Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-03-02
WHERE sun KILLS
Heat in Tropical Desert Fatal TO
European.
Garments Lined With Red Material
Must Be Used by Traveller In the
African Bush.


In the tropical bush desert the sun
can Kill you Ia II matter of minutes
fatally impairlng your nerve system
and your mind.
The nOmad of the desert goes about
without head cover; when lie does wear
IT, II Is only FOR ornament or Ia keep
HIM bit cooler. His light turhan,
worn 10y YOU. would lead to the most
serious Illness or death.
The European protects himself
against the sun I'm the desert as care
nlly las the invalid In our latitude
wraps himself against chill on "A severe
winter day; with the same care.
though IN different fashion.
The feet legs and lower body. In
boots. leggings and light short trous-
ers. look after themselves; il is the
parts where the sun can de- vital dam
age thar need watching. The back l.
protected by wide. thick ,spinepad.
lined in strong red the color that
counterncts the deadly violet" rays.
The efficient helmet has large red
lined flap covering the back of the
neck-anOther vulnerable spot-and
the helmet itself thickly made. and
Gomed high To leave space between the
interior and the top of the head. Is
also heavily lined with red. Some,
cheap gear often. are lined with fancy
green and other colors Red Is the
only color-security against even head
ache IN the hotter hours of the shade
less bush of the equator.
There l. one time however. during
which man. of whatever race cor how
sOeyer clothed. must I'm the real bush
desert give way before the almighty
power of the sun-the three midday
hours.
Inside the double-roofed canvas tent
set up All hour ago the white official.
his midday meal of beef and timed
vegetables just finished, wipes his
brow and. removing boots and leg
gings. stretches out on the camp bed
close by.
Weariness is coming over him after
the long five hours march from sun
rise He pulls his helmet over his eyes
and drowsily looks down beyond his
hose through the open flat of the tent.
A strange air Of quiet has come over
the midday camp. Up till half an hour
ago all VAS The usual tumult and noise
that is part OF his life twice a day
when camp is made camels snarl-
ing and bubbllng ~ they knelt 10 be
ff-loaded-svces chanting mon0tUnous
~ while at work on the baggage
pickets being posted--seryants shout
ing and whislling.
Now all is changed. The profound
quiet intenslfyng each moment l. not
merely due To things having settled
down.
Outside there the squat bush shad-
owS have shrunk to their shortest the
sunlight. yellow all morning. has
turned CHASTITY white. The camp
square is deserted; those bushes. each
with n brown camel-mat slung over 1t.
shows where the restless figures have
reIreated "A while.
The camels themselves have ceased
10 stray about in the thin chechered
shade OF that grazing thorn over N"h-
der they are standing still save for the
fiicking of tail as they anEuldlN
chew the cud. Even the hornbill bird.
melancholy songster of the wilds, has
ceased its mOurnful chant The last
breath or the morning wind has faint
ed away: not a twig moves; not an
insects Iuurmurng note is heard
around III. shadowless scrub trembling
ia the haZe.
Ii is as though the world about were
suddenly hypnotlzed. ii Is. In that
pyramid. of binding rays at this belly
OF the world all nature Is struck In a
swooIi-the earth man. beast ana
every living thing thereon-in the
binding storm OF heat and the white
horror of the midday sun.