DEPARTURE PROai RICHTERFELDT. 123 



The oxen, which from the beginning had been only par- 

 tially broken-in, were now, from their long rest, wild, refrac- 

 tory, and unmanageable in the extreme. Before we could 

 effectually secure the two spans (teams) necessary for the 

 wagons, several hours had elapsed, and it was not till late 

 in the afternoon of the 30th of December, 1850, that we 

 were able to bid a final farewell to Kichterfeldt and its oblig- 

 ing inhabitants. 



We made but little progress the first day ; and when we 

 bivouacked for the night, which was on the right bank of the 

 Swakop, we were only three hours' journey from the mis- 

 sionary station. Indeed, we were obliged to come to an ear- 

 ly halt in consequence of the mules and some of the oxen 

 having taken themselves off. 



During the night we were serenaded by whole troops of 

 lions and hyaenas. One of the latter had the boldness to 

 come within the encampment, and only retreated after an ob- 

 stinate combat with the dogs. In the bed of the river, more- 

 over, and where our cattle had been drinking during the night, 

 we discovered a spot where a lion had made a dash at a ze- 

 bra, but his prey had evidently disappointed him. 



Next morning, without waiting for the return of the men 

 who had been sent in search of the missing animals, I shoul- 

 dered my gun and went in advance, in the hope of procuring 

 a few specimens of natural history, as also of meeting with 

 game of some kind or other ; nor was I disappointed. At a 

 bend of the river I suddenly encountered a fine herd of oryxes 

 or gemsboks, the supposed South African unicorn. As they 

 dashed across my path at double-quick time, and at least 

 one hundred and fifty yards in advance, I fired at the leading 

 animal (which proved a full-grown female), and had the 

 satisfaction to see it drop to the shot. On going up to my 

 prize, I found that the ball — a conical one— had passed clean 

 through both shoulders, and this was, perhaps, somewhat re- 

 markable, as the gun-barrel was smooth in the Ijore. Ha^- 



