THE ERONGO MOUNTAIN STRANGE CUSTOM. 121 



having seen the party pass unmolested through the territory 

 of their mortal enemies, they were naturally suspicious as to 

 their motive. They probably thought that Mr. Galton had 

 come with a view to spy out and reconnoitre their stronghold, 

 and then to return with re-enforcements in order to carry 

 off their cattle. 



Both in going and coming Galton had passed tliroii-h sev- 

 eral large villages of Damaras, who complained bitterly of 

 the severe drought, which was daily carrying off numbers of 

 their stock. The only place that still afforded grass and wa- 

 ter in tolerable abundance was the country bordering on the 

 River Swakop ; but there they feared the Namaquas. How- 

 ever, they had only two alternatives — either to risk being 

 plundered by these unscrupulous people, or to perish, with 

 their cattle, from hunger and thirst. The first of these was 

 thought the least of the two, and they were, therefore, grad- 

 ually approaching the dangerous district. Indeed, several 

 kraals had already been established at Richterfeldt. 



Being entirely a pastoral people, the Damaras have no 

 notions of permanent habitations. The whole country is con- 

 sidered public property. As soon as the grass is eaten off 

 or the water exhausted in one place, they move away to an- 

 other. Notwithstanding this, and the loose notions gener- 

 ally entertained by them as to meum and tuum, there is an 

 understanding that he who arrives first at ajiy given locality 

 is the master of it as long as he chooses to remain there, and 

 no one will intrude upon him without having previously ask- 

 ed and obtained his permission. The same is observed even 

 with regard to strangers. Thus the once powerful chief 

 Kahichene was anxious to take up his quarters at Richter- 

 feldt ; but, acting on the understanding described, he first dis- 

 patched some of his head men to Mr. Rath, to ascertain from 

 him how far he was agreeable to his proposal. The reverend 

 gentleman replied that their master could do as he liked in 

 this matter, as he himself was but a stranger, and conse- 



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