341. 



Route followed.— The observations recorded in this paper were 

 made in January and February last. The first section of the 

 journey I made in the. company of my friend Mr. E. E. Galpin, 

 F.L.S. It consisted of a walk from Walfish Bay to Haikamchab, 

 a distance of 60 km. traversed in 2b" hours ; our impedimenta were 

 carried in a cape-cart, part of the Walfish Bay equipment, drawn 

 by 10 oxen (hired from Rooibank), which accomplished the 

 whole distance without water. After spending some days at 

 Haikamchab I made a second ox-cart journey of 20 km. to 

 Rossing, and thence travelled by the Otavi railway through Usakos 

 to Karibib/and from there to Windhuk. The return journey 

 was broken at Okahandya where I enjoyed the hospitality of 

 Mr. K. Dinter who has contributed much to the knowledge of the 

 8ora of Hereroland, and from whom I obtained valuable informa- 

 tion regarding the natural history of the country. From Karibib I 

 returned to Swakopmund by the Government railway, visiting 

 Welwitsch, a well-known locality for Welwitschia, and crossing 

 the Khan River 100 km. south of Usakos. By the courtesy of the 

 Woermann Line, to whose local manager, Captain Ilirke, I am 

 greatly indebted for much kind assistance, I was able to make a 

 speedy return to Walfish Bav from Swakoomund bv sea. 



Walfish Bay. 



The British settlement at Walfish Bay, consisting of the 

 magistrate's residence and offices, five or six houses for the 

 members of the staff, two stores, the missionary's house, the 

 native church, and sheds containing the condensing plant and 

 water-reservoirs, is situated just above the normal high- water mark 

 at the present mouth of the Khuiseb river. During exceptionally 

 high tides the greater part of it is completely isolated from the 

 mainland. Behind the settlement there is at present a flat stretch. 

 2 or 3 miles in extent, overlaid by a thin crust of dried mud, and 

 destitute of vegetation. Beyond are the sand-dunes. The advance 

 of the sand over this mud-flat is apparently prevented in part by 

 the frequent incursions of the sea, and to some extent also by 

 the occasional flow of fresh water down the Khuiseb river-bed. 



At present there is a fortnightlv service of steamers of the 

 Woermann Line (Hamburg) between Cape Town and the Bay, tw 

 Swakopmund. Three years ago there was only one steamer each 

 way per month— a condition which is likely to be reverted to in 

 the near future. The mails are carried by land from Sw.ikopmuna 

 (about 20 miles), where also is the nearest station of the Eastern 

 Telegraph Company which provides the only cable communica- 

 tion with the Cape and Europe. There is no road between the 

 Bay and Swakopmund, but at low water the wet sand provides a 

 fairly satisfactory " bridle-path," and, on occasion has served tor 

 wheeled traffic. Occasionally ships of the South African squadron 

 visit the Bay for shooting practice, and a small >^ve *upp 1) ot 

 naval coal i s kept there. Tugs, dredgers, and other craft from 

 Swakopmund take advantage of its quieter wat ers and and y beach 

 o effect minor repairs. From the landward side visitor are of 

 the rarest. Baines tells ns that in 1861 he sa w a t ^e tune as 

 many as ten or a dozen newly arrived wagons out-spanned near 



29709 A 2 



