106 LEAVE OTJIMBINGUE. [chap. iv. 



scene had occurred here, which Andersson witnessed. 

 As the evening closed in, some people saw a lion kill a 

 giraffe on the opposite side of the river : the alarm 

 was given; everybody took firebrands; and it was 

 quite dark when the mob amved at the place. They 

 ran unconcernedly up to the giraffe, and frightened the 

 lion off it, who kept roaring and prowHng about them 

 close by, whilst they cut up the meat. 



I determined to leave my cart at Otjimbingue, as I 

 had hardly mules enough to take it ; neither could 

 I spare Timboo to drive it. It was thatched over 

 against the side of the Mission house ; and Mr. Eath 

 kindly took charge of the mule's harness. 



Two days after my return from Erongo, my first 

 experience in waggon-traveUing began : I hated it 

 from the first, and never became reconciled to it : I 

 disliked its slowness, and the want of independence 

 about it. In a rugged and wooded country long 

 detours have to be made to avoid obstacles which ride 

 and pack oxen go across without difficulty. Roads 

 have to be explored, bushes cut down, and the great 

 stones rolled out of the way. The waggon is a crush- 

 ing, cumbrous affair, and according to my ideas, 

 totally unfitted for the use of an explorer, except in 

 moderately level countries. I was never happier than 

 when I left it behiad, and took to the saddle. 



The oxen were excessively wild, and seemed to 

 have quite forgotten what they had learnt. It took us 

 from an hour and a half to two hours to inspan the 

 two waggons, notwithstanding we had so gi'eat a force 

 of men, most of whom were acknowledged to be 



