the Arabian name of a hot wind peculiar to the desert of Arabia. It blows over the desert in the months of July and August from the north-west quarter, and sometimes it continues with all its violence to the very gates of Bagdad, but never affects any body within the walls. Some years it does not blow at all, and in others it appears six, eight, or ten times, but seldom continues more than a few minutes at a time. It often passes with the apparent quickness of lightning. The Arabians and Persians, who are acquainted with the appearance of the sky at or near the time this wind arises, have warning of its approach by a thick haze, which appears like a cloud of dust arising out of the horizon; and they immediately upon this appearance throw themselves with their faces to the ground, and continue in that position till the wind is passed, which frequently happens almost instantaneously; but if, on the contrary, they are not careful or brisk enough to take this precaution, which is sometimes the case, and they get the full force of the wind, it is instant death.

The above method is the only one which they take to avoid the effects of this fatal blast; and when it is over, they get up and look round them for their companions; and if they see any one lying motionless, they take hold of an arm or leg, and pull and jerk it with some force; and if the limb thus agitated separates from the body, it is a certain sign that the wind has had its full effect; but if, on the contrary, the arm or leg does not come away, it is a sure sign there is life remaining, although to every outward appearance the person is dead; and in that case they immediately cover him or them with clothes, and administer some warm diluting liquor to cause a perspiration, which is certainly but slowly brought about.

The Arabs themselves can say little or nothing about the nature of this wind, only that it always leaves behind it a very strong sulphurous smell, and that the air at these times is quite clear, except about the horizon, in the north-west quarter, before observed, which gives warning of its approach. We have not been able to learn whether the dead bodies are scorched, or dissolved into a kind of gelatinous substance; but from the stories current about them, there has been frequent reason to believe the latter; and in that case such fatal effects may be attributed rather to a noxious vapour than to an absolute and excessive heat. The story of its going to the gates of Bagdad and no farther may be reasonably enough accounted for, if the effects are attributed to a poisonous vapour, and not an excessive heat. The above mentioned wind, Samiel, is so well known in the neighbourhood of Bagdad and Baffora, that the very children speak of it with dread.