The Boats of the Glen Carrig by William Hope Hodgson Page A

collected from the rain, among the hollows and
crevasses; for though we had gotten some, through our device with the
sail, yet we had by no means caught sufficient for our needs. He was
especially anxious for haste, in that the sun had come out again; for he
was feared that such small pools as we should find would be speedily
dried up by its heat.
    Now the bo'sun headed one party, and set the big seaman over the other,
bidding all to keep their weapons very handy. Then he set out to the
rocks about the base of the nearer hill, sending the others to the
farther and greater one, and in each party we carried an empty breaker
slung from a couple of the stout reeds, so that we might put all such
driblets as we should find, straight away into it, before they had time
to vanish into the hot air; and for the purpose of bailing up the water,
we had brought with us our tin pannikins, and one of the boat's bailers.
    In a while, and after much scrambling amid the rocks, we came upon a
little pool of water that was remarkably sweet and fresh, and from this
we removed near three gallons before it became dry; and after that we
came across, maybe, five or six others; but not one of them near so big
as the first; yet we were not displeased; for we had near three parts
filled the breaker, and so we made back to the camp, having some wonder
as to the luck of the other party.
    When we came near the camp, we found the others returned before us, and
seeming in a very high content with themselves; so that we had no need to
call to them as to whether they had filled their breaker. When they saw
us, they set out to us at a run to tell us that they had come upon a
great basin of fresh water in a deep hollow a third of the distance up
the side of the far hill, and at this the bo'sun bade us put down our
breaker and make all of us to the hill, so that he might examine for
himself whether their news was so good as it seemed.
    Presently, being guided by the other party, we passed around to the back
of the far hill, and discovered it to go upward to the top at an easy
slope, with many ledges and broken places, so that it was scarce more
difficult than a stair to climb. And so, having climbed perhaps ninety or
a hundred feet, we came suddenly upon the place which held the water, and
found that they had not made too much of their discovery; for the pool
was near twenty feet long by twelve broad, and so clear as though it had
come from a fountain; yet it had considerable depth, as we discovered by
thrusting a spear shaft down into it.
    Now the bo'sun, having seen for himself how good a supply of water there
was for our needs, seemed very much relieved in his mind, and declared
that within three days at the most we might leave the island, at which we
felt none of us any regret. Indeed, had the boat escaped harm, we had
been able to leave that same day; but this could not be; for there was
much to be done before we had her seaworthy again.
    Having waited until the bo'sun had made complete his examination, we
turned to descend, thinking that this would be the bo'sun's intention;
but he called to us to stay, and, looking back, we saw that he made to
finish the ascent of the hill. At that, we hastened to follow him; though
we had no notion of his reason for going higher. Presently, we were come
to the top, and here we found a very spacious place, nicely level save
that in one or two parts it was crossed by deepish cracks, maybe half a
foot to a foot wide, and perhaps three to six fathoms long; but, apart
from these and some great boulders, it was, as I have mentioned, a
spacious place; moreover it was bone dry and pleasantly firm under one's
feet, after so long upon the sand.
    I think, even thus early, I had some notion of the bo'sun's design; for
I went to the edge that overlooked the valley, and peered down, and,
finding it nigh a sheer precipice, found myself nodding my head, as
though it were in accordance with some part formed wish. Presently,
looking about