10 PEOSPECTS OF MY ROUTE. [chap. i. 



get a great way. So I began resolutely to make my 

 preparations. 



I will try to put in a few words the whole of the 

 information that I could get, and upon which I had to 

 act. Walfisch Bay was perfectly desert, though 

 traders had lived there. The nearest water was three 

 miles off, and that in very small quantities. The 

 nearest place where cattle coidd thrive was between 

 twenty and thirty miles from the coast. This was the 

 first Missionary station, — it was called Scheppmansdorf. 

 Thence a journey of ten or twelve days inland over 

 wretched country led to two other stations ; they were 

 the furthest; and all beyond them northwards was 

 unknown. These last were in Damara land ; the 

 Namaqua Hottentots lived between them and the Cape, 

 A smaU pen and ink map was also shown me, but it was 

 blotted and not very intelligible. No oxen could be 

 bought until I arrived at the fm'thest stations. If I 

 bought them from the Damaras they were untaught ; if 

 from the Namaquas taught oxen ; the horse distemper 

 was very severe, and no horse would Hve throughout the 

 year. The Namaquas were always fighting with the 

 Damaras, and it was very doubtful whether having 

 travelled amongst the one tribe, the other would permit 

 me to pass through their country. No money was used 

 or known, nothing but articles of barter, — iron things 

 for the most part among the Damaras, clothing and 

 gnins among the Namaquas. Lastly, that the great man 

 of all the country, who could do what he liked, and 

 of whom everybody stood in awe, was Jonker Africaner. 

 It was said that he had a wholesome dread of the English 



