The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-03-03
A SANDSTONE IN THE DESERT.


The Heat II sunocatinH and the Sand
Cuts the Skin Like knives.
The air is hot and sulphurous, while
the sun becomes lurid and sickly in its
glare. At first the hot u ind comes in
slight pulls, like breaths from kiln;
but each moment it increases in We
locity, carrying with it more and more
drift-sand, which, binding the eyes
and choking the lungs, gradually pro-
duces most distressing feeling OF de-
preston and suffocation. BY degrees,
as the storm gains strength, little splin- /
tiers of rock and small pebbles are lifted
up and hurled at one like hailstones,
cutting the skin like knives, until eyes
and ears are full of blood, unless one
has been able to protect himself against
the blast. The native cufia, or silk
scarf, wrapped round the head and face,
and leaving only the eyes exposed, is
the most effective protection; but the
heat is suffocating, and quickly reduces
one to- impotence. AS the storm con-
tinues perhaps several days. while the
ever-moeing sand gradually assumes
the appearance of pillows, threatening
be distinctly seen above or around; and
the moving sand-drifts, splashing and
breaking like surf upon rocks, are slow
ly but surely enveloping everything in
camp, and piling up tons of drift against
tents and baggage. =.
Camp equipage is hastily packed and
loaded upon the terror-stricien ami
mails, and the party starts to ride.
obliquely through the storm toward
the nearest high ground or mountain
spur. To remain still means to be COW
cred and entombed. Even should water
skins not be cracked or dried up. in
any attempts to drink the sufferer alb
serbs as much dust as water, and his
plight is worse than before. Eating is
out of the question:; smoking is equally
impossible. Forty-eight hours have !
ridden in such circumstances, chang
ing horses from time to time as they be-
come too much distressed for further
use, and until I had hardly power to
mount. After sudh. a ride as this il
may well be imagined how we relished
our first halt in the shelter of friendly
hill, and enjoyed the luxury of dish
of sour milk, and. above all, smoke.
Fortunately, the khamsin, though
supposed to last for so days, is intermit-
tent in its energy, three days blow be-:
ing usually followed by few fine days;
and, as rule, its violence is not suf-
fcient to be source of danger. AS
showing the velocity of wind sometimes
attained, remember seeing in the
delta palm tree, probably 60 feet in
height, bent over by the wind until
its crest swept the ground and exca-
waited large hole in the course of the
| day. Besides the khamsin, there are
| other forms of sand-storm, which.
Enough of shorter duration, come with
a suddenness and vehemence that al
most defy protection. The most curious
of these is perhaps what is locally
called "a devil''- "a sudden gust of wind
cddying down the mountain gorges,
and bursting on the desert like whirl-
wind, carrying pillars of sand with it.
Another curious phase of the sand
storm is :one that experienced in the
Libyan desert. The weather was per-
fectly fine, and I was working COM
fortably at my picture, when suddenly
I noticed in the horizon what ap-
peared 10 be cloud, black in it's up
per region and orange below. Before I
had time: to realize what was happen
| ing, blast of cold wind whirled away
picture and easel, and enveloped me
in dust and flying pebbles. A moment
later dust. had turned to dropping mud,
| which in burn gave place to torrential
rain, drenching me to the skin, and
effectually washing the sand out of my
system; after that were peace and
| genial sunshine once more.-R. Talbot
! Kelly, in Century.