Копи царя Соломона
Water! WATER!
LikemostHottentots,hecannotstandcold. Pangsofhungernotsobad,buthaveasortofnumbfeelingaboutthestomach. Otherssaythesame. Wearenowonalevelwiththeprecipitouschain,orwalloflava,linkingthetwoBreasts, andtheviewisglorious. Behindustheglowingdesertrollsawaytothehorizon,andbeforeusliemileuponmileofsmoothhardsnowalmostlevel,butswellinggentlyupwards, outofthecentreofwhichthenippleofthemountain,thatappearstobesomemilesincircumference,risesaboutfourthousandfeetintothesky. Notalivingthingistobeseen. Godhelpus;Ifearthatourtimehascome."
AndnowIwilldropthejournal,partlybecauseitisnotveryinterestingreading;alsowhatfollowsrequirestellingrathermorefully.
Allthatday—the23rdMay—westruggledslowlyuptheinclineofsnow,lyingdownfromtimetotimetorest. Astrangegauntcrewwemusthavelooked,while,ladenaswewere,wedraggedourwearyfeetoverthedazzlingplain,glaringrounduswithhungryeyes. Notthattherewasmuchuseinglaring,forwecouldseenothingtoeat. Wedidnotaccomplishmorethansevenmilesthatday. JustbeforesunsetwefoundourselvesexactlyunderthenippleofSheba’sleftBreast,whichtoweredthousandsoffeetintotheair,avastsmoothhillockoffrozensnow. Weakaswewere,wecouldnotbutappreciatethewonderfulscene, madeevenmoresplendidbytheflyingraysoflightfromthesettingsun,whichhereandtherestainedthesnowblood-red,andcrownedthegreatdomeaboveuswithadiademofglory.
