84 SAND FOUNTAIN. 



We had not been many minutes on shore when some 

 half-naked, half-starved, cut- throat-looking savages made 

 their appearance, armed with muskets and assegais. Noth- 

 ing could exceed the squalid, wretched, and ludicrous aspect 

 of these people, which was increased by a foolish endeavor 

 to assume a martial bearing, no doubt with a view of mak- 

 ing an impression on us. Without noticing either their 

 weapons or swaggering air, and in order to disarm suspicion, 

 we walked straight up to them, and shook hands mth appa- 

 rent cordiality. Our missionary friend, Mr. Schoneberg, then 

 explained to them, by signs and gestures, that he wished to 

 have a letter conveyed to -Mr. Bam, his colleague, residing 

 at Scheppmansdorf, some twenty miles oiF, in an easterly 

 direction. It soon became apparent that they were accus- 

 tomed to similar errands ; for, on receiving a small gratuity 

 of tobacco on the spot, with a promise of further payment 

 on their return, they set out immediately, and executed their 

 task with so much dispatch, that, before the dawn of next 

 morning, Mr. Bam had arrived. 



In the mean time, we made an excursion to a place called 

 Sand Fountain, about three miles inland. On our way there 

 we crossed a broad flat, which in spring tides is entirely 

 flooded. In spite of this submersion, the tracks of wagons, 

 animals, &c., of several years' standing, were as clear and 

 distinct as if imprinted but yesterday ! At Sand Fountain 

 we found another wooden house, but uninhabited, belonging 



to Mr. D , a partner of Mr. M . The natives had 



taken advantage of the absence of the owner to injure and 

 destroy the few pieces of furniture left behind, and leaves 

 of books and panes of window glass were wantonly strewn 

 about the ground. We next visited the so-called " fountain," 

 which was hard by ; but, instead of a copious spring — as the 

 name of the place gave us reason to expect — we found, to 

 our dismay, nothing but a small hole, some five or six inches 

 in diameter, and half as many deep ; the water, moreover, 



