194 TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 



Cecily was much better, though still travelling 

 luxuriously, but there was not much more than a 

 gallon of water left. We opened a bottle of lukewarm 

 champagne and drank a little at intervals, but this silly 

 idea made us nearly frantic with thirst, and we wished 

 we hadn't thought of it. The ponies, poor creatures, 

 had been without water for hours, and their lolling 

 tongues and straining eyes went to our hearts. Cecily 

 was the more concerned, because she said but for her 

 the water would have lasted. I assured her it was my 

 prodigality, but in any case it was water well wasted, 

 as she was almost herself again. 



I consulted with Clarence, and we found that by 

 going on, never stopping, for another twenty miles we 

 should make wells. Twenty miles was a big thing to 

 us then with horses and men in the state ours were. I 

 asked them, through Clarence, to " make an effort," 

 and promised them water by the morning. We struck 

 camp on a grilling afternoon at 4.30. Cecily in her 

 hammock, I alternately walking to ease my pony, and 

 then mounting for a little to ease myself. I will not 

 describe the tramp through the night, or how very 

 childish the men got. I prefer the English way of 

 bearing small troubles — in silence. I think it is 

 embarrassing to be let in on the ground floor of any- 

 one's emotion. 



Let it pass ! 



A few camel men raced on ahead, and got to the 

 wells before the main caravan, who were able to 

 quicken the pace pathetically little, and we made 

 safety, which this time spelt water, about an hour after 



