ance on re-ascending. He drank a great deal
more than any of us and yet had been a comparatively short time without
water, whilst we had been walking and working on starvation rations for a
good number of days.

Breaden and I set to work to unload the camels while the others started
preparations for water-getting. By 3 p.m. we were ready. King Billy at
the bottom, baling water with a meat tin into a bucket, which he handed
to Warri, who passed it to Charlie; thence VIA Godfrey it reached
Breaden, who on the floor of the cave hitched it on to a rope, and I from
above hauled it through the entrance to the surface. Useful as he was
below, I soon had to call Warri up to keep off the poor famished camels,
who, in their eagerness, nearly jostled me into the hole. First I filled
our tanks, doubtful what supply the cave would yield; but when word was
passed that "She was good enough, and making as fast as we baled," I no
longer hesitated to give the poor thirsty beasts as much as ever they
could drink. What a labour of love that was, and what satisfaction to see
them "visibly swelling" before my eyes! Till after sunset we laboured
unceasingly, and I fancy none of us felt too strong. The thundery weather
still continued; the heat was suffocating--so much so that I took off my
hat and shirt, to the evident delight of the flies, whose onslaughts
would have driven me mad had I not been too busily engaged to notice
them.

Before night all the camels were watered; they drank on an average
seventeen gallons apiece, and lay gorged upon the ground too tired or too
full of liquid to eat. We had a very different camp that night, and King
Billy shared our good spirits. Now that he had his liberty he showed no
signs of wishing to leave us, evidently enjoying our food and full of
pride in his newly acquired garment, a jersey, which added greatly to his
striking appearance. He took great interest in all our belongings, but
seemed to value highest the little round piece of metal that is fixed on
the inside of a meat-tin! This, hung on a string, made a handsome
ornament for him.

That night, in reviewing our affairs, I came to the conclusion that this
dry stage at the beginning of our journey had been a good thing for all.
We had had a bad time, but had come out of it all right. Although these
things always appear worse, when written or read, yet it is no light task
to trudge day after day over such horrible country with an empty stomach
and