226 Life and Letters of Francis Galton 



anywhere. Andersson has uniformly been of the greatest assistance. If all goes right 

 I think I shall be able to send a letter through the Portuguese settlements. Remember 

 me to all my friends and believe me ever sincerely your Frank Galton. 



Feb. 28</t. After T had written the enclosed letter and sent it off I started 

 but after going a short distance all my native servants were so alarmed on account 

 of the fightings that were going on that they ran away. Besides that, there had not 

 been rain sufficient for our journey insomuch that the letter carrier came back. So I 

 determined to employ ray time by riding straight down with my double barrelled 

 rifle on the Namaqua captain and seeing whether I could not bring him to reason. 

 I saddled my ox with the largest horns, and in my pink hunting coat and jack boots 

 the identical ones that have more than once been in your company to Slough, 

 I hacked over the three days journey that separated us and then going cautiously 

 to the very edge of the little hill round the corner of which his place lay let my 

 oxen get their wind and then together with the men I had with me rammed my 

 spurs into the beast's ribs and shoved him along right into the captain's house, at least 

 as far as his horns would let him go. The captain was at rest, he was smoking his 

 pipe. It was the cool of the evening. Fancy the effect. I made the man as sub- 

 missive as a baby. I made him solemnly pledge his word before his people that he 

 would leave off all oppression towards the Damaras. I had all the other Captains from 

 a wide extent of country up to his place and made them promise to do the same. 

 To the missionary whose station was destroyed I made them write a most submissive 

 apology, and it is really a fact that I got these scoundrels to like me. They made me 

 umpire in their own disputes. I laid down laws for them, simple concerns certainly 

 Ijut they had none before. And these are in force along 2-50 miles of frontier, and 

 then having settled all to my satisfaction I told them to be careful as I should 

 certainly return that way and then went back to my waggons. The Damaras are 

 charmed, I .shall have no difficulty now in travelling. I could almost worship my red 

 coat and jack boots that have done all this. I had not conscience enough to put on that 

 huge cocked hat of mine — no, I patronised my hunting cap. This is a very important 

 land for future commerce from the large quantity of cattle and its neighbourhood to 

 St Helena, which is the great store for homeward bound ships. I have of course sent 

 all particulars to Cape Town and I really tliink that what I have done in the way 

 of making peace will be followed up. Our waggon road is determined on ahead. 

 I am now at the very furthest point Europeans have ever reached and tomorrow 

 we start. I expect to come back here in about 6 months. There is a large lake 

 "Omanbonde" about 10 days N.W. from here. I have myself seen hills that can descry 

 it, and there I hope first to go. 



Once again good bye and believe me ever yrs sincerely Frank Galton. 



Galton's position was a very difficult one; he found the Namaquas 

 headed by Hottentot chiefs — to whom indeed the British Government 

 had given "captain's sticks," and who wei'e Britisli subjects — massacring 

 Damaras and steahng their cattle. His sole official instructions, as sent 

 to Jonker, "were to offer friendly relations on the part of the British 

 Government to nations living in a certain specified tract of country in her 



