The Land of Midian (Revisited) Volume II Part 27

This is second day of Khamsin. Comes up about ten a.m.; wind either too much or too little. At 2.5 p.m. nearly blew tent down.

April 2. 5.10a.m. 28.98 70 - - -6 At foot of Maru Rubayyigh in Wady Rabigh. Morning perfectly still. All appearance of Khamsin. Light horizontal striae to north.

Noon. 29.15 92 - - -18 At Abu Gezaz valley, under tree. Much bothered by small flies.

3.10p.m. 29.14 100 - - -25 In big tent, which was again blown down.

Third day of Khamsin. All animals weak and worn out. Wind comes up later-- 11.30 a.m. to noon. Gives feeling of faintness and awful thirst. "Devils"

(Zawabah) rose high in valley with electrical whirl. Evening lowering. Wind or rain clouds from west and north. Night still and cool. Threatening clouds east and west.

April 3. 5a.m. 29.20 65 - - -13 At Abu Gezaz valley. Morning cool (sign Khamsin gone). Sun pleasant. Red wind-clouds to north and east. At six a.m.

pleasant, cool land-breeze from south.

Noon. 28.80 90 - - -16 At El-Bada, under palm-tree.

Wind west. Milky sky, all white.

3p.m. 28.75 95 - - -24 In big tent. Regular Khamsin-- very nasty. Clouds to west.

Night still. Neither warm nor cool. climate fine. Colds and coughs disappeared.

AT EL-BADa.

April 4. 5.30a.m. 28.70 68 - - -7 On box outside tent. Traces of dew. White clouds. Looked regularly like a Khamsin day.

Noon. 28.74 90 - - 2 In big tent. No sun. Air muggy. White gleams. View poor; like rain. Strong blast from south-west. Heavy clouds west and north. Drops of rain fell three times between one p.m. and three p.m.

3p.m. 28.70 90 - - -8

At four p.m. in west a dust like general or prairie fire. A few drops of rain fell at long intervals--could not catch any for photographs. Broad parallel veins of white, red, and black cloud rising from east to west. Puffs of cold wind came on, soon growing to blasts; then storm came down upon us. No thunder or lightning. Kind of "dust-bow" in west (no rain), half the arc. Wind then turned north and felt cold and rainy. Heavy cloud-bank to west. Forms of mountains crept out of the brown and purple mist, half dust, half rain. All enjoyed storm. No rain for two years has fallen here. Rainbows at El-'Akabah (double) and at Shuwak (single). Cool and pleasant night, with dew. Mean of six aneroid observations at El-Bada, 28.78. After leaving El-Bada mornings and evenings delightful; sun warm in day; nights cool and pleasant. Dust at times.

April 5. 4.30a.m. 28.65 - - - -8 In big tent at Bada. Dust "devils." Great change after rain. Very damp.

3p.m. 28.58 86 - - -3 At 'Ayn el-Kurr, under shade of rock. Strong north wind.

Though all prophesied Azyab or "south-easter," this was perhaps the finest of all our days. Night cool. Cold wind at one a.m., of which all complained.

April 6. 5.45a.m. 28.59 58 - - 6 At 'Ayn el-Kurr, on box outside tent. White clouds to south. No wind. False sea- breeze at seven a.m.; true at ten a.m. Cloudy forenoon.

11.45a.m.28.90 84 - - - In Wady el-Kurr.

3p.m. 28.87 87 - - -3 At Wady Laylah, in big tent.

Afternoon windy as usual.

Puffs from west (sea-breeze), cold. Sky quite clear.

Mountains milky.

Night cool, but not cold.

April 7. 4.15a.m. 28.80 60 - - +5 In big tent at Wady Laylah.

Morning especially bright.

Lucifer like a little moon.

Breeze at eight a.m.

Noon. 29.39 54 - - +2 Wady Birkat, under rock. Going down seawards fast. Cool west wind. Good sea-breeze. Sky and sun clear--sun not unpleasant.

Hot in sheltered bends.

3.10p.m. 29.46 81 - - 4 At Abal-Ajaj, under tamarisks.

Dew at night.

April 8. 5a.m. 29.55 60 - - 27 Outside tent at Abal-Ajaj.

Cool morning; warmer at eight a.m. before breeze set in.

Noon. 29.94 83 - - 22 At the temple (El-Gasr), Wady Hamz. Sand-dust with sea- breeze, terrible at temple and around it. Eyes filled, clothes covered. Saw mirage-- well defined for first time.

3p.m. 29.90 52 - - 20 At Wady Hamz. Hygrometer damp on account of sea-breeze.

April 9. 4a.m. 29.92 70 - - 25 Still, clear, and beautiful, like all these mornings. Hot sun. Blue sea, gla.s.sy near the sh.o.r.e. Puffs of wind from east.

Noon. 29.90 96 - - -8 In big tent at Wady Mismah.

Cool breeze from north-cast.

Heat strongly reflected from quartz. Vegetation dreadfully dry; plants look dead. Two bad years.

3p.m. 29.74 92 - - -18 In big tent at Abal-Maru.

Another nasty afternoon. High west wind--sea-breeze, not Khamsin; tent almost blown down. Dust dreadful.

Evening charming. Night admirably cool.

April 10 4.20a.m. 29.74 - - - 0 In big tent at Abal-Maru.

Splendid morning; few striae in east. Will be hot.

4.30p.m. 29.95 - 76 73 - On board Sinnar, captain's cabin. Pleasant afternoon.

Cool sea-breeze.

ON BOARD "SINNaR."

April 11.6a.m. 29.86 - 70 66 - In captain's cabin. Felt damp strongly after the Desert.

12.30p.m.29.87 - 78 74 - All complaining of heat (white heat); damp is the cause. No sea-breeze to speak of.

3.15p.m. 29.83 - 79 75 - White clouds everywhere.

Curious wind-clouds, not a little like comets.

Heavy dew. Streets of El-Wijh wet.