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Show 84 WESTERN WILDS. vented delirium. I put out ray hand to assure Dolores of my presence, when was it possible ? Did I feel an actual moisture at the base of the cliff, or was it only the cold, dry sand ? Fiercely I scratched away the first few inches of the loose surface eagerly I thrust my fingers into the packed dirt and gravel, and tore my nails digging beside the rock. Yes, it was unmistakable; there was moisture there, and somewhere above it there was water ! " New life animated me. I followed the line of moisture along the base of the rock ; it suddenly ceased, and my heart stood still. An in-stant more, and I perceived that I had passed the immense fissure which split the cliff; in it I again found the moist trace. I followed it a few rods, and perceived that the formation had changed to limestone. Joy overcame me. I screamed aloud, and burst into tears. Every yard that I advanced up the fissure the earth grew more moist. Presently I could squeeze a few dirty drops from a handful into my mouth. Great Jupiter! Was Olympian nectar ever so sweet? A few rods more and there was dank green grass, its matted roots sodden with mud and water. Eagerly I sucked the divine fluid, then tore up a few handfuls and hastened with it to Dolores. Squeezing the scant drops into her mouth, and spreading the grass roots upon her brow, I soon had the exquisite joy of seeing her raise her head and smile. I took her in my arms and bore her to the damp grass- plat ; then, foot by foot, on our knees, we searched the narrow ravine. Soon we came to where a few tiny drops trickled over a mossy stone. With our lips pressed to the rock, AVC drew new life from it. For an hour we alternately sucked at this source, and. cheered each other she calling upon the Virgin, and blessing all the saints by turns, I rejoicing at the happy operations of nature which gave us water in this strange place. " Our worst tortures past, fatigue again conquered us. We sank into a sound sleep, and did not wake till the morning light fell upon our faces. I then saw that the line of green grass continued up the nar-row gorge, and, following it for two hours, we came upon a pool of cold, clear water. Did you ever, after hours of toil across the desert, come upon one of those lime- rock springs, which alone make life possi-ble in the far South- west? If so, you know their wonderful beauty; you can imagine our joy. Around were the yellow and striped mount-ains, seamed and scarred as if by a million years of storm and light-ning; below, the cliff- walled caflon, now filled with the hot and stag-nant air of mid- day, and beyond it the dry sands and treeless desert. Here was a cool spring, central to a little oasis, where the bright fluid bubbled forth from the earth, and dripped o'er the rocks in tiny, cool |
