The Land of Midian, Vol. 2 by Richard Burton

R >> Richard Burton >> The Land of Midian, Vol. 2

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D. OLIVER.

SECTION II.

The spirit-specimens submitted to Mr. William Carruthers, of the
British Museum, are described by him as follows:--

1. Phallus impudicus, Linn. (in Arab. Faswat el-'Ajuz). The common
"stinkhorn," extremely common in some districts of England, and obtruding
on the notice of every one from its detestable odour. It is widely
distributed over America and Africa, as well as Europe, but I find no
record of its occurring in Asia.

2. Tulostoma mammosum, Fr. Also British, but not so common. Widely
distributed.

3. Phelipoea lutea, Desf. A dark, fleshy broom-rape, with scaly leaves. We
have one species of the same genus in England. They are parasitic on
the roots of plants; and the Midianite species, which is found in North
Africa, Egypt, and Arabia, grows on the roots of a Chenopodium.

4. Cynomorium coccineum, Mich. A fleshy, leafless plant, also a root-
parasite. It was called by old writers Fungus Melitensis, and was of much
repute in medicine. It is known from the Himalayas to the Canary
Islands, and is said by Webb, in his history of the Canaries, to be eaten in
the Island of Lancerotte.

5. Doemia cordata, R. Br. A spiny shrub, with roundish leaves and small
sharp-pointed fruit, found in Egypt and Arabia.

6. Capparis galeata, Fres., with large fruit, long and pear-shaped. This
caper is well known; from Syria and Egypt.

(Signed) W. CARRUTHERS.

INSECTS COLLECTED IN MIDIAN BY CAPTAIN BURTON.
(Identified by Mr. Frederick Smith, of the British Museum.)

COLEOPTERA.

Geodephaga

l. Anthia 12 guttata.

Melolonthidoe.

2. Schizonycha reflexa.
3. Pachydema.

Dynastidoe.

4. Heteronychus.

Curculionidoe.

5. Cleonus arabs.

Heteromera.

6. Mesostenanear punctipennis.
7. Adesmia.
8. Akis Goryi?
9. Mylabris.

Hemiptera.

10. Nepa rubra.

Mantidoe.

11. Eremiaphila arenaria. 12. Blepharis mendica.

Orthoptera.

13. Acocera.
14. Acridium peregrinum. 15. Poecilocera bufonia.

Scorpionidea.

16. Androctonus funestus.
17. " leptochelys.
18. " quinquestriatus.

Arachnida.

19. Galeodes arabs, in spirit.
20. Clubiona Listeri, in spirit.

(Signed) FREDK. SMITH.

APPENDIX V.

METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL
(December 19, 1877, to April 17, 1878).

METEOROLOGICAL NOTES ON TRAVELLING IN MIDIAN.

Midian follows the rule of Syria--travel in the spring. The best time on the
seaboard is during the months of March, April, and May. In the mountains and
the Hisma plateau, April, May, and June are the most favourable. In Syria
(Damascus) the autumn is dangerous: the finest travelling weather is in March
to May. The second best season is between October and December.

January and February are cold; the latter also (sometimes) rainy.

March is stormy at first (El-'Uwweh), but afterwards gets warmer (El-Ni'am).
Dews now begin, and last some three months: they wet everything like a sharp
shower, and make the air feel soppy.

In July the first dates come in. Fevers are prevalent during this month, and
also during August and September.

October is a month of heat and drought.

In November the first cold occurs.

December is the coldest month.

NOTES on TRAVELLING IN LOWER EGYPT.

September is very bad--all should escape who can. Fruits everywhere; sun hot;
air damp with irrigation water, white fogs and other horrors.

October is a good month, the weather being neither too hot nor too
cold.

November is the month of the "second water" irrigation about Cairo.

December is pleasant.

January is cold and sometimes wet.

February is stormy, and even foggy with sand-mist.

March is windy, but on the whole a good month, except for Khamsin, which
begins about March 20th.

April begins to feel warm (April 29, 1878, Shamm el-Nasim).

The winter presents a marvellous contrast to that of England, which
can often show one hour and five minutes' sunlight in the twenty-four, or
2.8 per cent. of its possible duration.

THE TIDES

In El-'Akabah are like Suez: first of month, flood, 6--12 a.m. and p.m.; ebb,
the rest. But at Suez the tides rise one metre, and at times two metres; at
El-'Akabah (February 7), one foot.

