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eight lines circumference in the thickest part. It ap- 
peared to be of the Coluber molurus or Boa kind, but 
had large plates on its head, which approached it to the 
scytale. For these reasons I suppose it to be of an un- 
known kind; but as it was an unclean animal, the law 
prohibited the touching of it, and it was not in my 
power to examine it, nor even to take a drawing of it, 
which would likewise have been a crime in the eyes of 
those who were with me; my servants, therefore, made 
haste to carry off this really handsome and curious ani- 
mal as fast as they could. How is it possible that, in 
a Mahometan country, the natural sciences should make 
any progress. 
The atmosphere was almost continually bright du- 
ring the months of May, June, and July. 
The same day on which the fine serpent was killed, 
a S.E. wind brought on a kind of fog, or a thick sort of 
vapours, which presented a frightful sight. There was 
not a cloud; the horizon appeared like a mass of flame, 
and to the height of about six degrees a dark red line 
seemed to surround us on all the points of the circum- 
ference; from that line to the zenith the sky was all over 
of a lemon colour, and the disk of the sun very pale 
and dull, without any brightness, so that he looked 
like a globe of plaster, or rather a disk of white paper. 
The thermometer was at 36 degrees, and the heat was 
sultry. This meteor lasted the whole day, and I think 
was produced by the wind Simoum, from the desert, 
which, however, was prevented by the chain of the 
Mount Atlas from committing its ravages on this side of 
the mountains. 
The next day the atmosphere was a little less heavy, 
and though the sun could not break quite through, yet 
the phenomenon of yesterday did not recur, 
