Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-07-20

dinner, for every pioneer who had n
field OF grain and water ditch will
testify that as fast as the gulls had
stuffed themselves they went to the
water bitches, drank water and then
disgorged only to fly back into the fields
and again MI themselves.
pIsGORGED HEAPS.
On the first Sunday after the gulls
arrived In June, lS4S tho settlers left
their fight against the crickets to at
tend religious services. and when on
Monday they returned TO their fields.
they found heaps of dead crickets al
along the ditch banks where the gulls
had disgorged.
The deliverance Of Utah by the glills
is n sacred matter to the older settlers.
II was not an affair OF a day or a week,
but of years, and the end is not yet for
tho FarTnington and Bountiful plow-
man stlll finds the gulls fraternising
with him on blowing day. and the
crickets and grasshoppers are kept
down 10 small numbers on the bench
lands. In lSis 1t was a problem of
raise crop or starve to DEATH and
many an aged pioneer will tell you now
how he sat down In those critical days
disheartened after fighting the swarms
Of crickets to the point OF exhaustion.
The food was nearly all eaten, the seed
all planted, and the condition became
so critical that word was sent east
not to encourage any more immigra-
ton westward until the problem OF the
crickets should be solved, as another
winter In Utah meant probable starva-
ton.
PRIEST, SMITHS EXPERIENCE.
President Joseph r. Smith is among
those who wildly remembers the COM
Ing Of the guils and their work In rid
ding the fields Of crickets. IT drove an
OK team into Salt Lake valley.2 he says
In an interview, ION Sept. %, 1S4s and
we made our winter camp on Mil creek
half mile west of Neff's mill After
remaining there during the winter we
moved In the spring of 1S49 farther
down into the valley, and commenced
blowing. We planted 30 acres OF grain,
the field consisting of barley, oats, and
wheat, and 1t began TO come UP very
nicely. Then the crickets came. They
were not the grasshoppers with which
you are familiar but big black .crickets.
much more ugly ana repulsive. They
came sweeping from the bench lands
down upon our crops In great hor6es,
and we almost despaired az being able
TO raise anything. We were living at
that time In our wagons, the boxes
having been lifted down from the gears
In order to make our homes. A day or
two after the cricket army came, the
air became filed with an innumerable
number OF gulls- They came from tho
lake TO- the west and after they had
aiighted on the grain, what before had
been swarming expanse OF black, be-
came now field Of snowy white, SO
crowded were the birds together
The gulls were rayenous In their at
tack on the crickets. On little water
ditch running through the fields they
disgorged after drinking and then re-
turned to attack the crickets. remem-
Der some OF the gulls chasing crickets
right under our wagon boxes, and they
never seemed to fear us children, or to
fear our presence.
Year after year the gulIs came at
the same season, returning each night
to their island homes In the lake,
until finally the crickets were wiped
out completely, and the gulls became
as tame as a flock OF chickens.
HOPE FROM DESPAIR.
There Is another story remember.
One kinswoman Of mine who was the
mother OF large family, whose hus-
band and herself were almost on the
verge of starvation, settled west of
the Jordan. They planted a field, and
just as their grain was getting a good
start, the crickets began to attack 1t.
The family fought them with fire and
brush, but they were too numerous and
too persistent In their attacks, and fin-
ally they swarmed completely over the
grain. Aunt Helen went home and sat
| down and cried Presently the gulls
came and settled over the field until it
was white with them. Then she said
| to her husband that the Lord must be
| against them for first the crickets had
| come to ruin the crop and then the
| gulls had come to finish the work OF
l destruction. But she soon found the
| gulls had come to deliver. and not to
! destroy. They saved their crop. It
| recuperated after the devastation and
| they had good harvest
| sACREDLY REGARDED.
President Smith is not at all doubt