For the instruments NOT used in this Expedition, see Chap. I. p. 11.

The barometre aneroid sold by M. Ebner was partially repaired by M. Lacaze,
and served for Mr. David Duguid's observations.

My pocket set by Casella (maker to the Admiralty and Ordnance)
consisted of--

One watch aneroid (compensated, 1182).
Two sets wet and dry bulb thermometers (one broken).
One set maxima and minima thermometers, Nos. 12,877 and 12,906.
Two pocket hygrometers not numbered.

OBSERVATIONS TAKEN DURING FIRST MARCH BETWEEN DECEMBER
19, 1877, AND FEBRUARY 18, 1878

December 19, 1877, compared ship's (Mukhbir) mercurial barometer, 758
millimetres, with my aneroid by Casella (29.85) = 765 millimetres; difference
in
ship's, + 007 millimetre.

January 31, 1878, returned on board Mukhbir at Makna. Ship's mercurial
barometer, 773 millimetres; my aneroid by Casella, 764 millimetres; difference
in ship's, + 009 millimetre.

Date. Time. Aneroid Aneroid Ther. Dry Wet Hygr. Remarks.
Inches. Milli. (deg.)Bulb. Bulb.(deg.)

Dec. 19. 7a.m. 29.85 765 76 - - 58 On deck of gunboat
Mukhbir, at Sharm
Yaharr, steaming to El-
Muwaylah. Morning ugly.
Strong land-breeze,
turned to Azyab ("south-
easter"). Waves rising.
Dark-blue clouds to
windward.

Noon. 29.80 757 77 - - 54 In big tent on shore,
open east and west. Wind
high. Everything feels
damp; looks gloomy;
mountains almost hidden
by clouds. Landscape
that of Europe. No sun
nor sunshine all day.

3p.m. 29.09 - 86 - - 51 In my small tent.
Clearing to windward
(north). Wind veering to
north. Moon nearly full.
High fleecy clouds. Sea
high. No sun all day.

Azyab (the wet wind) generally lasts two or three days; veers round by west to
north. Much rain has already fallen (Arab lies). Land green (all brown); grass
plentiful (not a blade to be seen). Rains here December 15th to February 15th;
downfall one hour to four hours, then clears. On December 8th, violent rain
for one hour; filled all the torrents (Sayl).

Dec. 20. 7a.m. 29.80 758 63 - - 40 In small tent open to
east. Morning clear. Few
fleecy clouds: cool and
bright. "Misri" from
north-west; cold and
rain.

3p.m. 29.92 759 78 - - 32 Hot in tents, cool in
breeze. "Misri" high and
strong sea. At 1.10 p.m.
heavy clouds; expected
rain--few heavy drops.

AT EL-MUWAYLAH AND RAS WADY TIRYAM.

Dec. 21. 6.35a.m. 30.02 763 71 - - 35 Inside tent. Full moon
and clear. Dawn, 6 a.m.;
night, 6.30. Speckled
clouds.

Noon. 30.48 764 76 - - 48 Under umbrella. Air
clear. Mottled clouds on
mountains. Sea horizon.
Low white bank of
clouds.

3p.m. 30.05 763 77 - - 39 "Misri." High cirri from
west. Big black cloud
over sea. Suspected
rain: Arabs said no.
Cloud dispersed.

AT RAS WADY TIRYAM.

Dec. 22. 7a.m. 30.01 760 57 - - 32 Cold night. Clear
morning. Cold sunrise.
Dry north-wester.
Instruments on paper,
resting on the sand.
Very dry.

Noon. 30.14 - 82 - - 22 Very dry. Straight
streaks of cirri
everywhere.

4p.m. 30.00 763 72 - - 17 At Wady Sharma, on sand
protected from west
wind. Bright moon,
showed halo.

Kayhak 14 begins the Coptic winter, properly speaking evening of 13th; after
sunset 1 hour 51 minutes. Sea-breeze and land-winds regular to-day and
throughout the month.

AT WADY SHARMA.

Dec. 23. 7a.m. 29.90 760 58 - - 19 Instruments on box
standing on sand. Moon
with halo at night. Red
sunrise, grey clouds.
Mountains blue-grey,
brightly defined. Before
dawn moon two halos,
large and small. Fleecy
clouds. Nine a.m. clear,
sun hot.

