A SWARM OF LOCUSTS. 280 



A LOCUST. 



tinned my journey in a northeasterly course through a heavy 

 sandy country of boundless level plains, stretching away on every 

 side, covered with rank yellow grass, which, waving in the breeze, 

 imparted the idea of endless fields of ripe corn. At sundown we 

 crossed the Matluarin River, an insignificant stream, and encamped 

 on its northern bank. On the march we saw a few blue wilde- 

 beests and ostriches. At dawn of day on the following morning 

 we pursued our journey through the same description of country 

 varied, however, with detached clumps of thorny mimosas. On 

 the march we crossed a swarm of locusts, resting for the night on 

 the grass and bushes. They lay so thick that the wagons could 

 have been filled with them in a very short time, covering the 

 large bushes just as a swarm of young bees cover the branch on 

 which it pitches. Lccusts afford fattening and wholesome food to 

 man, birds, and all sorts of beasts ; cows and horses, lions, jackals, 

 hyaenas, an-telopes, elephants, &c., devour them. We met a party 

 of Batlapis carrying heavy burdens of them on their backs. Our 

 hungry dcgs made a fine feast on them. The cold frosty night 

 had rendered them unable to take wing until the sun should 

 restore their powers. As it was difficult to obtain sufficient food 

 for my dogs, I and Isaac took a large blanket, which we spread 

 under a bush, whose branches --vere bent to the ground with the 



