noon
water ! ' was the cry from old and young alike . Still a day passed away -- there was no sign of land -- no sign of rain . The next day came ; intolerable was the thirst we endured by noon . In vain we strained our eyes through the hot , quivering atmosphere ; the sky was blue and pure as ever ; not a speck could we discern in the horizon . We had hoped that we might reach the group of islands to which we had been bound ; we accordingly kept , as we believed , a direct course for it . Another morning broke .