THE LOCUST. 165 



spt)t on ■which it stands, the mischief produced may be as infinite as 

 their numbers." 



The following extracts from a communication by the Rev. Thomp- 

 son, American Missionary in Syria, dated Meih^ (Mount Lehanon,) 

 ■May IS, 1845, gives the most recent account which we have seen of tjhe 

 ravages of this plague, and contains some interesting facts in their natu- 

 ral history, which we do not recollect to have met with elsewhere, as 

 well as a lively explanation of some passages of Scripture having refer- 

 ence to them. We do not think our readers will find fault with its 

 length or w^ith its minute details : 



''In the early part of spring, clouds of locusts, passed along the sea 

 -coast, but without doing much mischief. Having deposited their eggs, 

 they quickly disappeared. The people, hoviever, familiar with the hab- 

 its of these insects, looked with anxiety for the time when the eggs 

 should be hatched. Nor were their apprehensions groundless. Four 

 days after Abeih was burnt, I heard that the locusts were marching up 

 the valley towards us, and the next morning the head of the column 

 had reached the lower part of the village. Having collected a number 

 of people to assist us, we went to encounter the coming desolation, with 

 the hope of turning it aside from our village. I shall long remember 

 the impression which the first sight of them produced. They were 

 without wings, about the size of full-grown grasshoppers, which they 

 very much resemble in appearance. But their countless numbers were 

 appalling. The whole ground was black with them. On they came, 

 like a living, creeping deluge. Nothing could arrest their progress. We 

 kindled large fires, and burnt heaps upon heaps of them, but all in vain. 

 Wave after wave rolled up the mountain. They poured over rocks and 

 and stone walls and ditches and hedges, those behind forcing on those 

 before. After a long and fruitless contest, I walked down the mountain 

 in order to ascertain the depth of the column. But I soon grew weary 

 of my walk through this living deluge, and seeing no end to it returned 

 to my house. During all the succeeding day i did battle for the integ- 

 rity of my own dominions. But finally, worn out with incessant skir- 

 mishing, I was obliged to surrender my rose bushes and grape vines to 

 the enemy. Nothing was saved but the flowers which we could cover 

 up. It was dreadful to look upon the living tide as it rolled past my 

 house for four days. They devour every green thing, and the noise of 

 their marching and foraging resembles that of rain on a distant forest. 



In every stage of their existence the locusts furnish a most impres- 

 sive exhibition of the power of God to punish a wicked world. Look 

 at the pioneers of the host, thos« flying squadrons that appear in spring. 



