THE CHASE ARRIVAL AT EIKHAMS. 277 



" Owing to the uneven nature of the ground which the 

 oryx frequents," says Gordon Gumming, " its shy and sus- 

 picious disposition, and the extreme distances from water to 

 which it must be followed, it is never stalked or driven to an 

 ambush like other antelopes, but is hunted on horseback, and 

 ridden down by a long, severe, tail-on-end chase." This is 

 not exactly correct, for when on foot I have killed great 

 numbers of these animals. Moreover, were the option left 

 me, I would rather " stalk" them than pursue them on horse- 

 back. Such was also Hans's experience, who, during his 

 seven years' nomade life in Damara-land, has probably kill- 

 ed more gemsboks than any hunter in Southern Africa. T 

 have also known this animal to be driven into pitfalls. 



The gemsbok, as a rule, runs, like the eland, against the 

 wind when pursued. 



CHAPTER XXin. 



Arrival at Eikhams. — Native Dogs ; cnielly treated. — Jonker Afrika- 

 ner. — The Author visits the Red Nation ; the bad Repute of these 

 People. — The Author attacked by Ophthalmia. — The embryo Lo- 

 cust. — The " flying" Locust ; its Devastations. — The Locust-bird. 

 — Arrival at Rehoboth ; the Place described. 



In the afternoon of the 20th of February we drove in to 

 Eikhams during a terrific thunder-storm, drenched to the 

 skin. The deluorino; rain continued to descend the whole of 

 the ensuing night, and the place on the following morning 

 looked like a foaming torrent. In consequence of this inun- 

 dation, our ox-gear, and, in short, every thing untanned, was 

 completely saturated, and greatly resembled a heap of moist 

 wash-leather. 



The starved native dogs had taken advantage of this cir- 

 cumstance, and devoured rather more than two feet of our 

 " trek-touw." The curs are of the greatest annoyance to the 

 traveler in Namaqna-land, for, since the owners rarely feed 



