130 SPORTING EXCURSIONS. 



never prosper ; and my cattle, which I well know you covet^ 

 shall be a curse to you !" 



It has been asserted that Jonker once contemplated the ex- 

 termination of all grown men among the Damaras, and of di- 

 viding the women, the children, and the cattle among his own 

 people, hoping thereby to make his tribe the most powerful 

 in that part of Africa. 



On the 16th of January Mr. Galton started for Eikhams, 

 the residence of Jonker Afrikaner, on his mission of peace. 

 He was accompanied by Hans, John Mortar, and two or three 

 native servants. 



Two days later, the mules, though closely watched, man- 

 aged to elude our vigilance and make good their escape. 

 Fortunately, they were intercepted at Barmen, whence they 

 were kindly sent back by Mr. Hahn. Not long afterward 

 they again went off, but, passing Barmen this time in the 

 night, no one saw them, and, consequently, they were allow- 

 ed to pursue their course uninterruptedly, and were never rd- 

 taken. Strange to relate, these animals (with the exception 

 of two that were destroyed by lions in the neighborhood of 

 Richterfeldt) ultimately found their way back to Schepp- 

 mansdorf, having traveled above 200 miles by themselves ! 



During Mr. Galton' s absence I managed to beguile the 

 time agreeably and usefully. Indeed, I spent some of my 

 happiest days in this quiet, secluded, and charming spot, in 

 the full enjoyment of unrestrained liberty. The mornings 

 were usually devoted to excursions in the neighborhood in 

 search of game. Of quadrupeds, we had the giraffe, the 

 gnoo, the gemsbok, the springbok, the koodoo, the pallah, the 

 steinbok, &c., so that I had no difficulty in keeping the lard- 

 er pretty well supplied. I also made many an interesting 

 and valuable addition to my collection of specimens of nat- 

 ural history. 



One day a young steinbok was captured, as also a koo- 

 doo, and I was fortunate enough to rear both. 



