168 THE GUIDE ABSCONDS A COMJUOTION. 



difficult of access. The story our guide told us previously to 

 leaving Barmen about a tree, the fruit of which was obtain- 

 able only by means of " knob-kieries thrown up at it," was 

 now easily comprehended. But we experienced greater diffi- 

 culty in realizing his other tales, such as the existence of a 

 people who make trees their sole dwellings, while others 

 were found without joints to their limbs, who nevertheless 

 were able to indulge in the refined custom of feeding each 

 other by means of their toes. 



In the afternoon of this day we reached a Damara village 

 which had already been visited by Mr. Galton, and camped 

 near to it. Previously to our arrival here our guide abscond- 

 ed, taking with him, besides the calf my friend had given 

 him as payment, a horse-rug which he had borrowed from 

 Timbo. 



The next morning, just as I was returning to the village 

 from a successful hunt, I observed an unusual commotion 

 among the natives, accompanied by the most terrific yelling, 

 passionate vociferations, and brandishing of assegais. The 

 cause of this uproar was at first thought to be an attack by 

 the Bushmen on one of the cattle-posts of the Damaras. 

 However, on investigating the matter more closely, we ascer- 

 tained that the apprehensions of the Damaras arose from the 

 arrival of some inhabitants of a neighboring kraal, who had 

 come forcibly to recover a flock of sheep which the chief had 

 taken possession of under the pretext of "hunger." 



The news of our arrival had by this time spread far and 

 wide, and the Damaras were flocking together from all parts 

 to see the white strangers. Some of them promised to con- 

 duct us to their great chief Tjopopa, who resided at a place 

 called Okamabuti, which was on our way to the Ovambo. 



In the course of our journey to Tjopopa I learned the 

 history of the father of one of our visitors, who, it would ap- 

 pear, had been a thorough rogue. He professed great friend- 

 ship toward the Ovambo, whom he allowed freely and peace- 



