Chapter1。II。PlansandBushmanPaintings。
Atlastcametheyearofthegreatdrought，theyearofeighteen—sixty—two。
Fromendtoendofthelandtheearthcriedforwater。Manandbeastturnedtheireyestothepitilesssky，thatliketheroofofsomebrazenovenarchedoverhead。Onthefarm，dayafterday，monthaftermonth，thewaterinthedamsfelllowerandlower；thesheepdiedinthefields；thecattle，scarcelyabletocrawl，totteredastheymovedfromspottospotinsearchoffood。Weekafterweek，monthaftermonth，thesunlookeddownfromthecloudlesssky，tillthekaroo—busheswereleaflesssticks，brokenintotheearth，andtheearthitselfwasnakedandbare；andonlythemilk—
bushes，likeoldhags，pointedtheirshrivelledfingersheavenward，prayingfortherainthatnevercame……
Itwasonanafternoonofalongdayinthatthirstysummer，thatonthesideofthekopjefurthestfromthehomesteadthetwogirlssat。Theyweresomewhatgrownsincethedayswhentheyplayedhide—and—seekthere，buttheyweremerechildrenstill。