HOW WATER WAS OBTAINED IN "THIRST-LAND."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9307, 9 March 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

HOW WATER WAS OBTAINED IN "THIRST-LAND."

At the meeting of tho Geographical Society a paper was road by Mr. F. S. A mot, entitled "Journey from Natal to Bind and Benguella, and thence across the central plateau of Africa to tho sources of the Zambesi and Congo." Tho reader of the paper was led to make his expedition, which was that of a missionary character, from witnessing as ft child a distribution of prise* in 1564 by Dr. Livingstone on his return .from the Zambesi exploration. Mr. Arnot started from Natal in ISBI, and made for thoTransvaal with very Blonder resources. This, it appears, was not an unmixed evil, as ho owed escape to that fact from some of tho troubles that befall travellers furnished with a large stock of poods. This method of proceeding, however, was accompanied by many inconveniences. The travellers had to traverse tho " thirst-land" on Livingstone's route, and the only means of obtaining water was that adopted by the wandering buehmon of the Masaroa race. How Mr. Arnot obtained water may best bo described in his own words : "A few wandering bushuion of tho JMiwaroa race, however, came to our relief, and to their kindness wo doubtless owed our lives. .Digging pits in the sand, they sank long reeds to the bottom of these, anil with an unusual power of suction, acquired by long practice, they slowly drew up the water from tho sand, discharging it from their inouUis into tortoise shells; and so great was our thirst that we eagerly drank the frothy liquid. Morning and evening we wore sustained by a little of this turbid fluid." Mr. Arnot's oblique journey across Africa corresponded on the whole with that of Major Sorpa Pinto. Mr. Arnot's object in going to Africa was to establish a healthy missionary station in the interior, ami it was accomplished after seven years. Although ho travelled without a white, or oven a black companion, bo never received any ill-treat-ment. Guns wore carried by some of the party, but only for hunting purposes.