这个陌生人从纳洛敏来，他开了个小玩笑——“他们说我们纳洛敏人心胸狭窄。但这里所有最聪明的人都困惑于定义一种来到纳洛明的新现象。“去年夏天，在狭巷，天气变得相当暖和——水袋里装着200块，看上去像一场暴风雨——我们都在私人酒吧里，那是镇上最酷的地方。这时，穿过一片平原，一片乌云滚滚而来，“我们不尊重那里的云，它们让我们感到厌恶，它们大多带来一场大雨——三滴雨滴和一些灰尘;但每个人都异口同声地说:“我想这朵云表明我们该再喝一杯了!”“天上有乌云，天上有尘土——我们以前也听说过，有时在报纸上也读到‘战争的乌云’。不过——如果这不是福音里的真理，我希望我能把它炸开——那片来到纳洛明的乌云，只不过是口渴的乌云。”“它不像普通的云，更像是一种薄雾;它在街道上停了下来，停了好多天，现在一滴露珠落下，一缕阳光也照不透窄窄的雾气。“哦,主啊!我们在那片口渴的阴云下度过了一段可怕的时光!我们都放下了日常的工作，拼命工作。 The very blacks about the town that used to cadge for grub, They made an organised attack and tried to loot the pub. "We couldn't leave the private bar no matter how we tried; Shearers and squatters, union men and blacklegs side by side Were drinkin' there and dursn't move, for each was sure, he said, Before he'd get a half a mile the thirst would strike him dead! "We drank until the drink gave out, we searched from room to room, And round the pub, like drunken ghosts, went howling through the gloom. The shearers found some kerosene and settled down again, But all the squatter chaps and I, we staggered to the train. "And, once outside the cloud of thirst, we felt as right as pie, But while we stopped about the town we had to drink or die. But now I hear it's safe enough, I'm going back to work Because they say the cloud of thirst has shifted on to Bourke. "But when you see these clouds about -- like this one over here-- All white and frothy at the top, just like a pint of beer, It's time to go and have a drink, for if that cloud should burst You'd find the drink would all be gone, for that's a cloud of thirst!" We stood the man from Narromine a pint of half-and-half; He drank it off without a gasp in one tremendous quaff; "I joined some friends last night," he said, "in what they called a spree; But after Narromine 'twas just a holiday to me." And now beyond the Western Range, where sunset skies are red, And clouds of dust, and clouds of thirst, go drifting overhead, The railway train is taking back, along the Western Line, That narrow-minded person on his road to Narromine.