Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1889-01-03
which IN time will make ii rich and
populous. NOSES FoLsoM.
LEWISTON, idaho.
The Simeon.

The most remarkable of the hot
winds is the simeon, the violent whirl.
wind. with or without sand, which of.
fects the deserts of Africa and South
western Asia. The great heat of Che
soil passing into the atmosphere causes
an appreciable expansion and tighten
ing of the latter, resulting in the forma-
ton of small cyclonic disturbances.
The surrounding atmosphere, in the
never-eeasing natural struggle to main
tain an equilibrium, rushes in to fill
the space vacated by the expanded
air, and in its turn undergoes the same
process until at last there is powerful
current drawn into the vortex, frequent
~ bringing with it quantities of loose
sand, AMI the cyclone then becomes
visible--huge columns OF sand whirling
round and moving forward at the same
time. The air, already very dry before
the simeon originated, now becomes
still more so from the presence of the
dense cloud of dust. Away goes the
storm across the desert; at first it is
seen as O low haze on the horizon, but
quickly spreading, the cloud advances,
sometimes slowly, sometimes rapidly,
the tall pillars being visible long way
off, darkening the atmosphere and
bringing with them great destruction.
In the whirl the wind blows with the
force of hurricane, hills OF sand ara
taken up, and are either scattered or
are again gatherel into new hills wher-
ever the storm chooso Is to deposit them,
so that the desert is dotted with fire.
quently shifting sand ranges. Under
these are buried whole caravans of
traders, travellers, and even armies.
The simoom is supposed to have ami
hilated the armies of Sennacherib and
Cambyses.
A party Of officers sleeping on the
roof of Gen. Jacobs house at Jacoba-
bad thus recount their experience of
the simoom: "They were awakened by
a sensation of suffocation and an eX-
ceedingly hot, oppressive feeling in the
air, while at the same time a powerful
smell of sulphur pervaded the atmos-
phere. On the following morning a
number of trees in the garden were
found to be withered in remarkable
manner. It was as if current of fire
about twelve yards in breadth had
passed through the garden in straight
line, smuggling and destroying every green
thing in its course. Entering on one
side and passing out on the other, it's
path was as defined as the course of
river"
Palgrave was overtaken by one of
these scourges in Northern Arabia.
After some preliminary remarks on the
advance of the simeon, be proceeds
$50 dark was the atmosphere and so
burning the heat that it seemed that
hell had risen from the earth or de-
scended from above. But at the mo-
trated poison-blast was coming round
we were already PROSTATE, one and all,
within the tent, with our heads well
wrapped up, almost suffocated, indeed,
but safe; while our camels lay without
like dead, their long necks stretched
out on the sand, awaiting the passing
of the gale.
ave remained thus for ten minutes,
during which still heat, like that of
a red-hot iron slowly passing over us,
was alone to be felt. Then the tent
walls again began TO nap III Ine re-
turning gusts, and announced that the
worst of the simeon had gone by.
My comrades appeared more like
corpses than living men, and so, I sup
pose, did I. However, I could not for
bear, in spite of warnings, to step out
and look at the camels; they were still
lying fiat, as though they had been
dead, and the air was yet darkish, but
before long it frightened up to its
usual dazzling clearness. During the
whole time that the simeon lasted the
atmosphere was entirely free from
sand or dust, so that [ hardly know
how to account for its singular OBJ
security. "-Alta California.