132 THE GREAT THIRST LAND. 



tiles in Pimlico. Their food was of the simplest kind 

 rusk-bread as hard as bricks, bad coffee, and indifferent 

 sugar; no stimulants, and no animal meat. Parsi- 

 moniousness was doubtless the cause of their not having 

 the two last articles, for these transport-drivers make a 

 great deal of money more than any one at home would 

 imagine and are really at little or no expense. But 

 if they preferred going without to spending their own 

 money, not a qualm of conscience had they about 

 sponging on us. 



