Копи царя Соломона
Our March into the Desert
Buteverythinghasanend,ifonlyyoulivelongenoughtoseeit,andsomehowthatmiserabledayworeontowardsevening. Aboutthreeo’clockintheafternoonwedeterminedthatwecouldbearitnolonger. Itwouldbebettertodiewalkingthattobekilledslowlybyheatandthirstinthisdreadfulhole. Sotakingeachofusalittledrinkfromourfastdiminishingsupplyofwater,nowwarmedtoaboutthesametemperatureasaman’sblood,westaggeredforward.
Wehadthencoveredsomefiftymilesofwilderness. IfthereaderwillrefertotheroughcopyandtranslationofolddaSilvestra’smap,hewillseethatthedesertismarkedasmeasuringfortyleaguesacross,andthe"panbadwater"issetdownasbeingaboutinthemiddleofit. Nowfortyleaguesisonehundredandtwentymiles,consequentlyweoughtatthemosttobewithintwelveorfifteenmilesofthewaterifanyshouldreallyexist.
Throughtheafternoonwecreptslowlyandpainfullyalong,scarcelydoingmorethanamileandahalfinanhour. Atsunsetwerestedagain,waitingforthemoon,andafterdrinkingalittlemanagedtogetsomesleep.
Beforewelaydown,Umbopapointedouttousaslightandindistincthillockontheflatsurfaceoftheplainabouteightmilesaway. Atthedistanceitlookedlikeanant-hill,andasIwasdroppingofftosleepIfelltowonderingwhatitcouldbe.
Withthemoonwemarchedagain,feelingdreadfullyexhausted,andsufferingtorturesfromthirstandpricklyheat. Nobodywhohasnotfeltitcanknowwhatwewentthrough.
