468 Moving Pillars of Sand. [Book V. 



non fhot. About noon they began to advance with 

 confiderable fwiftnefs upon us, the wind being very 

 ftrong at north. Eleven of them ranged alongfide of 

 us about the diftance of three miles. The greatefl 

 diameter of the larged appeared to me at that diftance, 

 as if it would meafure ten feet. They retired from us 

 with a wind at fouth eaft j leaving an impreflion upon 

 my mind to which I can give no name, though furely 

 one ingredient in it was fear, with a confiderable deal 

 of wonder and aftonilhment. It was in vain to think 

 of flying ; the fwifteft horfe, or faded failing (hip, 

 could be of no ufe to carry us out of this danger ; and 

 the full perfuafion of this ri vetted me as if to the fpot 

 where I dood, and let the camels gain on me fo much 

 in my date of lamenefs, that it was with fome difficulty 

 I could overtake them/ 



The fame phenomena again occurred in the courfc 

 of a few days. c The fame appearance of moving pil- 

 lars of land prefented themfelves to us this day, in form 

 and difpofition like thofe we had feen at Waadi Hal- 

 boub, only they feemed to be more in number, and lefs 

 in fize. They came feveral times in a direction clofe 

 upon us j that is, I believe, within lefs than two miles. 

 They began immediately after fun-rife, like a thick 

 wood, and almod darkened the fun : his rays fhining 

 through them for near an hour, gave them an appear- 

 ance of pillars of fire. Our people now became defpe- 

 rate : the Greeks (hrieked out, and faid it was the day 

 of judgment. Ifmael pronounced it to be hell, and the 

 Tucorories, that the world was on fire. I afked Idris 

 if ever he had before feen fuch a fight ? he faid he had 

 often feen them as terrible, though never worfe ; but 

 what he feared mod was the extreme rednefs of the air, 

 which was a fure prefage of the coming of the fimoom. 

 I begged and intreated IdrLs that he would not^ ay one 



word 



