146 MEMORIES OF MY LIFE 



of their ship, that it might not arrive too soon. I then 

 divided my party and settled matters relating to the 

 future of the wagons and their contents, also in regard 

 to my three remaining mules, the rest of which had 

 died or been killed by lions long since. Then I started 

 afresh on August 13, taking one wagon with me, 

 Andersson, three of my best servants, and five or six 

 of my most active Damaras, and went in the first 

 instance to Jonker. 



He received me kindly, and I had the good fortune 

 to find in this place a fairly educated man, Erhardt, 

 imported by the missionaries as a schoolmaster, who 

 spoke Dutch and English perfectly, and Hottentot 

 fairly well. I engaged his services, especially as he 

 undertook to guide me as far as Elephant Fountain 

 (E.F. on the map), which had been the ultima Thule 

 of the missionaries. I was also asked to settle some 

 disputes between the other Namaqua chiefs, who 

 were all very friendly to me now. I proposed to 

 push farther forward from Elephant Fountain as far 

 as time, the exceptional drought of the year, and the 

 weakened stamina of my oxen permitted. 



We left Jonker August 30, and arrived at 

 Elephant Fountain September 11, where I found 

 myself at last in a country of big game. There was a 

 copious spring, and herds of all kinds of animals came 

 to drink. It received its name from the large number 

 of tusks found in the water at this place when the 

 Namaquas first reached it, as though it had been a 

 spot to which elephants travelled to die, according to 

 a well-known legend. It was then overgrown with 

 reeds, and formed a notable covert for wild beasts. It 

 lies in a corner of the district then claimed by the 



