THE KALAHARA DESERT. THE NORTHERN DIVISION IN THE ZAMBESE BASIN.

This region being the most extensive, and at the same time occupying the

greater portion of the interior of South Central Africa, claims special

attention in connection with the surrounding native tribes, all of whom

claim a portion adjoining their respective territories as their

exclusive hunting-ground.

In exploring an unknown country and meeting so many and such a variety

of people whose languages differ, it is not easy on making their first

acquaintance to grasp the different sounds that give meaning and

expression to their words. I noticed this particularly with respect to

the name of this desert region in connection with local names on its

borders. In writing down names from native pronunciation I wrote them

phonetically, using as few letters as possible.

The word Kalahara corresponds with Namaqualand, Damaraland, on the west

coast, Zahara Desert on the north, Makarakara salt vlei, Makalakara

pits, Kasaka Bushmen of the northern parts, and many others.

The boundary of this vast and interesting region comes down south to the

Orange river 29 degrees South latitude, which is also the northern

boundary of the Cape Colony, and extends north to the 15 degrees South

latitude, the extent of my exploration. The western boundary is formed

by Great Namaqua, Damara, and Ovampolands. On the east it is bounded by

the Zambese to the Victoria Falls, then due south, skirts the eastern

bank of the great Makarakara salt vlei, where five streams enter it from

the watershed, viz. the Nata, Quabela, Shuari, Mia, and Tua; thence the

boundary runs south to the Makalaka pits, a few miles to the west of

Ba-Mangwato, from these pits due south to Molapololo (but that portion

of Khama's country south of Mongwato down to Sechele's) to the Limpopo

may be included, on to Kanya and to Maceby's Station on the Molapo down

that river to Conge, Honey vlei, on to the north of Langberg range of

mountains to Cowie, and down that range to the Orange river, thirty

miles above Kheis.

The length from north to south, as far as I have explored, is 970 miles;

but, from information obtained from the Kasaka Bushmen on the spot, it

may extend much further. The greatest breadth is about 500 miles from

east to west, and contains within this area 280,000 square miles.

The northern and eastern portion is within the Zambese basin, except

that part drained by the Notuane and its tributaries, which is in the

Limpopo basin, all the rest and central part is in the Orange river

basin.

The great watershed passes through, taking a diagonal course from the

south-east corner to the north-west corner in Ovampoland. The greatest

altitude above sea-level being 6100 feet, near the source of the Molapo,

the lowest along the shed is 4000 feet, and in Ovampoland 3880 feet.

The river system of South Central Africa has already been described in a

chapter to itself, so that the configuration of the country should be

more clearly understood; but it is necessary to deal with them again to

a certain extent in describing the different localities and native

tribes within its boundary.

Lake N'gami is situated nearly in the centre of the desert, to which two

of the most important northern rivers, Cubango and Quito, flow, uniting

in one, the Tonga, which enters the lake at the north-west corner in 20

degrees 25 minutes South latitude, 24 degrees 45 minutes East longitude,

at an altitude of 2813 feet above sea-level. The Cubango or Okavango

river, the source of which is much farther north than my explorations

extended, passes through a dense and impenetrable bush, extending on

both banks far away in 15 degrees South latitude, where there are

several tributaries falling in. Following the stream, which is broad

and in many places deep, with rapids and waterfalls at different points,

passing through forest and open country with native kraals situated on

its left banks, occupied by various tribes who are great fishermen and

have canoes, and where the hippopotami and crocodile abound, down to

where the Quito enters it in 17 degrees 10 minutes South latitude, on to

Debabe, a large native station, where the river turns south, branching

off into the Chobe and Zambese. The other branch takes its course to

Lake N'gami, and receives the Okayanka, which rises in Ovampoland and

flows east. All to the north of this river the country varies much in

character; the eastern portion is low with extensive swamps covered with

bush and fine timber, the western portion rises in ridges with lofty

plateaux covered with rich tropical plants and trees, including the

giant baobab; there are also extensive plains, with dry watercourses

crossing them towards the east; many of them have separate names under

the general name Omuramba.

The country to the west of the upper part of the Cubango, which is also

called the Okavango, is rich in timber and fine grasses, and game of

every description known in South Central Africa; this region is known as

Ombango, through which a road passes to the Cubango, and to the north is

the land of the Ambuelas, where the tsetse-fly is very common; it is

inhabited by the Kasaka and Ombango Bushmen. At the bend of the river,

at 16 degrees 20 minutes South latitude, the country rises in ridges

towards the north considerably, causing many rapids to be formed in the

stream. Below, the country is more level, until my station is reached,

where there is a hill on the right of the river, with many wherfs of

Bushmen, the altitude being 3370 feet above sea-level, and on the

opposite side of the river are many wherfs of the Ovampo, Karakeri,

Kororo, Ojego, and others, each with their separate chiefs; the most

important is the Ovakuenyami.

The river contains many varieties of fish, which the natives are very

expert in catching from their canoes by spearing and setting traps, as

also the hippopotami and crocodile.

