Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-02-11
in A SANDSTONE.
A Graphic Description of a Temp
est in the Desert.

Our camp consists Of nine tents, scat
tered among dry aud stuuted acacias. on
which the camcls feed with evident relish,
writes our war respondent from tho
scene of the British operations on the
Nile Beating down upon this arid plain
is the fierce sun which gives tempera-
turc of l2O degrees in the shade. The
heat and glare are intolcrable At mid
day one lies swel;cring and Gasping under
a coating of sweat and sand, eyes, ears
and nose are chokcd with dust, while flics
gnats and ants seek out the tendcrest
parts There is no escape from these con-
ditions
AT first one sighs for breath of wind
TO cool the burning air When 1t comes,
the effect is disastrous binding suf
locating cloud of dust springs from the
earth. sweeps over the camp and searches
out every nook and Granny in hut and
tent. Ii pcnetrates the most secret rccesscs
of trunks and boxes, mingles with food
and drink. and makes sticky compound
Of sweat and mud under which the skin
smarts and stings. Evening and morning
arc numbered among the delights of the
desert Under normal conditions they are
pleasant enough, but, unhapply. they are
too often attended in these parts with vio-
lent storms of wind and sand devils
These devils are wlirlwinds of dust
that gather volume and force as they
tweep along cutting fresh particles from
the matriX of sandstone rock and driving
shcir myriads of atoms TO swell the dust
of the desert During the last few days
we have had several opportunities of OBJ
serving this process cf nature Last night
my blankets were spread under the veran-
da of the tent Ii WAS a beautiful night
The air WAS calm. the sky was clear and
the moon east daIk shadows of palm and
mimosa on the white plain Under these
softening Influences of light and sound
the desert lost its tcrrars. ard one looked
dreamily on The picture until IL solemn 81
lence fell upon tho camp and sleep sealed
the eyclids
moment later ard the scene was
changed a l;reath Ct hot wind Us from a
furnace, brought every .rnted sleeper to
his feet with gasp Instantly the camp
was alive with sound and motion The
rush of the storm mngl,d with the neigh
ing of horses the groaning of cainels. tho
blcating of goats and re liapping OF can
vas The moon WAS hidden tchnda cloud
of sand. Sand III. Il the air-a whirling
rushing hail of atoms As 1t swirlcd
around and above the tents, straining ropes
dashing against canvas tearing tent pegs
out of the ground. one began to realize
how fragile was the roof overhead and TO
be even thankful that ii was not Hure sub
stantial
The sand devil ragged for half an hour
without damage, save To tent pegs which
flew about rather dangerously Erery mo-
ment | expected the tent to collapse and
go scudding i,fore the storm. but it held
fast, and, covering my hoa;l with blan-
ket, lay down. smOthcrod in dust, while
the struggle between canvas and sand
went on with growing iicrrencss The
servants, who lay on the sand slept un
disturbed until aroused by their masters
Then active operations ,an. and tho
sharp click of malets falling on tent pegs
was heard through tho storm / hc tent
next to mine WAS the first IT, 20 Il fell
or, rather, glided to the groanl anu
presently there emerged from the wreck
age three figures Finding the position
untenahie, made "a virtue OF necessity
and struck my tent before further damage
could be done Having made fast the can
vas over my baggage and furniture |
drew my bed into the open, and, wrapping
myself in blanket, lay sweltering and
choking until the storm Htatcd At dawn
we were able to remove the traces of this
experience The tents were soon pitched,
furniture. clothes and boxes wcrn dug out
of the sand and presently Abdul llassan
Mahomed and the ether servants were
making kitchen and lighting fires un.
der cover OF some dead bushes London
STANDARD