the name of a hot southerly wind common in Egypt, of which we find the following description in Mr Volney's Travels.—These winds, says he, are known in Egypt by the general name of winds of 50 days; not that they last 50 days without intermission, but because they prevail more frequently in the 50 days preceding and following the equinox. Tra- KAM

Kamtschats have mentioned them under the denomination of poisonous winds, or, more correctly, hot winds of the desert. Such in fact is their quality; and their heat is sometimes so excessive, that it is difficult to form any idea of its violence without having experienced it; but it may be compared to the heat of a large oven at the moment of drawing out the bread. When these winds begin to blow, the atmosphere assumes an alarming aspect. The sky, at other times so clear in this climate, becomes dark and heavy; the sun loses his splendour and appears of a violet colour; the air is not cloudy, but gray and thick, and is in fact filled with an extremely subtle dust, which penetrates everywhere. This wind, always light and rapid, is not at first remarkably hot, but it increases in heat in proportion as it continues. All animated bodies soon discover it by the change it produces in them. The lungs, which a too rarefied air no longer expands, are contracted, and become painful. Respiration is short and difficult; the skin parched and dry, and the body consumed by an internal heat. In vain recourse had to large draughts of water; nothing can restore perspiration. In vain is coolness sought for; all bodies in which it is usual to find it deceive the hand that touches them. Marble, iron, water, notwithstanding the sun no longer appears, are hot. The streets are deserted, and the dead silence of night reigns everywhere. The inhabitants of towns and villages shut themselves up in their houses, and those of the desert in their tents or in wells dug in the earth, where they wait the termination of this destructive heat. It usually lasts three days, but if it exceeds that time it becomes insupportable. To the traveller whom this wind surprizes remote from shelter: he must suffer all its horrible effects, which sometimes are mortal. The danger is most imminent when it blows in squalls; for then the rapidity of the wind increases the heat to such a degree as to cause sudden death. This death is a real suffocation; the lungs being empty are convulsed, the circulation is disordered, and the whole mass of blood driven by the heart towards the head and breast; whence the hemorrhagy at the nose and mouth which happens after death. This wind is especially destructive to persons of a plethoric habit, and those in whom fatigue has destroyed the tone of the muscles and the vessels. The corpse remains a long time warm, livid, turns blue, and soon becomes putrid. These accidents are to be avoided by stopping the nose and mouth with handkerchiefs; an efficacious method likewise is that practised by the camels. On this occasion these animals bury their noses in the sand, and keep them there till the squall is over. Another quality of this wind is its extreme aridity, which is such, that water sprinkled on the floor evaporates in a few minutes. By this extreme dryness it withers and strips all the plants; and by exhaling too suddenly the emanations from animal bodies, crisps the skin, closes the pores, and causes that feverish heat which is the constant effect of suppressed perspiration.