96 I GO TO MEET THE WAGGONS. [chap. iv. 



stealing to a great extent. He was a man I had 

 determined to get rid of some time before, and I now 

 only waited until I could engage somebody to take his 

 place before I did so. 



Nothing in particular transpired. I failed in 

 learning more about Omabonde, and returned to 

 Otjimbingue. 



I went a few days before Andersson, as I wished to 

 visit Erongo with Hans, before starting with the 

 waggons. I left the mules at Barmen, and rode back 

 on ride-oxen which Andersson had brought for me. 

 The mules were troublesome creatures, requiring too 

 much watching ; they constantly tried to run away, 

 and when off, their pace was so good that the men had 

 runs of many hours before they could overtake and 

 bring them back. They gave me great anxiety at first, 

 but now I was quite tired of their tricks and hardly 

 cared what became of them. 



I arrived at Otjimbingue about the 10th of December, 

 and found the waggons drawn up on the cliff under 

 a thick roofing of reeds, and with reeds stacked all 

 round them. Every thing looked most perfectly in 

 order, and I felt delighted with Hans' management. 

 My waggon gear had required much putting in order ; 

 the trek-tows or ropes to which the yokes were 

 fastened were quite rotten; they were remarkably 

 good pieces of rope when I bought them in Cape 

 Town, so much so as to attract the critical eye of the 

 sailors ; but nothing of hemp or cotton stands this 

 climate. I do not know why, but string, yarn, shirts, 

 and thread all become useless after a short exposure 



