midday
On the top of a rise was a little spring , which I remembered because I had slept by it a few nights before , and here I motioned to Umslopogaas to pull up , having determined to give the horses and ourselves ten minutes to breathe in . He did so , and we dismounted -- that is to say , Umslopogaas did , and then helped me off , for what with fatigue , stiffness , and the pain of my wound , I could not do so for myself ; and then the gallant horses stood panting there , resting first one leg and then another , while the sweat fell drip , drip , from them , and the steam rose and hung in pale clouds in the still night air . Leaving Umslopogaas to hold the horses , I hobbled to the spring and drank deep of its sweet waters . I had had nothing but a single mouthful of wine since midday , when the battle began , and I was parched up , though my fatigue was too great to allow me to feel hungry . Then , having laved my fevered head and hands , I returned , and the Zulu went and drank . Next we allowed the horses to take a couple of mouthfuls each -- no more ; and oh , what a struggle we had to get the poor beasts away from the water ! There were yet two minutes , and I employed it in hobbling up and down to try and relieve my stiffness , and in inspecting the condition of the horses .