CHAP, vir.] CANNOT OBTAIN PASTURAGE. 211 



is remarkably uniform, iutersected with ijaths, and 

 quite destitute of natural features to guide us. It is also 

 slightly undulating, enough so to limit the view to a 

 mile or two ahead. There was vley water, if we did 

 not miss it, near to Netjo's ; and thence there remained 

 a journey of twenty-one hours, two hours in Ondonga, 

 and nineteen in the thorns and flats, without water ; 

 and as part of this lay over a bleak country the stage 

 was too severe a one for any weak ox to endure. I 

 found that some Ovampos had been tampering with my 

 Damara cattle-watchers ; one, a man whom I had taken 

 from Chapupa's werft, became impudent, and instead 

 of driving my cattle to grass, kept them on a bare 

 place for half the day ; so I took active measures upon 

 his back and shoulders, to an extent that astonished 

 the Ovampo and reformed the man. 



June 6th. — Nangoro did not come, but sent us a 

 little corn as a present, and requested us to fire off our 

 guns, as he wished to hear what kind of noise they 

 made. We had plenty of ammunition, and therefore 

 amused ourselves with some rifle practice, which 

 several Ovampo watched from a short distance with 

 great interest. 



June 7th. — The oxen looked dreadfully thin. I began 

 to fear that they would die, and then we should have 

 to abandon our luggage and get back on foot — an 

 exertion which I had little fancy for. However about 

 midday Chik came in great excitement to tell me that 

 Nangoro was on his way to me, so I smartened things 

 and made ready for him. There was a body of men 

 walking towards us, and in the middle of them an 



