Копи царя Соломона
Water! WATER!
AsweweresittingthereIsawUmbopagetupandhobbletowardsthepatchofgreen,andafewminutesafterwards,tomygreatastonishment, Iperceivedthatusuallyverydignifiedindividualdancingandshoutinglikeamaniac,andwavingsomethinggreen. Offweallscrambledtowardshimasfastasourweariedlimbswouldcarryus,hopingthathehadfoundwater.
"Whatisit,Umbopa,sonofafool?"IshoutedinZulu.
"Itisfoodandwater,Macumazahn,"andagainhewavedthegreenthing.
ThenIsawwhathehadfound.Itwasamelon.Wehadhituponapatchofwildmelons,thousandsofthem,anddeadripe.
"Melons!"IyelledtoGood,whowasnextme; andinanotherminutehisfalseteethwerefixedinoneofthem.
Ithinkweateaboutsixeachbeforewehaddone,andpoorfruitastheywere,IdoubtifIeverthoughtanythingnicer.
Butmelonsarenotverynutritious, andwhenwehadsatisfiedourthirstwiththeirpulpysubstance,andputastocktocoolbythesimpleprocessofcuttingthemintwoandsettingthemendoninthehotsuntogrowcoldbyevaporation,webegantofeelexceedinglyhungry. Wehadstillsomebiltongleft,butourstomachsturnedfrombiltong,andbesides,wewereobligedtobeverysparingofit,forwecouldnotsaywhenweshouldfindmorefood. Justatthismomentaluckythingchanced. LookingacrossthedesertIsawaflockofabouttenlargebirdsflyingstraighttowardsus.
"Skit,Baas,skit!""Shoot,master,shoot!"whisperedtheHottentot,throwinghimselfonhisface,anexamplewhichweallfollowed.
