RED FOGS. 369 



finer particles in the form of dust, rise to an infinitely 

 greater height, and are sometimes carried to extra- 

 ordinary distances even out to sea.* 



The propelling and carrying powers of the winds, 

 as we know, are very great so great, that it is im- 

 possible to place a limit to their capacity in this respect. 

 " The red fogs " which navigators speak of, however, 

 are known to extend many hundreds of miles to sea- 

 ward. These fogs are caused by clouds of dust, known 

 to seamen as " sirocco " or " African dust, " which 

 there can be little doubt proceed from the desert. 



" It is of a brick red, or cinnamon colour (such being the 

 colour of the sands throughout the Sahara), and sometimes comes 

 down in such quantities as to obscure the sun, darken the hori- 

 zon, and cover the sails and rigging with a thick coating of dust, 

 though the vessel may be hundreds of miles from land."f 



A remarkable instance of one of these extraordinary 

 dust storms is related by Dr. Clymer, Fleet-Surgeon 

 of the U.S. African Squadron, who reports that a "red 

 fog" was encountered in February 1856 by the U.S. 

 Ship "Jamestown" while far from any land 



"We were," says he, "immersed in the dust fog six days, 

 entering it on the night of the Qth of Feb., in Lat. 7 30' 

 N. and Long. 15 W. ; and emerging from it on the I5th, 

 in Lat 9 N. and Long 19 W. The red dust settled 

 thickly on the sails, decks, etc., from which it was easily 

 collected. It was an impalpable powder of a brick dust, or 

 cinnamon colour, and the atmosphere was so dusky, that we 

 could not have seen a ship beyond a quarter of a mile." 



* Le Desert et Le Soudan, par M. Le Comte D'Escayrac de Lauture, 

 1853, p. 47. 



f The Physical Geography of the Sea, by Lieut. M. F. Maury, 

 'U.S.N., 1 6th Edit. p. 145. 



Sailing Directions, by Lieut. Maury, U.S.N., 8th Edit. Vol. ii. t 

 P- 477- 



VOL. I. 24 



