Копи царя Соломона
Water! WATER!
Butthecoldwastoointensetoallowustodoso,forIamconvincedthatatthisgreataltitudethethermometercannothavemarkedlessthanfourteenorfifteendegreesbelowfreezingpoint. Whatsuchatemperaturemeanttous,enervatedaswewerebyhardship,wantoffood,andthegreatheatofthedesert,thereadermayimaginebetterthanIcandescribe. SufficeittosaythatitwassomethingasneardeathfromexposureasIhaveeverfelt. Therewesathourafterhourthroughthestillandbitternight, feelingthefrostwanderroundandnipusnowinthefinger,nowinthefoot,nowintheface. Invaindidwehuddleupcloserandcloser;therewasnowarmthinourmiserablestarvedcarcases. Sometimesoneofuswoulddropintoanuneasyslumberforafewminutes,butwecouldnotsleepmuch,andperhapsthiswasfortunate,forifwehadIdoubtifweshouldhaveeverwokeagain. Indeed,Ibelievethatitwasonlybyforceofwillthatwekeptourselvesaliveatall.
NotverylongbeforedawnIheardtheHottentotVentvögel,whoseteethhadbeenchatteringallnightlikecastanets,giveadeepsigh.Thenhisteethstoppedchattering. Ididnotthinkanythingofitatthetime,concludingthathehadgonetosleep. Hisbackwasrestingagainstmine,anditseemedtogrowcolderandcolder,tillatlastitfeltlikeice.
Atlengththeairbegantogrowgreywithlight,thengoldenarrowsspedacrossthesnow,andatlasttheglorioussunpeepedabovethelavawallandlookedinuponourhalf-frozenforms.AlsoitlookeduponVentvögel,sittingthereamongstus,stonedead.
