D raw n , fry tÄ G . ^/a^frsan In this fatiguing journ e y, the akkabaahs do not proceed in a direct line across the trackless Desert to the place o f their destination, but turn occasionally eastward or westward, according to the situation o f certain fertile, inhabited, and cultivated spots, interspersed in various parts o fSahara, like islands in the ocean, called Oas,* or Oases; these serve as watering-places to the men, as well as to feed, refresh, and replenish the h a rd y and patient c am e l: at each o f these Oases, the akkabaah sojourns about seven days, and then proceeds on its journ ey, until it reaches another spot o f the same description. In the intermediate journies, the hot and impetuous winds denominated Shume,+ convert the Desert into a moveable sea, aptly deno- * yUi E laah; this is the Arabic name; modern Europeans have, by adding an s made it wahs, the Romans not having the latter w have made it oas, and by the propensity to use this letter, it has been again added to make it plural; hence the word oasis, or wahsis. The plural in Arabic is E l Wahahi. t /« t Asshume, or Shum e; this wind has been already mentioned; during its continuance, it is impossible to live in the upper rooms of the houses, the inhabitants, therefore, retire to subterraneous apartments, cellars, or warehouses on the ground floor, eating nothing but fruits, as the water melon, and the prickly pear, for animal food at this period is loathsome whilst hot, and has scarcely time to cool before it becomes tainted. The walls of the bed chambers being of stone, buckets of water are thrown against them to render the rooms habitable towards night; and so great is their heat, that in doing this, the effect is similar to what is produced by casting water on hot iron. 1 have felt the Shume 20 leagues out at sea; when in lat. north 30°, longitude west 11° 30', 1 astonished the captain of the ship, by directing his attention to particles of sand which fell on the deck; and although the mariners actually collected about a wine glass full of this sand by Sweeping the deck, yet he would scarcely credit the cause to which I ascribed it, until we reached Agadeer, when he met with many daily proofs of the extraordinary effects of this tremendous wind. I never found any extreme inconvenience from the Shume north of the province of Suse, although at Mogodor it is sometimes felt, but seldom or ever continues more than three days. The Akkabaahs are sometimes obliged suddenly to strike their tents, and proceed on their journey, from the Shume arising, and drifting the loose sand along the
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