g on its
banks; the walls of a city, with its domes, and spires, and tall
palm-trees, behind. How delightful was the spectacle! Eager to reach
it, I could not help urging on my camel; many others did the same, but
our leaders proceeded as deliberately as before, regarding the spectacle
with no concern; when, as we advanced, it suddenly vanished, and I found
that we had been deceived by a mirage, so common in the Desert.

The atmosphere had hitherto been calm, not a cloud dimmed the bright
blue sky; but before long the wind, hot as from a furnace, swept by us,
the sun struck down on our heads with irresistible force, while the
azure of the sky changed to a lurid tint. I saw the Arabs looking
anxiously at each other. Stronger and stronger came the wind, blowing
the sand like spray from off the ground. Turning my head, I observed a
dark cloud advancing towards us, sweeping over the ground. On it came,
rising upwards, and completely obscuring the heavens. In vain would we
have attempted to escape from it; almost immediately we were enveloped
in a vast mass of sand, through which even the sun's rays, with all
their power, could not penetrate. Darker and darker it grew, till we
could scarcely distinguish those who rode on either side of us; while
sand filled eyes, ears, and mouth, and covered our hair, even
penetrating through our clothes. The Arabs shouted to each other to
keep together, and dashed forward; but thicker and thicker came the
storm. My tongue felt as if turned to leather, a burning thirst
attacked me, and it was with difficulty I could speak; while others were
suffering even more severely than I was.

The sheikh had called a halt; and those in the rear came crowding up,
almost riding over the front ranks before they were aware that they had
reached them. Men and animals stood huddled together in a vast mass.
To lie down would have been death; had any attempted to do so, they
would either have been trampled under foot or have been buried beneath
the sand. The fierce wind rendered it useless to pitch the tents,
seeing they would have been blown down as soon as erected, or carried
away before the blast. Occasionally those nearest each other would ask
whether the storm was at the worst; but no one dared reply.

The clouds of sand became thicker and thicker; we seemed to have death
alone to expect. Complete silence prevailed; the horses hung their
tongues out of their mouths, the camels drooped their