The Land of Midian (Revisited) - Volume II Part 22
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Volume II Part 22

12.50p.m. 30.23- - 64 55 20 Cool. Wind north. In cabin.

3p.m. 30.20 - - 66 56 18 In cabin. Cool. No clouds.

Splendid night. Not a sign of cloud. Cool. White streak on the water (milky sea, like that of Bombay, caused by fish?). Finest weather yet seen.

ON BOARD "MUKHBIR."

Feb. 17. 6a.m. 30.17 - 66 - - 15 In cabin. Cool, clear, splendid. Forenoon warm and still. Sea gla.s.sy.

Noon. 30.16 - 74 - - 20 In cabin. Sea-breeze came up strong at eleven a.m.

3p.m. 30.13 - - - - 23 In cabin. Sky clouded all the afternoon--did not see the sun. Moon veiled--not a nice look.

Night very cold (shivery). Wind Barri ("land-breeze").

IN MESS-TENT, OPEN TO EAST.

Feb. 18. 6.30a.m. 30.00 - 61 - - 14 Cold and clear. Land- breeze.

Noon. 30.04 - 78 - - 33 Sea-breeze setting; land-breeze stopped. Sky perfectly clear. Sun hot. No end of flies.

3p.m. 30.04 - 78 - - 22 Fierce and violent west wind--a Gharbi, or exaggerated sea-breeze?

Sky quite clear.

Night quite still. Cold wind stopped at nine p.m. rather suddenly.

OBSERVATIONS TAKEN DURING SECOND MARCH TO THE HIMSa PLATEAU, SOUTH-EASTERN MIDIAN, BETWEEN FEBRUARY 19 AND MARCH 8, 1878.

The distance traversed comprised 222-1/4 statute miles, mostly through unexplored country.

On return compared aneroids:-- French .............................. 763 millimetres.

My Casella .......................... 762 "

Difference .......................... .001 "

Date. Time. Aneroid Ther. Hygr. Remarks.

Inches. (deg.)(deg.)

Feb. 19. 6.20a.m. 30.07 65 23 In big tent at El-Muwaylah. Cool land- breeze. Sky quite clear.

Noon. 29.82 74 23 At Wady Surr, under tree in sea-breeze.

Clear sky, few white clouds. Cold land- breeze in Wady Surr at ten a.m.; cold sea- breeze at eleven a.m.

3.40p.m. 29.60 76 20 At Safh Wady Malayh (Malih), in big tent.

Feels as if high up.

Night perfectly still, except a gust about midnight.

Feb. 20. 6.25a.m. 29.53 60 21 In big tent at Safh Wady Malayh. Clear and fine.

11.20a.m.29.40 73 43 Under tree at base of western Ghats. Fine cool sea-breeze.

3p.m. 29.44 78 17 At Sayl Wady el-Jimm ("water-gathering").

Hot sun. Cold sea-breeze.

Night cold, with land-breeze.

Feb. 21. 6.15a.m. 29.38 64 7 In big tent at Sayl Wady el-Jimm. Clouds to north and east; air damp. High wind and clouds.

12.45p.m.28.82 71 25 On march up Wady Sadr, under tree. Cold sea-breeze. Sky quite clear; sun warm.

Awful east winds down these Wadys form the Goz or sand-heaps.

3.30p.m. 28.86 76 7 In small tent at El-Nagwah, in Wady Sadr.

Sun hot; breeze cold.

Night cold, but not so cold as we expected.

Feb. 22. 6a.m. 28.86 56 8 In big tent at El-Nagwah.

11.50a.m.25.40 65 4 Under tree in Wady Sadr; say, 1600 feet high. White clouds. West wind (sea-breeze deflected to north) blowing. Here cold comes from wind.

3p.m. 27.80 74 3 In big tent at Amwah el-Rikab, Wady Sadr.

At four p.m. cold and clouds; c.u.muli and cirri. West wind deflected to north.

At five p.m. thermometer in tent 66 degrees. Fire in tent. Night cold, clear, and still. A few gusts about midnight.

AT HEAD OF WADY SADR.

Feb. 23. 6.30a.m. 27.80 53 5 In big tent foot of Ghats. Weather lovely- -clear, fine, and cold. At eight a.m. sun warm, then cold wind.

1.30p.m. 26.88 72 5 In big tent. Cold easterly gale.

4p.m. 26.90 65 2 In small tent, same place.

Violent wind at midnight. Cold; thermometer 38 degrees.

Feb. 24. 6a.m. 26.95 48 0 At head of Wady Sadr.

26.15 45 0 To summit of Khuraytat el-Jils (Pa.s.s).

Above the Pa.s.s, aneroid 26.25; below, 26.70: difference, .55 = 450 feet. Walked down in twenty-six minutes.

11.30a.m.26.18 56 0 In the open, under shade. Perfectly clear of clouds. Sun hot.