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, whohad probably been slumbering at the time.
Here a whole day was spent, that both men and beasts might obtain thatrest they so much required.
Again the caravan was on the move. Masiko urged that they should pushon as rapidly as possible, for he could not say when they might nextreach water. But a small supply remained in their skin bottles.
The horses and cattle were again suffering greatly. First one of theoxen in the team fell, then another, and another; and though theirplaces were supplied by the spare animals, the waggon continued to moveon at an unusually slow pace.
The last drop of water in the skins was exhausted, and even some of themen accustomed to desert travelling declared they could go no further.
The sun was striking down on their heads with intense force. The men'slips were parched, their eyes bloodshot. The animals moved on with openmouths, lowing piteously in their sufferings. The trader began to fearthat the whole party would knock up. In that case, his only hope ofsaving his own life and that of his son would be to abandon them withhis waggon and goods, and to gallop forward, on the chance of findingwater.
They had ridden some distance ahead of the caravan, when Martin, who wasa 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 lustre in the bright sun. Onthe further shore trees were seen reflected clearly on the surface,while among them appeared a number of elephants cooling themselves bythrowing water over their bodies.
"We need no longer fear losing our animals, for they will have waterenough now to drink their fill," observed Martin as his father overtookhim.
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 tobe known to all who have ever travelled across the desert; yet my eyescannot 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 hisfather; "you may only disappoint them."
"Surely it cannot be very far off, or we should not see those elephantsso clearly," remarked Martin.
They now put their horses into a trot, the poor animals were too muchfatigued to gallop.
Just then the seeming elephants began to move, and suddenly, instead ofelephants, a herd of zebras crossed their path, scampering over theground. The next instant the lake had disappeared, and they foundthemselves on the borders of an immense expanse of salt, covering theground as far as the eye could reach to the north and west. On lookingbehind them, however, they saw both their cattle and men moving rapidlytowards the spot, as if they too had been deceived. Bitter was theirdisappointment when they discovered their mistake. Two of the pooranimals dropped and died, now another, and now a fourth; still "Forward!forward!" was the cry. Masiko asserted that water would be at lengthreached, though it might be some hours' journey ahead. Thus encouraged,even those who had hitherto been most inclined to despair exertedthemselves.
"If this is to endure much longer, I fear that I shall be unable tostand it," observed Martin to Kibo, who was riding by his side. "ShouldI die, you will promise me, Kibo, to remain with my father, and to doyour 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 wasduring 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, toenable him to learn the glorious truths which have brought joy to myheart!"
The sun was rapidly sinking in the west. They had left the salt expansesome 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 clumpof trees, then to rush forward. Mr Vincent, with Martin and Kibo,followed him eagerly.
CHAPTER THREE.
Water was found in the bed of what had once been a running river. Themen eagerly rushed forward, and lapped up the refreshing liquid,followed by the horses and oxen. It was with difficulty that thoseyoked to the waggon could be restrained from dragging it in with them,so eager were they to quench their burning thirst.
The party here encamped, for there were all things requisite--water,grass, and wood.
Masiko now knew where he was, and he urged his companions to fill alltheir water-skins, for this pool would soon be dried up, and they had awide desert track to traverse before they could reach the country of theMakololo.
The next morning, having secured as much water as they could carry, theparty proceeded on their journey.
Day after day they travelled on, often suffering greatly from thirst andhunger, and dreading the loss of more of the cattle.
At length a stream of running water was crossed flowing to the east, andthe caravan reached the borders of a dense forest, through which a pathhad to be cut with axes. Beyond it, far off in the east, hills wereseen rising out of the plain.
Several ruined villages were passed, the plantations near them overrunwith weeds and brushwood; while many skeletons of their unhappyinhabitants lay scattered about, telling plainly how they had beenattacked by their cruel foes before they had time to escape, and hadbeen remorselessly slaughtered, while the remainder probably had beencarried off into slavery.
Such scenes met their sight day after day through what otherwise wouldhave been a smiling country.
Several more of the oxen had died. Scarcely enough survived to drag onthe waggon.
Ahead lay a level waste covered by scrub. Masiko urged Mr Vincent towait till nightfall to cross it. He was afraid, he said, that it mightbe infested by the tsetse, which does not attack cattle at night. Thetrader, however, was eager to proceed, as he was now near thetermination of his journey, and he thought that Masiko was mistaken.Martin suggested that one of the oxen should be sent on first, and thatif that was not bitten the rest should follow. His father, however,seemed to have abandoned his usual caution, and insisted on proceeding.
They had not proceeded far across the scrub when several of thedangerous flies were seen on the animals. It was too late to turn back.They must now push on in the hopes that some might escape, which theymight do if not severely bitten. The horses might possibly be saved bygalloping on, should the dangerous spot not be of any great extent. MrVincent therefore directed Martin and Kibo, with two of the men, to pushforward with the horses while he himself remained with the waggon.
It was already late in the day before the scrub was passed. Riding onfor some distance, Martin and his companions crossed a small stream andencamped on a grassy spot, where they hoped to be safe from furtherattacks of the deadly tsetse. Examining the horses, however, they foundthat all had been bitten, while there was no hope that any of the oxenwould have escaped.
The disease caused by the bite might not show itself for several days,and the animals might have strength to drag the waggon to the end of thejourney; but if bitten, death would certainly be the consequence.
It was late at night before the waggon arrived. Mr Vincent was much outof spirits, for he anticipated the loss of all his oxen. It was themore important, therefore, that they should push on, and the nextmorning they were again on their journey.
At length the bank of another large river was reached Several villageswere seen on the opposite side, the dwellings composed of conical-shapedreed-thatched huts surrounded by circular clay walls. The inhabitants,on observing the waggon, came across in their canoes to welcome thetrader, who had before been to their country. They were clothed withskins of animals round their loins and others thrown loosely over theirshoulders.
All were eager to ascertain what Mr Vincent had brought; but he couldnot commence trading until visited by their chief, who would first claimhis own dues and make purchas
es of such articles as he wanted forhimself.
The waggon was soon surrounded by natives, who appeared disposed to befriendly.
While Mr Vincent was speaking to them they announced that their chief,Kanenge, was coming across the river. In a short time, a tall man,dressed like his people, except that the skins he wore were handsomerand that feathers ornamented the fillet round his head, landed from acanoe and came up to the waggon. Mr Vincent saluted him, shaking handsin the usual fashion. The chief then taking his seat on the ground,they discussed the business which had brought the trader to the country.One had plenty of goods, the other an abundance of ivory. The chiefwas as eager to trade as any of his people, and appeared incapable justthen of thinking of anything else. Every now and then, however, his eyeturned towards young Kibo. At length he remarked how like the lad wasto his own tribe. Mr Vincent then told him how he had been captured byMoselekatse's people some years before, and had been redeemed by
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