and the ground became less capable of showing a footprint.

Soon Dick began to feel so ill and weak from eating

such poor fare, that he gave up all hope of discovering

the tracks, and was compelled to push forward at his

utmost speed in order to reach a less barren district,

where he might procure fresh meat; but the farther he

advanced the worse and more sandy did the district

become. For several days he pushed on over this arid

waste without seeing bird or beast, and, to add to his

misery, he failed at last to find water. For a day and