2.30p.m. 29.15 740 78 - - 25 Under rock in upper Wady
Sharma. Streaky cirri.
Sun hot; air cool.
Little sea-breeze, kept
off by hills.

Arrived at the "White Mountain," and stayed there a week.

4p.m. 29.12 740 75 - - 28 At Jebel el-Abyaz, on
box behind tent
sheltered from wind. Air
quite still; streaky
cirri. Camp Jebel el-
Abyaz, say, 800 feet
above sea. Felt very
dry.

AT JEBEL EL-ABYAZ.

Dec. 24 7a.m. 29.10 738 61 - - 29 In mess tent on mess
table. Cold. Mottled
clouds east and zenith.
Grey bank to sea
reddened by sunrise,
like storm clouds. Rain
here from Azyab ("south-
east"). Sunrise at
Cairo, 6.55 a.m.

Noon. 29.00 737 64 63 55 33 Suspended instruments.
Grey day: cold breeze
from east. Cold comes
only from wind; when no
breeze, very mild.
Getting greyer and
colder. Very like rain--
heavey clouds.

3.10p.m. 29.00 737 64 64 52 28 Wind west, cold and raw.
Air grey and cold.
Evening cold; clouds
dispersed, sun came out.
Wind to west, inclining
to north.

Small thermometer shows higher than Casellas because in brass case; not so
well exposed to air.

Dec. 25. 7a.m. 29.10 739 50 50 45 29 Morning cool and clear.

Noon. 29.20 - 72 68 55 21 Very clear, still, and
hot. Slight breeze from
sea (west). Sun strong.
Swarms of flies. Dry
bulb in sun, 73 degrees;
wet, 60 degrees.

3p.m. 29.16 741 72 69 54 15 Cool and gentle breeze
from sea, dispersing the
swarms of flies. At
times "sand-devil" from
north-west.

All this day's observations taken on writing table in large tent. Night cold:
cold severest after two a.m. and before sunrise. Sky at night perfectly clear.
Wind from north turning to east, a Barri ("land-breeze"). Height of Jebel el-
Abyaz above tents, by aneroid = 350 feet (29.20 - 28.85 = 0.35).

Dec. 26. 7.15a.m. 29.21 743 48 46 43 22 In tent. Sky perfectly
clear.

Noon. 29.26 - 76 77 55 6 Sun very hot. Air quite
still. Fleecy clouds
from west over the sun.

4.45p.m. 29.23 743 73 69 55 8 Sun cooler. Air
perfectly clear.

Dec. 27. 7a.m. 29.16 740 50 49 43 5 3 In tent. Morning cold
and clear: few flecks of
cloud to east. Air feels
intensely dry.

12.30p.m.29.23 743 77 74 58 9 Fine cirri high up. Sky
blue. Sun veiled at
times. Very little wind,
a breath from north.

3.20p.m. 59.16 742 80 77 56 6 Sky with filmy white
clouds, thicker at west.
Sun hidden; very hot at
noon (rain-sun?). Not a
breath of air. Sense of
intense dryness. Ink
evaporates at once. Cool
breeze started up
shortly after 3.30 p.m.
from west, then clouds
thickened. Thermometer
fell 4 degrees.

Cool evening; quite clear. Fevers and feverish colds begin to show themselves
in camp. Minimum thermometer during night--No. 1, 45 degrees; No. 2, 46
degrees; French, 15-1/2 degrees (Centigrade).

Dec. 28 7a.m. 29.10 739 55 53 46 10 In tent. Still. Neither
warm nor cold. Mottled
clouds.

Noon. 29.13 740 78 72 58 4 Clouds thin. Sun very
hot (rain-sun?). Light
breeze from north-west.

3p.m. 29.10 739 79 72 58 - Feels intensely dry.
Hot, close. Heavy
clouds, and purple to
west. Gusts from west.

No wind. Morning and evening very mild. At eight p.m. dark cloud moving from
south-west to mountains. Drops of rain; then stars. Minimum thermometers
during night, both 48 degrees. None of the maximum will act.

Dec. 29. 7a.m. 29.10 738 58 58 54 9 In tent. Cool, clear.
Blue-pink in west. Light
sea-breezes from west.
Must be awfully hot in
summer. In closed tent
at eleven a.m., 92
degrees.

Noon. 29.13 - 77 75 60 10 Nice breeze from sea
(west), bending to
north.

4p.m. 29.00 739 82 79 59 5 Warm and quite still.

