ad. The blacks
raised a shout of joy, supposing that beneath their shade the looked-for
water would be discovered. Worn out as many of them were, they hastened
their steps until even the carriers broke into a run, and the whole mass
rushed eagerly down the bank, but as they reached the bottom a cry of
bitter disappointment escaped them; not a drop of liquid was to be seen,
only a smooth mass of black mud, with cracks across in all directions,
showing that the water had evaporated.

Water must be had at every cost, or the whole party might perish. Their
numbers, their arms, their courage would not avail them. Those who had
before traversed the country immediately set to work with pointed sticks
to dig along the bed of what was once a stream, in the hopes of
obtaining water, and many dug holes of five and six feet deep, but no
water appeared.

"Then, men, you must dig deeper," shouted the chiefs as they went about
among their people.

A little thick liquid bubbled up, the labourers shouted with joy, and
several of the more thirsty rushed in, and kneeling down lapped it up,
although it was of the consistency of mud.

The men again set to work, and at length a sufficient quantity of water
came bubbling up to enable their companions to obtain a few mouthfuls.
The camp fires were then lit, and the men gathered close round them, for
it was a locality where a prowling lion was very likely to pay them a
visit.

Sayd and Ned had a sufficient amount of water to prevent them suffering.
As Ned looked out over the dark plain, he could see objects flitting
by. Sayd thought that they were deer, which, fleet of foot, were
passing across the desert to some more fertile region. Several times
the roars of lions were heard, but none ventured near the camp, being
scared by the bright blaze kept up.

At an early hour all were again on foot, and eagerly descended into the
holes, which now contained rather more water than on the previous
evening, but still barely sufficient to quench their thirst. There was
none to fill their water-bottles. The Arabs, kneeling on their carpets,
joined by the Mohammedans among their followers, offered up their
prayers to Allah as the first gleam of the sun rose above the horizon;
then the morning meal being hastily taken, the pagazis shouldered their
loads and the march commenced.

As Sayd had predicted, no songs, no shouts were heard; even the merriest
among the blacks were silent. Scarcely a