It was on the morning of the second day, about an hour after we had
pitched out tents, that the fatal prophecy of the Maribout, and the
judgment of Allah upon me, for the lie which I had called on him to
witness, was fulfilled.

A dark cloud appeared upon the horizon; it gradually increased, changing
to a bright yellow; then rose and rose until it had covered one-half of
the firmament, when it suddenly burst upon us in a hurricane which
carried every thing before it, cutting off mountains of sand at the
base, and hurling them upon our devoted heads. The splendid tent of the
Emir which first submitted to the blast, passed close to me, flying
along with the velocity of the herie, while every other was either
levelled to the ground or carried up into the air, and whirled about in
mad gyration.

Moving pillars of sand passed over us, overthrowing and suffocating man
and beast; the camels thrust their muzzles into the ground, and,
profiting by their instinct, we did the same, awaiting our fate in
silence and trepidation. But the simoom had not yet poured upon us all
its horrors: in a few minutes nothing was to be distinguished, all was
darkness, horrible darkness, rendered more horrible by the ravings of
dying men, the screams of women, and the mad career of horses and other
animals, which breaking their cords, trod down thousands in their
endeavours to escape from the overwhelming fury of the desert storm.

I had laid myself down by one of my camels, and thrusting my head under
his side, awaited my death with all the horror of one who felt that the
wrath of heaven was justly poured upon him. For an hour I remained in
that position, and surely there can be no pains in hell greater than
those which I suffered during that space of time. The burning sand
forced itself into my garments, the pores of my skin were closed, I
hardly ventured to breathe the hot blast which was offered as the only
means of protracted existence. At last I fetched my respiration with
greater freedom, and no more heard the howling of the blast. Gradually I
lifted up my head, but my eyes had lost their power, I could distinguish
nothing but a yellow glare. I imagined that I was blind, and what chance
could there be for a man who was blind in the desert of El Tyh? Again I
laid my head down, thought of my wife and children, and abandoning
myself to despair, I wept bitterly.

The tears that I shed had a resuscitating effect upon my frame. I felt
revive