98 
FLIGHT OF LOCUSTS. 
Messrs. Lockett and Taylor), who reached Shiraz about this time, that 
when they were at Ahmedieh, a village in the Dashtistan, their ther¬ 
mometer was at 125° in a tent, and that the heat almost amounted to 
suffocation. One of them wrapt himself round with a sheet, which he 
kept wet, and another covered himself with his mattress, and the thickest 
things which he could find, by which different means they alike felt 
much relieved. 
On the 11th of June, whilst seated in our tents about noon, we heard 
a very unusual noise, that sounded like the rushing of a great wind at 
a distance. On looking up we perceived an immense cloud, here 
and there semi-transparent, in other parts quite black, that spread it¬ 
self all over the sky, and at intervals shadowed the sun. This we soon 
found to be locusts, whole swarms of them falling about us ; but their 
passage was but momentary, for a fresh wind from the S. W., which 
had brought them to us, so completely drove them forwards, that not 
a vestige of them was to be seen two hours after. The locusts which we 
saw at Bushire were like those which Shaw saw in Barbary in 1724 and 5^, 
with legs and body of a bright yellow, and the wings spotted brown. 
These were larger and of a red colour, and I should suppose are the 
real predatory locust, one of the Egyptian plagues ; they are also the 
great grasshopper mentioned by the prophet Nahum, no doubt in con¬ 
tradistinction to the lesser, (c. iii. v. 17.) As soon as they appeared, 
the gardeners and husbandmen made loud shouts, to prevent their 
settling on their grounds, f 
The strength and agility of these animals make me suppose that 
this was their first flight, and that they could not have come from any 
great distance. The Persians said they came from the Germesir, which 
is likely enough, as that was the direction whence the wind blew. 
They seemed to be impelled by one common instinct, and moved in 
one body, which had the appearance of being organized by a leader^ 
* 3 Edit. vol. i. p. 340. 
f It is to this custom that the prophet Jeremiah perhaps alludes, when he says, Surely I 
willJill thee with men, as with caterpillars, and they shall lift up a shout against thee. Chap. li. 
V. 14. 
