120 EETUKN TO EEHOBOTH. [chap. iv. 



they were told to say, as could be easily judged from 

 the answers of the persons addressed. Timboo inter- 

 preted loosely from either English or Dutch into 

 Damara, but he knew none of these languages well: he 

 had a patois of his own. People at first find conver- 

 sation by interpreters a bore ; but after a little use it 

 becomes no gTeater hindrance, as it is no greater 

 delay, than dictating or writing a letter. Savages, who 

 are naturally sententious, fall very readily into the 

 system ; and here, where the Hottentots and Damaras 

 are so often brought into contact, every chief is well 

 accustomed to it. 



We were a good deal troubled for the want of water 

 on our return ; the little pool I mentioned was dried 

 up, and we had taken no water with us, for want of a 

 vessel to carry it in. Our Damaras, who drove the 

 cattle, were quite knocked up imder the excessive heat, 

 and a Ghou Damup, whose charge it was to carry the 

 iron pot, lay down somewhere altogether exhausted. 

 At night we arrived, and all of us drank water tiU we 

 were quite ill. I continued resolving to drink no more, 

 and then rewarded my resolution with one more 

 mouthful. One cannot help drinking, the water seems 

 to have no effect in quenching the thirst. The next 

 day we rode but a short distance, as we had to wait 

 for the two men who were missing, and they might be 

 badly put to it. However, they never came. We 

 thought the Ghou Damup had stolen the pot, and 

 absconded in an old soldier's coat, with which I had 

 just rewarded his fideHty. There v/as considerable 

 doubt if we should find water for the remainder of the 



