160 OMANBOISTDE. [chap. v. 



Omanboncle. On a hill-top in front was a cluster of 

 camel-thorn trees, (Omanbonde means camel-thorn 

 trees,) and below that the lake was said to lie. Forwards 

 we went with our nerves strung to the highest j^itch of 

 excitement ; we rattled the waggon on as fast as we 

 could walk, turned the corner, but another j^rovoking 

 reach of the river-bed was before us. Then we plunged 

 through a field of dry reeds, and were walking on, 

 when the gTiide loitered behind and seemed to be 

 looking about for something. The truth slowly dawned 

 upon our minds that we were then in Omanbonde, and 

 that the guide was actually looking for the water. It 

 was really too ridiculous that our magnificent lake 

 should be reduced to this. However there proved to 

 be perfect truth in the story of the hippopotami. The 

 fact is, that a country like Damara-land is as different 

 after a heavy rainy season to what it is after a diy one, 

 as the sea-beach is at different times of the tide. Our 

 ill-luck was that we travelled in one of the driest years 

 known ; and Omanbonde, which is a reach of the broad 

 Omoramba, of some nine miles long, bears every mark 

 of having been full of water. The course of the 

 Omoramba, as I found out long afterwards, is towards 

 the great river of the Mationa country, and up it during 

 the rainy season hippopotami travel ; many have been 

 killed at Omanbonde ; one a few years back actually 

 travelled up to Okaroscheke, and thence his spoor led 

 into the Swakop, that is not more than a couple of 

 miles apart from it. He died in the Swakop, and his 

 carcase was washed down and eaten by the Ghou 

 Damup at Tsobis. Many Hottentots who were 



