Page 10 - Adventures in Africa

out the sand with the single spade we possessed and
our hands, we arrived at a hard stratum, beyond

which he advised us not to go. In a short time
the water began to flow in slowly, increasing by
degrees until we had enough for ourselves and our

cattle.
W e had now, however, been travelling sixty miles

or more, without finding one of these water-holes ;
and though we had still a small quantity of the
precious liquid for ourselves, our poor horses and ox

had begun to suifer greatly. Still Jan urged us to
go forward.

“ W ater come soon, water come soon!" he con­
tinued saying, keeping his eye ranging about in every
direction in seach of the expected hole.

Trusting to Jan's assurances, thirst compelled us to
consume the last drop of our water. Still, hour after
hour went by, and we reached no place at which we

could replenish it. Our sufferings became terrible.
My throat felt as if seared by a hot iron. Often I
had talked of being thirsty, but I had never before

known what thirst really was. M y uncle, I had no
doubt, wpas suffering as much as I wras, but his endu­

rance was wonderful.
W e had seen numbers of elands sporting round us
in every direction, but as soon as w’e approached
them, off they bounded.

“ Surely those deer do not live without w ater; it
cannot be far away,” I observed,

“ They are able to pass days and weeks without
tasting any/’ said my uncle* “ They can besides
quickly cover thirty or forty miles of ground if they