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 oi nine tents, scat
tered among dry aud stuntcd acacias. on
which the cnmcls feed with evident relish
writes our war CORES ponlont from tho
scene of the British operations on the
Nile. Beating down upon this arid plain
Is the fierce sun, which gives tcmpera.
turc of l20 degrees in the shade The
heat and glare are intolcrahle At mid
day one lies swel:cring and gnspinR under
a coating Of sweat and sand, eyes, ears
and nose are chokcd with dust, while flies,
gnats and ants seek out tho tcndcrest
parts There is no escape from these con-
ditions
At first one signs for breath of wind
to cool the burning mir When 1t comes,
the effect is disastrous \ binding, sui
locating cloud of dust springs from the
earth, sweeps over the camp and searches
out every nook and Granny in hut and
tent. Ii pcnctratcs the most secret cccesses
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
are numbered among the delights of the
desert Under normal conditions they are
pleasant enough but. unhappiiy. they are
too often attended in these parts with vio-
lent storms Of wind and sand devils
These devils are wi irlwinds Of dust
that gather volume and force as they
twccp along cutting fresh Particles from
the matrix of sandstone rock and driving
shcir myriads of atoms to- swell the dust
of the desert During tho last few days
we have had several opportunities Of OBJ
serving this process Of nature Last night
my blankets were spread under the veran-
da of the tent 1t WAS Il beautiful night
The air was calm. the sky was clear and
the moon east dan shadows of palm and
mimosa on the white plain Under these
softeniug Influences of light and sound
the desert lost its tcrrhrS and one looked
drcamily on the picture until solemn 81.
lence fell upon tho camp and sleep sealed
the eyclids
moment later and the scene was
changed \ breath Of hut w.nd as from a
furnace. brought every tented sleeper To
his feet with gasp Instantly the camp
was alive with sound ard motion The
rush of the storm mingled with the neigh
ing of horses the Groaning uf camels. the
bleating OF goats and - Tapping OF can
vas The moon 0Ht hidden trh.nd cloud
Of sand sand IL. Il tie air-a whlrling
rushing hail Of atoms As 1t swirlcd
around and above the tents, strainiug 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 it was not more sub.
stantial
The sand devil ragged for half an hour
without damage, save 10 tent pegs which
flew about rather dangerously Every mo-
mcnt | expected the tent To collapse and
go scudding before the storm. but it held
fast, and, covering my head with IA blan-
ket | lay down. si,.oi hcr,d III dust. while
the struggle between canvas and sand
went on with growing iicrccncsS The
servants, who lay on the sand. slept un
disturbed until aroused by their masters
Then active operations b ,nn and the
sharp click of malcts falling Oh tent pegs
was heard through tho Storm iic tent
next to mine WAS the first u 20 e fell
or, rather glidcd, 81 the gruInl. and
presently there emerged from the wreck
age three figures Finding the position
untenable, l made 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 "A 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 wcre 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