A Dust Storm. 



life and death, with their beaks wide open, now flew 

 hither and thither in wild dismay and uttering cries of 

 alarm ; while far away in the southern horizon rose a 

 black band of cloud, which came dust-laden from the 

 Rajpootana desert, to wreak its fury on us. In a few 

 moments all was darkness, and then the storm of wind 

 and sand beat against our houses till they shook them 

 to their very foundations. Generally within half an hour 

 the tempest had spent its force, perhaps with an ac- 

 companiment of thunder and lightning and a few drops 

 of rain. And then we opened our doors, got into our 

 baths to wash off the thick coating of dust that enveloped 

 us, reclothed ourselves in cotton garments which still 

 glowed from the former heat, made our servants dust 

 off the sand that lay on every table and chair, and 

 issued out to find the air cool and bracing, and to enjoy 

 the delightful prospect of getting a good night's rest, 

 which cannot be obtained under ordinary conditions 

 durine the hot weather at Meean Meer. While a dust- 

 storm lasts there is often a marked rise in the tempera- 

 ture of the air. I remember noting once at this station 

 that, towards the end of one of these tempests, the 

 thermometer registered 109° Fahr. in the open air at 

 nine o'clock at night. 



