240 Life and Letters of Fraitefx Gallon 



Society. Of the chief friends and acquaintances of Galton on this 

 tour, Andersson ultimately followed the Galton northern route to the 

 Cunene, the border river of the Portuguese possessions, and the Galton 

 eastern route by 'Tounobis to Lake Nganii. Later he undertook 

 commercial expeditions and tried a mining settlement in Damaraland ; 

 he had a stormy time with the Namaquas and an adventurous life, 

 and ultimately died not far from Nangoro's capital. Nangoro's people 

 came in 1858 into a controversy leading to much bloodshed with an 

 expedition of the missionary Hahn, and Nangoro himself died some 

 say foully or some say in fair fight at the same time. Galton himself 

 expressed much regret at this attack on Nangoro's folk. The disastrous 

 expedition of the mis'sionary Hahn led incidently to the discovery of a 

 lake said to be 25 to 30 miles long, by name Onondova, in lat. 21 

 and long. 19 ; this is probably the origin of the mysterious Demboa 

 Sea for which Galton vainly sought. Since the days of the German 

 protectorate the resources, geography and people of Damaraland have 

 been often and copiously illustrated and studied. 



The publication of Galton's Tropical South Africa led to a letter 

 from Charles Darwin, the first of a fairly long series, and marking the 

 resumption of an old acquaintance. It runs as follows : 



13, SEA HOUSES, EASTBOURNE, SUSSEX. July 2th, 1853. 



DEAR GALTON, 



You will probably be surprised, after the long intermission of our 

 acquaintance, at receiving a note from me ; but I last night finished your volume with 

 such lively interest, that I cannot resist the temptation of expressing my admiration at 

 your expedition, and at the capital account you have published of it. I have no doubt 

 you have received praise, from so many good judges that you will hardly care to hear 

 from me, how very much I admire the spirit and style of your book. What labours 

 and dangers you have gone through : I can hardly fancy how you can have survived 

 them, for you did not formerly look very strong, but you must be as tough as one of 

 your own African waggons ! 



If you are inclined at any time to send me a line, I should very much like to hear 

 what your future plans are, and where you intend to settle. I so very seldom leave 1 

 home, owing to my weakened health (though in appearance a strong man) that I had 

 hardly a chance of seeing you in London, though I have often heard of you from 

 members of the Geographical Society. 



I live at a village called Down near Farnborough in Kent, and employ myself in 

 Zoology ; but the objects of my study are very small fry, and to a man accustomed to 

 rhinoceroses and lions, would appear infinitely insignificant. 



We have come to this for a few weeks for sea-bathing with all our children, now 

 numbering seven. 



