288 SPLENDID LANDSCAPE AN UGLY FALL. 



slopes, the purling stream, which made a music strange to 



these regions — 



"A noise like of a hidden brook 

 In the leafy month of June, 

 That to the sleeping woods all night 

 Singeth a quiet tune" — 



the mimosa (now in full blossom), the numerous fires on an 

 evening, around which bustling and merrj groups of savages 

 were busily preparing their plain " veld-kost" of wild roots 

 and bulbs — these, and many other signs of abundance, cheer- 

 fulness, and content, infused a sensation of tranquil happiness 

 which I had not experienced since my arrival in this sun- 

 burnt and unhappy land. 



The result of my own and Mr. Hahn's inquiries was a 

 conviction that Jonker, with his murderous horde, had de- 

 stroyed in his recent foray upward of forty werfts or villages, 

 and that the aggregate number of cattle carried off could not 

 have been much short often or eleven thousand. One pow- 

 erful tribe of Damaras had been completely broken up. With 

 regard to the number of people killed, we were unable to as- 

 certain any thing with certainty, but we had reason to think 

 that on this occasion it was not considerable. 



Having collected all the facts which I thought necessary 

 to convict Jonker of his guilt, I retraced my steps to Eik- 

 hams. 



Almost immediately after leaving Barmen I had a very 

 ugly fall from my ox. He was plunging and kicking most 

 viciously, but I succeeded for a time in keeping my seat. 

 Unfortunately, however, all at once both girths gave way, 

 and, after performing a summersault in the air, I came with 

 a violent thump to the ground. I alighted in a sitting posi- 

 tion, but, as ill luck would have it, my left leg came in con- 

 tact with the stump of a tree, which inflicted a wound fully 

 two inches in depth, and nearly the same in length. In this 

 state I was obliged to ride upward of one hundred miles, and 