Mean of nineteen aneroid observations at Jebel el-Abyaz = 29.13.

MARCH FROM JEBEL EL-ABYAZ TO WADY SHARMA.

Dec. 30. 7a.m. 29.10 739 56 - - 7 Clear, still. No speck
of cloud. Moon Naim
(sleeping = *[figure]).

5p.m. 29.88 758 66 - - 8 Air quite clear. Camped
at Sharma. Change to
shore pleasant and soft.

Noon on journey; sun very hot. Evening still. Violent weather at night; cold
and comfortless. Abated somewhat after sunrise.

AT SHARMA, IN BIG TENT OPEN NORTH AND SOUTH.

Dec. 31. 7a.m. 29.88 758 59 - - 7 Wind cold and dusty. Sky
perfectly clear. A few
light mist-clouds on
mountain-wall.

Noon. 29.94 760 75 73 58 6 Wind still. Sun much
warmer.

3p.m. 29.90 - 74 71 58 3 Wind cool; some dust.

Clouds about sunset sailing out of Suez Gulf, forming archipelago of sky
islets. Dark bank to south. Minimum thermometer at night = 42 degrees.

AT SHARMA, IN BIG TENT OPEN NORTH AND SOUTH (about 100 feet
above sea-level).

Jan. 1. 7a.m. 29.90 759 53 50 45 10 Clear, fine, quite
still. Nice breeze began
about nine a.m.

Noon. 29.97 - 71 69 57 4 Cold. North wind high.
Light clouds to west;
the rest clear.

3p.m. 29.94 760 73 72 61 4 Clouds to west from Suez
sea.

High wind fell before midnight. Cold--sat in tent. Flies troublesome
everywhere. Minimum at night, 42-43 degrees.

AT WADY SHARMA, IN BIG TENT.

Jan 2. 7a.m. 29.98 761 53 - - 10

3p.m. 30.00 762 76 72 58 3 Cool breeze from north.
No signs of clouds. Sun
hot and air cool.

Evening no wind, no clouds. At night high cold wind from east, seems to pierce
clothes. Lasted till morning and sun well up. Minimum thermometer, No. 1 = 45
degrees; No. 2 = 46 degrees.

Jan. 3. 7a.m. 29.92 760 58 57 47 3 Dawn comfortless. Cold.
Fire in tent. Sand
blowing. Air highly
electrical.

Noon. 29.90 762 77 76 61 2 Wind still. Hot sun.

3p.m. 29.91 759 76 74 58 4 Hot sun. Gentle breeze.
Warm in tent.

Night very cold. Minimum thermometers, No. 1 = 40 degrees; No. 2 = 41 degrees.

Jan. 4. " 29.83 - 52 50 - 5

Noon. 29.93 760 81 80 60 3 Decidedly hot. No
breeze.

3p.m. 29.90 - 78 75 63 0 Very hot and still.

In evening few fleecy clouds to south-west. Appearance of Azyab. Minimum
thermometers at night, No. 1 = 36 degrees; No. 2 = 38 degrees.

AT WADY SHARMA.

Jan. 5. 7a.m. 29.90 - 48 45 43 6 Pink clouds south-west
and south-east. Cirri
everywhere.

Noon. 29.87 761 79 79 67 3 Hot and still. Clear;
few cirri.

3p.m. 29.96 760 74 71 60 0 Cool wind. Cold in
shade. Cirri to south,
at times over the sun.

Very cold at night. Saw new moon; set in fire. Planets veiled in mist. Moon
Kaim (points upwards = *[figure]).

Jan. 6. 7.20a.m. 29.94 760 53 51 46 8 Still, clear. Light
breeze about 10.30 a.m.

Noon. 29.80 761 82 - - 4

4p.m. 29.96 761 76 - - 3 Clear and hot. Sunset,
red cirri. Water very
cold. Moon clear.

Jan. 7 " 29.98 758 52 - - 18 At Sharma. Cool and raw.
Few clouds to south and
south-west.

Noon. 30.08 764 78 - - 26 At 'Aynunah, in big
tent. Fresh wind from
north. Air much damper;
more pleasant.

AT 'AYNUNAH.

Jan. 8. 7a.m. 30.11 763 55 - - 22 Morning still--windless
Breath from east. Warm
and pleasant.

Noon. 30.02 767 77 74 61 13 Quite clear and dry.
Gusts of wind. Flies
very bad, even in the
waste.

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