We must read them such a lesson that they will draw off and leave us alone." But as he spoke, so far from the loss they had sustained having damped the ardour of the enemy, they kept on sending in the arrows more thickly, but without doing us--thanks to our position and the breastwork--the slightest harm.
The sun sank lower, but the rock where we were seemed to grow hotter, the air to be quivering all along the little valley, and as the terrible thirst increased so did our tortures seem to multiply from the fact that we could hear the heavy dull thunderous murmur away to our right, and we knew that it was cool, clear, delicious water, every drop of which would have given our dried-up mouths and parched throats relief.
At one time I turned giddy and the whole scene before me seemed to be spinning round, while my head throbbed with the pain I suffered, my tongue all the time feeling like a piece of dry leather which clung to the roof of my mouth.
And still the firing was going steadily on, each sending a bullet straight to its mark whenever opportunity occurred; but apparently without effect, for in the midst of all this firing and confusion of shouts from the enemy and defiant replies from our people, the arrows went to and fro as rapidly as ever.
If it had not been for the sound of the falling water I believe I could have borne the thirst far better; but no matter how the fighting went, there was always the soft deep roar of the plashing water tantalising us with thoughts of its refreshing draughts and delicious coolness when laving our fevered heads.
I grew so giddy at times that I felt that I should only waste my shot if I fired, and refrained, while, gaining experience and growing bolder by degrees, the savages aimed so that every shot became dangerous, for they sent them straight at a mass of rock before us some ten or a dozen yards, and this they struck and then glanced off, so that we were nearly hit three times running.
Stones were set up at once upon our right as a protection, but this only saved us for a time.

The savages had found out the way to touch us, and before many minutes had elapsed _ricochet_ shots were coming amongst as again.
"I can hardly see them, Joe," whispered the doctor suddenly; "my eyes are dizzy with this awful thirst.

We must have water if we are to live." He ceased speaking to catch me by the arm, and point to the bush that had been so long stationary in one place that I had forgotten it.
"What's that, my lad ?" he whispered; "is that bush moving, or are my eyes playing me false.

It must be on the move.

It is some trick.