460 REPORT UNITED STATES ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

 EAYAGES OF LOCUSTS m OTHER COUNTEIES. 



CENTRAL AMERICA. 



That swarms of locusts have periodically ravaged Mexico at times for 

 over two hundred years, is apparent from the accounts in the works of 

 Thomas Gage and Clavigero, as well as Mr. E. G. Squier and other mod- 

 ern writers. We take the following extract from Gage's New Survey 

 of the West India's i^^ 



In the mean time I lived full five years in the two towns of Mixco and Pinola, 

 "where I had more occasion to get wealth and money, than ever any that lived there 

 hefore me ; for the first yeer of my abiding there it pleased God to send one of the 

 plagues of Egypt to that Countrey, which was of Locusts, which I had never seen till 

 then. They were after the manner of our Grasshoppers, but somewhat bigger, which 

 did flie about in number so thick and infinite that they did truly cover the face of the 

 Sun and hinder the shining forth of the beams of that bright planet. Where they 

 hghted either upon trees or standing Corn, there nothing was expected but ruine, de- 

 struction, and barrennesse ; for the corn they devoured, the leaves and fruits of trees 

 they eat and consumed, and hung so thick upon the branches that with their weight 

 they tore them from the body. The high waies were so covered with them that they 

 startled the travelling Mules with their fluttering about their head and feet ; my eyes 

 were often struck with their wings as I rid along, and much ado I had to see my 

 way, what with a Montero wherewith I was fain to cover my face, what with the 

 flight of them which were still before my eyes. 



The Farmers towards the South Sea Coast cried out for that their Indigo which was 

 then in grasse, was like to be eaten up ; from the Ingenio's of Sugar the like moan 

 was made, that the young and tender Sugar Canes would be destroyed; but above all 

 grievous was the husbandmen of the Valley where I lived, who feared that their Corn 

 would in one night be swallowed up by that devouring Legion. The care of the Mag- 

 istrate was that the Towns of Indians should all go out into the fields with Trumpets, 

 and what other instruments they had to make a noise, and so to aflright them from 

 those places which were most considerable and profitable to the Common-wealth ; and 

 strange it was to see how the loud noise of the Indians and sounding of the Trumpets 

 defended some fields from the fear and danger of them. Where they lighted in the 

 Mountains and High wayes, there they left behind them their young ones, which were 

 found creeping upon the ground ready to threaten with a second years plagues if not 

 prevented ; wherefore all the Towns were called with Spades, Mattocks, and Shovels to 

 dig long Trenches and therein to bury all the young ones. 



Thus, with much trouble to the poor Indians, and their great pains (yet after much 

 hurt and losse in many places) was that flying Pestilence chased away out of the 

 Countrey to the South Sea, where it was thought to be consumed by the Ocean, and to 

 have found a grave in the waters, whilst the young ones found it in the Land. Yet 

 they were not all so buried, but that shortly some appeared, which, not being so many 

 in number as before, were with the former diligence soon overcome. But whilst all 

 this feare was, these outcries were made by the Countrey and this diligence performed 

 ' by the Indians, the Priests got well by it ; for every where Processions were made, and 



S8A New Survey of the West India's: or the English- American, his Travail by Sea and Land: con- 

 taining a Journal uf Three Thousand and three Hundred miles within the mainland of America, etc., 

 etc. The Second Edition enlarged by the author, and beautified with Maps. By the true and painful 

 endeavours of Thomas Gage, Preacher of the Word of God at Deal, in the County of Kent, London, 

 M.DU.LV. 8°. pp.220. 



