June 14, 1858,] IN SEARCH OF THE RIVER CUNENE. 
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sengers were sent from Onondova to Nangoro, the King of the 
Ovampo, asking permission to visit him, and a travelling party of 
Ovampo were afterwards met, whose leader undertook to conduct 
them to his village, saying that it was his special office to introduce 
strangers. 
On entering Ondonga, the fertile district of Ovampo land, they 
were met by one messenger after another, sent to them by Nangoro, 
and were received cordially and respectfully by the people. The 
caravan consisted of 4 waggons and 100 loose oxen, besides those 
yoked to the waggons, and about 30 Damaras. Just before reaching 
Nangoro’s house their guide told them that the king desired their 
assistance in an expedition against a small neighbouring tribe with 
whom he was at war. At this request the missionaries were sur- 
prised and disgusted, and refused indignantly. The guide took it 
very quietly, and immediately allowed the subject to drop ; but, 
from that moment, there was an evident change in their mutual 
relations. Nangoro would not see them for five days, and when he 
did so he gave them a cold reception and flatly refused to allow 
them to proceed farther. Mr. Green’s account of their reception in 
Ovampo land is as follows : — - 
“ The guide appearing a frank and honest fellow, we gladly placed our- 
selves under his directions ; and as he was very communicative — added to 
which, a shrewd character — we became rather disposed in his favour. Upon 
our arrival at the chief’s residence, he appeared to he a complete master 
of ceremonies ; our messages, together with our presents, were delivered by 
him, and the custom of lighting our fire from that of the chief’s hearth was 
strictly attended to and executed with a little skill of witchcraft by him. Our 
first present was returned, with a message that whatever we intended to give 
his royal highness, besides the heads, must he despatched at the same time. 
We became exceedingly annoyed at his impertinence, and told him very plainly 
that it was our custom to send presents in that way, and he must conform to 
it ; that in sending the present hack he did not appear to he on friendly terms 
with us, and we did not like it ; that if we had anything further to give the 
chief, we should do so after we had the honour of seeing him, ‘ if his words 
were good for us ;’ if not, we should not give him anything more. I was 
determined not to allow myself to be imposed upon by this beggarly chief, 
which was also the same in Mr. Hahn’s case. (Mr. Galton allowed himself 
and party to he sadly imposed upon by Nangoro, which induced the latter to 
make a like attempt upon us.) This returning of presents was at length 
amicably settled, but we had occasion to he exceedingly angry at the non- 
appearance of the chief ; after we had been at his town for three days, and sent 
a message to inform him that we were not accustomed to wait the pleasure of 
a chief so long, and that if he did not come the following day we should inspan 
and ride away — also, that if he considered himself a great chief, then so did 
we. This message appeared rather to astonish his highness, and we shortly 
received a reply, that we must not imagine that it was done with any evil 
design, but it was a custom from the day he was born, and that he would come 
and pay his respects the ensuing day. He kept his promise, and we were not 
sorry when we were rid of the company of this fat old man.” 
VOL. II. 2 E 
