PAINFUL DESERT-TRAVELLING. 323 



faces, as if it had come direct from a furnace and would dry 

 up our very blood, that poor Ranfurly could not endure 

 it, and we were compelled to seek the shelter of a very 

 small mimosa, aided by a bank under which it grew and 

 by a waterproof sheet fastened under its branches. Be- 

 fore arriving here I shot a gazelle, and so supplied our 

 small party with a good luncheon and some strong soup 

 for Ranfurly, and then carefully preserved the rest 

 against future emergencies. At 4 P.M. the wind, though 

 still amounting to a gale from the north-east, was much 

 cooler, and having resumed our journey we progressed 

 very well for a time ; but then a new trial came upon us, 

 almost greater that the last, for we suddenly found our- 

 selves in the midst of a sand-storm which made every 

 thing invisible beyond the radius of a few yards, and 

 rendered it almost impossible to keep the eyes open a 

 moment. Now there was no chance of escape from the 

 blinding storm, not even a stunted mimosa to give us 

 partial protection from it, so on and on we went over the 

 desolate plain, hoping constantly that we might reach 

 some place of shelter, until, after two hours had elapsed, 

 we partially escaped it by entering upon more rocky 

 ground. I had a pair of gauze spectacles and a green .( 

 veil for Ranfurly, which were a great protection to his 

 face, and, holding on to the pommels of our saddles to 

 prevent being blown off, we continued silently on our 

 way. The wind showed no signs of abatement at sun- 



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