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The ReaivaJcenhui : Scientific Exploration 235 



clothes were in rags and at first our skins were very painful, from being torn about so 

 much, especially as the scratches generally festered, but we got hard in time. Well 

 I found my way to the reported lake Omanbonde, which was as dry as dust, not a drop 

 of water in the reeds, quite a sell. From the natives' description we had reckoned on 

 a sheet of water about 30 miles by 8. It was just a bit of a water course 300 yards 

 broad and might be in the rainy season 2 miles long — Lake Ngarai I have not tried for. 

 Well I went on to the North. We moved very slowly— the waggons had to crush 

 through everything, and the oxen would not j)ull through the thorns. After 300 miles 

 altogether I got to the end of the country of the Ovahereros and to a large village. 

 Hence I tried to get guides to the Ovampo, the chief would not give them, so I set off 

 again, for we would not be beaten. Just at starting the oxen were frightened and set 

 off on a trot, there was a rotten looking stump in front, but really a hard strong tree —  

 the near fore wheel of my best waggon came against it and crash went the whole 

 concern. There was a fix ; we set to work, brought the other waggon alongside — made 

 a hedge of thorns, cleared the ground and at once a party went ofT, to cut down trees to 

 mend it. The road had been so stony and execrable in every way, that it would be 

 folly to venture with an axletree of green wood, and so the waggons must stay 

 some weeks there, while the trees seasoned a little. I halved my party, and Andersson 

 and myself saddled our oxen and went to the North. We got a man who said he could 

 take us the 15 days' journey on to the Ovampo, he led us all wrong, and we were hard 

 put to it for water. All sorts of little disasters occurred, we made three pushes to try 

 and get on ; the third time most fortunately we met an Ovampo trading party, who had 

 come down to buy cattle, so we went back with them, waited 3 long weeks till they 

 were ready to return and then went to theii' country with them. After 200 miles, the 

 bushes dnd thorns suddenly ceased, and the charming corn country of Ondonga, with 

 its palms and fruit trees, was before us. I rode to the King and crowned him straight- 

 way with that great theatrical crown I had. He was a brute, fat as a tub, but his 

 people were most hospitable. The journey had been longer than I thought, my oxen 

 were in a sad state, footsore and galled backs. I had to buy and carry back provisions, 

 for we had but little cattle left. The Cunene river was 4 or 5 days a head, but 

 Nangoro (the King) would not let us go; had I been able to stay 3 or 4 weeks, I might 

 have persuaded him or frightened him, for he had a strong dislike to gunpowder, but it 

 was impossible. My waggons and the men with them, were in a precarious situation. 

 I could not wait, so I packed 500 lbs. of corn flour, beans and so forth, on my oxen's 

 backs and returned. All was right — the waggon well mended, axletree better than 

 before, and about 60 more sheep and a few oxen, had been bought while I was away. 

 We got back without accident of any sort by a slightly different road, and I am now at 

 the Namaqua chief's place. I told you in my last letter how I made peace over the 

 country, and it has been admirably kept during my absence. I have therefore given 

 Jonker, the chief, a cocked hat, and an old Ambassador's coat of M. Sampayo's — that 

 he gave me when in London. He is highly delighted. I go now to the East to get 

 a little elephant sliooting and shall swop everything I have for ivory, of which the 

 Namaquas there liave plenty, take it down to Walfisch Bay and start by the missionary 

 ship for the Cape or for 8t Helena, either in Decemlier or January. If however there 

 offer a good opportunity of going far, I may stop in the country. A trading party of 



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