CHAP. 1.] MISADVENTURE AT STARTING. 19 



clumsily, and nearly drowned one ; bvit at last the 

 creatures were all got on shore. Heavy packages had 

 next to be landed in the dingy, and we got through a 

 deal of work. In the evening I rode with Mr. Bam to 

 the Hottentot kraal, by Sand Fountain, and of course 

 listened with great interest to all he had to tell me 

 of the country. With the Damaras he had little or 

 no acquaintance. He was born in the Cape ; had 

 made several overland journeys ; sj)oke much of the 

 diificulty of travelling here, both from want of food 

 and the badness of the road ; and did not hold out 

 to me the slightest encouragement as regarded my 

 journey. 



After sunset Mr. Bam returned on board to sleep, 

 and to get a good substantial dinner there, which is not 

 to be despised by a resident in these parts. I pitched 

 my tent on shore, and slept in guard of the things. My 

 men had worked with very good spirit through the day 

 in landing them, though it was hard work, and they 

 were wet all the time. Some slept on shore and some 

 on board. I had a heavy spar, which lay on the beach, 

 carried under the lee of the store -house, and picketed 

 my mules and horses to it. The night was very chilly, 

 damp, and windy, and the animals extremely restless. 

 In the morning we found that my two horses had broken 

 loose, and escaped. Timboo and John St. Helena 

 went directly on their tracks ; but as hours passed, and 

 they did not return, I became much alarmed. On 

 Mr. Bam's coming on shore he advised me at once 

 to send some natives with provisions after the men, as 

 all was desert for forty miles and more round the Bay ; 



