The School Friends Part 16

Martin did not forget the old bushwoman, and with his father's leave gave her, to her no little astonishment and delight, a piece of meat and a bunch of beads, and two or three other trifling articles.

The people were employed for several hours in cleaning out the sand from the holes, for as fast as they dug, it again rolled down and filled them up. Gradually, however, the water oozed out from the sides, and towards morning there was a sufficient quant.i.ty to afford a little to each of the thirsty horses and oxen.

Directly the first streaks of dawn appeared in the sky the oxen were inspanned, and the journey recommenced. On search being made for the old bushwoman, it was discovered that she had decamped. Mean and wretched though she was, she had rendered an essential service to the strangers, but she probably thought them as treacherous as they had supposed her to be.

CHAPTER TWO.

For several hours the weary oxen dragged on the waggon, slightly refreshed by the limited amount of water they had obtained, and at length they began to show signs of thirst. Masiko confessed that he knew of no pool within the distance of another day's journey, and as the heat had been excessive, he could not be certain that water would be found in it. It was a question whether the oxen could get as far without drinking. Noon was approaching, and it would have been worse than useless to attempt moving on while the sun was overhead. Again they outspanned. The men sat down to sleep in the limited shade the waggon afforded; but the poor animals had to stand out in the full glare of the hot sun, turning their heads in the direction whence came a light breeze, which prevented the atmosphere being altogether insupportable.

They had halted about a couple of hours, when two objects were seen moving across the boundless plain towards them. They proved to be the little, yellow-skinned, shrivelled old bushwoman, and a man of the same hue, and as scantily dressed as herself. They came without hesitation up to the waggon. Martin hastened forward, and in a kind tone thanked them for coming to the camp, a.s.suring them that they were welcome and would be protected.

"Can you show us where we can find water?" he asked.

Their reply convinced him that Masiko was right, and that there was none to be found nearer than he had said. They, however, told him that if he would accompany them a short distance, they would point out where to obtain what would answer the purpose of water. As his father was asleep in the waggon, Martin did not wish to disturb him, and therefore called Kibo, who had meantime been speaking to the bushman and his wife.

"Do you think they can be trusted, Kibo?" Martin asked.

"Yes, good people; no do harm," answered the lad in broken English.

"Then we will go with them."

Martin, saddling his horse, called two of the most trustworthy men to follow on the spare horses, while Kibo mounting another, they set out in company with the little bushman and his wife.

They had proceeded some distance, when the latter pointed out a creeping plant, with long leaves and a thin, delicate stalk, spreading over the ground in various directions. Both the man and his wife had stones in their hands with which they struck the ground at various spots, at about equal distances from the centre of the plant, and then made signs to the people who had accompanied them to dig, setting the example themselves.

After throwing out the sand to the depth of a foot and a half they came to a tuber, three or four times as large as an ordinary turnip; and at each spot where they had struck a similar one was procured. On breaking open one of the tubers, it was found to be full of juice.

"These very good, me remember them before," observed Kibo.

Martin and the Hottentot loaded their horses with as many of the tubers as they could carry, perceiving at once what a rich treat they would prove to the thirsty and starving cattle.

Having first fed their own animals, they quickly returned with their prize to the camp, accompanied by the bushman and his wife. Martin having rewarded them, they expressed their readiness to show where more tubers could be found. The riding oxen having been fed, another party was despatched to obtain a further supply. On their return they were able, as soon as the heat of the day was over, to proceed on to the northward.

"Though I was inclined to look with contempt on those poor little wretches, father, see how useful they have been to us," observed Martin.

"It goes to prove, as Mr Warden says, that none of the human race should be despised; and debased as they may be, they are capable of improvement, and have immortal souls which we should value not less than those of our other fellow-creatures."

"As to that, my boy, I doubt whether you would ever make anything out of those wretched little bush-people. Well, well! you have got a number of new notions into your head. However, when we reach the Makololo, you will have other things to occupy your thoughts; they are sharp fellows, and we shall have to keep our eyes open when dealing with them."

Martin knew that it would be his duty to a.s.sist his father to the best of his abilities, and he promised to do so.

They moved on till dark, and started again at dawn, no water having been found. Had it not been for the roots which G.o.d has caused to grow in this arid desert to supply the wants of His creatures, the oxen must have perished.

Just as they were about to outspann after their morning's journey, the little bushman beckoned to Martin, and intimated that he could lead them to a place where another production of nature could be found which would a.s.sist to sustain the cattle.

Martin, summoning three men to attend him with their oxen, and some large nets used to carry fodder, followed his volunteer guide, who, to show his confidence, left his wife with the waggon.

The country over which they pa.s.sed was even more barren and arid than any he had yet seen.

At length, after travelling several miles, some large green objects were seen, which, to his surprise and delight, he discovered were a species of water-melon.