The large station of the Ovokangari tribe of the Ovampo the chief or

king Mpachi rules; and lower down is the Ovalmji tribe, ruled over by

Queen Kapongo, and opposite a dry watercourse falls in; another,

Omuramba Omapu, which passes through Ovambanquida country, under an

Ovampo chief, and where the Kuka Bushmen live on the bank of the

Omurambo and Sheshongo, and lower down come the Ovambanquedos tribe, to

the west of the chief of the Ovarapo tribe, as also Chikonga, who lives

on the banks, and above him the Ovampo chief Tjipangamore. To the east

of the Ovokangari or Ovaquangari are various tribes, the Oyomboo and

Bavickos at Libebe, who deal largely in ivory, feathers, skins, and

slaves with the Portuguese traders. The Ovokangari cultivate the soil,

grow corn, are good artificers, manufacture arms, picks, utensils of

many kinds for their cooking, and ornaments for their women. They work

in iron and copper, and sell many articles to the traders who visit them

from the Portuguese settlement on the west coast, and are a superior

race to those around them. North of Libebe the Amabomdi, Bakana,

Makuka, and the Bavickos tribes reach as far north as the high

table-land which divides the Chobe and the Quito rivers; therefore the

waters of Cubango, Quito, and their tributaries have their outlet

through the Chobe to the Zambese and the large swamp which is connected

with the Mababe and Chobe by the Tamienkie and other streams. At the

junction of the Quito and Cubango the Oshambio tribe of Ovampos live on

a large island under a chief. Down the river is Debabe, and on many

islands the Bakuka, Bamalleros, Bakaa, have large kraals, and on the

north the Barico Bushmen. The river at Debabe is broad and navigable.

Below that kraal at the bend is the cataract Nona and several rapids,

and the stream continues down to Lake N'gami under the name of Tonga,

receiving in its course several watercourses, under the names of

Omaramba, Ovampo, Okayanka, Sheshonga, and others.

This extensive region in many parts along the watercourses is thickly

populated, and game abounds, cotton is indigenous, and valuable products

of various kinds. A great trade could be carried on if a proper system

of communication were opened up through Walfish Bay, Lake N'gami, and

down the broad and fine river Chobe to the English traders at all these

places, and a great market found for British merchandise. The natives

are well-disposed and quite alive to the advantages of trade; they are a

well-made, strong people. I was told at Libebe that much further north

there were a people of a yellowish-white colour, and also a savage tribe

who are nomadic. I believe the former is a remnant of the white race

that once occupied the country on the south side of the Lower Zambese

who have left so many of their works behind them, and maybe a portion of

this white race followed the river up and became mixed with the native

tribes. There are also many scattered tribes living amongst these

tribes between the Tonga river and Ovampoland, the Mesere, Kaikaibrio,

Makololo, Papero, Ohiaongo, Majambi, and others. The Bakalahara Bushmen

were once a powerful tribe, who it appears gave the name to this desert.

The lion, leopard, panther, and wolves are met with daily. The leopard

and panther are more to be feared than the lion when in the thick jungle

after game, their form of attack is so cat-like in approaching their

prey, taking advantage of every cover until the final spring is made.

The many lagoons and swamps seem to be their favourite hunting-ground.

In all the waters of these rivers fish abound, of many varieties.

Crocodiles, hippopotami, iguanas, otters and snakes are plentiful

everywhere along the streams. Unfortunately this region is very

unhealthy. The sickly season lasts from September to May; the other

months of the year it is very healthy. The malaria from the standing

pools in the hot dry season causes fever, which is very difficult to get

rid of.

Down the Tonga the natives build their huts in these island homes for

safety; they are circular mud-huts with high thatched roofs; they are

similar to those on the Upper Cubango, and they hunt the hippopotami.

On the lower part of the Quito I shot one in the head, as he was poking

his nose out of the water. The skin we use for several purposes, mostly

for sjamboks. Large snakes seem to swarm in every part, particularly

the python. In a small stream where I thought to be free from

crocodiles, I took a daily bath during my stay at my station. On one

occasion I was enjoying a swim at the foot of a small fall of beautiful

clear water; hearing a great splashing behind me, I turned and saw an

enormous snake passing me at great speed, lashing the water into my

face, and a few seconds after he was lost in the tall reeds below.

Expecting one or two more might follow, I was soon standing on the bank;

but before I could dress, down came four others, large, and three small

ones, and passed into the reeds below. The largest appeared to be

twenty feet in length, and very large round the body; their skin was

dark brown with dirty yellow marks. I knew them at once to be the

python. A few days after I shot one that measured eighteen feet three

inches in length, and three feet round the body, and three feet from the

tail a large hook was fixed. I had a similar adventure some time before

in Bechuanaland with one which measured sixteen feet two inches, and

inside was a steinbok. At night they make a great noise.

Every kind of game is found here. Elephants may be seen in hundreds;

four kinds of rhinoceros: the black boreli, with two horns of equal

size; another black with one large and one small horn; a white with two;

and another white with one long horn, which is the most rare; their

native name is Chikooroo. I made a knobkerry out of the horn, which

measured two feet eleven inches, from one I shot the previous year.

Buffaloes, giraffe, blaawbok, elands, gnu, hartebeest, sassaybe,

gemsbok, koodoos, pallah, and others; also wild boar which grow to a

great size, wild dogs and a host of smaller animals. The ostrich may be

seen on the plains in troops of hundreds; but as guns are now becoming

more common with the natives, they will soon be thinned out. There are

also many beautiful blue cranes, secretary-birds, mayhens, and legions

of ducks, geese, and beautiful small birds; monkeys and baboons

everywhere, mostly in the fine trees along the river-banks, and they are

much hunted by the leopards and panthers.

On returning to my camp one evening I had a very narrow escape from one

of the former; walking along under the trees on the shore of the

Cubango, I saw immediately over my head one of these leopards on the

branch of the tree that overhung the river, not twenty feet from me. It

was the act of a moment; I up with my rifle and fired at his chest, when

down he fell a few paces from me; he seemed to be in the act of

springing upon me--another second and I should have been too late. This

makes the fourth leopard I have shot in this part. On all occasions I

had narrow escapes. In a country like this, where in every turn in the

thick bush we meet with one or other of these animals, we have to keep a

good look-out and make our rifles our constant companions.

