g
in the autumn season, brought upon us the cold of winter.

One day, we were proceeding with difficulty through the arid sandy
desert; the perspiration ran down our foreheads, for the heat was
stifling; we felt overpowered by the closeness of the atmosphere, and our
camels, with outstretched necks and mouths half open, vainly sought in
the air a breath of cooling freshness. Towards noon, dark clouds began
to gather in the horizon; fearful of being surprised by the storm, we
determined to pitch our tent. But where? We looked round on all sides;
we ascended to the tops of the hillocks and anxiously sought with our
eyes for some Tartar habitation, which might provide us with fuel, but in
vain; we had before us on all sides nothing but a mournful solitude.
From time to time, we saw the foxes retiring to their holes, and herds of
yellow goats running to take repose in the defiles of the mountains.
Meantime, the clouds continued to rise and the wind began to blow
violently. In the irregularity of its gusts it seemed now to bring us
the tempest, now to drive it from us. While we were thus suspended
between hope and fear, loud claps of thunder, and repeated flashes of
lightning, that seemed to enkindle the sky, gave us notice that we had no
other resource than to place ourselves entirely in the hands of
Providence. The icy north wind blowing fiercely, we directed our steps
to a defile, which opened near us; but before we had time to reach it the
storm exploded. At first, rain fell in torrents, then hail, and at last
snow half melted. In an instant we were wet through to the skin, and
felt the cold seizing upon our limbs. We immediately alighted, hoping
that walking would warm us a little, but we had hardly advanced ten steps
amidst the deluge of sand, when our legs sank as in mortar. When we
found it impossible to go any further we sought shelter by the side of
our camels, and crouched down, pressing our arms closely against our
sides, in order to attain, if possible, a little warmth.

While the storm continued to hurl against us its fury, we awaited with
resignation the fate which Providence destined for us. It was impossible
to pitch the tent; it was beyond human power to spread cloth saturated
with rain, and half frozen by the north wind. Besides it would have been
difficult to find a site for it, since the water streamed in every
direction. Amid circumstances so dreadful, we looked at each other in
sadness an