e supported me I should have
sunk to the ground. We could not stay where we were, for both we and
our poor ox required water and food.

"We must abandon our goods," said my uncle; "better to lose them than
our lives. We will, however, if we can find a spot near here, leave
them _en cache_, as the Canadian hunters say; and if we soon fall in
with any friendly natives, we can send and recover them."

He had just observed, he said, a small cave, and he thought that by
piling up some stones in front of it the things would remain uninjured
from the weather or wild beasts for a considerable time.

As it was only a short distance off, while Jan remained with me, he led
the ox to the spot. The cave, fortunately, had no inhabitant; and,
having placed the goods within, and piled some stones so as completely
to block up the entrance, he returned, retaining only the powder and
shot, the ostrich feathers, three or four skins, our cooking utensils, a
few packages of tea, coffee, sugar, pepper, and similar articles
weighing but little. Unfortunately, in building up the wall, one of the
larger stones had dropped, and severely injured his foot. He found it
so painful that he was unable to walk. He, therefore, mounting the ox,
took me up before him. I, indeed, by this time could not even hold on
to the saddle, so had not he carried me I should have been unable to
travel. We now once more went on. It was already late in the day, and
before long darkness overtook us; still we could not stop without water,
which we hoped, however, to find before long. In a short time the moon
rose and enabled us to see our way.

The prospect was dreary in the extreme. Here and there a few trees
sprang out of the arid soil, while on every side were rocks with little
or no vegetation round them. We looked out eagerly for water, but mile
after mile was passed over and not a pool nor stream could we see. I
suffered greatly from thirst, and sometimes thought that I should
succumb. My uncle cheered me up, and Jan declared that we should soon
reach water and be able to camp. Still on and on we went. At length
Jan cried out--

"Dare water, dare water!"

I tried to lift up my head, but had not strength to move. I heard my
uncle exclaim--

"Thank heaven! there's water, sure enough. I see the moonbeams playing
on the surface of a pool."

I believe I fainted, for I remember no more until I found him splashing
water over my face; and, opening