Next week will be Christmas--the height of summer. Thermometer in the

shade, under the trees, 107 degrees; but I do not think the heat so

oppressive as it is down in the colony, for the simple reason that we

have a dense bush, magnificent trees, and long grass that absorbs the

heat of the sun's rays and keeps the earth much cooler by being in

shade. In the colony it is open; no trees, scanty grass, and an immense

open rocky country, so that the stones become so hot that they destroy

the boots. I have frequently made my tea by placing the kettle with

water on a stone for half an hour; then put in the tea, let it stand a

few minutes, and it is as strong and hot as can be wished.

Most of the natives have been very quiet, but some of the Ovampo have

been very troublesome, which has shortened my stay in this part, more

particularly amongst the wherfs of the Ovokangari. My Bakuka and

Batuana guides were invaluable and took me through without loss. Being

the rainy season, water was plentiful, but I had great difficulty in

crossing many of the watercourses, impeded by thick belts of jungle,

although extensive tracts of country are very beautiful and park-like,

lovely clumps of trees were so grouped that art could not improve them.

Travelling for days without meeting with any native, on several

occasions I was closely beset by lions, which my guide stated were the

man-eating lions. Almost daily, thunderstorms came up in the afternoon,

many of them terrific in violence; the sunsets also are beyond

description for brilliancy of colour. The early morning is generally

cloudless; clouds seldom gather before mid-day in summer, but in the

winter months they are not visible; this is the healthy season.

There are several roads from Lake N'gami crossing this desert to Damara,

Ovampo, and on to Libebe, and the other villages on the Cubango. Every

day we went out to hunt up the game to supply the people with food,

which I omit to describe as it becomes monotonous.

Very few inhabitants are scattered over this part of the desert, few

hills are to be seen, until we arrive at Lake N'gami, when the Lubalo,

Makkapola and Makabana hills come into view, and it is round the lake

that the people under the chief Molemo live, and at his kraal and others

along the river-banks of the Zouga or Bot-let-le. The people are

composed of Betuana, Barutsie, Makolo, Bushmen, and several mixed races;

each tribe has a petty chief ruling over them, but all subject to the

chief Molemo as far as his territory east goes, where the chief Khama

joins. The principal villages are Sebubumpie, Mokhokhotlo, Mamakahuie,

Mozelenza, Samaai, and numerous others occupied by Bushmen.

The produce of the northern district is collected by the Ovampo traders

and brought down to the Walfish Bay, and by Portuguese traders from the

Portuguese settlement at Benguela. The trade of Lake N'gami and the

Zambese region is carried on by English traders from the Cape Colony,

having communication by roads from Ba-Mangwato, the chief Khama's

station, and roads from the lake to Walfish Bay, passing the Ghanze

chalk-pits, situated on the watershed, where permanent water is

obtained. Many thousand Bushmen live in the more unfrequented parts of

the desert, having no settled abode, but remove from water to water as

it becomes scarce; there are three separate tribes, the Mesere, Kasaka,

and Kaikaibrio, and also some Bakalahara. The greater portion of this

part of the Kalahara within the Zambese basin is limestone, covered in

places with deep sand, but vegetation is very luxuriant--splendid

grasses, and magnificent timber.

It is a good corn-growing country, a variety of valuable herbs come to

great perfection, every kind of European plants and fruits thrive; water

can be obtained by digging,--a splendid country for immigration.

THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN PORTION OF THE KALAHARA, WITHIN THE ORANGE

RIVER BASIN, THE WATERS OF WHICH FALL INTO THE SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN.

The Orange river is the only outlet to the sea to convey the water

brought down by the ancient river system that drains the south, the

central, and the western divisions of this extensive and important

portion of the Kalahara desert. The Orange for 250 miles forms the

southern boundary. The rivers that drain the north-western and the

central part of the Kalahara are the twin streams Nosop and Oup,

appropriately called twins, as the two join for twenty miles and again

separate, both running parallel to each other within a short distance,

entering the Molapo close to the great bend, where that river takes the

name Hygap, and flows south, and enters the Orange at Kakaman's drift.

The Nosop rises in the Waterberg of Damaraland in two head-waters called

the Black and White Nosop, which unite north of Westly Vale and join the

Oup at Narukus. The Oup rises in Damaraland in latitude 22 degrees,

under the name Elephant river, and gathering the waters of other small

branches, joins the Nosop at Narukus for twenty miles, then becomes an

independent stream and, as I have stated, falls into the Molapo.

Several shallow watercourses traverse the desert, but are not of

sufficient importance to merit a description. The other river connected

with the above system is the Molapo, which rises on the west slope of

the central watershed at an altitude of 5350 feet, in 26 degrees 5

minutes South latitude, 26 degrees 25 minutes East longitude, where a

plentiful supply of pure water flows throughout the year, and takes a

westerly course to the great bend in latitude 25 degrees 50 minutes

East, longitude 21 degrees 16 minutes, when it takes the name Hygap, as

already stated, receiving in its course the small streams Moretsane and

Setlakoola. The Kuruman river rises in the south of the Kuruman mission

station, and with its small tributaries flows west and enters the Hygap

below the great bend. The Back river commences in a range of the Brinus

mountains, a beautiful and picturesque group, several thousand feet in

height, of granite formation, well-wooded in the kloofs and ravines.

The peculiar feature of the river is that it has two outlets, one to the

east into the Hygap, the other to the west into the Great Fish river.

South of this river three mountain streams drain the southern Kalahara,

viz. the Nisbet, Aamo, and Keikab, which fall into the Orange to the

west of the Hygap. The Great Fish river, which completes the river

system of the Kalahara in the Orange river basin, rises in the Awas

mountain in Damaraland, 22 degrees 40 minutes South latitude, 17 degrees

30 minutes East longitude, at an altitude of 6400 feet, and flows south

for 430 miles, and enters the Orange river ninety miles from its mouth.

