Leaving the boys to attend to the animals, I took the overseer up one of the ridges to reconnoitre the country for the purpose of ascertaining whether there was no place near us where water might be procured by digging.
After a careful examination a hollow was selected between the two front ridges of white sand, where the overseer thought it likely we might be successful.

The boys were called up to assist in digging, and the work was anxiously commenced; our suspense increasing every moment as the well was deepened.

At about five feet the sand was observed to be quite moist, and upon its being tasted was pronounced quite free from any saline qualities.

This was joyous news, but too good to be implicitly believed, and though we all tasted it over and over again, we could scarcely believe that such really was the case.

By sinking another foot the question was put beyond all doubt, and to our great relief fresh water was obtained at a depth of six feet from the surface, on the seventh day of our distress, and after we had travelled one hundred and sixty miles since we had left the last water.