WANT OF WATER. 
331 
grass we found.) The state the poor animals were 
in was truly pitiable, what then was likely to be the 
condition of those that were coming after us, and 
carrying heavy packs. It was questionable, even, if 
they would reach the distance we had already 
attained in safety ; and it was clear, that unless I dis- 
covered water early in the morning, the whole of 
our horses must perish, whilst it would be very 
doubtful if we could succeed even in saving our 
own lives. 
March 11. —Early this morning we moved on, 
leading slowly our jaded animals through the scrub. 
The night had been one of painful suspense and 
gloomy forebodings ; and the day set in dark and 
cloudy, as if to tantalise us with the hope of rain 
which was not destined to fall. In a few miles we 
reached the edge of the cliffs, from which we had a 
good view of the sandy valley we had been travelling 
round, but which the thick scrub had prevented our 
scrutinising sooner. I now noticed some hillocks of 
bare sand in the midst of it. These I had not seen 
before, as the only previous point from which they 
could have been visible had been passed by us in 
the dark. It now struck me, that the water spoken 
of by the natives at Yeerkumban-kauwe might be 
situated among these sand-hills, and that we were 
going away from instead of approaching it. The bare 
idea of such a possibility was almost maddening, and 
as the dreadful thought flashed across my mind I 
stood for a moment undecided and irresolute as to 
