Page 42 - Third Book of Reading Lessons

READING LESSONS. 41
lungs are too rare ed r breathing, and the body is consumed by an internal heat, which often termi­ nates in convulsions and death. The carcasses of the dead exhibit symptoms of immediate putre ction, similar to what is observed to take place on bodies deprived of li ·by thunder, or the e ect of elec­ tricity.
3. When this pestilence visits towns or villages,
the inhabitants shut themselves up, the streets are
deserted, and the silence of the night everywhere
reigns. Travellers in the desert sometimes nd a
creviceintherocks; but,ifremote omshelter,they
must abide the dread l consequences. The only
means of escaping om these destructive blasts, is to
lie at on the ground until th pass over, as they
always move at a certain height in the atmosphere.
Instinct teaches even animals to bow down their
heads, and bury their nostrils in the sand. The dan­
ger is most imminent when they blow in squalls,
which raise up clouds of sand in such quantities, that
it becomes impossible to see to the distance of a few
yards. In these cases, the trave1ler generally lies
down on the lee side of his camel ; but, as the desert
is soon blown up to the level of its body, both are
obliged equently to rise and replace themselves in a
new position, in order to avoid being entirely covered.
In many instances, however, om weariness, int­
ness, or sleepiness, occasioned by the great heat, and
often om a eling of despair, both men and ani­
mals remain on the ground, and in twenty minutes
thev are buried under a load of sand. Caravans are
sometimes swallowed np; and whole armies have perished miserably in these inhospitable deserts.
CABINET LIBRARY.

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