Note 14 — Chapter V

This wind was still more dreadful in the interior of the country; and at the place where the army was on its march to Cairo; as appears by the following extract from Sir R. Wilson's History of the Expedition to Egypt, vol. 1. p. 177.

ALGUM, 23d May.

"This day will ever be remarkable to the Egyptian army; a sirocco wind darkened with a burning mist the atmosphere; the thermometer was at 120 in the shade; the ground was heated like the floor of a furnace; every thing that was metallic, such as arms, buttons; knives, &c. became burning hot; the poultry, exposed to the air, and several horses and camels died; respiration was difficult, and the lungs were parched with fiery particles. Had the heat continued forty-eight hours, the effect would have been dreadful: but happily as night drew on, the wind cooled, and at last changed to the north west.

"At Balbeis, the thermometer was at 130; on the western side of the Nile 120; at Alexandria 105."

Extract from a Journal written by one of my comrades.

"We had one day's hot wind from the south; it began to blow about 9 o'clock; and wo be to him that is far from shelter, as neither man nor beast can survive it three days! It came from the desert as hot as the opening of an oven door, bringing small sand like mist along with it. All the sentinels were called in, and the cattle crept close to the ground and groaned for fear. The buffaloes took to the river, covering themselves, all but the nose, in the water; and no man was able to stir out of his tent until the evening."