M., and all the people were sent off
by Hateetah a couple of hours after him.
This was a dreadfully exciting day. I confess, that as the afternoon
wore on I had given up nearly all hope, and continued the search merely
as a matter of duty. Few will be able to imagine the anguish of losing a
friend under such circumstances in the wide desert, where you may for
ever remain uncertain how he came by his death, whether by the spear of
a bandit, the claws of a wild beast, or by that still more deadly enemy,
thirst. Just before sunset I was preparing fresh fires as a last resort,
when I saw one of our blacks, the little Mahadee, running eagerly
towards the encampment. Good news was in his very step. I hastened to
meet him. He brought the joyful intelligence that Dr. Barth had been
found, still alive, and even able to speak! The Tuarick whom I had
despatched, in scouring the country with his maharee, had found him
about eight miles from the camp, lying on the ground, unable to move.
For twenty-four hours he had remained in the same position, perfectly
exhausted with heat and fatigue. Our fires had not been unmarked by him,
but they only served to show that we were doing our best to find him. He
could not move a step towards them. On seeing his deliverers, he could
just muster strength to say, "Water, water!" He had finished the small
supply he had taken with him the day before at noon, and had from that
time suffered the most horrible tortures from thirst.
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