Giphantia

Tiphaigne de la Roche (1722-74) was a French physician and author. He was born in Montebourg in the Cotentin Peninsula of Normandy in north-west France, studied medicine at the University of Caen and began practicising as a physician in 1744. His novels, written for the most part anonymously, take place in the wake of two of the 18th century's great philosophical movements of Rationalism and Illuminism, and often combine scientific considerations with cabalistic, magical and alchemical ones. He is noted for anticipating many social and scientific inventions including photography, synthetic food and television. This work was first published in 1760 and the title in the original French, Giphantie, is an anagram of the author's given name. Reprinted from the English translation of 1761.

'Giphantia' is a novel written by the French author Charles-François Tiphaigne de La Roche. The story begins by following an unnamed man who desires to explore the vast and dangerous landscape of Guinea. Despite the potential dangers, he sets out with supplies to sustain himself and a compass to guide him. After two days of traveling, he encounters only dried up shrubs and rocks, but on the third day, a high wind stirs up the surface of the sand and creates a dangerous hurricane. The whirlwinds become so intense that they obscure the light of the sun and the air is filled with clouds of dust and sparks of fire.