Копи царя Соломона
Water! WATER!
"Rot,"saidGood;"whoeverheardofwaterbeingfoundatthetopofahill!"
"Letusgoandlook,"Iputin, andhopelesslyenoughwescrambledupthesandysidesofthehillock,Umbopaleading.Presentlyhestoppedasthoughhewaspetrified.
"Nanziamanzie!"thatis,"Hereiswater!"hecriedwithaloudvoice.
Werusheduptohim,andthere,sureenough,inadeepcutorindentationontheverytopofthesandkoppie,wasanundoubtedpoolofwater. Howitcametobeinsuchastrangeplacewedidnotstoptoinquire,nordidwehesitateatitsblackandunpleasantappearance. Itwaswater,oragoodimitationofit,andthatwasenoughforus. Wegaveaboundandarush,andinanothersecondwewerealldownonourstomachssuckinguptheuninvitingfluidasthoughitwerenectarfitforthegods. Heavens,howwediddrink! Thenwhenwehaddonedrinkingwetoreoffourclothesandsatdowninthepool,absorbingthemoisturethroughourparchedskins. You,Harry,myboy,whohaveonlytoturnonacoupleoftapstosummon"hot"and"cold"fromanunseen,vastycistern,canhavelittleideaoftheluxuryofthatmuddywallowinbrackishtepidwater.
Afterawhilewerosefromit,refreshedindeed,andfelltoonour"biltong,"ofwhichwehadscarcelybeenabletotouchamouthfulfortwenty-fourhours,andateourfill. Thenwesmokedapipe,andlaydownbythesideofthatblessedpool,undertheoverhangingshadowofitsbank,andslepttillnoon.