24 SCARCITY OF WATER. 
pany with my Bushman guide, the prospect was some- 
what gloomy. An interminable waste lay stretched 
before us, bounded in the distance by towering 
mountains through which we had to pass. The moon, 
however, shed her gentle light around our path; and 
on my inquiring of the Bushman when we might 
expect to arrive at the kraal, pointing to the moon, 
as she shone resplendently above us, he gave me to 
understand that we should not reach our destination 
much before dawn. Feeling exceedingly thirsty, I 
asked if we should find any water in our route, when 
he pointed to a spot in the deep valley which lay 
before us, and said, “ There is the fountain.” We 
descended, and taking a cautious survey, lest some 
of those wild animals so frequently found in such 
situations should be there lurking in ambush, we 
allayed our thirst at the muddy pool, which he had 
described by so alluring a title, and which had, to 
all appearance, been recently disturbed by some 
animals passing through it. 
Proceeding along the “dark kloof side,” we en- 
tered again upon an open plain, when the Bushman’s 
keen eye discerned the glimmering light of a fire 
amidst the bushes. Dismounting immediately, he 
began to reconnoitre with great caution, and to listen 
most attentively as he advanced, but the only sound 
that broke the prevailing stillness was the lowing of 
cattle, evidently not far from us. Fearful that we 
might be approaching some marauding tribe, he 
