CHAP, vml OKAVAEi:. 241 



large in proportion, and therefore too lieavy for me 

 to give a shaking to, and I dared not whip him, so I 

 only pulled the rug off his back and rated him 

 soundly. 



We hit the Omoramba and followed it to the con- 

 fluence of its two branches. Game began now to 

 show, and we had no need to kill any oxen. We had 

 some charming hunts — one after wild boars. Kasupi 

 could not, any more than the other Damaras, give me 

 much information about the road down the Omoramba. 

 It seemed most unfavourable to waggon travelHng. 

 They said the Omoramba ran between hills where 

 Ghou Damup lived, and the Damai'as dare not go 

 there. 



If my ride-oxen had not been so entirely worn out, 

 and the country so arid, I should have much liked an 

 excm'sion in that direction, which, as I have since 

 discovered, would be a most interesting route. Now, 

 however, it was out of the question. 



July 12th. — My entire werft at Okavare consisted of 

 eighty cattle, and 110 sheep and goats ; of these many 

 belonged to the men, and not to me. I had only 

 seventy cattle and eighty sheep and goats : of these 

 about forty were useful waggon oxen, and fifteen ride 

 and pack, leaving me a surplus of fifteen slaughter 

 oxen and the eighty small cattle. My articles of 

 exchange were at a very low ebb indeed, although I 

 had a small further supply at Walfisch Bay. I had no 

 reason to expect getting more than ten oxen with 

 them in Damara-land ; but when I arrived among the 

 Hottentots, I intended to sell one of my waggons for 



