A DAY'S SPORT ON THE KRAMMETS BERG. 189 



At last however we reached him, and glad enough I 

 was to know the poor animal was out of suffering. 



On looking round for a convenient spot whither we 

 might drag the chamois, in order to clean it before 

 putting it in the rucksack, I espied drops of water 

 dripping from a crevice. "Water! water! Xavier," 

 I cried with as much delight as when Cortes first be- 

 held the sea from a peak on Darien. A cup which 

 we had with us was quickly fixed so as to receive 

 the precious oozing fluid, and then, with the addition 

 of a little rum from my flask, what a delicious draught 

 did it afford ! 



" Here, Xavier, drink ! Was there ever such 

 water ! How icy cold, and clear ! " We sat down 

 and ate a crust of bread, while fresh drops were 

 welling into the cup, which we had propped up with 

 stones. How exquisite was our repast ! and how 

 strange all the features, deep down in that stony place, 

 telling of a power which made you feel a crushing 

 sense of helplessness ! 



The water came out of the solid rock drop by drop 

 in a marvellous manner, as though Moses' rod had 

 touched the stone and made it yield us nourishment. 

 It was very like that ancient miracle ; indeed I have 

 many a time thought that miracles still often happen 

 to us, only our thankless hearts fail to recognize them. 



How strong and quickened we felt by our meal ! and 

 Xavier relished the smack of rum in the cup of water 

 as much as his brother had done in the hut near 

 Kreuth over our evening fire. 



