Singing Sand

From ‘Travels in Arabia Deserta’ by Charles M. Doughty

In the Nefud, toward El-Hyza, are certain booming sand hills ... such as the sand drift of J. Nagus, by the sea village of Tor, in Sinai: the upper sand sliding down under the foot of the passenger, there arises, of the infinite fretting grains, such a giddy loud swelling sound, as when your wetted finger is drawn about the lip of a glass of water, and like that swooning din after the chime of a great bell — or cup of metal — Nagus is the name of the sounding board in the Greek monastery, whereupon as the sacristan plays with his hammer, the timber yields a pleasant musical note, which calls forth the formal colieros to their prayers; another such singing sand drift, el-Howayriah, is in the cliffs (east of the Mezham) of Medain Salih.

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