The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-04-05

outspauned at the close OF the Gay, our
bed against the hot sands and our cover
ing the dim vault above, studded with |
stars that looked like points Of FURNISHED |
silver stretching far away
Our third and last days journey was a
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
a triHing affair Everything was inten-
sified on that day. the sun seemed fiercer,
the heat greater, the desert drler and the
sky more defiant; in fact, we seemed to
be iourneying deeper and deeper into
furnace whose fires forbade a further
approach, and when we halted for the
MONDAY rest both man and beast were
utterly exhausted.
No one who has not crossed a desert
can possibly imagine the fearful condi-
tion to which a want Of water reduces
him; the food is swallowed with diff
Guilty, and the system is faint with fever,
while the knowledge Of its absence does
but heighten the craving of the body for
its cool refreshment. After our rest we
set out again, and the time slipped by in
silence. Later, looking up, saw some
thing, and turned and said to Meadows;
"Thank Godl there is water ahead
See, there is a lake few miles Off"
"a lakel' exclaimed Moritz "Don't
you know what that is2"
"What is it. if not a lake?" demanded
Meadows.
"a mirage-and nothing else," said
the elder Moritz.
"a mirager cried. "Why, can see
the water; there are the reflections Of
the trees and deer drinking.
you'll see what'll become of your
lake, mynheer, and your trees and your
deer, as we 60" he replied with short
laugh. mol 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 vulture that made one dizzy
to look at. An hour later the stumbling
horses suddenly pricked up their ears,
and the leaders neighcd.
"There is water" said Morltz, in an
undertone of surprise. "You may de-
ceive a man. but you can't deceive a
horse"
True enough, in a short time we came
up to nearly dried pool of filthy water
little more than mud, as thick as por-
ridge and as brown as chocolate, towards
which the horses rushed with new en-
| ergy. 1t was cruel act, but we pulled
up suddenly, and Adolph and his brother
leaped to the ground and held them back
while Meadows and l ran forward and
scooped up the liquid and strained it
| through n handkerchief until we had col
lected a large kettleful Then we out
spanned and let the horses go, and stood
and watched them as they eagerly licked
up the muddy compound. One may ask
how It was this little pool should be in
the road tracks of the desert, where,
as far as we knew, no rain had
fallen. | cannot tell; l only know
that it was there and that it saved
our lives. A fire was made, and the
kettle set on it; we knew we had the
water and could wait. 1t was boiled,
to free it from impurities and germs it
might contain, and then, when properly
heated. we again strained it through a
handkerchief. afterward pouring it all
into a porous pitcher we had with US,
and, incasing that again with strip OF
wet flannel, we placed the pitcher in the
sun, where the evaporation of the steam
ing flannel cooled the water inside TO q
| Il al nprl, ,Ct
improve the flavor
We drank large cupful each-it was
the color of polished mahogany put
the rest into the wagon, shaking our thirst
as we drove on. just before the sun set
q globe of crimson fire in an empty
quivering sky, we saw before us, touched
with his last beams, distant fringe OF
trees, and we knew we were nearing oui
journeys end, for Verbeck's farm lay be-
hind that distant foliage. Our last mea
was eaten on the desert, our last rest
taken till the moon was up, and then OF
again we "trekked" through a silent
world.
At midnight of that same day we
walked our weary horses up to the farm
gate, and We're met by the hospital farmer
Verbeck and his family, heralded by the
troop Of dogs that are invariably to bt
found hanging about the Dutch farm
houses. Our journey across the KarroC
was accomplished and we had reached
the farm of mooifontein beautiful wa
ter), Behind the white walled house
and shaded trees ran a small river tC
which we led the horses before taking
them to the barn; and later, over au inn
promptu supper, we told Verbeck tn,
latest news from the civilized world
and slept that night with grateful sense
of peIils overcome, far into the morning
light Of the following day illustrated
London News.