Копи царя Соломона
Water! WATER!
Butasweafterwardsdiscovered,owingtoacausewhichitisquitebeyondmypowertoexplain,allthestreamsfloweddownuponthenorthsideofthemountains.
Nowwebegantogrowveryanxiousaboutfood. Wehadescapeddeathbythirst,butitseemedprobablethatitwasonlytodieofhunger. Theeventsofthenextthreemiserabledaysarebestdescribedbycopyingtheentriesmadeatthetimeinmynote-book.
"21stMay.—Started11a.m.,findingtheatmospherequitecoldenoughtotravelbyday, andcarryingsomewater-melonswithus. Struggledonallday,butfoundnomoremelons,havingevidentlypassedoutoftheirdistrict. Sawnogameofanysort. Haltedforthenightatsundown, havinghadnofoodformanyhours. Sufferedmuchduringthenightfromcold.
"22nd.—Startedatsunriseagain,feelingveryfaintandweak. Onlymadeaboutfivemilesallday; foundsomepatchesofsnow,ofwhichweate,butnothingelse. Campedatnightundertheedgeofagreatplateau. Coldbitter. Drankalittlebrandyeach,andhuddledourselvestogether,eachwrappedupinhisblanket,tokeepourselvesalive. Arenowsufferingfrightfullyfromstarvationandweariness. ThoughtthatVentvögelwouldhavediedduringthenight.
"23rd.—Struggledforwardoncemoreassoonasthesunwaswellup,andhadthawedourlimbsalittle. Wearenowinadreadfulplight,andIfearthatunlesswegetfoodthiswillbeourlastday’sjourney. Butlittlebrandyleft. Good,SirHenry,andUmbopabearupwonderfully,butVentvögelisinaverybadway.
