Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-27
SAND STORM IN rHE DESSERT.


Mr.. r. Talbot Kelly writes and illus
trates an article entitled My Bedouin
Friends" for the February Century. Mr..
Kelly says Of the dreaded sand storm;
The air is hot and suphurous, while the
sun becomes lurid and sticky IN its slaEe.
AT first the hot wind comes in slight
puffs like breaths from a klni but each
moment it increases in velocity. carrying
with it more and more fine drift-sand,
which, binding the eyes and choklns the
lungs, gradually produces a most tAstre
ing feeling Of depression and suffocation.
BY degrees, as the storm gains strength,
little splnters of rock and small pepDaeS
are lifted up and hurled at one like hall
stones, 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,
leaving only the eyes exposed, is the most
effective protection; but the heat is SUI
locating, and quickly reduces one to i'm
potence. As the storm continues perhaps
for several days, the sun becomes totally
obscured while the eVer-moVlng sand
gradually assumes the appearance of bill
lows. threatening to overWhelm every
thing. Nothing can be distinctly seen
above or around and the moving sand
drifts, splashng and breaking like surf
upon rocks, are slowly but surely enVelop-
ing everything in camp and piling up tons
of drift against tents and baggage.
Camp equipage Is hastily packed and
loaded upon the terror-stricken animals,
and the party starts to ride obliquely
through the storm toward the nearest high
ground or mountain spur To remain still
means to be covered and entombed. Even
should water skins not be cracked or dried
up, in any attempts to drink the sufferer
absorbs as much dust as water, and his
plight is worse than before. Eating is out
of the question; smoking IS equally impos-
sible. Forty-eight hours have ridden In
such circumstances, changing horses from
time to time as they became too much dis
tressed for further use, and until l had
hardly power to mount; After such
ride as this it 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 sup
posed to last for fifty days, is Intermittent
in its energy, three days blow being usu-
ally followed by few fine days; and, as a
rule, its violence is not sufficient to be
source Of danger. AS showing the velocity
of wind sometimes attained / remember
seeing in a delta a palm tree, probably
sixty feet in height, bent over by the wind
until its crest swept the ground and ex-
cavated a large hole in the course of the
day. Besides the khamsin, there are other
forms of sand storm, which, though of
shorter duration, come with a suddenness
tion. The most curious of these is per-
haps what is locally called "a devil'--a
sudden gust of wind eddylng. down the
mountain gorges, and bursting on the
desert like a whirlwind, carrying pillars Of
sand with it.
Another curious phase of the sand
storm is one that l experienced in the
Libyan desert. The weather was perfect.
ly fine, and l was working comfortably at
my picture, when suddenly l noticed in
the horizon what appeared to be cloud.
black In its upper region and orange be-
low. Before l had time to realize what
was happening a blast of cold wind whirled
away picture and easel, and enveloped me
in flying dust and pebbles. A moment
later dust had turned to dropping mud,
rain, drenching me to the skin and ef-
fectually washing the sand ont of my sys-
tenn; after that We're peace and genial sun
shine once more.
Old Million-"My dear Miss Young
thing, if you'd only marry me could
die happy" Miss Youngthing-"W
Mr.. Million, if you were dying, I'd mar
1'V Won in a. minnie '-Tid- pits v