ARRIVAL AT TJOPOPA's WERFT OKAMABUTI. 169 



ably to pass through his territory ; but when, on one occa- 

 sion, they were returning home with a numerous herd of 

 cattle obtained by barter, he fell suddenly upon them, and 

 deprived them of all their hard-earned gains. When, how- 

 ever, his treacherous conduct became known to Nangoro, he 

 instantly dispatched a party in order to punish him, and this 

 was done so effectually that, since that day, no ooo has ven- 

 tured to molest the Ovambo in their peaceable and industri- 

 ous vocation. Indeed, this tribe now commanded a large 

 share of the good-will and respect of the Damaras. 



Elephants were said to be numerous to the northward, 

 and the Damaras pointed to some wooded knolls, where they 

 said these animals walked " as thick as cattle." At times 

 they would suddenly make their appearance in the night in 

 the midst of a village, and drive the inhabitants precipi- 

 tately from their dwellings. 



On the 15th of April we were again moving, and the 

 very next day we entirely lost sight of the palms, which we 

 did not again see till nearly a whole month's travel had been 

 accomplished. 



On the l7th we reached Tjopopa's w^erft. It was re- 

 ported that through the instrumentality of his friend Nan- 

 goro this man became a chief of the first order. Be that 

 as it may, he was now living in very great abundance, 

 though, like many who are well off with regard to worldly 

 possessions, he was avaricious in the extreme. A miser's 

 parsimony always increases in proportion to the enlargement 

 of his property. 



Okamabuti may be said to be the northern limit of Da- 

 mara-land. It is situated at the foot of those w^ooded knolls 

 already pointed out to us by the natives as the resort of ele- 

 phants ; indeed, the ground round about bore ample testi- 

 mony to the destructive propensities of these animals. The 

 place was well supplied with water by a fountain springing 

 from a limestone bottom. 



H 



