Sketches of the campaign in northern Mexico : in eighteen hundred forty-six and seven / by an officer of the First Regiment of Ohio volunteers.

114 SUFFERINGS ON THE IAlC.EI.
early in the march; and when we halted at the well, the
blood was "boiling like lava within the glowing caverns of
the heart." A hundred strange visions floated through the
heated brain. Vivicl and tantalizing pictures of bubbling
springs and limpid streams well known in years long gone
by, were again present to the mind. Then the wandering
thoughts successively recalled all the horrible scenes of distress arising from thirst, which they had ever contemplatedl;
from the notable case of that certain rich man who, " in hell
lifted up his eyes, being in torments," to the latest narrative
of shipwrecked mariners casting lots for each other's blood.
And when from the crowd around the rancho, there broke
forth some expressions of pain and disappointment that
could no longer be subdued, the mind reverted to the wanderings of the Israelites, their thirst, and their murmurings
against iMoses in Rephidim, and to the rock in Horeb
smitten by the rod. But the age of miracles was past!'Twere vain to sig-h for that rock and rod, or to expect relief;
save by additional exertion. All complaints were soon
hushedc, and the column again put in motion. For another
half hour it continued to drag its slow length along amid a
silence that was broken only by the melancholy rattle of
empty canteens. Then, when we were not more than a mile
or two from water, occurred some touching scenes of human
misery. Here and there, the weakest men began to reel
from the ranks. Sinking upon the road-side, they declared
that their strength was spent, and that they could go no further. Some were still helped forward by their stronger comrades, while others, whom no words of hope or fear could