MY FELLOW SCOUTS 105 



got a running shot at each of the two lionesses, 

 in neither case registering a hit. The bushman 

 ran on at once to the spoor, without the least 

 apparent fear or hesitation, to see if there was 

 any blood; but, of course, there was not. That 

 evening I presented the astonished Boombo with 

 a new blanket, but the following morning, after 

 I had asked him if the blanket kept him warm, 

 and had been told in reply that " they were very 

 nice things," he quietly disappeared into the bush 

 with his newly won reward. Evidently having 

 so easily acquired a fortune, he considered it 

 unnecessary to consider the question of further 

 work. 



Johnson and West had much to tell me. These 

 two men had been out since October watching the 

 whole of that corner entirely alone, and for a 

 time they had found things fairly rough, especially 

 when they ran out of all supplies and were obliged 

 to live on wildebeeste meat and Maboola rings, 

 none too dainty rations. Moreover, a small German 

 force arrived in December and drove the Portu- 

 guese completely off the river, destroying all their 

 five forts. At Cuangar the Portuguese garrison 

 was entirely wiped out, and a Portuguese trader 

 called " Kajimba," well known both to Rensberg 

 and myself, was killed there with his native wife 

 and children. By all accounts an Ovambo chief 

 at Kuringkuru, named " Howango," was directly 

 concerned with the Germans in this business. 

 At the other forts the Portuguese had either sur- 



