166 CAMELOPARDS PALM-TREES. 



but, unfortunately, as the event proved, paid him his wages 

 in advance. 



Early in the morning of the 12th of April we bade fare- 

 well to the inhospitable sliores of Omanbonde. For a few 

 hours we kept parallel with the Omuramba, when we struck 

 into a more easterly course. 



During the day we saw vast troops of camelopards, and 

 just at nightfall I had the good fortune to kill a fine, full- 

 grown male, which was an acceptable addition to our lar- 

 der. Before the carcass had time to cool, twenty or thirty 

 men were busy in tearing it to pieces. As usual on such oc- 

 casions, the Damaras dispensed with sleep, and devoted the 

 night entirely to the enjoyment of the banquet. 



The next morning we witnessed a magnificent mirage. 

 Lakes, forests, hills, &c., burst on the eye and disappeared in 

 rapid succession. 



Later in the day we were gratified by the sight of a large 

 number of palm-trees. This harbinger of a better land was 

 an agreeable surprise, bringing an involuntary smile of sat- 

 isfaction to every face. We were astonished at the cheerful 

 and refreshing effect a very slight improvement in the land- 

 scape had on our spirits. In the distance these palms seem- 

 ed to us to form an extensive and compact wood, but on 

 nearer approach we found the trees grew at long intervals 

 from each other. They were very tall and graceful, each 

 branch having the appearance of a beautiful fan, and, when 

 gently waved by the wind, the effect produced was indescrib- 

 ably pleasing. 



This species of palm is, I believe, new to science.* It pro- 

 duces fruit about the size of an apple, of a deep brown color, 

 with a kernel as hard as a stone, and not unlike vegetable 

 ivory. The fruit is said to have a bitter taste, but farther 



* On his return to England Mr. Galton presented the Kew Gardens 

 v»ath specimens of the fruit, but I am told that every effort to raise 

 plants from it proved abortive. 



