278 
KIND BEHAVIOUR OF NATIVES. 
who were sitting at no great distance, observed the 
difficulty under which we were labouring, and one 
of them who appeared the most influential among 
them, said something to two of the others, upon 
which they got up and came towards us, making 
signs to us to get out of the hole, and let them in ; 
having done so, one of them jumped in, and dug, in 
an incredibly short time, a deep narrow hole with 
his hands ; then sitting so as to prevent the sand 
running in, he ladled out the water with a pint pot, 
emptying it into our bucket, which was held by the 
other native. As our horses drank a great deal, 
and the position of the man in the hole was a very 
cramped one, the two natives kept changing places 
with each other, until we had got all the water we 
required. 
In this instance we were indebted solely to the 
good nature and kindness of these children of the 
wilds for the means of watering our horses : un- 
solicited they had offered us their aid, without which 
we never could have accomplished our purpose. 
Having given the principal native a knife as a re- 
ward for the assistance afforded us, we offered the 
others a portion of our food, being the only way in 
which we could shew our gratitude to them ; they 
seemed pleased with this attention, and though they 
could not value the gift, they appeared to appreciate 
the motives which induced it. 
Having rested for a time, and enjoyed a little tea, 
we inquired of the natives for grass for our horses, 