The country through which it flows is very dry from the scarcity of

rain. There are no important streams in the east, but on the west there

are many tributaries that drain the high mountain country. The Chun

rises in the Mitchell mountains, on the border of Great Namaqualand,

receiving the Kurick branch, passing through a beautiful and wild

country to the south of Nababis station. The three small tributaries of

the Great Fish river to the north of the Chun in 22 degrees 32 minutes

South latitude, are the Ganap, near Reheboth station; the Houra and

Manabis; south of the Chun are the Huntop, Koros, and the Amhup, all

receiving their water from the high lands of Great Namaqualand. The

principal stations on these rivers are the Amhup, Bethany, Kachasa,

Kawais, Reems, Hudenap, Brakhout, and a few others of recent date.

The inhabitants are of various tribes, called the Namaquas,

Veld-Schoeners, Bundelswaarts, Hottentots, Korannas, Kaffirs, Gobabies,

and Bushmen; some of the former cultivate the soil, use ploughs, and

keep cattle and sheep; they live near the small fountains and along the

river-banks, where they procure water by digging and permanent pits.

They live under petty captains. There are several mission stations.

Copper is found in many parts of the country, and copper-mines are

worked in the south near the Orange river. The geological formation is

granite, gneiss, trap, and amygdaloid. From the magnitude of this

river, it is evident the country at one time must have been well

supplied with rain, as it is a deep, broad, and stony stream, showing

how rapid must have been the flow of water down it. Fine timber and

bush grow in the kloofs and along the banks; many of the hills are very

picturesque, and the country produces fine grasses for cattle.

The trade of the country is greatly improving and is supplied by

colonial traders from Port Nolloth on the west coast in Little

Namaqualand, which is in the Cape Colony; a railway from that port to

the copper-mines on the Orange river has been for many years at work.

In the Kalahara desert on the east of the Great Fish river, and the

southern portion up to the Hygap river and south of the Brinus mountain

and Back river, are several stations and kraals. Nisbet or Barth is the

most important, where many Griquas are settled, also at Nabos, Luris,

Akuris, Blydver-Wagh, Aams, Oribane, Ariam, and others. The Griquas

cultivate the ground, and keep large herds of cattle and sheep, and

trade largely with the Cape Colony. Hottentots, Korannas, Bushmen,

Kaffirs, Namaquas, and small communities of other tribes live on the

banks of the Orange and along the streams, with their cattle-posts,

which of late years has greatly added to their wealth and enabled the

people to trade largely with the colony.

The bold outline of the lofty hills with their thickly wooded slopes and

kloofs add greatly to the beauty of the landscape, more particularly

along the Orange river, where the rich vegetation, fine timber and bush,

forming deep belts on both sides; the rugged and perpendicular rocks of

many colours, which form its banks, clothed with lovely creepers hanging

down in festoons with their scarlet pods, make the river scenery very

beautiful; and to add to its charm the dense bush swarms with the grey

monkey, baboons, and every variety of the cat tribe, even to the lion;

pheasants, partridges, guinea-fowl, legions of snipes, ducks, geese,

moor-hen, plovers, eagles, vultures, and a variety of hawks, some of

them of great size, measuring from tip to tip eight feet; also the

heron, crane, and stork, and a variety of others, in addition to the

smaller tribes of birds with brilliant plumage.

The otter is very plentiful, the banks being covered with their spoor;

also the porcupine. There are a great many islands, many of them large

and thickly wooded, and about 300 miles up the stream the beautiful and

picturesque waterfall, the Aukrabies, which has a fall of over ninety

feet, is a grand sight when the flood-waters come down in their annual

flow, rising above their ordinary level from twenty-five to thirty feet,

bringing down large trees that go rolling and crashing as they are

carried along by the rushing water.

I was outspanned on the north bank of this river in 1871, with two

waggons and a cart, for the purpose of making a new tent to one of the

waggons that had capsized and rolled over into a sluit a few days

previously, and had sent the oxen, forty-eight, on to a neighbouring

island to graze early in the morning, when the Griqua chief, living at

his kraal not far from my camp, came and informed me the river was

coming down. The herds were sent over immediately to bring them off,

but before they could do so, the river had risen fifteen feet,

consequently the oxen had to swim, passing down mid-stream with a small

portion of their heads and horns only visible, the two herds swimming

behind with blocks of wood under their arms, and they were carried down

a mile and a half before they were able to land, and in less than two

hours this river had risen thirty feet.

There are many beautiful stones and pebbles in the river-bed, agate,

soap-stone, petrified gum and wood, which I have found of white, brown,

black, and red. Diamonds also are found occasionally mixed up in the

gravel that has been brought down by heavy floods.

On the north of the Back river and Brinus mountains, the country is more

open, extensive grass plains and other portions well-wooded. At

Liefdotes, Tobas, and Klopper vlei are large kraals, also at Swart and

Hoali, on the north of the Brinus. Up along the east side of the Great

Fish river to the Oup, the country is very pretty, splendid grasses and

timber; the hills are well-wooded, in some places to their summits.

Game abounds; ostriches I have seen in troops of 200.

Two hundred miles north of the Orange river and fifty miles west of the

Hygap, in 25 degrees 50 minutes South latitude, 20 degrees 42 minutes

East longitude, is Hogskin, a large vlei, thirty-three miles in length,

and in some parts three miles in width; the greater portion is dry for

nine months of the year. The road crosses it to the Griqua settlement

at Meer, which is twenty miles to the north, where there are extensive

vleis, 2710 feet above sea-level.

Three rivers flow into the Hogskin vlei, viz. the Snake, the Moi, and

the Knaas. After heavy rains the vlei is full, and forms a fine sheet

of water, which it retains for some months; wild-fowl and game frequent

it at that time. These rivers rise in a hilly country; the Knaas is the

largest, and retains water in portions of its bed through the year.

