Part 36 (1/2)
”I suppose so,” said the Major; ”but my horse trembles so, that I had better dismount for a little while, that he may recover himself; indeed, so had you too and Omrah, for the aniain,” said Alexander; ”I trust that we may not be disappointed a second tiain in the horizon--hty help us in our distress,” exclaimed the Major
The horses, exhausted from want of water, continued to pant so fearfully, that it was nearly half an hour before they ventured to ht return to the caravan In the meantime the heavens had become wholly obscured by the clouds, and there was every prospect of a heavy shower; at last a few drops did fall
”Thank God!” exclaimed Alexander, as he lifted his face up to the heavens, to feel the drops as they fell ”Now let us return”
They er visible to guide them, and they proceeded on at a slow pace, uncertain whether they were right or wrong This they cared little about; their thoughts were upon the co rain, which they so anxiously awaited Forflashi+ng and the thunder pealing, every ate of the heavens to be opened; but, as before, they were doo dawned the clouds had again retreated; and when the sky was clear, they found by the stars that their horses' heads were turned to the northward and eastward
They altered their course in silence, for they orn out and despondent; they suffered dreadfully froues of the poor horses hanging out of their ns of the caravan A thick vapor was rising from every quarter, and they hoped that when it cleared up they would be more fortunate; but no, there was the same monotonous landscape, the same carpet of floithout perfuh, and the heat was intense; their tongues clove to the roofs of their mouths, while still they went on over flowery ht denote the bed of the river, caught their earnest gaze
”This is dreadful,” said Alexander, at last, speaking with difficulty
”We are lost, that is certain,” said the Major; ”but we must trust in God”
”Yes, we may now say, Lord help us, or we perish,” replied Alexander
At this moment, little Omrah, who had been behind, rode up to them, and offered the, ”Smoke,--not feel so bad” Alexander took it, and after a fehiffs found that it had the effect or producing a little saliva, and he handed it to the Major, who did the same, and felt immediate relief
They continued to walk their horses in a southerly direction; but the heat was now so great, that it became almost insufferable, and at last the horses stood still They dislowing plain; and now the est ht (for he could not speak) to what he ions; they pushed on, and found that it was a solitary quagga, ht that they saw lakes of water in the distance, and hastened on to them; and then they fancied they were close to rivers and islands, covered with luxuriant foliage, but still were doohly-rarefied air, and the refraction of the sun's rays on the sultry plain What would they have given for a bush even to afford them any shelter from the noonday sun, for the crowns of their heads appeared as if covered with live coal, and their an to wander The poor horses moved at the slowest pace, and only when driven on by Omrah, who appeared to suffer much less than his masters Every now and then he handed to theer any relief
Speech had been for some hours totally lost Gradually the sun sunk down to the horizon, and as his scorching rays becaree recovered their wandering senses
At night they sat down by the side of the horses, and, worn out with fatigue and exhaustion, fell into a troubled sleep; a sleep which, if it relieved their worn-out fras as had been created by thethe day They drea heavenlytheir thirst at each, and reclining on couches of verdant green Every thing that was delightful appeared to them in their dreams; they were in the abodes of bliss, and thus did they remain for an hour or then they akened up by the roar of a lion, which reminded them that they ithout food or water in the desert
They awoke speechless with thirst, their eyes infla like a coal, and the awful roar of the lion still reverberated along the ground They started on their legs, and found O the bridles of the horses, which were atte to escape They were still confused, when they were fully restored to their waking senses by a second roar of the lion still nearer to theht of the stars they could now distinguish the beast at about one hundred yards' distance Omrah put the bridles of their two horses in their hands, and o on in the direction opposite to where the lion was They did so without reflection,the directions of thethat Omrah did not follow them They had advanced about one hundred yards with the terrified animals, when another loud roar was followed up by the shriek of the other horse, announcing that he had becoe ani the reins of their horses, hastened with their rifles to the help of Omrah, of whose absence they now for the first time were aware; but they were met half-way by the boy, who contrived to say with difficulty, ”Lion want horse, not little Bushman” They waited a few seconds, but the cries of the poor ani of its bones, were too painful to hear; and they hastened on and rejoined the other horses, which appeared paralyzed with fear, and had reain led their horses on for an hour, when they arrived at a sain lay down, for they were quite exhausted and careless of life Not even the roar of a lion would have aroused them now, or if it had roused them they would have waited for the animal to come and put an end to their misery But another and a softer noise attracted the quick ear of Oer up to induce hier, Ons to Alexander and the Major to follow hi, which denoted water at hand, and the sniffing of the horses confirh the rocks, descending lower and lower; and ever and anon listening to the noise of the animal, till he perceived the stars of heaven above reflected in a small pool, which he pointed out to Alexander and the Major Down they dropped to earth and drank, and as soon as their thirst was satisfied they rose, and pushed Omrah forward to make him drink also; and as the boy who had saved their lives was drinking, they kneeled down and prayed--not loud, for they had not yet recovered their speech; but if ever grateful prayers were offered up to the Alhty throne, they were by our two travelers, as they kneeled by the side of this small pool
They rose and hastened to their horses, and led them down to the water, when the poor ani, walked away, and returned to drink ht several times, and then lay down, and would have fallen asleep by the side of the pool had not Omrah, who could now speak freely, said, ”No, no; lion co horses”
This good advice was followed, and when they had gained the suain lay down and slept till daylight
When they awoke, they found themselves much refreshed, but they now felt--what they had not done during their extreer Oe, about two hundred yards off
”We have much to thank God for,” said Alexander to the Major
”We have indeed, and, next to divine aid, we have to thank that poor boy We have been as children in his hands, and we are indebted to hiht I could not speak yesterday, nor could you; but his courage in re to the lion I shall not forget”
”He is a child of the desert,” replied Alexander; ”he has been brought up a lions, and where there is scarcity of water, and he has uided us in our path; but we are still in the desert, and have lost our coain the caravan, or push off to the ard, to fall in with the river again?”
”We will talk of this an hour hence,” replied the Major; ”let us now go down to the pool, and as soon as I have had a drink I will try if I can not kill soreat as was o with you; but we must be careful hoe approach the water, as we may fall in with some animal to make a meal of”
”Or with a lion, ready to make a meal of us,” replied the Major; ”so in either instance we must approach it cautiously”
As they walked to the pool, they discovered the head of an antelope just above a rock The Major fired, and the animal fell The report of the rifle was answered by a roar; three lions bounded away from the rock, and went at a quick canter over the plain