CHAP. viT.] FRUIT TREES. 207 



were of inagnificeut size, as large as those in any 

 English park ; their foliage was so dense and gTeen 

 that a real shade from the sun could be obtained, 

 which never is the case in Damara-land, as the 

 straggling stunted thorn, with its few shrivelled leaves, 

 offers little more of a screen to its rays than an Englisli 

 tree in winter time. The fruits are of two kinds, one, 

 which I never saw myself as it was not the season for 

 it, was a kind of cherry, according to Timboo's autho- 

 rity, who recognised at once all the produce of his own 

 country (Masapa, by Moviza) here in Ovampo-land. 

 The other is a very acid fruit, not unlike an apple in 

 shape, colour, smell, and size, but with a stone in it. 

 No other tree stands in the corn country of the Ovampo, 

 or at least gives any feature to the landscape. 



Ondonga, for that is the name of the land, is most 

 uniform in its appearance ; and I should thmk no 

 stranger could recollect his way for any distance in it. 

 I don't know what we should have done here, if I had 

 brought my waggons. We could never have taken them 

 across the Ovampo fields, trespassing everywhere. The 

 roads that the natives and we travelled were only path- 

 ways through the stubble ; and we were particularly 

 requested to keep to them. There was hardly any grass 

 whatever, it was perfectly eaten up ; and the Ovampo 

 oxen had been sent away to distant cattle-posts on 

 every side to get food. They were now being driven 

 back in small herds to eat off the stubble upon the 

 farms of their owners. By each homestead were five 

 or six cows and a quantity of goats, very small, but 

 yielding a great deal of milk. To give water even to 



