150 - JA K ABACA. [chap. v. 



men, they drink like fishes. I can only carry four 

 meals of water for them. 



The next day we arrived at some large wells, in which 

 again there was a sufficiency of water. The cattle 

 were very restless at night, and constantly straying ; 

 Hans preferred their Ijmig loose and picking up 

 grass during the night to making a kraal, but I was 

 sadly afraid that some morning they might be missing, 

 and have fallen into the hands of Omagimde's people. 

 Except my cattle, I had not one day's provision ; no 

 biscuit, no flour, nor anything of the sort ; I felt that 

 I had now committed myself in earnest. There was 

 no certain water between these wells and where I first 

 met Kahikene. A month of drought would exhaust 

 every vley on the road, and then imless I rode right 

 through Omagunde's country, the journey would be 

 quite impossible even for ride-oxen. I told a great 

 many stories, I am afraid, to my men. I impressed 

 upon them the certainty of soon arriving at a better 

 country, and talked a great deal about some large 

 fountains near Omatako, as a baiting place on our 

 way home, but which I had not really much faith in. 



The next day, by starting early and keeping a 

 steady even pace, we arrived at Ja Kabaca, and passing 

 along its rugged base and between it and Omuvereoom, 

 arrived late in the afternoon at a wretched vley, which 

 we discovered after an anxious search. It would be 

 a waste of time to enlarge on the horrible stuff one 

 often had to drink at these small vleys, as it can so 

 easily be conceived. Fancy a shallow pool from ten 

 to twenty yards across, and from six to twelve inches 



