Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1846-08-13

great objection to it for agricultural
purposes.
THE SIMEON OF THE DESERT.
The following interesting extract is
from Fatalla Sayegher's Travels among
the Arabs:
"We took the road to Heggies, res.
ting every night with one of the tribes
which overspread the desert. The
fifth day, after passing the night under
the tent of El Henadi, we rose with
the sun, and went to saddle our drom-
edaries; but found them, to our great
amazement, with their heads plunged
deeply into the sand from whence it
was impossible to disengage them
Calling to our aid the Bedouins of the
tribe, they informed US that the eircum-
stance presaged the simeon which
would not long defer its devastating
course; and that we could not proceed
without facing certain death. Provi-
dence endows the camel with an in
stnctlve presentiment for its preserva-
ton. 1t is sensible two or three hours
beforehand of the approach of this ter
rife scourge of the desert, and turns
its face away from the wind, buries it.
7 self in the sand, and neither force nor
want can move it from its position, Ell
Their to eat or drink while the tempests
last. though it did last for several
days.
Learning the danger which threat
ened US, we shared the general terror,
and fastened to adopt all the precau-
tons enjoined on us. Horses must
not only be placed under shelter, out
must have their ears stopped, they
would otherwise be suffocated by the
whirlwinds of fine subtle sand which
the wind sweeps furiously before it.
Men assemble under their tents, stop
ping up every crevice with extreme
caution, and having provided them
selves with water placed within their
reach, throw themselves on the ground,
covering their faces with maptal, and
STIR no more till the desolating hurri-
cane has passed. That morning all
was tumult in camp; every one endea-
voring to provide for the safety of his
beasts, and then precipitately retiring
under the protection of his tent. We
had scarcely time to secure our beauti-
fui Negde mares before the storm be-
gan. Furious gusts of wind were sue
ceeded by clouds of red and burning
sands, whirling round with fierce i'm
petuosity and overwhelming or burying
under their drifting mountains whatev-
er they encountered.
any part ofthe body is by acct
dent exposed 20 its touch, the flesh,
swelIs as ifa hot iron had passed over
it. The water intended to refresh us
with its GOODNESS, was boiling, and the
temperature of the tent exceeded that
of Turkish bath. The tempest las
ted ten hours in its greatest fury, and
then gradually sunk for the following
six; another hour and we must have
been suffocated. When at length we
ventnred to issue from our tents,
dreadful spectacle awaits US; five chill
dren, two women and and man, were
extended dead on the still buryingt
sand, and several Bedouins had their
faces blackenened, as by the action off
an ardent furnace. When any one isl
! struck on the head by the simeon, the|
blood flows in torrents from his mouth
and nostrils, his face swells and turns
black, and he soon dies Of sufocation.
We thanked the Lord that we had not
ourselves been surprised by this terri
Bile scourge in the midst Of the desert,
but been preserved from so frightful a
death"
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