Beauplan.
ses would not trample over them, but as they were put on with much lashing, pricking up their ears, snorting and treading very fearfully. The Wheels of our Carts, and the Feet of our Horses bruising those Creatures, there came from them such a stink as not only offended the Nose but the Brain. I was not able to endure that stench, but was forced to wash my Nose in Vinegar, and hold a Handkerchief dip'd in it continually at my Nostrils. The Swine feast upon them as a Dainty, and grow fat, but no body will eat of them so fatned, only because they abhor that sort of Vermine that does them so much harm.
These Vermine increase and multiply thus: They generate in October, and with their Tails make a Hole in the Ground, and having laid 300 Eggs in it, and cover'd them with their Feet, they die, for they never live above six Months and a half; and tho the Rains should come then, it would not destroy the Eggs, nor does the Frost, tho never so sharp, hurt them, but they continue till Spring, which is about mid-April, when the Sun warming the Earth, they hatch and leap all about, being six Weeks before they can fly, without going far from the place where they receiv'd life; but when stronger, and that they can fly, they go wherever the Wind carrys them. If it should happen that the North-East prevails when they begin to hatch, and continue but eight or ten days, all the Eggs are lost, and so in Summer eight or ten days continual Rain kills all the Locusts upon the Ground, for they cannot fly, and so the People are deliver'd from them. But if the Summer prove dry (which is most usual) they are tormented with them till they die in Odober. This is what I have observ'd several years in those parts concerning the Locusts, which are as thick as a Man's finger, and three or four Inches long. I have been told there by Persons that understand Languages well, that these words are writ on their Wings in Chaldee Letters, Boze Gnion, in English, Scourge of God; for the truth of it I rely on those that told me so, and understand the Language.
Bobaques little Creatures like Barbary Rabbets.
Now let us proceed to what I found most remarkable beyond the Dnieper, where there are two Rivers, one call'd Sula, the other Supoy, which both fall into the Nieper, between which Rivers there are little Creatures which they call Bobaques, in shape and bigness much resembling the Barbary Rabbets, which have but four Teeth, two above, and two below, their Hair and Colour like a Badger. They make Burroughs like Rabbets, and in October shut themselves up, and do not come out again till April, when they run about to feed, and spend all the Winter under Ground, eating what they have laid up in Summer. They are great sleepers, and good managers, Nature directing them to lay up their Provision, in so much that one would think there were Slaves among them, for they take those that are lazy and lay them on their Backs, then lay a great handful of dry Herbage upon their Bellies, which they hold fast with their Paws, or rather Hands, because they make use of them almost as the Monkeys do; then the others drag those Drones to the mouths of their Furrows, and so those Creatures serve instead of Barrows, whence they make them carry the Provision into their Holes. I have often seen them practise this, and have had the curiosity to observe them whole days together, making them run to their Burrows to see their Apartments, and have found several Holes parted like little Chambers, some serve for Store-houses, others for Burying-places, whither they carry the Dead; and others for other uses. They live eight or ten in a Family together, and every one has its Apartment by it self, where they live very orderly; and their Government is nothing inferior to that of the Bees or Ants, of whom so much has been writ. I must add that all these Creatures are Hermaphrodites, and being taken young in May are easily tam'd. In the Market they do not cost above a penny or three half-pence. I have bred several of them, and they are pleasant in the House, being as diverting as Monkeys or Squirrels, eating the same sort of food.
I had forgot to say that these Creatures are very cunning; for they never go abroad without posting a Sentinel upon some high ground, to give notice to the others whilst they are feeding. As soon as the Sentinel sees any body, it stands up on its hind-legs, and whistles. Upon which Signal they all fly into their Burrows, and the Sentinel after them, staying there till they think the People are gone by.The
