profound and general, when suddenly
and unexpectedly relief came. I'm
mense Aoelzs of sea gulls sailed through
the air from Great Salt lake, and,
swooping down upon the crickets, de-
voured them, and thus saved enough
of the crops to tide the Mormons over
to the next season. 1t is legend of
the Latter Day Saints that sea gulls
were never seen in the valley before,
and they infer from this, and firmly
believe, that the appearance Of the
birds just at the time their assistance
was needed to prevent the wholesale
extinction of human life, was divine
interposition Of Providence in behalf
Of the Mormons,
The latter have yet another and
equally as interesting a legend. In
1855 such of the crops as were not de-
stroyed by drought were eaten by
grasshoppers. Many domestic animals
died of starvation and food was SO
scarce that dozens of families did not
taste bread for months at time. The
period was one Of famine. Opportune-
ly, when it was most imperatively
needed, species Of yam, which served
for potatoes, appeared. 1t never had
been seen before and it never has been
seen since. Like the mama vouch-
safed to the children of Israel in the
desert, it was found in abundance,
and, being succulent and nutritious, it
maintained life and strength till the
plentiful harvest of the succeeding
year rendered it needless. Then it
vanished. This, like the blessed COM
ing of the sea gulls, is also regarded
by devout Mormons as a special and re-
markable manifestation ct divine fa-
vor.
Not one of the yams remains in Salt
Lake. If any are there the writer was
unable to find them. But sea gulls are
plentiful. They do not confne them
selves to the picturesque mountain
islands of the lake or to its pebbly and
inviting beachs, but distribute them
selves all over the wonderfully fertile
valley. They congregate in greatest
number around the plowman. AS he
turns the soil they gather the worm,
and as the worm is a most delectable
article of bird food the birds and the
plownan are inseparable companions.
They perch on his shoulders and head,
plant themselves on his feet, flap their
wings in his face and are on terms of
lnost intimate familiarity with him.
Yet is the Mormon farmer never an
noyed. He recalls what the gulls did
FOR his people III their time Of deepest
distress, and gratitude makes him
tender. He would not injure the birds
for all the gold and silver imbedded in
the mountains environing Salt Lake
City, nor without protest would he
permit anyone else to hurt them.