noon
The unfortunate accident at the ford had depressed our feelings to such an extent that there was an entire absence of hilarity by the way . This morning the farewell songs generally used in parting with a river which had defied us were omitted . The herd trailed out like an immense serpent , and was guided and controlled by our men as if by mutes . Long before the noon hour , we passed out of sight of Forty Islands , and in the next few days , with the change of scene , the gloom gradually lifted . We were bearing almost due north , and passing through a delightful country . To our left ran a range of mountains , while on the other hand sloped off the apparently limitless plain . The scarcity of water was beginning to be felt , for the streams which had not a source in the mountains on our left had dried up weeks before our arrival .