The Sun.
London, England, 1824-10-15 00:00:00

FOR THE SUN.

THE SIMOON.
MR. EDITOR:—This extraordinary and fatal
wind which prevails in some parts of Arabia,and in
the environs of Bagdad,is called Semottn,or poison,
by the Arabs of the desert, and by the Turks
Shamyela, or wind of Syria, whence Europeans cal-
led it the Samiel. The effects of the Simon are
the instant suffocation of every living animal that
happens to be placed in the reach of its pernicious
influence, and the immediate putrefaction of the
lifeless corpse. Fortunately, the Arabs discover
its approach by unerring signs, such as an unusual
redness in the sky, and a smell of sulphur, which,.
however, more frequently accompanies its passage.
The very camels are aware of the.coming danger)
and, by a remarkable instinct, immediately bend
their heads to the ground, whenever they are IMn..
ed of its approaching passage. This wind is found
always to move at a certain elevation above the
ground; hence,men following what animalsdofroal
mere instinct, have discovered that the only no•
thod of avoiding these destructive blasts, is 61.
fall immediately flat on the face to- the groundt
and remain in that position until the streaW
of
poisonous exhalations have blown oust.
The heat of these winds is such, that tat
cod.
be compared only to that of a large 'ovent
moment of drawing out the bread. PreViouslY
td
their blowing, the atmosphere assumes a mina'
cing aspect ; the usually clear sky of these re‘
gions becomes dark and heavy ; the sae lose°.
his brightness, and appears of a dark and alngi
'violet colour. The air is not cloudy,
We it IV'
pears grey and dense, being, in part, filled-with
a dust extremely subtle, which penetrates every
where. Being always light and rapid, this sy.laf
at first does not seem remarkably hot; bat Its
heat increases in proportion to the length of time
in which it continues to blow. Its presence Is
immediately' felt, by the. effects
upon all animated bodies. The lungs,. Pre-
vented from acquiring their usual expansion
are.
by an air that is too much rarified,
contracted, and produce a painful sensatiOn....-.
The respiration is short and laborious, the Ski!
feels parched and dry, and the whole frame 15.
consumed by an internal heat. It is in vain thst
large draughts of water are swallowed, not
can restore the least degree of perspiration;
for
for
is equally fruitless to seek for coolness
those substances which usually produce Oleic:::
it produces
s.
sation of cold, now deceive the hand that.... .se.g
this alleviation, even though the suit's rap hal.
.ceased to be seen, iron, marble, water, have,
their coolness, and now feel hot and unpleasant
.
At long as the samiel prevails, the streets or'
deserted, and a death-like silence reigns etel.
where. In towns and in villages, the
tants shut themselves up in their houses, vii""
those that dwell in the desert either keep e1.,10
within their tent's, or else in pits, which they
g
in the earth for this purpose, and there patietitt,ic
await.the termination of this baneful state of .I,e.
atmosphere. The most usual duration of Itait's'
wind is three days, and whenever it exceedqae
period, -it becomes truly insupportable. )7
to the traveller who is surprized it).roe
Mote from any kind of shelter, for the „cf-nr:
sequences are sure to prove dreadful, if n°'
~no
fatal ; it is, however, much more dangert-he
when it happens to blow in squalls, because ills
rapidity of the wind there so much increasesdaea
intensity of the heat, that it will occasion, s,ute I ;
death. The sufferer dies absolutely sull°—.r.c.La-
the lungs being empty, are convulsed,
lation deranged, and the whole mass ° bead
blood is propelled by the heart towards the Moro
and the chest. This wind proves fatal 01)00
especially to those persons that are of Pie fa.
habit of body, as likewise to those in when anti
tigue has destroyed the tone of the moscle9;)rinc,
of the lymphatic vessels. After death the
continues warm for a considerable time, it sygratol
becomes blue, and the limbs are (Will 50461(0
from the trunk ; all of which are so )inuilVill
of that putrid fermentation which takes
„ JO°
animal bodies as soon as the humour' are re
dal e'
to a state of inactivity. To avoid tilusehf' ;male'
cidents, the nose and the mouth must.
diately stopped with handkerchefs.
is" method, not less efficacious, is that which the
ed instinctively by the camels, of burPoitiell
this p
nose in the sand, and remaining "' the
frt
until the squall has blown over. incl it' ge"
Another of the qualities of this w opit
treme aridity, which is so consideraorl:9ted it,
water sprinkled upon the floor is evl) this
the course of a very few minutes. 11 photo;
treme dryness, it withers and strips I", froio
ic)
up ti's
and by exhaling suddenly the emanot
animal bodies, it crisps the skin, skit! hick in
pores, and occasions that feverishoess w
;Wl'ien'
willu
variably accompanies suppressed pert spi
slt
In the desert of Arabia this AAugu
blow during the mouths of July 3" eatiien.
from the north-west, and carries on its y. but it
OM Influence to the very gates of /3005 within
has never
of
been iciiot%v
the walls city.
to affect any C"
nISIIf Aang
MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.--A young wo- t,gie7l;
we male:stand is a ye:rant in a family in end s
ofibeci,.
Brighton, in descending the steps on the north e!t and
i'w
Pier, slipped and fell into the sea, on Saturdal rier%, it
gular as it may appear, floated near 400 feet fro whe'2„er
soon as possible a boat was lowered to her, assiats7ti right vilo
reached her a wave struck the boat, and tt Pasolent Obot•
her; but fortunately one of the men, at the In „vial a „in..
sinking, succetded in laying hold of her -clathesneogird. 'Too
hook. She was then taken into the boat, ant! 1/,i,no l',10.•
veyed to the Reading Room. She was at dos itated, sl;ercd
of total insensibility, but proper means being at oft, rat! ,aO4
flan was restored. We undertand she la qt.....(f1i1t
from the indisposition occasioned by the acciden
Gazette. )

On the 14th inst.,7—at S't!*'llt flat ilryi'sl3,l—amheul, .Sirerstaiietilicst;•
, _• rester,
ratio Sidney Farebrother of 31.111 bank-street 1/ 0 of
Sarah, eldest daughter of'Thomas Alesander'llober ' tau,
bishop's.walk, Lambeth. so f
BrOottnddstiree eit2.tbiluiilntsl uw•t Wore
Line Sarah, third daughter 1H ' hrey Chamber's'
o ump
that cit . ,.,, Cor°
1)11;1). Jol' el,
On Wednesday night, after a few hours' illoess'or, PI
rad Itleyer, Es q., at the house Of his brother, "- .4
pig'
Sir .I°w°
On the 13th inst., in Queco Ann.streeh 010
Lamb, Bart. • Ary3°' JtV'
Vises/ "oto '
On the 13th inst.. at Springilehl-place, , the sail.: (
of the late Wm. Tanen Esq. LangleYs) 41
, ,
ester, Mr. John St-04_4h giq.,°

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- • .
t the -s
Printed and Published for the PROPItIVTOI",,";.
°FrICE, No. 112, strand, by J. 14. '