438 SAND-PLAmS OF BELGIUM. [April 



it is not so. Tlie wall lias not been able to stop tlie drift, and 

 the masses of sand whicli have been deposited on the red clift' 

 consist of annexed grains of sand which have been blown upwards. 

 If the dunes be contemplated daring a strong wind, the summits 

 of them may be seen enveloped in fine clouds, and it will be found 

 that the larger sand-grains are, as it seems, being pushed onwards : 

 in a gale or storm it is scarcely possible to withstand the sand- 

 drift with a dry eye." 



In connection with these accounts of phenomena noticed by Herr 

 Wessely, I may mention the following : — 



" Captain Wood, of the East India Company's navy, in his Narrative 

 of a Journey to the Sourec of the River Oxus, states that at the 

 npper end of Koh-Daman, which lies immediately to the north of- 

 Kabul, on its eastern side, the face of the hills, at one particular 

 spot, is covered with fine sand called Eeig-Eawan, or the moving 

 sand. To this the natives of the valley ascribed the utterance of 

 strange unearthly sounds, and by their marvellous relations induced 

 us to visit the spot. The moving sand rests upon a base of 100 

 yards wide, and stretches up the face of the rock for 250 yards, 

 with an acclivity of about 45°. At 3 p.m. the temperature 

 of the sand on the surface was 103°, while at the depth of 

 10 inches it was only 75°. Looking down from the top of this 

 sand}'' inclined plane, it is seen to be in a hollow of the rock front- 

 ing west-south-west. The formation of the adjoining rocks are- 

 limestone, and a loose conglomerate sandstone. The first is both 

 fractured and calcined, and the sound appearances observed at other 

 places along the side of the valley ; but it is always local : that 

 bordering the moving sand is always so. From Eeig-Eawan there 

 is no other sand deposit visible, though farther south, and on the 

 east side of the valley, there are one or two smaller stripes, but 

 Avhicli are not asserted to be local. The west side of Koh-Daman 

 is composed of granite, and the prevailing wind is from the north, 

 biit no sand is likely to come from either of these directions. From 

 the known propensity of the ignorant to exaggerate everything con- 

 nected with supposed supernatural agency, we did not come to the 

 place very confident believers in the current tales of Eeig-Eawan. 

 However, we did as we were directed, and sent one man to the top 

 of the sandy stripe, while we took up a position in the most favour- 

 able place to hear any noise that might be emitted. The party 

 above came trampling down, and continued their march to the foot 

 of the inclined plane, but without eliciting the slightest sound. 

 This was repeated again and again, but only once with any success. 

 The sound then heard was like that of a distant drum, mellowed by 

 softer music. The secret of Eeig-Eawan is, I should imagine, that 



