WAGONS LEFT BEHIND A GUIDE. 171 



A few days would, perhaps, have sufficed to make a tem- 

 porary repair ; but, as we had a journey of several months' 

 duration before us, it was necessary to make the work as 

 permanent as possible, and the seasoning of the wood alone, 

 in such a case, would occupy several weeks. None of us had 

 much experience in carpentry ; but Hans was by far the 

 most practical hand, and he boldly undertook the task. To 

 postpone our journey to the Ovambo till our wagons were 

 in order was now, indeed, out of the question. The season 

 being advanced, every day became of the greatest importance ; 

 and therefore, to save time, it was resolved that we should 

 leave the vehicles behind, and that Galton and myself should 

 prosecute the journey without farther delay by means of 

 pack-and-ride oxen. 



Having come to this determination, our first care was to 

 obtain accurate information of the distance, number of water- 

 ing-places, and so forth; but the Damaras proved true to 

 their nature; for, after having spent several days in cross- 

 questioning them, we were just as far from our object as 

 ever. Tjopopa himself was very reserved, and would neither 

 provide us with guides nor give us the least information. 

 He said, however, that he was just expecting a trading cara- 

 van from Ovambo-land, and that, if we remained with him 

 till its arrival, he doubted not that we should, by the assist- 

 ance of the individuals composing it, be enabled to reach that 

 country. But no reliance could be placed in a Damara. 



While in this dilemma, a man unexpectedly came to offer 

 his services as guide. "Without, perhaps, inquiring sufficient- 

 ly as to whether he was well acquainted with the road, we 

 accepted with eagerness the proposal, and did not lose a mo- 

 ment in making preparations for the journey. To shorten a 

 long story, suffice it to say that we set out ; but our guide 

 almost immediately lost himself; and after we had wandered 

 about the hills for several days, suffering the greatest anxiety 

 of mind, to say nothing of physical privations, we were about 



