`` let temeraire drink and eat ; this may last some time , '' tharkay said : a couple of the ground crewmen pried off the cover from two of the flat-sided wooden butts and brushed the damp , cooling sawdust away from the swollen leather bags inside , then temeraire lowered his head so they might pour out the mixture of water and ice into his mouth : having had nearly a week 's practice , he did not spill a drop , but closed his jaws tight before raising his head up again to swallow .