jonker's treachery. 129 



chief, who, he said (though without any kind of foundation), 

 was their mutual enemy. Jonker did not wait to be told 

 twice, but immediately attacked this man's kraal. In the 

 fight that ensued, some of Kahichane's people were accident- 

 ally killed ; but he, believing the slaughter had been inten- 

 tionally perpetrated, made a furious onset on Jonker that very 

 night. As usually happens, however, and perhaps in some 

 flegree owing to the Damaras having fewer guns than the 

 Namaquas, he was beaten off with very severe loss. Though 

 f he affair was afterward made up between the chiefs, Jonker. 

 in his heart, never forgave Kahichene's attack upon him, 

 which he looked upon as a breach of faith. 



In all the attacks of the Namaquas the most atrocious bar- 

 barities were committed. The men were unmercifully shot 

 down ; the hands and the feet of the women lopped off; the 

 bowels of the children ripped up, &c. ; and all this to gratify 

 a savage thirst for blood. Many poor creatures have I my- 

 self seen dragging out a miserable existence that had thus 

 been deprived of limbs or otherwise cruelly mutilated. 



Jonker himself would seem to have been callous to all the 

 better feelings of our nature. News having been brought to 

 him on one occasion of the loss of a merchant vessel (some- 

 where about Cape Cross), he and his men started in search 

 of the wreck. Before reaching it, some of his cattle were 

 stolen, and as the theft was conjectured to have been com- 

 mitted by the Damaras, Jonker sent for the chief of the sus- 

 pected tribe, received him in a friendly way, and invited him 

 to remain at his camp for the night, in the course of which, 

 however, he caused him to be brutally murdered. Before ex- 

 piring, the poor fellow requested permission to see his wife 

 and children, but Jonker was inhuman enough to refuse his 

 request. On receiving a denial, the unfortunate man turned 

 toward his slayer, and, wiping the blood from his face, e:^- 

 claimed, ''Since you have dealt thus treacherously by me, 

 and even refused to allow me to see my family, you shall 



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