42 THE SWAKOP. [chap. ii. 



These are a very peculiar and scattered race of 

 Negroes, who speak no language but Hottentot, 

 and are frequently slaves to the Bushmen. Who 

 they are, and where they came from, has been a 

 standing enigma ; but I subsequently found out much 

 that was interesting about them. 



The Hottentots come over now and then from the Bay, 

 when the 'Naras are not in season, and bring their 

 cows and oxen to give them a good feed. The place is 

 not suited for savages ; for there are no roots for them 

 to grub up and feed upon, and the river bed is so deep 

 and the rocks so abrupt, that nothing would be easier 

 than to entrap a drove of oxen in it. Anywhere else, 

 when a plundering attack is made, men and oxen 

 scamper off in all directions, but here they would be 

 " pounded." 



I had hitherto generally slept under cover, because 

 at Scheppmansdorf there was no place for a bivouac, 

 and the night air was damp and chilly ; but here 

 I began to discard my tent, and to sleep by the side 

 of the fire. A large driving-apron, water-proofed 

 on one side and drugget on the other, made my rug, 

 and a blanket and an eider-down quilt, my coverlets. 

 My men had pieces of oiled canvas, which I took 

 for them to sleep on, and blankets or old horse- 

 rugs to cover them. We slept romid a fire as large as 

 we could get fuel to make it, and on the lee-side of a 

 bush. The cart stood five or six yards off, and the 

 mules were tied by their halters, and the oxen by their 

 nose -bridles, to the cart and whatever else they could 

 be tied to. My mules were very restless and noisy. 



