Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-03-22
A Flight of locusts.

noon a flight of locusts. We were
sitting on the hill with our backs
turned to the west wind, which was
softly blowing from the Mediterra-
mean. The horses were picketed close
by, grazing the sweet mountain grass,
The Arabs of our caravan were cook
ing a "pillaw" little distance off.
Around us were laid out the where
withals of light lunch, among which
was an open marmalade jar. l was
thinkingof Ahab, and wondering how
he could put up so long with Elijah,
especially when, on this very spot,
the prophet said to the king,
"As the Lord liveth, in this place
where dogs licked the blood of Naboth
shall dogs lick thy blood-even thine
when suddenly, right into the mar
malade there dropped what I took for
large grasshopper. 1t was yellow
and green with long jumping legs and
big head and while was taking 1t
out of the jar two others fell into a
plate of soup, and half dozen more
of the same kind upon dish of salad.
At the same moment my horse
stamped violently, and saw more OF
these grasshoppers pelting his hooks
and launches. Turning around to
find whence this insect shower came,
l witnessed what was to me an extra
ordinary spectacle, though common
enough, of course, in the East. a
large crowd, denser in its lower than
in its upper part, filled an eighth part
of the western hemicycle. The remot-
er portion of it was as thick as brown
and brumous as a London fog.
The nearer side opened suddenly
up into millions and billions and tnll-
ions and sextillions Of the same green
and yellow insects pelting in a close,
winged crowd quite as thickIy as
fakes of snow upon all the hlllslde'
far and near You could not stand
moment against the aggressive anc
offensive rain of these buzzIng Great
ures, The horses even swung them
selves around and stood with lowered
crest, taking the storm upon then
backs and fanks.
You had to turn up the collar o
your coat to keep them out of youi
neck and button the front not to have
your pockets filed with the repulslv'
swarm, which in two minutes had 81
peppered the scene round about tina
its color and character was entirely
altered. Every little creature OF the
interminable flight on ahghunt
yeered himself round head to wind oI
the earth, just as if he had droppeC
anchor and swung to the breeze anC
it was curious to notice that the gen
eral tint of the ground OF their count
less bodies was brown if you looked
to windward and green If you gaze'
to leeward.
But very quickly the only green t
be seen round about was the hu
afforded by this sudden invasion
Even while we prepared to yield u
the spot to them and pack our luncI
basket for departure they had cleare'
off grass and leaves and every verdan
thing around, and when they ros
again from the soil or from any clumI
of trees in a hungry throng' the PIac
they quilted had already assumed
barren and wintry aspect. The Syrlai
peasants passing along the road wer
beating their breasts and curslng tn
i'll fortune Of the plague. Some q
them. none the less, gathered up
clothful Of the noxious things for tn
locust is distinctly edible.
Half in wrath and revenge, an
for a novelty in diet, the Arabs t
this day eat a few of them, roastln
them in wire nets or in earthen YES
sells over a slow fire till the wings an
legs drop off and the locust become
crisp. in which state it tastes, as l al
able to say from personal exPerlmen
something like an unsalted Prawi
But it seemed as if, had all Syria an
the globe itself taken to living o
the locusts, they would have hardl
made sensible mark upon the extra
ordinary number that drifted thu
dav over our heads.-London Daa'
o Telegraph.
Friday-LucsY or unIucsY.