DAMARAS, OVAMPO, AND NAMAQUAS 145 



with the men left behind, and we started home- 

 wards. 



Ultimately the whole party was brought safely 

 back to Station No. 3 on August 3, 1851, where 

 we were most heartily welcomed and congratulated 

 by Mr. Hahn after our long absence of five months, 

 during which no news whatever of us had reached 

 him. In the meantime I had spent ninety days in 

 actual travel, independently of such excursions as 

 were needed from time to time to look out for 

 practicable routes. Of these ninety days, fifty were 

 occupied in travel to Nangoro and forty in returning. 

 The return distance in time was 168 hours, equal 

 to 462 miles. Our road had passed through a 

 dangerous and difficult country ; it traversed the 

 whole breadth of Damara land, and had reached 

 the capital of the country beyond it to the north. 



Some little news had reached Mr. Hahn from 

 Europe through the hands of a cattle-trader. It 

 included an English newspaper, but no letters for 

 myself; it was now one year and four months since I 

 had heard a single word from my home. Peace had 

 been kept during my absence between the Hottentots 

 and Damaras. 



A ship was expected for the missionaries not 

 earlier than December, so I should have a clear four 

 months for further travel and yet be able to catch that 

 ship. I determined on a quick journey to the east- 

 wards of the Namaqua country, and dispatched 

 messengers at once with letters to the Cape, in doing 

 which the Namaqua chief Swartboy assisted me. I 

 thereby made arrangements to confirm those partly 

 made by the missionaries about the time of departure 



10 



