Notes on a Journey iv German South-West Africas 25 
or had been suffering from malaria fever, and their gardens had 
been partly carried away by the flood of the river, what remained 
being destroyed by cattle which had obtained access through the 
rents in the fences caused by the flood. In addition to the usual 
pumpkins, melons, and maize, these natives also cultivated Kaffir 
corn and sugar-cane. After leaving this place we traversed some 
very good grass country, but about 70 miles from Gobabis the aspect 
is very bare. Here there is a large pan on a bed of limestone, which 
was dry when we reached it, but water was found in holes made in 
the limestone bed. 
From here, for the next 25 miles, until we reached Hatsamas, on 
the Schaap River, we passed over a huge grassy plain, sparsely 
covered with kameeldoorn. Just before reaching Hatsamas the 
plain narrows and passes into a valley between sandstone hills. 
The soil in this valley is a good sandy loam, in parts marly, and fairly 
rich in humus. | 
On arrival at Hatsamas we had to undergo a period of quarantine 
of fourteen days, owing to the suspected and afterwards confirmed 
presence of rinderpest on a farm higher up the river. Whilst 
here we had ample opportunity of becoming acquainted with this 
locality. 
In a narrow defile between the hills, through which the river runs, 
there is a good site for making a masonry dam, which would cover a 
large area with water and serve for the irrigation of a very extensive 
tract of arable land. ; 
In this locality, in addition to the quartzite and sandstone, there 
are also occurrences of limestone, granite, and clay-slate. Here we 
experienced some very heavy rain: during nine days we had a rain- 
fall of 4:7 inches, in the month of April. 
Before going further, as the journey from Hatsamas to Rehoboth 
really introduces us to the southern portion of the Protectorate, I 
may just pause to review shortly and sum up with a réswmé of what 
I had seen so far, describing the general geological characteristics 
of Damaraland in a few words. To the north and west of Wind- 
hoek the rocks are for the most part granitic or mica-schists, it is 
only south and eastward that quartz and sandstone actually 
preponderate. Dolerite is of occasional occurrence, and limestone 
occurs everywhere, either crystalline or tufaceous; where the hot 
springs are met with it occurs as travertive. The alluvial soil along 
the river-sides is very suitable for agricultural purposes, but water 
for irrigation must be provided, by means of dam-making. Large 
tracts of country, especially north and eastward, are well wooded 
with kameeldoorn and other acacias, or otherwise we have splendid 