The Hottentots immediately rushed at them; the first man cut a huge slice with his axe, but no sooner did he put his mouth to it than he cast it aside with a look of disgust and bitter disappointment. The cattle, however, pa.s.sing by several, began greedily eating others they came to. Meantime the little guide, after tasting two or three which he threw down, pointed to some which he signified were good. Martin now found that some were intensely bitter, while others were sweet and full of juice; this, however, could only be ascertained by tasting each.

The party having now satisfied their own thirst, collected as many of the sweet melons as their animals could carry, and returned with them to the camp.

"That bushman is a serviceable little fellow," observed Mr Vincent. "I have often seen both the tubers and the melons, but I have never found them before in this part of the desert. The latter seldom last long after the rains, as not only do the natives of the desert collect them, but elephants, and rhinoceroses, and even lions and hyenas, come from a distance to devour them. It was probably in consequence of the arid character of the surrounding desert that the patch to which the bushman took you has escaped a visit from them."

Martin begged that he might be allowed to reward his guide, who seemed well satisfied with an axe and several other useful articles, as well as some beads which he received.

"You should have waited till they can be of no further use before giving them presents," observed his father. "Depend upon it, they will be off before long; and it Masiko, as I suspect, has lost his way, we shall be in no small difficulty."

Martin hoped that their new friends would prove faithful, though as the waggon moved on during the afternoon they said something which made him suspect that their wanderings did not extend much further to the north.

They, however, accompanied the caravan to the end of the day's journey; but when morning broke they were nowhere to be seen, they had gone off, as the old woman had before, without being observed by the watch, who had probably been slumbering at the time.

Here a whole day was spent, that both men and beasts might obtain that rest they so much required.

Again the caravan was on the move. Masiko urged that they should push on as rapidly as possible, for he could not say when they might next reach water. But a small supply remained in their skin bottles.

The horses and cattle were again suffering greatly. First one of the oxen in the team fell, then another, and another; and though their places were supplied by the spare animals, the waggon continued to move on at an unusually slow pace.

The last drop of water in the skins was exhausted, and even some of the men accustomed to desert travelling declared they could go no further.

The sun was striking down on their heads with intense force. The men's lips were parched, their eyes bloodshot. The animals moved on with open mouths, lowing piteously in their sufferings. The trader began to fear that the whole party would knock up. In that case, his only hope of saving his own life and that of his son would be to abandon them with his waggon and goods, and to gallop forward, on the chance of finding water.

They had ridden some distance ahead of the caravan, when Martin, who was a short way in front of his father, shouted out, "Water! water!"

pointing as he spoke to a beautiful lake in the distance, its waters, curled by the breeze, shining with intense l.u.s.tre in the bright sun. On the further sh.o.r.e trees were seen reflected clearly on the surface, while among them appeared a number of elephants cooling themselves by throwing water over their bodies.

"We need no longer fear losing our animals, for they will have water enough now to drink their fill," observed Martin as his father overtook him.

Mr Vincent did not answer, but anxiously gazed at the sheet of water.

"I know of no lake hereabouts, and it is too important an object not to be known to all who have ever travelled across the desert; yet my eyes cannot be deceived," he remarked.

"Shall I ride back and tell the people?" asked Martin.

"Wait till we have ascertained how far off the water is," said his father; "you may only disappoint them."

"Surely it cannot be very far off, or we should not see those elephants so clearly," remarked Martin.

They now put their horses into a trot, the poor animals were too much fatigued to gallop.

Just then the seeming elephants began to move, and suddenly, instead of elephants, a herd of zebras crossed their path, scampering over the ground. The next instant the lake had disappeared, and they found themselves on the borders of an immense expanse of salt, covering the ground as far as the eye could reach to the north and west. On looking behind them, however, they saw both their cattle and men moving rapidly towards the spot, as if they too had been deceived. Bitter was their disappointment when they discovered their mistake. Two of the poor animals dropped and died, now another, and now a fourth; still "Forward!

forward!" was the cry. Masiko a.s.serted that water would be at length reached, though it might be some hours' journey ahead. Thus encouraged, even those who had hitherto been most inclined to despair exerted themselves.

"If this is to endure much longer, I fear that I shall be unable to stand it," observed Martin to Kibo, who was riding by his side. "Should I die, you will promise me, Kibo, to remain with my father, and to do your best to serve him, and try and get him back safely to Mr Warden's.

Perhaps if I die he will be more ready to listen to him than he was during his last visit, and to think that is a great consolation to me.

Oh, how willingly would I give up my life to save his, and much more, to enable him to learn the glorious truths which have brought joy to my heart!"

The sun was rapidly sinking in the west. They had left the salt expanse some way behind; still the country was as dry and inhospitable as ever.

Masiko, at Mr Vincent's order, had pushed on ahead of the caravan.

Suddenly he was seen to wave his spear, and to point with it to a clump of trees, then to rush forward. Mr Vincent, with Martin and Kibo, followed him eagerly.