rry to hear of the visit of these
destructive creatures, as they _were_ unfortunately here, I should
like to see them. My wish was shortly to be gratified; for, in the
course of our ride, we saw in the distant sky what looked very much
like a heavy purple thunder-cloud, but which the experienced
pronounced to be a swarm of locusts. It seemed impossible; but as we
proceeded they met us, first singly, and then in gradually increasing
numbers, until each step became positively painful, owing to the smart
blows we received from them on our heads, faces, and hands. We
stopped for a time at Mr. Holt's large estancia, where,
notwithstanding the general appearance of prosperity, the traces of
the ravages of the locusts were only too visible. On remounting, to
proceed on our journey, we found that the cloud had approached much
nearer, the effect produced by its varying position being most
extraordinary. As the locusts passed between us and the sun they
completely obscured the light; a little later, with the sun's rays
shining directly on their wings, they looked like a golden cloud, such
as one sometimes sees in the transformation scene of a pantomime; and,
at a greater distance, when viewed from the top of a slight eminence,
they looked like a snow-storm, or a field of snow-white marguerites,
which had suddenly taken to themselves wings. When on the ground, with
their wings closed, they formed a close mass of little brown specks,
completely hiding the ground and crops, both grass and grain. In
riding over them, though not a quarter of their number could rise, for
want of space in which to spread their wings, they formed such a dense
cloud that we could see nothing else, and the horses strongly objected
to face them. They got into one's hair and clothes, and gave one the
creeps all over. I am sure I shall often dream of them for some time
to come, and I have quite made up my mind that I never wish to see
another locust as long as I live. I have, however, secured some fine
specimens for any one who is curious about them.

The land we passed through appeared to be well farmed. We spoke to
several of the colonists, especially to one Italian family, living in
a little mud rancho with a tile roof. They were all gathered together
to witness the dying agonies of one of their best cows, perishing from
the effects of the drought. The rest of the animals in the corral
looked, I am sorry to say, thin and miserable, and as if they intended