ARRIVAL AT BARMEN SELF-POSSESSION. 260 



land to trade with the natives, I myself proceeded along the 

 Swakop with the wagon. We had only one, the other hav- 

 ing already been disposed of at Eikhams. The river was 

 still running breast high, and we experienced much difficulty 

 in crossing and recrossing it. One evening, just as we were 

 descending the bank, from which the flood had only lately 

 receded, the vehicle suddenly sank so deep in the mud as al- 

 most to hide the fore wheels. Before we could extricate 

 ourselves, which was a work of many hours, we were obliged 

 to dig a deep trench and pave it with stones. 



In the afternoon of the 11th of February I reached Bar- 

 men, where on the following day I was joined by Hans. He 

 had not been very successful, and, moreover, nearly got into 

 a scrape with the natives. Having one day gone some dis- 

 tance in advance of his small party, he suddenly, at the turn 

 of a hill, came upon some women and children, who, not- 

 withstanding his friendly assurances, ran off in great fright 

 to the werft, which was not far distant, screaming vociferous- 

 ly. The men, thinking that they were about to^ be attacked 

 by the Namaquas, instantly rushed to arms; and Hans, on 

 coming in view of the village, unexpectedly found himself in 

 the presence of several hundred Damaras, each armed with a 

 huge assegai. Placing his gun against a tree, he walked 

 quietly in the midst of them. His coolness so surprised and 

 amazed them, that the forest of bristling spears, poised in 

 the air ready to strike, were instantaneously lowered. The 

 men, however, continued their yells and shouts for some 

 time, and it was not until his interpreter had arrived that 

 he was able to set their minds at rest as to his peaceable in- 

 tentions. 



The effect often produced on savages by the self-posses- 

 sion of a single European is truly wonderful. If Hans had 

 evinced the smallest sign of fear or hesitation, his fate prob- 

 ably would have been sealed. 



I remember, not long after this took place, to have been 



