240 START FOR THE OMARAMBA. [chap. viii. 



news and escort me to them. My party had trekked 

 on with Chapupa, to be near him for the sake of 

 protection, as the Bushmen had of late been steaHng a 

 great deal in the neighbourhood. 



July 1st. — After three or four hours' ride, I recog- 

 nised the burly form of my faithful servant Hans, 

 on the look-out at the top of a hill. To my extreme 

 relief I learnt that all had gone on well ; that Chaj)upa, 

 although troublesome, had done no mischief; that 

 several sheep had been bought, that the oxen were 

 well, and the axletree was as successful a piece of 

 carpenter's work as the one that had been broken. 

 Chapupa had bought things and never paid for them, 

 and, being in disgrace, sneaked away from me. 

 Kasupi was our principal friend now ; he said that it 

 was absurd to try to go back the way we came, as of 

 all the watering-places at which we drank between 

 Kutjiamakompe and Omabonde, a journey of three 

 weeks, not more than two now remained that were not 

 dry. He said that we must return by the Omaramba, 

 where we should find both water and grass, and that 

 he would guide us there and start us. A lad made 

 his apj)earance, who said that he knew the Omaramba 

 road perfectly, and under these escorts we proceeded. 

 Numbers of Damaras wished to join me : I allowed a 

 few to do so, and my party now numbered thirty-four. 

 We returned by our old road to Okatjokeama, and 

 then turned to the left. At a werft there I found my 

 old guide who had stolen the horse -rug and run away 

 from me. He had the impudence to wear it before 

 my eyes. He was six feet seven inches high, and 



