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. 

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