The Abyssinian traveller, Bruce, appears to have
entertained a peculiar dread of the dangers of such
sand columns, but on this point his fear was exasrs'e- A O O rated. Cases may have occurred where caravans have
been suffocated by whirlwinds of sand, but these are
rare exceptions, and the usual effects of the dust
storm are the unroofing of thatched huts, the destruction
of a few date palms, and the disagreeable amount
of sand that not only half chokes both man and beast,
but buries all objects that may be lying on the
ground some inches deep in dust.
The wind at this season (June) was changeable,
and strong blasts from the south were the harbingers
of the approaching rainy season. We had no time
to lose, and we accordingly arranged to start. I discharged
my dirty cook, and engaged a man who was
brought by a coffee-house keeper, by whom he was
highly recommended j but, as a precaution against
deception, X led him before the JVTuclir or Governor, to
be registered before our departure. To my astonishment,
and to his infinite disgust, he was immediately
recognised as an old offender, who had formerly been
imprisoned for theft! The Governor, to prove his
friendship, and his interest in my welfare, immedi-
ately sent the police to capture the coffee-house keeper
who had recommended the cook. No sooner was the
unlucky surety brought to the Divan, than he was
condemned to receive 200 lashes for having given a
false character. The sentence was literally carried out
in spite of my remonstrance, and the police were