

202 TRAVELS IN UPPER 



which Egypt is surrounded. Savary, who was ac- 

 quainted with no desert but this, has applied to it 

 what he has heard related of such as are really so. 

 " Wo be to him/' exclaims he, " whom a whirl- 

 " wind from the south surprises in this solitude \ 

 " Unless he is provided with a tent to shelter him, 

 " he is assaulted by clouds of burning dust which 

 fill his eyes and mouth, and deprive him of the 

 power of respiration and of sight. The wisest 

 " course is to perform this journey by night */* 

 Nothing assuredly can be more terrible than those 

 whirlwinds from the south, but it is certain that 

 nothing of this kind is to be apprehended between 

 Alexandria and Rossetta ; that no one there ever 

 lost his life by clouds of burning dust, and that it 

 is physically impossible such a calamity should befal 

 the traveller in those parts. In fact, the wind is 

 cooled as it comes from the south, by the waters 

 of the lakes and of the canals which it crosses, and 

 they would intercept the columns of sand carried 

 along by the wind, if, besides, it could raise a very 

 great quantity in passing over the cultivated plains 

 of Baliira. There existed a danger more real ; that 

 of being plundered. There were, it is true, guards 

 established to protect the roads. They were to give 

 notice in both the cities, whenever they perceived 

 any suspicious body of men ; travelling then under- 

 went interruption till proclamation was made that 



* Letters on Egypt, vol. i. p. 45. 



the 