Quassam, a large Bushman kraal, is situated on its banks; these Bushmen

are distinct from the Bushmen of the desert; they were, many years ago,

driven from the Cape Colony, by Sir Walter Currie, on account of their

stealing the cattle, and robbing travellers. They first took refuge in

the many islands in the Orange river, but were driven out and went

north, where they settled at Quassam, and where I nearly lost all my

waggons, oxen, and everything, being kept there for two days, and the

oxen without grass. Coche Africanda was their captain, and I escaped

only by threatening that if he or any of his men moved to detain me

whilst I inspanned, I would shoot him dead, holding my rifle ready for

action. There were nearly 100 well armed with guns; seeing my

determination, they remained passive, and I left.

Eight miles below this kraal is a very pretty spot, a valley surrounded

by sand-hills, with limestone between and a spring of water, where

several roads meet going to Damara and Ovampo, Lake N'gami, Namaqualand,

and the colony. The valley is about a mile in length, and half a mile

in breadth, studded with very fine kameel-doorn trees. The sand in

these rivers contains very fine particles of copper, and also garnet

dust. On the south side of Hogskin vlei are two conical hills, which

are very prominent objects, visible sixty miles off, and as they stand

alone, surrounded by bush and the vleis, they add greatly to the beauty

of the landscape. The highest is 415 feet from the base, the other

measures 394 feet; they are called base kopts. A few miles south-west

of them I procured several specimens of coal, which cropped out in a

large sluit, and also from the side of a hill, and twenty miles beyond.

Slate and shale form the beds of the rivers Suake and Moi.

Near Knaas river the formation in the valley is a conglomerate of

limestone, greenstone, and garnets. This part of the desert is full of

bush, kameel-doorns, mimosa, and other trees, and is diversified by long

low ridges of sandstone, limestone, and many low hills of granite.

During the rainy season vegetation is splendid, and the grass fine and

beautiful, consequently game is abundant; it follows as a natural

consequence that lions, leopards, and many other species of feline

animals are numerous. This is truly the lion veldt; I have counted at

one time in a troop, great and small, twenty-two, frequently six and

seven in the middle of the day, and within a short distance from my

waggons. The ostrich is becoming more scarce every day; when I first

visited this country, in 1864, the Bushman would exchange a beautiful

blood or prime white feather for a piece of tobacco worth sixpence, and

less; now they are difficult to be found.

This desert has been considered a barren and uninteresting region, but

it is not so. There are portions, it is true, that cannot be traversed

during the dry season, several who have attempted to penetrate it having

been obliged to come out and leave their waggons, their oxen all lost

for want of water. But this was in a great measure their own fault, for

if they had followed up the rivers and dug in their beds they would have

obtained it.

There are many miles of limestone flats, some extending ten miles in

length, bounded by extensive sand-dunes, and isolated koppies, with

their pointed summits covered with bush. These sand-dunes cover an

immense area, extending from east to west fifty miles, and thirty miles

over, and in altitude from fifty to 200 feet. Their base is a dark

limestone covered with sand, which varies in thickness from four to ten

feet. Their sides are at an angle of about 30 degrees, and the topmost

ridges so pointed that when a waggon and span of eighteen oxen arrive

towards their tops, the whole span is descending on the other side as

the waggon reaches the summit, and the driver on the box can only see

the four after oxen; but from the great depth of sand in the road the

waggon glides down with ease. To illustrate more clearly the shape of

these dunes I can only compare them to a very stormy sea, with gigantic

waves instantly turned into sand; many small trees and bushes grow on

their slopes, and also beautiful grasses. From six to eight miles a day

with an ox-waggon is considered a good trek. There are some small

fountains and vleis in some of the hollows, otherwise no one could pass

that way, as the road over these dunes from first entering them is

thirty miles, then a flat of eight miles over limestone and sand-dunes

again. There are also many isolated conical granite hills, that rise

from the level plains to an altitude of 200 feet, formed of huge blocks;

they more resemble artificial than natural monuments; many of them are

so overgrown with trees and bush that grow between the blocks that

scarcely any of the rock is to be seen. It is dangerous to inspect them

too closely, as they are the lurking-places of lions, leopards, and

other beasts of prey.

I discovered this on ascending one of them at Kanardas: when nearly

half-way up, on looking into one of the small caverns, of which there

are many, I saw at the end two large bright eyes glaring at me from the

dark. After exchanging a good stare at each other I quietly took my

departure down: knowing the nature of these animals, that they will not

openly follow or attack, if not disturbed, I felt pretty safe. As to

the nature of the beast I cannot say, but from the great size of the

bright red eyes I concluded he was a lion,--at any rate, their

expression did not appear very amiable. A few lessons like this make an

explorer cautious before prying too closely into hidden and secluded

spots in a wild country like this desert.

On the east of Hogskin vlei is a large salt-pan or vlei, twelve miles in

length from north to south and two broad. It is worked only by the

Griquas living at Meer. This settlement was established in 1870. I was

told by an old Bushman, that they took the bush children and made them

work, and would not give them back. In 1871 Meer had become quite a

tidy village, of about twenty-five houses, some of them built of red

brick. The chief was Dirk Falander, who held a magistrate's court and

tried prisoners; it is a little republic upon a small scale, not more

than 100 all told, except the Bushmen slaves. There are close to the

village two large ponds or pans; the banks on their sides are seventy

feet in height. The country round is open grass veldt. Between Meer

and Hogskin vlei is a large pan, surrounded by high sand-rocks, called

Klein Meer, a very pretty and picturesque lake, two miles in length,

with fine bushes and grass lining the banks; five months of the year it

is dry. Sand-dunes are round it in every direction.

