INDIRECT INJURIES CAUSED BY INSECTS. 183 



one who should discover an effectual mode of destroying 

 them. Their numbers were incredible. They descend- 

 ed from the hills like torrents, and the plantations, as 

 w r ell as every path and road for miles, were filled with 

 them. Many domestic quadrupeds perished in conse- 

 quence of this plague. Rats, mice, and reptiles of every 

 kind became an easy prey to them ; and even the 

 birds, which they attacked whenever they alighted on 

 the ground in search of food, were so harassed as to be 

 at length unable to resist them. Streams of water op- 

 posed only a temporary obstacle to their progress, the 

 foremost rushing blindly on to certain death, and fresh 

 armies instantly following, till a bank was formed of the 

 carcases of those that were drowned sufficient to dam up 

 the waters, and allow the main body to pass over in 

 safety below. Even the all-devouring element of fire 

 was tried in vain. When lighted to arrest their route, 

 they rushed into the blaze in such myriads of millions as 

 to extinguish it. Those that thus patriotically devoted 

 themselves to certain death for the common good, were 

 but as the pioneers or advanced guard of a countless 

 army, which by their self-sacrifice was enabled to pass 

 unimpeded and unhurt. The entire crops ,of standing 

 canes were burnt down, and the earth dug up in every 

 part of the plantations. But vain was every attempt of 

 man to effect their destruction, till in 1780 it pleased 

 Providence at length to annihilate them by the torrents 

 of rain which accompanied a hurricane most fatal to the 

 other West India Islands. This dreadful pest was 

 thought to have been imported 3 . Besides these ene- 



a Castle in Philos. Trans, xxx, 346. 



