256 
WIDiS AND lNKOSriTABX.E DESERTS' 
have endeavoured to sit on the camels _ / 
nty to nave enueavoureu lo sre on uie can' — .,,|f 
impetuous fury. Before it began, tlie sky "ais ^ 
a few small clouds in the north-west quartet 
only w.intfflgs It afforded, were the oppressive si 
the air, and a vast number of whirlwinds sp'"'. “j,t 1 
on all sides. These whirlwinds, he observe.s, •ti'o 
haps be more correctly expressed by some other 
llSP’^rjtt 
as the wind issued from diem, he adopts the tenm 
are vast columns of sand, which begin by n 
triflirt 
or,!;'! 
tation, with a revolving motion on the surface f 
sert, and gradually ascend and expand, until 
are lost to die view. In this manner they, inov'® wi!, 
- 
them at the same time, of different dimensions, 
ev'ery breath of wind, and are observed, thirty 
pill 
vvli^’i 
lii 
from one to twenty yards in diameter. Those 
.seen a water-spout at sea, may exactly concert 
formed of sand on shore. The moment ifl® 
the whirlwinds disperse, which they did as it w 
and a cloud of dust approacliing, he advised th 
dismount, which they had hardly time to do, 
themselves snugly behind the camels, when a ‘ ^ 
upon dicm with a furious blast of wind, the 
Jiuge drops, and the air being so completely ' 
that they were unable to discern any object at W’ 
of even five yards. , rpl ^ 
The following is Brace’s account of this singi^ 
menoii, which he represents as one of the most 
spectacles imaginable, and by which hlmself^anrt^j.i;.ii^, 
panions were at once surprised and terrified. Har’‘’=|jy ,• 
vvciv: rtt UiJL-C ok.ll ctllkl LCllillCkl< * ■* 
the vast expanse of desert which lies to the 
west of Chendi, they saw a number of prodig’*^ ■ 
vvii 
ot sand at different distances, at times moving 
celerity, and at others stalking on with a niajei’l"' 
At intervals the party tJiought they should be ovc \ 
by these sand pillars; and small quantities ‘ 
actually more than once reach them. AgaiO; ^ ^ 
retreat so as to be almost out of sight, their suniH’^^p/' ) 
ing to the very clouds. There tlie tops 
from the bodies ; and these, once disjointed, 
the air, and did not appear more'. They "'erej’^ 
broken near tiie middle, as if struck with a 
»hot. About noon they began to advance ^ 
