CHAP. IV.] THE MOUNTAIN ERONGO. 101 



wrongs received. When we were about to start, I made 

 myself as civil as I could, and then gently took hold of 

 the whip, and he allowed me to coax it out of his hand, 

 so all ended well. 



We had bought fovir or five oxen and a few sheep, 

 which we intended to diive with us to Erongo, the 

 broad table mountain that now lay eight hours in front 

 of us and bounded the horizon. It was five hoiu's' 

 travel to the next water, but it took us much longer, for 

 we had some hunting by the way. The heat became 

 fearful, and fever was upon me ; I could hardly sit the 

 journey out, and was extremely glad to get to the bed 

 of the Canna river, (a tributary of the Swakop) where 

 an hour's "crowing" and digging gave enough water 

 for the oxen. After a good meal, as the evening was 

 clear, we were again in the saddle, and pushed on for 

 the mountains, the length of whose escarpment from 

 east to west was fifteen miles. Its height by rough 

 sextant measurement was 2800 feet. In one part of it 

 there was a break, the mountains rising like parapets 

 on either hand, and to this break we steered. It was 

 pitch dark when we got there, and glad I was to lay my 

 throbbing head to rest. 



In the morning I dispatched the two Ghou Damups 

 up the hill to tell the inhabitants of our arrival, and to 

 request guides from them. I spent the morning in 

 sleeping imder huge overhanging slabs of hmestone, 

 enjo}ang to the full " the shadow of a broad rock in a 

 thirsty land." In the afternoon we rambled about 

 trying to climb the hUl, and to obtain a good view of 

 the adjacent country. The rocks that composed 