There is a considerable traffic and trade carried on by the Griquas and

the Cape Colony. Roads cross the Orange river at Koran drift, Kakaman's

drift, and Orleans drift; the two latter meet at Kanardus, close to

extensive lime-pits, where water is obtained, by the side of a dry

river-bed, where there are some of the prettiest trees I have seen in

Africa, spread over the veldt, park-like, and dense bush between lofty

granite hills, which in consequence of water is the general outspanning

place. I came here one evening after dark and nearly lost many of my

trek oxen, in their eagerness to get at the water, which is twenty feet

from the surface. They were supplied by sending my boys down with

buckets, by that means filling a hole dug out for the oxen to drink.

These pits are fifty miles north of Kakaman's drift, and twenty-five

miles on is Swaat Modder, in the bed of the Hygap river, the road

passing along its bed between sand-cliffs 150 feet in height. Between

these two watering-places the Back river enters the Hygap; the sand in

its bed is mostly composed of ruby sand, which I believe would make a

fine red glass.

At Swaat Modder the right side of the river has cliffs 100 feet in

height; the left bank has sand-dunes, where I found several flint

borers, many of them in a finished state, for making holes in the shell

of the ostrich egg to form beads. Under these cliffs, in an old Bushman

cave, I built a stone house, where we remained six weeks waiting for the

rains. All this country is under the Koranna chief Puffadder, and his

people are spread over the country in small kraals. The road still

continues north, past other pits in limestone at Bloomfontein, and at

Kebeum, springbok, etc.; Abequas pits, a large Koranna kraal; then

passes over sand-dunes for thirty miles, and arrives at Anoerogas, where

there is another Kaffir station, also a store kept by a Mr. Redman, of

whom I bought some tobacco for five bags of gunpowder, and a

medicine-chest, and a variety of goods I was much in want of. A captain

of the Bundelswaarts is here, to give notice to the Bastards to clear

out. Coal abounds in this part, garnets are found in all the

river-beds, and in many parts mixed up in the sand of the desert. Lions

are so plentiful here that it is dangerous to leave the waggon without

your rifle. A Koranna man was killed and eaten last night, a short

distance from the waggon. This station is 180 miles north from

Kakaman's drift, on the Orange river, and three miles south of Hogskin

vlei; here the roads divide. One goes to the salt-pan, another to Meer

station, a third to Quassam on to Damaraland, a fourth past Knaas, in a

north-north-west direction to Ovampoland, and a fifth turns south-west,

and leads to Barth, where the Bundelswaarts people live, besides others

to different parts of the desert.

The other portion of the Kalahara takes in the southern part from the

Orange river to the Molapo river, 190 miles to the north, and from the

Hygap river to the Langberg range of mountains, which is the eastern

boundary of the desert, 100 miles in width. The lower portion, near the

Orange river, is better adapted for farming, as there is good grass, and

the karroo bush, upon which sheep and bucks get fat. I purchased of

Klass Lucas, the chief, living at his large kraal on the banks of the

Orange, near Orleans drift, a large Africander sheep, for 2 lbs. of

gunpowder. It weighed, without the tail, 62 lbs., and the tail produced

12 lbs. of pure fat.

Between this station and sixty miles to the north, called Blue Busk

Kalk, there is a fine fountain and large vlei, with a stone kopje on the

north side, where the rocks stand out in grotesque forms of granite

formation; there are in the intermediate distance several very peculiar

granite koptjies; they average about 200 feet in height and 600 feet in

circumference at the base, large masses of huge rocks, piled one upon

another, and without any vegetation; the country round is perfectly

level; they have the appearance of ruined pyramids; the highest I

measured was 275 feet.

The mountain, called Scheurberg, is another peculiar range, with its

many pointed peaks, with wood in the valleys and kloof; fifty miles in

length and twelve in width, a road passing through the centre, a great

resort of lions, wolves, and other beasts of prey. The continuation of

the Orange river up from the junction of the Hygap is particularly

picturesque, and in many places fearfully bold and rugged, with lofty

and almost perpendicular cliffs, with fine timber, beautiful bushes,

tree-ferns, and other subtropical plants, which add much to the

landscape.

It was at the point of the Langberg, close to the river, where the berg

seems split up into several magnificent hills, between which and the

river is almost a level but thickly wooded space of several hundred

yards in width, where we came to outspan, for the purpose of making a

new tent to my waggon. My driver happened to capsize it into a sluit

two days before, and, to complete my misfortune, I lost four of my best

trek oxen in the river by sinking in the mud. The next day one died of

the melt sickness, and I had to shoot another from lung-sickness.

The willow trees along the bank gave us plenty of wood, and in two days

the tent was completed. Mr. Staple, who was with me, suggested we

should make a boat of wicker-work, after our Welsh coracles, which we

soon completed, by small branches being bent the proper shape, with

cross-pieces, each tied very carefully together, forming a strong and

firm framework, over which we stretched two raw bullock-hides, well sewn

together, and when dry painted it red,--two seats, two paddles, a mast,

and lug-sail; the length was seven feet, and twenty inches deep, in

shape like half an egg cut through lengthways. This little work

occupied us a week. When perfectly dry we took it down to the river to

launch it, not thinking of its lightness. As soon as it was floated I

brought it close to the rock, and put one foot into the boat, and then

made a spring in, when I was no sooner in than I was out on the other

side into the water, a regular header--fortunately it was deep water.

However, on landing, I took off my clothes to dry on the rocks, and

Staples got some Koranna girls who were sitting on the bank watching our

work, to bring some stones to put in as ballast, which took some time,

as few were to be found.

