Descriptive Essay written by Ann Plato.

1. DESCRIPTION OF A DESERT
- Ann Plato
Prepared by: @jrpeñaojas
@mmascariña
@salquiros

2. DESCRIPTION OF A DESERT
“ They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary
way. Thirsty, their souls fainted in them.”
—Psalms
It is difficult to form a correct idea of a
desert, without having seen one. It is a vast plain
of sands and stones, interspersed with mountains
of various sizes and heights, without roads or
shelters. They sometimes have springs of water,
which burst forth, and create verdant spots.

3. The most remarkable of
deserts is the Sahara. This is a
vast plain, but little elevated above
the level of the ocean, and covered
with sand and gravel, with a
mixture of sea shells, and appears
like the basin of an evaporated
sea.

4. Amid the desert there are
springs of water, which burst forth
and create verdant spots, called
Oases. There are thirty-two of these
which contain fountains, and Date and
Palm trees; twenty of them are
inhabited. They serve as stopping
places for the caravans, and often
contain villages.

5. Were it not for these no
human being could cross this waste
of burning sand. So violent,
sometimes, is the burning wind
that the scorching heat dries up
the water of these springs, and
then frequently, the most
disastrous consequences follow.

6. In 1805, a caravan, consisting
of 2,000 persons and 1,800
camels, not finding water at the
usual resting place, died of thirst,
both men and animals. Storms of
wind are more terrible on this
desert than on the ocean.

7. Vast surges and clouds of red sand
are raised and rolled forward,
burying every thing in its way, and
it is said that whole tribes have
thus been swallowed up.

8. The situation of such is dreadful,
and admits of no resource. Many
perish victims of the most
horrible thirst. It is then that the
value of a cup of water is really
felt.

9. In such a case there is no
distinction. If the master has not,
the servant will not give it to him;
for very few are the instances
where a man will voluntarily lose
his life to save that of another.

10. What a situation for a man,
though a rich one, perhaps the
owner of all the caravan! He is
dying for a cup of water—no one
gives it to him; he offers all he
possesses—no one hears him; they
are all dying, though by walking a
few hours further, they might be
saved.

11. In short, to be thirsty in a
desert, without water, exposed to the
burning sun, without shelter, is the
most terrible situation that a man can
be placed in, and one of the greatest
sufferings that a human being can
sustain; the tongue and lips swell; a
hollow sound is heard in the ears,
which brings on deafness, and the
brain appears to grow thick and
inflamed.

12. If, unfortunately, any one falls
sick on the road, he must either
endure the fatigue of traveling on a
camel, (which is troublesome even to
healthy people,) or he must be left
behind on the sand, without any
assistance, and remain so till a slow
death come to relieve him. No one
remains with him, not even his old and
faithful servant; no one will stay and
die with him; all pity his fate, but no
one will be his companion.

13. Plato, Ann. “Description of a desert.” 1841. Quotidiana. Ed. Patrick
Madden. 7 Dec 2006. 02 Nov 2017
<http://essays.quotidiana.org/plato/description_of_a_desert/>.