The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by Anas. B. Malik through a different chain of narrators. This version has :

Anas said : I saw one of them biting the earth with this mouth (teeth) on account of thirst and this they died.

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا ثَابِتٌ، وَقَتَادَةُ، وَحُمَيْدٌ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، ذَكَرَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ قَالَ أَنَسٌ فَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَهُمْ يَكْدِمُ الأَرْضَ بِفِيهِ عَطَشًا حَتَّى مَاتُوا ‏.‏