Page 241 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

222 COAST OF ARABIA. [oh.
i a
journey from the town. The scarcity of good
3 water is not so great in this part of the coast

m as throughout the shores of the Red Sea
1 generally.
Locusts are sold in the markets of Yembo’,
and also at Jiddah. The Mukin or Red
*
m species, being the fattest, is preserved, and,
when fried and sprinkled with salt, they are
considered wholesome and nutritious food.
In 1831 this part of the sea-coast of Arabia
was visited by an incredible number of these

insects, which did much damage to the date-
palms. Swarms were drowned in their pass­

age from the Egyptian coast, and the beach
was strewed with their carcases for a depth
of several feet. How insects apparently so
%
ill qualified for flight are enabled thus to
* cross the sea, affords matter for curious in­
i
% quiry; but that they do so is evident, for
we occasionally saw passing swarms in its
centre.
%
In addition to most excellent water, which
&
is so cheap that the Hajj boats always fill
here in preference to Jiddah, abundance of
! poultry, and sometimes even beef, may be
I procured, but no vegetables.
1