I was better prepared for the second trial, being without clothes, but

this time our boat was perfectly steady, and no wonder, for we had at

least 200 lbs. of stones in the bottom as ballast. A fine breeze was

blowing up-river, which was nearly a mile wide: fixing our little mast

and lug, we started on our first voyage, steering by a paddle. This

being the first boat that ever floated on the Orange river, I consider

it worthy of recording. Our little craft acted splendidly. The

astonishment of the Bushmen, Korannas, and the blood Kaffirs living on

the bank, who came down to see the white man's floating-house, was

amusing; they shouted with delight as we sailed away up-stream; the

women in particular were the loudest in their admiration. After

spending some hours sailing up and down, exploring on the islands,

shooting ducks and geese, we returned to our handing and carried our

boat to camp, after taking out the ballast. As we were in a lovely

spot, well sheltered by trees, and only a short distance from several

small kraals, where we could obtain milk, we determined to remain some

time to explore the neighbourhood, shoot and fish, and enjoy this wild,

independent, and delightful free and easy life.

There were several families of blood Kaffirs who had permanently

established themselves on the banks of this river. They originally came

from the Cape Colony; the men were perfectly naked, and the women also,

with the exception of a piece of skin round the loins, which was of very

little service as a covering; the Korannas and Bushmen the same. In the

evening we had two fires, one for us and one for our boys, having two

waggons, a cart, and many oxen and sheep to look after. We had eight

servants, composed of Hottentots, Korannas, Bushmen, and a Cape

half-caste; consequently, when we were all assembled round the fires,

with the addition of our neighbours, who never failed to visit us at

feeding-time to come in for snacks, we formed a large gathering of as

romantic and unique a party as could well be collected at any picnic.

The ladies present were of all colours, from yellow to black; many of

them well-formed and good-looking, others were of every type of

ugliness.

The Kaffirs were models of symmetry, and a much superior class to the

others. Having an unlimited supply of wood, our fires lighted up the

trees, bush, and many of the near rocks, leaving the lofty mountains in

shadow, looking black and grim against the sky,--a grand picture for a

Turner. I made an attempt to portray it on canvas, but my humble

efforts could not do justice to this beautiful and wild scene.

So enjoyable was this mode of life, what with sketching, exploring,

fishing, and shooting, besides the daily sail on the river, visiting the

islands, and the opposite shore, geologising and reading under the

overhanging trees as the boat floated quietly with the gentle current, I

determined to waste three or four months on its banks, as I was

following the river down for 300 miles, which would occupy that time to

thoroughly enjoy it, and give me ample opportunity of indulging in this

wild and free life. The boat was fastened on to the back of my waggon,

when treking down by the river. When outspanned, it was taken down to

the water, sometimes crossing over to the Colony side to visit the blood

Kaffirs, to obtain milk and purchase the large Africander sheep. The

people would come down to see where we came from, and when they saw the

boat and us getting into it and paddling away with our two sheep, their

shouts of astonishment were amusing.

When travelling, it was always in the morning for a couple of hours;

that was our day's work, the rest being employed in various ways as

described. At one outspan, close to a small Koranna village, we as

usual took the boat down to the river that we might, in mid-stream,

enjoy our daily swim, and crossed over to some Kaffirs. They were

entirely naked, nothing whatever to cover them; the women brought us

some thick milk. They had heard that some white men were coming down,

and told us that the Korannas intended to stop us, and not allow us to

proceed. On returning to the waggons, we found several of those people

sitting round our fires, evidently come to overhaul us, but they were

very civil; they had been getting out what information they could from

our boys.

Forewarned is being forearmed; we looked up our rifles and ammunition,

to be ready for any surprise, as we intended to fight our way down

stream if opposed. But there was no sign of opposition on their part.

They were much amused at a sketch I had been making of them as they were

sitting round the fire in their half-naked state. They each wanted me

to take them individually. Many I did, for practice, and to embellish

my journal, for we do not meet with such picturesque groups every day.

I therefore made the best use of my opportunity. Both sexes are great

swimmers, and would follow me some distance. As I sailed from the

shore, I took one or two out occasionally in the boat to help me in

fishing and other work, when my own people were out hunting up game to

keep my larder full. So that, from being shy at first, they became

almost too friendly, which, under existing circumstances, I permitted.

Their primitive mode of living is very simple. They marry at twelve

years of age, if living together as long as it suits them is called

marriage. No divorce courts are needed in these parts.

Our next trek was to avoid the high mountains which terminated on the

river-bank in enormous cliffs. We therefore had to go round through the

gorges and over steep and stony hills--no roads in this wild country--

and outspanned for the night close to a mountain stream surrounded by

lofty hills, covered with bush. As night advanced, the different wild

animals began to move about; the red cat, a kind of panther, the

wolf-jackals, and porcupine were very plentiful. At night when the

camp-fires have burnt nearly out, and all the boys are rolled up in

their blankets fast asleep, every sound is distinctly heard. The

mountains contained many leopards, and they are very dangerous, and will

not hesitate to attack if you are alone.

These hills were the home of the wild Bushmen, who war on all living

things. They differ from other Bushmen; they are of a reddish-black

colour, and stand four feet four inches in height. They live in the

caves amongst most inaccessible parts of these mountains. They use the

bow and arrow. Few are now left, as far as we know, for they never show

themselves, and keep as much away from mankind as the beast of the

forest.

Travelling on through mountain passes, we arrived at a native station

where the chief, Klas Lucas, lived, who claimed all the country north,

to the Kuruman river, which is a wild district, having several isolated

hills, and being scarce of water, particularly towards the Kuruman and

Molapo rivers. Large pans are distributed over this waste, but water is

seldom found in them, except in the rainy season, from January to May.

Large herds of game, and also the ostrich, are occasionally to be seen,

but are difficult to approach, as they are constantly being hunted by

the Korannas, Bushmen, and Griquas, living at the kraals near the Hygap

and Orange rivers, and along the mountains of Scheurberg. Limestone and

granite are the only rocks to be found over this extensive region.

