June 14, 1858.] IN SEARCH OF THE RIVER CUNENE. 
353 
adds that lie is wretchedly equipped, but that rather than lose 
the season he will start at once. 
Mr. Galton, f.r.g.s. — I must express great regret at the tenor of a large 
part of this account. I quite gather from Mr. Green’s letter that he adopted 
a domineering tone towards the Ovampo, which I believe to have been emi- 
nently injudicious, to have been construed by them as a menace, and to have 
been resented in the way we have heard. 
In passing judgment on the conduct of the Ovampo, we must try and place 
ourselves in their position. Their territory is visited, almost invaded, by a 
strong party of foreigners, who are judged to be kindred to the Nam aqua 
chiefs from their colour, language, creed, and intermarriages ; and the Nama- 
quas are a race of marauders, who have lifted cattle from the very borders of 
Ovampo land, and are known to be awaiting a favourable opportunity for in- 
vading that country. These foreigners are fully armed and dictatorial in their 
ways ; they refuse to give those presents which are well described as taking the 
place of customs duties in African nations. They show scant courtesy to the 
king, and they very probably trespass in not a few of the many requirements 
of a witchcraft ceremonial. Why, if such a thing could be imagined as that 
30 or 40 headstrong Englishmen were to make a sudden descent upon the 
shores of a continental power, at a time when war seemed to impend, profess- 
ing peace but armed to the teeth and ready to fight, unfurnished with any 
kind of credentials, violating quarantine laws, setting all authority at nought, 
and coming for no conceivable purpose except that of making an armed recon- 
noissance, I presume they would have been treated by the nearest inhabitants 
or military guard in a not less hostile manner than this exploring party has 
been by the Ovampo. As to the treachery of which complaint has been made, 
I do not see that it is proved, for the expedition was treated with little favour. 
Or, even if it were proved, that it would make the attack much more difficult 
to excuse. Treachery is not so black a crime in the morale of African nations 
as it is in our own ; we must also recollect that it is a last resort of the weak 
against the strong, such as the Ovampo suspected they might be before the 
much dreaded guns of their unwelcome visitors. 
Mr. Green remarks that I was imposed upon by Nangoro in the matter of 
presents ; but, on reading his list of gifts, I find I do not deserve the credit of 
having been so liberal as himself, yet I had the good fortune to conciliate 
where he had not, and I was able to leave, in peace, the happy country of a 
noble and a kindly negro race, which has now, for the first time, been con- 
fronted and humbled before the arrogant strength of the white man. 
Mr. Macqueen, f.r.g.s. — Mr. Hahn, the missionary’s account is chiefly 
valuable on account of the considerable fresh- water lake that he discovered, and 
which he places in 18° 45' s. lat. and 17° 30' e. long., which is probably not 
incorrect. The lake is fresh water with plenty of fish. In circumference it 
appears to be about 30 miles, but to the w. no shore could be seen. Nearly in 
this portion of Africa all the old geographers place a lake. As the dry season 
was far advanced when Mr. Hahn saw it, it probably never dries up, and may 
be considered to communicate with the river that joins the Cunene to the n. of 
Ondonga, the capital of Ovampo, ruled by Nangoro or Nangolo. This chief 
bears a very bad character amongst all his neighbours to the n. and n.n.e. He 
treated Mr. Hahn very ill, and attempted to murder him and all his party 
after they left his capital. But they fortunately made their escape after the 
loss of some of their party. 
The lake in question is situated about 30 or 40 miles n. of the junction of 
the rivers Omoronda and Omorabondo, which contain little water in the dry 
season. Both these rivers are mentioned and delineated by Mr. Galton, and 
Mr. Hahn mentions another river also called Omoronda lying considerably to 
the e. of the last named Omaronde, and which he says runs e.n.e., and forms 
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