"should come, they would not destroy the eggs; nor does the frost, though never so "sharp, hurt them. But they continue to the spring; which is about mid April: when "the sun warming the earth, they are hatch"ed, and leap about; being six weeks old "before they can fly.When stronger “and able to fly, they go wherever the wind "carries them. If it should happen, that the "north-east prevails, when they first take "their flight, it carries them all into the Black "Sea. But if the wind blows from any other quarter; they go into some other country 66 to do mischief. -I have been told, by

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persons who understand the languages well, "that these words are written in Chaldee cha

racters upon their wings, Boze Guion, the 66 scourge of God. For the truth of which I "rely on those who told me so, and under"stand the language."

I

The vast region of Asia, especially the southern part, is liable to the same calamity: as we learn from Nieuhoff, Bouvet, Le Bruyn, Russel, and others. China is particularly infested; and the natives use various means to

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I Norden mentions, that there were supposed to be hieroglyphical marks upon their heads, v. 1. p. 58.

obviate the evil, which is generally too powerful to be evaded. But the most fearful accounts are from Africa; where the heat of the climate, and the nature of the soil in many places, contribute to the production of these animals in astonishing numbers. The consequences are so terrible, that they would not gain belief, were it not, that authors of very different countries, and likewise of different ages, afford so particular, and uniform evidence, that it cannot be called in question. Ludolphus, speaking of the serpents with which Ethiopia abounds, adds--- "But much "more pernicious than these are the locusts: "which do not frequent the desert and sandy places, like the serpents; but the places best "manured, and orchards laden with fruit. They appear in prodigious multitudes, like a thick cloud, which obscures the sun nor plants, nor trees, nor shrubs appear untouch"ed: and wherever they feed, what is left 66 appears, as it were, parched with fire. Some"times they enter the very bark of trees: "and then the spring itself cannot repair the "damage. A general mortality ensues and regions lie waste for many years.

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'Hist. of Ethiopia, b. 1. c. xiii. p. 67.

* See Purchass, v. 2. book vii. c. 5. p. 1046, 7, 8.

The account given by Leo Africanus deserves to be mentioned, as it confirms what is said by others. Locustraum plerumque tanta conspicitur in Africâ frequentia,, ut instar nebulæ volantes solis radios operiant. Arbores ipsas pariter cum frondibus ac fructu esitant. Discessuræ ova relinquunt, quibus aliæ, tametsi non volant, pullulant; et quibus in locis offenduntur, omnia ad cortices arborum exedant; magnamque annonæ caritatem, præcipue in Mauritaniâ, relinquunt. vol. 2. p. 769. edit. Elzevir. It is wonderful that persons of learning should be at all in doubt, what the locusts were upon which John the Baptist fed. For we may be assured, that they were real locusts, as they were by no means an uncommon sort of food. The Angidopayo, are mentioned by several ancient authors: and many nations still feed upon these animals, as we learn from modern travellers. The author above, having spoken of locusts as a curse, adds---verum Arabiæ Desertæ et Libyæ populi locustarum adventum pro felici habent omine: nam vel elixas, vel ad solem desiccatas, in farinam tundunt, atque comedunt. Agatharchides of Cnidus speaks to the same purpose---περι Ακριδοφαγων. Ὑπο δε την εαρινην ισημεριαν----παμμεγεθων ακριδων πλη

θος αμύθητον εκ της ανισορητε μετά των ανεμων παραYIvetai xwgas: and he says, that they served for food to the natives. Geog. Græci Min. v. 1. p. 42. Diodorus Siculus seems to have borrowed from hence his account of the same

people.---Κατα την εαρινην ώραν παρ' αυτοις Ζεφυρος καὶ Λιβυὲς παμμέγεθεις εκριπτεσιν εκ της εξημε πληθος ακριδων αμύθητον.—έκ τετε δαψιλεις τροφας έχεσι απαντα τον βιον. 1. 1. p. 162. Alian says the same of the TTT, or cicada. Hist. Animal. 1. xii. c. τεττιγας επί δείπνον. vi. p. 667. τεττιγων αφειδως εχεσι. ibid. See also Hasselquist, p. 232.

Francis Alvarez speaks of the same calamity, in his account of the country of Prester John. "In this country, and in all the do"minions of Prete Janni, there is a very 16 great and horrible plague. This arises from (6 an innumerable company

of locusts, which "eat and consume all the corn and trees. "And the number of these creatures is so ·66 great, as to be incredible: and with their "number they cover the earth, and fill the "air in such wise, that it is an hard matter "to see the sun and if the damage which "they do were general through all the pro❝vinces, and realme of Prete Janni, the peo

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ple would perish with famine.

But one

year they destroy one province; sometimes "two or three of the provinces: and whereever they go, the country remaineth more “ruined and destroyed than if it had been set "on fire." The author says, that he exorcised them, upon their invading a district where he resided: and, if the reader will believe him, it was attended with a very salutary effect. He proceeds---" In the mean time "there arose a great storme and thunder to"wards the sea; which came right against "them. It lasted three hours, with an ex"ceeding great shower and tempest; and "filled all the rivers. And when the water "ceased, it was a dreadful thing to behold the "dead locusts; which we measured to be "above two fathoms high upon the banks of "the rivers.--At another time I went with "the ambassador Zaga Zabo---to a town and "mountain called Agaon: and we travelled "five days journey through places wholly "waste and destroyed.The trees were "without leaves, and the barkes of them were "all devoured; and no grass was to be seen. "And if we had not been warned and advised "to carrie victuals with us, we and our cattel

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