SAMOOM, Sarniel, or Bad - i - Simum, from the Arabic Sam, a poison, a pestilential wind which occurs in tbe desert tracts between Arabia, and India. The people say it does not come in continued lono. currents, but in gusts at different intervals, each' blast lasting several minutes, and passing along with great rapidity, but the accounts seem very greatly exaggerated. No one, they say, stirs from their houses while this flame is sweep ing over the face of the country. Previous to it; approach, the atmosphere becomes thick and suffocating., and appearing particularly dense near the horizon gives sufficient warning of the threat ened mischlef. Though described as hostile to human life, it is so far from being prejudicial to the vegetable creation that a continuance of the Samiel tends to ripen the fruits. Porter inquired what became of the cattle during such a, plague, and was told they seldom were touched by it. It seems strange that their lungs should be so per fectly insensible to what is said to be instant destruction to the health of man ; but so it is said, and they are regularly driven down to water at the customary times of clay, even when the blasts are at the severest. The people who attend
them are obliged to plaster their own faces, and other parts of the body usually exposed to the air, with a sort of muddy clay, which in general protects them from its most malignant effects. •The periods of the wind's blowing are generally from noon till sunset ; they cease ahnost entirely during the night, and the direction of the gust is always from the north-east. When it has passed over, a sul phuric and indeed loathsome smell, like putridity, remains for a long time. The poison which occa sions this smell is said to be deadly ; and if any unfortunate traveller, too far from shelter, meet the blast, he is said to fall immediately, and in a few minutes his flesh becomes ahnost black. The Bad - i - Simum blows in Cutch Gandava during the summer months, and many people lose their lives by it.—Pottinger's Tr. p. 322 ; Porter's Tr. ii. p. 229.