Evening star., 1898-10-29
IN A SAND STORM.
1 Graphic Description of a Tempest
in the Desert

From the London Standard
Our camp consists of nine tents. scattered
among dry and stunted acacias on which
he camels feed with evident relish. writes
our war correspondent from the scene of the
British operations on the Nile. Beating
DOWN upon this arid plain is the fierce SUM-
which gives temperature of 120 degrees
N the shade. The heat and glare are intoI-
cradle. At midday one lies sweltering and
Sasping under a coating of sweat and sand
eyes, ears and nose are choked with dust,
while flies, gnats and ants seek out the
tenderest parts There is no escape from
these conditions.
AT first one sighs for a breath of wind to
cool the burning air. When it comes the
effect is disastrous. A binding, suffocating
cloud of dust springs from the earth, sweeps
over the camp and searches out every nook
and Granny in hut and tent. 1t penetrates
he most secret recesses of trunks and box
eS. mingles with food and drink, and makes
a sticky compound of sweat and mud under
which the SKIN smarts and stIngs. Evening
and morning are numbered among the de-
nights Of the desert. Under normal condi-
ions they are pleasant enough, but, unhap-
pity, they are too often attended in these
parts with violent storms of wind and sand
devils. These devils" are Whlrlwinds of
dust that gather volume and force as they
sweep along cutting fresh particles from
the matrix of sandstone rock and driving
heir myriads of atoms to swell the dust OF
The desert. During the last few days we
have had several opportunities of observing
this process of nature. Last night my
blankets were spread under the veranda of
the tent 1t was a beautiful night. The air
was calm, the sky was clear and the moon
cast dark shadows of palm and mimosa on
the white plain. Under these softening in
huences of light and sound the desert lost
its terrors, and one looked dreamily the
picture until a solemn silence fell upon the
camp and sleep sealed the eyelids. a moment
later and the scene was changed. A breath
of hot wind, as from furnace, brought
every tented sleeper to his feet with gasp
Instantly the camp was alive with sound
and motion. The rush of the storm min
gled with the neighing of horses. the groan-
ing of camels, the bleating of goats and
the Tapping of canvas. The moon was hid
den behind cloud of sand. Sand filled the
ara whlrlng, rushing hail of atoms. AS
IL sWirled around and above the tents
straining ropes, dashing against canvas,
tearing tent pegs out of the ground, one be-
gan TO realize how fragile the roof
overhead and to be even thankful that ii
was not more substantial. The sand devil
ragged for nalf an hour without damage
save to tent pegs which flew about rather
dangerously Every moment ] expected the
tent TO collapse and go scudding before the
storm But 1t held fast, and, covering my
mead with blanket, / lay down, smOthered
in dust, while the struggle between canvas
and sand went on, with growing fierceness.
The servants, who lay on the sand, slept
undisturbed until aroused by their masters
Then active operations began, and the
sharp click of mallets falling on tent pegs
was heard through the storm. The tent next
20 mine was the first to go. 1t fell or rather
glided, to the ground and presently there
emerged from the wreckage three figures
Finding the position untenable, / made
virtue of necessity and struck my tent be-
fore further damage could be done Hav-
ing made fast the canvas over my baggage
and furniture, | drew my bed into the open
and. wrapping myself in a blanket lay swell
tering and choking until the storm abated
AT dawn We were able to remove the traces
of this experience. The tents were soon
pitched, furniture, clothes and boxes were
dug out of the sand. and presently Abdul
Hassan, Mahomed and the other servants
were making Kitchen and lighting fires
under cover of some dead bushes