Page 17 - Adventures in Africa

water we could scarcely expect to get through the
night.
Presently Jan looking* out ahead, darted forward and

stopped at where a small plant grew with linear
leaves and a stalk not thicker than a crow’s quill.

Instantly taking a spade fastened to the back of the
ox, he began eagerly digging away ; and after he had
got down to the depth of a foot, he displayed to us a
tuber, the size of an enormous turnip. On removing

the rind, he cut it open with his axe, and Showed us a
mass of cellular tissue filled up with a juicy substance

which he handed to us, and applying a piece to his
own mouth ate eagerly away at it. W e imitated his
example, and were almost immediately much re­
freshed. W e found several other plants of the same

sort, and digging up the roots gave them to the horses
and ox, who crunched them up with infinite satisfac­

tion.
Our thirst was relieved in a way I could scarcely
have supposed possible. The animals too, trudged

forward with far lighter steps than before. R e­
lieved of our thirst and in the hopes of finding
either water or more tubers next morning, we

lay down thankful that we had escaped the fearful
danger we had apprehended. As we advanced we
looked out anxiously for the tuber-bearing plants,

but not one could we see. I had gone on some little
distance ahead, when I caught sight of a round object
some way ofF, which, as the rays of sun fell on it,

appeared of scarlet hue. I ran towards it, when I saw
what looked like a small oblong* red melon.
“ Here’s something worth having!" I exclaimed,