OMANBONDE DISAPPOINTMENT. 161 



ly, and hold my breath till all danger was over, when a weight 

 like that of the nightmare fell from my mind. However, in 

 the course of time, we became tolerably accustomed to the 

 hazards that beset us, and looked almost with indiflference on 

 the dangers which constantly threatened destruction to our 

 conveyances. 



About noon on the 5th of April we were rapidly approach- 

 ing Omanbonde, but oh, how were we disappointed ! My 

 heart beat violently with excitement. The sleepy motion of 

 the oxen, as they toiled through the heavy sand, being far 

 too slow for my eagerness and excited imagination, I pro- 

 ceeded considerably in advance of the wagons, with about 

 half a dozen Damaras, when all at once the country became 

 open, and I found myself on some rising ground, gently sloping 

 toward the bed of what I thought to be a dry water-course. 



"There," suddenly exclaimed one of the natives — " there is 

 Omanbonde !" 



" Omanbonde !" I echoed, almost in despair ; " but where, 

 in the name of heaven, is the water *?" 



I could say no more, for my heart failed me, and I sat 

 down till the wagons came up ; when, pointing to the dry 

 river-bed, I told Galton that he saw the lake before him. 



"Nonsense !" he replied ; " it is only the end or tail of it 

 which you see there." 



After having descended into the bed, we continued to trav- 

 el, at a rapid pace, about a mile in a westerly direction, when, 

 at a bend, we discovered a large patch of green reeds. At 

 this sight a momentary ray of hope brightened up every coun- 

 tenance ; but the next instant it vanished, for we found that 

 the natives were actually searching for water among the 

 rushes ! 



The truth at last dawned upon us. We were indeed at 

 Omanbonde — the lake of hippopotami! \Ye all felt utter 

 prostration of heart. For a long while we were unable to 

 give utterance to our feelings. We first looked at the reeds 



