Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1894-05-04
LocUsTs IN SYRIA.
Tho Remarkable scene Witnessed by
 Noted 8rfelitatiSt

The Remarkable Scene Witnessed by a
 Noted 0rfema.ist.
 We were sitting on the hills with our backs turned to the west wind, which was softly blowing from the Mediter- ranean. The horses were picl1eted close by, grazing the sweet mountain grass. The Arabs of our caravan were cooking a "pillaw" a little distance off. Around us were laid out the where withals of light lunch among which was an open marmalade jar.
 was thinking of Ahab and wonder ing how he could put up so long with Elijah, especially when, on this very spot. the prophet said to the king, ''As the Lord liyeth in this place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood-even thine when suddenly right into the marma- Jade there dropped what l took for large grasshopper. IL was vel low and green with long jump ing legs and 8 big head, and while I was taking it out of the jar two others fell into q plate of soup, and half dozen more of the same kind upon a dish of salad. At the same mo- ment my horse stamped violently, and saw more of these grasshoppers pelt- ing bis hooks and launches. Turning rssnd to sad whence this insect shower safne, I witnessed what was to me an extraordinary spectacle, though com mon enough, of course, in the east. A large cloud, denser in it's lower than its upper part, flied an eighth part of the western hemicycle. The remoter por ton of it was as thick, as brown and brumous as a London fog. The nearer side opened suddenly up into millions and billions and trillions and sextil- lions of the same green and yellow in- sects pelting in close-winged crowd quite as thicl1ly as flakes of snow upon all the hillsides far and near. You could not stand moment against the aggressive and offensive rain of these buzzing creatures. The horses even swung themselves round and stood with lowered crests, taking the storm upon their backs and Hanks.
 You had to turn Up the collar of your coat to keep them ont of your l neck and button tie front not to have your pockets filed with the repulsive swarm. which in two minutes had so peppered the whole scene round about that it's color and character were en- tirely altered. Every little creature of the interminable flight on alighting veered himself round head to wind on the earth iAst as if he had dropped anelsol and swung to the breeze; and 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 gazed to leeward. But very quickly the only greeA to be seen round about was the hue afforded by this sudden invasion. Even while we prepared to yield up i the spot to them and pack our lunch baskets for departure they had cleared off grass and leaves and every verdant thing around; and when they arose again from the soil. or from any clump of trees in a hungry throng, the place they quilted had already as suned barren and wintry aspect. The Syrian peasants passing along the roads were beating their breasts and cursing the i'll fortune of the plague. J
 Some of them, none the less, gathered up q cloth full of the noxious things, for the locust is distinctly edible. Half in wrath and revenge, and half for a novelty in diet, the Arabs to this day eat . few of them, roasting them ill wire nets or in earthen vessels over a slow fire till the wings and legs drop off and the locust becomes crisp, in which state iG~ tastes. as l am able to say from personal experience, some thing like an unsalted prawn. Bat it seemed as if, had all Syria and the globe itself taken to living on locusts, l they would have hardly made sensi. ] b1e mark upon the extraordinary nun, Der that ariffed that Sav over our eheads. Sir Edwin Arnold, in London Telegraph
 Excited Lady ion the beach) :
 Why isn't something done for the shil
 in distress? Why don't some of you !
 Coastguard (hurriedlyl Ne have seni
 the crew linasto come ashore, mum
 Excited Lady Good gracious! Were
 flI+.V Linz for { for1naI invit fion 4