Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1890-06-10

~ sne Siooe Vi the uay, our
oeo against the not sands and our cover
ing tne ann vault above, studded with
stars that looked like points Of FURNISHED
silver stretching far away.
Our third and last days journey was
most trying one, during which we fully
realized what desert travelling may be.
come. We had exhausted our last drop
OF water the night before, and we awoke
with thirst that seemed then unbear.
able; but before the day was over we
learned that our morning thirst was but
trifiing affair. Everything was inten-
sified on that day; the sun seemed fiercer,
the heat greater, the desert drier and the
SKY more defiant; in fact, We seemed to
be Journeying deeper and deeper into
furnace whose fires forbade further
approach and when we halted for the
hoohaay rest Doth man and beast were
utterly exhausted.
NO one who has not crossed desert
can possibly imagine the fearful condi-
tion TO which want OF water reduces
MN; the 1000 Is swallowed with diff
Guilty, and the system is faint with fever,
while the knowledge OF its absence does
out heighten the craving Of the body for
its cool refreshment. After our rest we
SET out again. and the time slipped by in
s,'ehce' Later looking up, saw some
thing, ana turned and said to Meadows;
"Ihank God! there Is water ahead,
See, there is lake few miles off,
"A lakeT exclaimed Moritz. Don't
you know what that ISL"
what Is 1t. II not lake," demanded
Meadows.
"A mirage-and nothing else" said
the elder Moritz.
"A miragev l cried. "Why, can see
the water; there are the reflections Of
the trees and deer drinking"
you'll see whatll become of your
lake. mynheer, and your trees and your
deer, as we CO." he replied with short
laugh. mo! you'll see no water till
we're out of the Karroo and at Verbeck's
farm"
Far away overhead in the brazen sky
was a single yulture that made one dizzy
to look at. An hour later the stumbling
horses suddenly pricked ND their ears
and the leaders neighed.
"Tbere il water ~ said Mori,z in an
undertope of surprise "You NAV de.
ce;ve a man but Won can't deceive n
horse
Tue ENOUGH in n short time va. came
nm m a nearly dried pool of filthy water
LITTLE more than mud as thick as nor.
ridge and as brown as chocolate. towards
which the horses rushed with new en-.
ergv II was n cruel act but we pulled
nm suddepIv and Adolnb and his brother
leaned TO the ground and held them back
while Meadows and | ran forward and
scooped up the LIQUID and strained il
through a handkerchief until we had col
lected a large kettlefuL Then we out.
spanned and let the horses 60. and stood
and watched them as they eagerly licked
nm the muddy compound. One NAV ash
how IL was this little pool should be II
the road tracks of the desert. where
as far rs we knew. no rain hat
fallen. I cannot tell: 1 only know
thai IL WAS tnere ana IlaI tdNtt
our lives. A fire was made, and tn,
kettle set ON il: we knew we had tn,
water and could wait. It was boiled
TO free II from impurities and germs |
might contain. and then. when properl,
heated. we again strained it through
handkerchief. afterward pouring it al
into a porous pitcher we had with us
and. incasing that again with a strip o
wet flannel. we placed the pitcher in tn
sun. where the evaporation of the steam
inc flannel cooled the water inside to
delicious freshness. though it could nc
;mprove the flavor.
We drank a largo cunful eacb--it wa
the color Of polished mahogany-and pu
tha rest into the wagon. slaking our thir,
as we drove ON. Inst before the sun sci
a o,oha % crimson fire. In an empt,
ou;verino skv we saw before us toucbe
,r;,h HE last beams a distant fringe :