Копи царя Соломона

           Allthatdaywerestedtherebythewater,thankingourstarsthatwehadbeenluckyenoughtofindit,badasitwas, andnotforgettingtorenderadueshareofgratitudetotheshadeofthelong-departeddaSilvestra,whohadsetitspositiondownsoaccuratelyonthetailofhisshirt. Thewonderfulthingtouswasthatthepanshouldhavelastedsolong, andtheonlywayinwhichIcanaccountforthisisonthesuppositionthatitisfedbysomespringdeepdowninthesand. 

           Havingfilledbothourselvesandourwater-bottlesasfullaspossible,infarbetterspiritswestartedoffagainwiththemoon. Thatnightwecoverednearlyfive-and-twentymiles;but,needlesstosay,foundnomorewater, thoughwewereluckyenoughthefollowingdaytogetalittleshadebehindsomeant-heaps. Whenthesunrose,and,forawhile,clearedawaythemysteriousmists,Suliman’sBergwiththetwomajesticBreasts,nowonlyabouttwentymilesoff, seemedtobetoweringrightaboveus,andlookedgranderthanever. Attheapproachofeveningwemarchedagain,and,tocutalongstoryshort,bydaylightnextmorningfoundourselvesuponthelowestslopesofSheba’sleftbreast,forwhichwehadbeensteadilysteering. Bythistimeourwaterwasexhaustedoncemore,andweweresufferingseverelyfromthirst,norindeedcouldweseeanychanceofrelievingittillwereachedthesnowlinefar,faraboveus.