The Land of Midian (Revisited)

Chapter 49

OBSERVATIONS TAKEN ON BOARD SCREW-STREAMER "SINNaR," EN ROUTE FROM EL-WIJH TO SUEZ, FROM APRIL 12 TO APRIL 17, 1878.

Date. Time. Aneroid Dry Wet Remarks.

Inches. Bulb. Bulb.

April 12. 6.20 a.m. 29.89 78 73 En route to El-Muwaylah, captain"s cabin. Red sunrise. Clouds thin all about horizon. Looks like regular Khamsin day. Feels exceedingly damp.

12.20 p.m. 20.80 79 70 In dead calm. Sea oily, like mirror.

No winds. Thin white clouds everywhere.

3.35 p.m. 29.78 81 76 In captain"s cabin. Wretched day at El-Wijh and ash.o.r.e. Very muggy.

At night a "bruch" (halo) of clouds round moon, and far from it. Expect storm. "Bruchs" round moon on 13th, 14th, and 15th.

April 13. Noon. 29.84 78 70 Anch.o.r.ed before El-Muwaylah. No dew in morning, and clouds everywhere.

No sun seen. Very hot at noon. White clouds everywhere. Smoke of steamer hangs low. Mountains look very high.

Muggy. Fine drinkyt.i.te.

3 p.m. 29.80 83 73 At Sharm Yaharr. Hot and sweaty.

Light west wind rose after noon; soon fell.

At night clouds and "bruch." Clear to north, thick to south.

April 14. 6.30 a.m. 29.82 78 72 At Sharm Yaharr. Nasty muggy morning. Light north breeze set in.

12.40 p.m. 29.88 82 75

3 p.m. 29.85 83 76 Warm and cloudy.

Weather threatening. The same storm that found us at Makna last year.

April 15. " - - - Water flooded pier, and waves broke on sh.o.r.e.

April 16. " - - - Ran to El-Muwaylah. Had to return to Sharm Yaharr. Furious wind from west (Gharbi) began about nine a.m.

April 17. Noon. 29.98 77 65 In captain"s cabin, Sharm Yaharr.

3 p.m. 29.92 76 65

Wind changed to north. Weather became cool and pleasant. Gale still, but shows signs of abating.

On April 18th weather somewhat abated. Stopped at El-Mawaylah to drop Sayyid "Abd el-Rahim; and steamed off for Suez, where we arrived on 20th. Voyage very slow in teeth of north wind. Yet at Suez had had south wind for some days, and congratulated us upon the fact.

OBSERVATIONS TAKEN BY MR. DAVID DUGUID, BETWEEN JANUARY 8 AND FEBRUARY 1, 1878.

(He used the French aneroide and the Centigrade thermometer bought at Cairo.)

Date. Time. Aneroid Thermometer Remarks.

Millimetres. Centigrade.

(deg.)

Jan. 8. Noon. 768 25 At Sharma camp.

Jan. 9. Noon. 768 25 Ditto.

Jan. 10. Noon. 761 26 Ditto.

Jan. 11. Noon. 763 19 Ditto.

Jan. 12. Noon. 763 19 Ditto.

Jan. 13. Noon. 760 30 Ditto. Very hot.

Jan. 14. Daylight 760 20 (?) 755 25 Very hot.

8 p.m. 758 23

Jan. 15. (?) 757 21 (?) 757 25 Hot.

Nightfall 759 20

Jan. 16. Daylight 762 18 Mr. Duguid marched from Sharma to El-Muwaylah.

Jan. 17. Sunset. 768 25 On board Mukhbir at Sharm Yaharr.

Jan. 18. Sunrise. 766 22 On board Mukhbir.

(?) 766 23 Ditto.

Sunset. 764 28 Ditto. Hot.

ON BOARD.

Jan. 19. Sunrise. 763 21 Noon. 762 25 Sunset. 763 25

Jan. 20. Sunrise. 761 21 Noon. 762 25 Nightfall 762 28 Hot

Jan. 21. Sunrise. 763 23 Bad weather at Sharm Yaharr.

Noon. 763 24 Sunset. 767 25

Jan. 22. Sunrise. 769 19 Mukhbir delayed by bad weather.

Noon. 768 24

Jan. 24. Noon. 767 24

Mr. Duguid steamed out of Yaharr for Makna. Anch.o.r.ed off Sinafir Island.