350 KLOOF AND KARROO. 



and Ovampos. In support of his claims, he urged 

 that the Herero-Damaras had for centuries been 

 possessed of the Otavi district ; he denied that the 

 Ovampos had ever worked the copper mines, but 

 affirmed that his clients had worked them, and had 

 sold the ore to the Ovampos, in exchange for knives, 

 tobacco, beads, and other articles. In further proof, 

 he asserted that there were no Ovampo names in 

 that district, but that all local names were of 

 Damara and Bushman origin, and that he could 

 call hundreds of old inhabitants to prove his 

 statements. 



In the meantime, another cloud arose upon the 

 horizon of the new settlement. Khambonde declared 

 that when he executed the concession to Jordaan, he 

 had merely intended to assign to him, in return for 

 the guns and ammunition he received, a piece of 

 land situated near his own kraal ; that he had been 

 tricked by Jordaan into the vast concession of the 

 Otavi district, and that he would absolutely contest 

 the claims of the bestuur of the new settlement. 

 Further, in reply to a letter from the Damara chief, 

 brought to him by Lewis, he despatched the 

 following letter (presumably written for him by a 

 missionary or trader) : 



" My dear eldest brother Kamahero, Your letter 

 I have received, and I must inform you that I have 

 not sold the Otavi mine and the ground in question 

 to Mr. Jordaan, and I have no idea whatever about 

 the same being sold. All that I know is that I have 

 sold to Mr. Jordaan a piece of ground near my station 

 for guns and ammunition. So, as you are my eldest 

 brother and adviser, please write and let me know 

 what I must do with these things whether I shall 



