110 THE GREAT THIRST LAND. 



had the last syllable heen said, than William, who had 

 been seriously contemplating niy labours, vanished into 

 the outer darkness, with an amount of activity I never 

 saw him previously display. 



After having boiled another kettle . of water, the 

 remains of the fire were scattered ; then William came 

 forth with the whining complaint, " Oh, Bass, I am so 

 hungry!" 



"Have some more biscuit, then: there are plenty 

 in the box." 



"But, Bass, they are so cold." 



" He wants some chocolate give him some to get 

 rid of him," said Morris. So he received the chocolate 

 and departed. But William had the nose of a pointer 

 and the intelligence of the fox when eating and drinking 

 were going on ; thus, as soon as I commenced mixing 

 my grog, back he came, raised the curtain of the wagon, 

 and solemnly contemplated the operation, repeating at 

 short intervals, and in a most snivelling tone, " I was 

 very cold," " I was very," &c. &c. He should here 

 have been told to shut up, or go and put his head in a 

 bag, but we dare not treat him according to his deserts, 

 for we were in his power till over the Drackenberg. So 

 he was courteously asked if he would like a drink. 

 Would a fish swim? He was handed in his beaker 

 about half a pint of the twenty over-proof. Oh. that 

 was prime stuff, and so economical ! it hit hard, and bit 

 like an adder. But the poor Kaffirs who were under 

 the wagon, without complaining or murmuring, wanted 

 something to warm them more than any one. So a ration 

 of grog was served all round, to their immense delight. 



In the morning it cleared up ; and after a tiresome 

 day's work we reached the White House, a small 



