STRENGTH OF JONKER's TRIBE THE RED NATION. 279 



women and children, at least — congregated. This was an 

 opportunity I had long desired, since it would enable me to 

 form a rough estimate of their number. Jonker and most 

 of the men were absent ; but by counting the huts, and tak- 

 ing the average number of indi\4duals to each, I came to the 

 conclusion that the aggregate of Namaquas capable of carry- 

 ing arms did not exceed five hundred. The servants, or 

 rather slaves, on the other hand, consisting of Bushmen, Hill- 

 Damaras, and impoverished Damaras, were probably three 

 or four times as numerous. By supposing each man to be 

 possessed of one gun, which is perhaps below the mark, Jon- 

 ker's tribe f)0ssess in round numbers two thousand firelocks. 

 If their courage corresponded to their numerical strength, 

 they might prove a formidable body even to Europeans, but 

 this is fortunately far from being the case. 



Jonker was indebted to us several head of cattle, and we 

 were accordingly anxious for his return, but no person could 

 or would inform us when this was likely to happen. With 

 regard to other inquiries, such as the object and motive of 

 his present journey, the answers were equally unsatisfactory. 

 Nevertheless, the shyness of the natives, when interrogated 

 on these points, coupled with our knowledge that Jonker 

 was accompanied by almost all his warriors, made us sus- 

 pect that he had gone on a plundering expedition against the 

 Damaras. 



After a few days' stay at Eikhams we directed our steps 

 to a powerful tribe of Namaquas, known as the " Roode-Na- 

 tie," or Red Nation. I had two objects in view for visiting 

 these people, namely, to trade, and to learn something about 

 them and their country. Every one I met, including the 

 missionaries, represented them as the most barbarous and 

 brutal of all the Hottentots in Great Namaqua-land. Only 

 one trader had visited them, and him they treated so shame- 

 fully as to discourage others from making a like attempt. I 

 was determined, however, if possible, to ascertain the cause 



