172 BABOON FOUNTAIN MEETING WITH THE OVAMBO. 



to retrace our steps to Okamabuti, when we fortunately fell 

 in with some Bushmen. We had left both our Hottentot in- 

 terpreters behind, but we managed to explain to them our 

 wants and wishes. With much persuasion, two of them 

 agreed to accompany us to a certain large water in advance, 

 of which the Damaras had made repeated mention. These 

 men desired to spend the night at their own werft ; but we 

 had been so often deceived, that, in order to secure their serv- 

 ices, we determined that only one of them should be allowed 

 to absent himself. The other was to sleep near us ; and, as 

 a further security, Galton and myself agreed alternately to 

 keep watch on the fellow through the night. 



During our wanderings in the mountains we stumbled 

 upon a series of weUs which we christened " Baboon Fount- 

 ain," on account of the number of baboons which frequented 

 the place. Its real name was Otjikango. 



It was from this point that on the morning of the 2d of 

 May we took our fresh departure under the guidance of our 

 Bushmen friends. We had not, however, been long on the 

 road before we were overtaken by three or four men whom 

 our Damaras at once recognized as natives of Ovambo-land, 

 coming from the very quarter we had just left. They were 

 part of the expected caravan, and I need hardly say that we 

 were delighted at this opportune meeting. Contrary to cus- 

 tom, the men had made a short cut across the hills, and thus 

 we had missed each other. On the Ovambos reaching our 

 encampment, however, and finding strange tracks, and our 

 bivouac fire still burning, their curiosity was greatly aroused, 

 and they had detached the men whom we now encountered 

 in order to bring us back. We did not much like the idea ; 

 yet, in hope of obtaining from them a guide, we acquiesced, 

 intending presently to pursue our journey. 



The caravan was composed of twenty-three individuals, 

 of a very dark complexion, tall and robust, but remarkably 

 ugly, and scantily attired. Their looks bespoke determina- 



