THE RISE AND FALL OF UPINGTONIA. 349 



mines of Otavi, which for ages had been worked by 

 the Omandongas. 



It transpired that a large portion of the land was 

 very fertile and produced bountifully maize, millet, or 

 Kaffir corn, fruit, and vegetables, while the remainder 

 was eminently adapted for pastoral purposes, and 

 contained numerous strong fountains — a great 

 desideratum in parched South Africa. The district 

 was but sparsely inhabited by a few Berg Damaras 

 and Bushmen, who paid tribute of ivory, copper ore, 

 and ostrich feathers to the Ovampos. It may be 

 here stated that Ovampoland is an undoubtedly rich 

 country, lying immediately north of Damaraland, 

 which, in its turn, is to the north of Great Namaqua- 

 land. The natives are a fine race of men, nearly 

 allied to the true negro type of Central Africa. 

 Armed with this rich concession, which he did not 

 disguise he had obtained for a very inadequate 

 consideration, Jordaan set about attracting colonists, 

 and with such success that in November of 1886, 

 there were settled some thirty or forty families of 

 English, Germans, and Dutch Afrikanders, while 

 other Boer families were also trekking in. Each 

 family of settlers had allotted to it a farm of 3,000 

 morgen (6,000 acres). Shortly after, a bestuur, or 

 council of thirteen members, was formed, on Boer 

 lines, to administer the affairs of Upingtonia. 



In the third act of this curious drama, a Mr. 

 Lewis appeared on the scene, who, as principal 

 adviser of Kamahero, chief of the Herero-Damaras, 

 repudiated Khambonde's concession, alleging that 

 the country ceded belonged to the Damaras, and in 

 default of certain arrangements being made, he 

 threatened to declare war upon both Upingtonians 



