The St. Johns herald., 1893-11-23
/ MORMON LEGENDS.
Singular Instances Of Providen-
 tial Preservation.
How the Latter Day Saints Were Saved from Crickets by Sea Gulls and from Grasshoppers 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 cOuntryOf vegetation, recalls the experience of the Mormons in the Salt Lake valley in the summer of 184S, 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 ditches 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 nOth ing to prevent the destruction, and as they were more than a thousand miles from civilization and without rail- roads, and the total annihilation of the crops seemed inevitable, they rap idly drifted into a condition of gloomy despair. Starvation stared them in the face, all were anticipating most horrible death, and despOndency was profound and general, when suddenly and unexpectedly relief came. I'm mense foeks of sea gulls sailed through the air from Great Salt lake, and, sweeping down upon the crickets, de- voured them, and thus saved enough of the crops to tide the Mormons over to the next season. It 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 a divine interposition of Providence in behalf of the Mormons,
 The latter have yet another and equally as interesting a legend In 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, a species of yam, which served for potatoes, appeared. It 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 wrs 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 cf 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 confine 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 most delectable article of bird food the birds and the plowman 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 most intimate familiarity with him. Yet is the Mormon farmer never an noyed. He recalls what the gulls did for his people in 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.