Feb. 27, I860.] ANDERSSON ON SOUTH AFRICA. 65 



I have come here quite alone, only accompanied by a single native 

 attendant, but return forthwith to fetch my waggon And men from 

 the desert, distant about 80 or 90 miles. The Ovaquangari appear 

 to be a fine race of men, but I. cannot say I have as yet any reason 

 to feel very confident in them. They have much intercourse with 

 the Ovampo, and of course know well our proceedings in that 

 quarter. Not yet knowing the real strength of my party, they are 

 as yet very civil, though a little forward. 



Three days' journey east of the Ovaquangari, the Ovabundya 

 dwell ; they are a somewhat smaller tribe. Beyond them again we 

 find Ozomboi, and still farther east Bavickos and Libebes. W hether 

 the two last-named are identical or two distinct tribes I cannot 

 make out, but am inclined to think they are distinct. I must forbear 

 to say anything at present of the country to the n. and n.w. The 

 Mambari, no doubt (though by the by they don't look very intelli- 

 gent), could give me some valuable information of these parts; but 

 though there is a man here who can make them understand, I cannot 

 for my life induce the fellow to interpret for me. But one thing 

 seems certain, viz. that they dwell on this very river and a very 

 long way off*, say at least twenty days. Further it seems certain 

 that this river has its source very far to the north. If this be so — 

 and the volume of water almost speaks for itself— and that its course 

 is about N.N.W., it then seems to me very evident that the Cunene 

 must flow nearly parallel with the coast for a considerable distance. 



Short as the distance may appear to you that I have traversed, I 

 have yet had desperate hard work to accomplish it. My course has 

 been wofully zigzag. For about 300 miles the axe has never been 

 out of our hands. I have usually six expert men at work from day- 

 break till dark, and sometimes I am compelled to throw my whole 

 force on it, and yet such is the denseness of the bush and the forest 

 (from Okamabuti to this point it is one unbroken forest) that for days 

 we can only get a few miles. Indeed, more than once have we been 

 three or four days in getting as many miles. I might have had 

 some fine shooting had time permitted, for some parts traversed lite- 

 rally swarmed with elephants, but except when we stood in absolute 

 want of food I never went in pursuit of them. Nevertheless, since 

 I last wrote to you, I have succeeded in securing about twenty 

 noble bulls. 



P.S. — It may interest naturalists to know that I have made a con- 

 siderable collection of insects, chiefly coleoptera, somewhere about 

 10,000 individuals. The field, however, is comparatively poor for 

 the entomologist. 



Mr. Andersson again writes as follows : " Lat. 17^ 46', long. 18°, 

 near the river Okovango, Aug. 1, 1859 For the last four 



