PESTILENTIAL WINDS. 
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my faithful Persian, being now attacked in a similar way, from 
the same cause, the excessive heat; fearing the consequences, I 
was cautious to expose them further, till some amelioration of 
their symptoms might better enable them to bear fatigue in so 
parching an atmosphere. Indeed, at the moment I sat down 
by my invalids, to prepare them medicines to the extent of my 
skill, the degree of heat was so oppressive, that, from my own 
feelings, I should suppose it not to have been less than 95 J in 
the shade ; and this too so late as October ! 
October 9th.— My people were still too ill to-day to give any 
signs of speedy amendment; and in order to while away my 
anxiety in this untoward detention, I sent for the master of the 
khaun, to make some enquiries respecting the country and its 
inhabitants. He told me, that they consider October the first 
month of their autumn, and feel it delightfully cool in com¬ 
parison with July, August, and September; for that during 
forty days of the two first-named summer months, the hot wind 
blows from the desert, and its effects are often destructive. Its 
title is very appropriate, being called the Samiell or Baude Se- 
moon, the pestilential wind. It does not come in continued 
long currents, but in gusts at different intervals, each blast 
lasting several minutes, and passing along with the rapidity 
of lightning. No one dare stir from their houses while this 
invisible flame is sweeping over the face of the country. Pre¬ 
vious to its approach, the atmosphere becomes thick and suf¬ 
focating, r and appearing particularly dense near the horizon, 
gives sufficient warning of the threatened mischief. Though 
hostile to human life, it is so far from being prejudicial to the 
vegetable creation, that a continuance of the Samiell tends to 
ripen the fruits. I enquired what became of the cattle during 
