The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-03-24
BAD-I-sAD.O.BIST.Roz.
only Wind that Blows at the Rate
of 1ZO Miles an Hour.

Only Wind that Blows at the Rate
of 100 Miles an Hour.
From tbs Singapore Ere Press
The Observation-Disclosures" the famous
wind Of 10 days of seistan is the enc
feature Of the country lying at the juno
ton OF Persia, AfghanistAn, ana Belu-
ehistan- This appalling wind dominates
life from May to September. 1t prevails
over a stretch Of country 100 miles wide
and renders existence almost unbearable.
It may vary slightly from year to year
in strength and duration, but invariably
comes from north-northwest, 3s4 degrees
west and degrees on either side of that
IS its greatest variation
In quiet years the wind NAV not ex
coed sixty-fiVe miles an hour, and is sell
dom less than forty. In bad years it
reaches 100 miles an hour The country
Is dominated by It. Houses have 10 be
built with q strong wall on the north
northwest side, blank except FOR one
window. generally divided up into small
holes. which are stopped up with dabs
Of mud as the wind increases, and which
are removed as 1t falls. No garden can
exist without its wind wall Tents have
to be arranged as to trunks and furni-
ture
A table placed close enough to be with
IN reach of the canvas walls as they
sway and sag to the blast wears hole
in the canvas In day or two. Even a
walking stick or cane does the same by
the mere friction of the end against the
stout cloth. The surface of the land is
profoundly modified by this persistent
force. Driving before It great clouds Of
dust and gravel. it acts as p perfect sand
blast and destroys even the strongest
buildings. Loose baked bricks take an
edge like a saw with deeply cut teeth.
Walls at right angles TO its direction are
completely removed. Those end on are
ground and pared away. THE wind Of
Seistan wears away the walls OF build
ings as the milestone wears away steel. -
From the SUBMITS OF the low plateau
that abound in the country. especially
at the commencement Of the wind, when
frost has disintegrated the rock and
soil, drifts hundreds Of yards long and
twenty feet deep are formed. Cattle as
well as men need shelter from the fierce
the enemy to life in
the country. They are penned in cham
bers dug out OF the soil and rooted over
for protection, a sloping ramp affording
means OF egress.
Cattle and donkeys have pieces OF
felt placed on their backs 10 protect
them, but sheep and goats. being much
better provided by nature with prot4c-
ton against the wind. are hertied In pens
surrounded by a fence
Touching the speed Of 40 miles an
hour, II is interesting to note that %
miles represents g gale, so miles a heavy
storm, and 50 TO $50 miles a hurricane
sweeping everything before IL The wind
OF 10 days has every right 10 be cIassed
with those better known classic breezes
dignifed by special names. the simeon,
the sirOcco, the solano. the harmattan.
the puno winds OF Peru. the mistraI Of
Marseilles. the pampero OF Buenos Ayres.
or the willy-wiIly OF West Australia.
The wind Of 30 days is generally hot,
the desert a scorching furnace. seistan
Is IN the latitude OF Cairo. and the tenn
perature in the shade rises TO II5 degrees.
On the sun setting the temperature falls
rapidly. and in the small hours OF the
morning a blanket is welcome.