THE GRUESOME SKELETON
The merry party lingered long over the meal. Roast prairie chicken was the chief dish. The Professor had found lentils, and this, with potatoes, or cassava, formed the principal dish, to say nothing of the sago pudding and the residue of the little cakes which just suited Baby's palate.
For drink there was plenty of cold water, fresh and sparkling, obtained from a natural spring not far away. The Cataract River furnished a good water, in the sense that it was clear, but it had an unpleasant taste at times, so for all cooking purposes the water used had to be carried from the spring, which was sometimes burdensome.
"I wish we could purify the Cataract water, as it would be a great convenience," was George's remark, when they were considering their work and duties.
"We can easily do that by using the chips of the common oak tree or the charcoal can be used, as I have before stated."
"It is a curious thing that oak chips will purify it. Does it act in purifying the same way as charcoal?"
"We used oak bark for the purpose of tanning leather because of the tannic acid it contained. The chips of the wood contain tannic acid as well, and it does the same thing to the impurities in water that boiling does—namely, it coagulates it. In Egypt, the muddy waters of the Nile are clarified and purified by using bitter almonds. In India, they use a nut called the Strychnos for this, purpose."
"It seems people everywhere had some idea of purifying drinking water."
"Yes, and through all ages; even the Bible speaks of it."
"Where?"