Then they went on into the wilderness. And Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women event out after her with timbrels. And Miriam said, "Let us sing to the Lord, for He hath triumphed gloriously." They offered sacrifices, they prayed and sang, and danced. MIRIAM'S SONG. Sound the loud timbrel o'er Egypt's dark sea! Jehovah has triumphed--His people are free! Sing!--for the pride of the tyrant is broken: His chariots, his horsemen, all splendid and brave,-- How vain was their boasting!--the Lord hath but spoken, And chariots and horsemen are sunk in the wave. Sound the loud timbrel o'er Egypt's dark sea! Jehovah has triumphed--His people are free! Praise to the Conqueror, praise to the Lord! His word was our arrow, His breath was our sword! Who shall return to tell Egypt the story Of those she sent forth in the hour of her pride? For the Lord hath looked out from his pillar of glory, And all her brave thousands are dashed in the tide. Sound the loud timbrel o'er Egypt's dark sea: Jehovah has triumphed--His people are free! --_Moore._ [Illustration: MOSES STRIKING THE ROCK IN HOREB.] IN THE WILDERNESS. So led He them, in desert marches grand, By toils sublime, with test of long delay, On, to the borders of that Promised Land, Wherein their heritage of glory lay. Wonderfully they were being led. Surely one would suppose they could never doubt God again, nor Moses, the leader God had chosen for them. But alas! there were many among them who seemed little better than the Egyptians, their oppressors. They had gone only a few miles when they came to the waters of Marah, which were bitter. They were tired, and longed to encamp for the night. Then they began to groan and to cry aloud, "O, why have you brought us into a land where there is no water?" But Moses, never failing in trust and patience, cast a tree, which the Lord had shown him, into the waters, and lo! they became sweet. The people drank and were satisfied; and there they encamped and rested. When God gave them the sweet water to drink, he said to Moses, "If thou wilt obey me I will be with thee always. I will keep, and bless, and strengthen thee, thee and all thy people. And there shall come to thee neither disease nor plague." When the people heard these words, they were comforted and meant never to doubt again. But a few days after this, when they had come into the heart of the wilderness, and there seemed no way of finding food, again they complained to Moses that he had led them into the wilderness to starve. But God heard their murmurings and sent great flocks of quails on which to feed them. Thousands and thousands were there of them, and they covered the ground, the trees, and the tents, so great were their numbers. The Israelites caught them and ate them, and their hunger was appeased.