Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1865-07-14
Thirst IN Australia.


portends . regular scorchcr = AMI though
BE- Is as yet only about four niles from the
fringe of tall trees that skiris the river. they
already begin to look cloudy and indistinci.
The dray track : almost obliterafed. and
the waking among the low salt bushes and
cotton bushes = verv bad The bundlernan
begins 10 think he would have been wiser
90 have followed round the rivers. where be
would have had a beaten track. shade and
water. than 20 iace the PLAIN for the sake q
a short cut. However. b. isa GOOD walk
-. and does rot care for the beat. he
marches on. With his bundle on his back.
and his - billy in his hand lie has done
some twelve or thirteen miles. the sun j. al
most perpendicularly over his bad. and he
. out % sight % the river ti-nber-fairlv
ont % sea. a. il were. lie throws down
the roll of blankets. sIts on them. opens the
" billy and finds thar a good deal Of he
precious water has leaked he drinks a 1T
tle y Is very precious. bot BE- pours few
drops IN the ia Of the pot for n. dor.
whc. poor fellow. = suffering already. ard
looks strangely dusty. anxious and dispirit-
ed. That dog's ancestors came from breezv
Scotch mountains. and he would BE- far
more AZ home seeking sheep baried IN
snoSdriit. than Flooding across the seorch-
ing PLAN. The traveller stops the leak
With a bu ofclay. shoulders bis bundlc. aud
trudgcs on. The plain seems endless no
sound of livins thing breaks the deadly still
ness; the very flies ihat 50 tormeuted him
scar the river, have disappeared; there is
nothing moyiag save uncarihly-lookincc col
umns Of red dusi. towering high ia the hot
AR, raised irom some distant sand hiIl By
the Whirlwinds. Ca be plod.. hour after
hour. looking anHioBsly Tor the faint wheel
marks that guide him. The bot wind burns
lis eyes and dries bis lips. and he moistens
BIS parched mouth now anil then with few
drops Of tho precious water. lie j. unscl-
hsh enough. too. % spare bis dog lit.
tie. The water does not refresh him mech.
for e b. very warm and mawkisb. AMI the
rim Of ile tin pot almost scorchos his lips.
~ last DE- sees dark gray cloud suspended
over ihs horizon. quivcring in tbc glare Of
reelected heat lie knows thar cloud % De-
the Tow timber that skirts the dry bed Of the
iwcuiy-milc lake; De expects 90 end water
In pri dug on its edge. Drinking the
last 81 bis store. De walks on more quickly /.
knowing that on such day the trees woaId
not bc visible more Than a couple ~ miles.
he begins o. have pleasant thoughts Of
" pot of Tea. a pipe. and a sleep IN the
Shade of a pine. lie hurrics on. the after
noon sun is shining in his face. be crosses
beaten track almost without seeing e. Per-
haP- a thought may arse wifhin him a. 10
the possibility Of The hole being dry. and
perhaps BIS heart nav stand stiHa moment.
Bat Be vii not think Of Be- Evcrvthing
seems strangely still why are there no birds
about tLc water N0t the tuiiterinr Of a
vrea. not tbc croak q a crow % break tie
silence. lie notices. With a qualm of fear.
that there o. DO iootmark of lisio. thing in
thc last Of lLe tile-paiLs ihat lead % the
water-L3le.
Who can tell what passes tLrough tbe
ulind oi ibc lost sailor. a. De goes over
board 10 a gale od ,be Horns Who can
realize uhai that seaman feels a. tie great
sLip leaves BAN iar behind. upon tbo pitt
less waves. among shich Be kn1rs too veil.
10 Joat can lave % save hims Ani tbs
shepherd. As b. looks into The pit. and sees
grim death staring bin 10 tle flce. from the
dv mud 40 The bottom of thc holes Hc
has beard BIS mate talk of dead mems bones
iognd or that plain. and hc knows ubat De
end b. t5 be. Poor icliowt me is very
lirsiy now. DIS fongac b. sEeil.ng ID L.s
molth. be feels eliy and sick. anI tiroas
a~ay BIS paek. BE uiI eaggcr oa f.r
mi.e. more. hardly knouia- uanh,r te ls
gong. iared on. p,rlaps. Ly ihe t-.a.iel-
aas mirage. uhi.h uil mock i.s el.s a.tb
phantom sheets 9f clear water. rcfr.t.a- t'e
trees around ilen. and ripping a fie ui.i.
oaif ieu hlndrsl yard. aleal. o. uil
uarler on at random. fir1ar- NJ i.s
clothes as De- l..amcs vcaker. perhaps Lc
u.l ieei De- knfe. a1I think li L.s dog
baf Die des has Jain l3an o. lle under
bush. anl tIat ia.t horrible rsoarcc Be-
gone Tlen. r',am "a iope. Tuo DARK
flrms booming iar.e a-a.nft Gle rel smoiy
mi.t in which fie san b. setting. cone ep
rapidly urtI ~iha han a mile of him.
Are ti.y ho-..mra, They stop. DO hcy
Gee ins See. they have seen t.r. aal
dies 4. b.l.-. I- hot siaI. OIL kr5rs thcy
arc caes going to water. AL ih.t ib.ir
Dong '.-tuiI carry then 90 tle cool river
d. COO toar. or so.
MANY months after. some uarlerirg