The Kalahara, to the north of the Molapo, up to a short distance of Lake

N'gami, the Langberg range of mountains continues northwards in broken

and detached hills through a wild country, unfrequented, except by

native hunters, who visit it from the Bechuana side on the east, and

those living in the desert and the Bastards at Meer. The ostrich is

less hunted here, and consequently more plentiful. Lions seem to have

it all their own way, for they are more numerous here than in any part I

have seen; not only at night, but in broad day, they make an attack on

your oxen. One full-grown male lion seized one of my black oxen, not

300 yards from the waggon, in some low bush at mid-day. Our attention

was called to the bellowing of the ox and the rush of the others towards

us. The lion was on the ox, having seized him by the back of the neck;

one hind-foot of the lion had torn open the flank, and the other across

the back, when the ox dropped. In a few minutes I was at his side with

my double-barrel rifle, and sent two bullets into his heart, when he

rolled on the ground quite dead. The ox had to be shot also, for his

bowels were protruding from his side; he was one of my best oxen. We

saw several others a short distance off, but they disappeared after a

few shots were fired at them. As we treked over the veldt, we came upon

several remains of game on the ground, which the lions had killed and

eaten.

There are many beautiful plants and flowers in these parts. We were

frequently crossed by border tribes who go in to hunt, but they do not

remain. They may be seen occasionally in small parties traversing the

desert, with one or two pack-oxen loaded with dried game and such

feathers as they may have obtained by the rifle or stolen from the

Bushmen they may have surprised. If they catch a Bushman, they conclude

he has feathers,--if not with him, he has them hid in the sand. They

take from him what he has, and then, to make him give up what they

believe he has concealed, they torture the poor wretch by putting a

finger or a toe in the fire until the pain is so groat he tells where he

has hidden them. If he has none, they believe he is telling them false,

and go to such extremes, that they will burn the hand or foot until they

are consumed, believing the victim is obstinate and will not tell where

they are.

I have a Bushman I engaged to look after the waggon with one foot

entirely burnt off, and a Bush boy with four fingers of the right hand

served in the same way. The man came to me and asked to be employed,

and said he would show me the waters. He brought his two daughters with

him; their mother was dead. The girls' ages, as well as I could guess,

were fourteen and sixteen. I employed them on various duties about the

waggons, and found them very willing to learn. I had now a large family

to provide for; my own eight boys and seventeen Bushmen, including six

women and girls, which was a great help, as they took me to

watering-places unknown to hunters, and were my guides to places I

should not otherwise have visited. I found if you treat these people

well, they are willing to assist in any way. They are a very small

race, seldom exceeding four feet ten inches in height. When old, which

is at the age of forty, they are very ugly. Their food consists of

game, which they kill with their bows and arrows, eggs, roots, mice,

locusts, insects, frogs, land-turtle, and anything they may pick up.

When I was in the desert in 1872, I had one of the chief Bushmen

captains engaged with many of his people to hunt for me. Hearing of the

atrocities committed on these Bushmen by the border tribes, I told him

to collect a few of the injured ones, and bring them to my waggon, that

I might see them. In a week he collected fourteen, all, more or less,

having lost a hand or fingers, a foot or a greater part of it. One

Bushman had a red-hot iron ramrod forced through his body under the

arm-pit and it came out on the other side. I saw the skeleton a few

days after it occurred. Some are shot down, and the children stolen and

taken for slaves. They are also tied to stakes and burnt to death, and

I was taken to the places where these crimes had been committed, and saw

the remains and the site of the fire. Having satisfied myself as to the

correctness of all these statements from personal inspection and from

more than fifty Bushmen who told me of others equally horrible, all of

which I noted in my journal, I was frequently importuned by these people

to become their chief, which I declined. I was then asked to write to

the Great Mother (the Queen) to solicit Her Majesty's protection, and

take them over as her children. This, I saw, was impracticable. I then

told the chief head-men to call all the Bushman families together near

at hand, at a drift where I had had the bad luck to get my waggon

capsized, and where there was plenty of water, and to meet me there at

the full moon a fortnight hence.

True to the appointment, seventy-seven of the head-men and their

families were there, forming a large camp, and as quiet and orderly as

any assemblage of people could be. I took down the probable number

there would be within a radius of seventy miles, from Klasson, the chief

spokesman, which numbered 3986.

They stated, if the Great Mother could not be written to, would I write

to the Great Chief at the Cape? This I agreed to, and told them I would

write out a petition which they would sign, and I would forward it with

a letter explaining the circumstances under which it was sent to his

Excellency Sir Henry Barkly, detailing the atrocities, and praying to be

taken under English protection, which was in due course forwarded, and

some months afterwards I received a reply from his Excellency, stating

"he had received the petition and my letter, but as the Kalahara desert

was so far removed from the Cape Colony, he could not see how it could

be done at present, but at some future time it might be considered."

And from that time these peacefully-disposed people have been left to

the tender mercy of the border tribes. His Excellency, it appears, did

not know that the Kalahara desert joined the northern border of the Cape

Colony, which shows how little interest was taken to ascertain the true

position of the country from which the petition was forwarded.

The country to the west of this region up to Damaraland, 200 miles, up

to the mountain regions of that country and Great Namaqualand, is

undulating, with vast stretches of wood and open plains; isolated hills

of granite and limestone in other portions. One extensive district was

covered with water-worn pebbles, garnets, agates, and other beautiful

stones, also large broken pieces of stone of a rich crimson colour.

When broken small cubes of iron pyrites like gold are embedded. The

grain is very fine, and it would make splendid vases, cups, plates, or

any other ornaments.

I had been foolish enough to collect specimens of every kind of stone,

until my waggon became so full and heavy that I had to throw them away.

I made a collection of 3000 agates of every variety of colour and shape,

which had to be abandoned. Many cairns or graves are seen with heavy

stones surrounding them.

Not far from them are several ancient stone huts, built upon a small

hill, that must have belonged to a former race, and close to a dried-up

river. Some of the stones are six feet in length, two feet wide, and

one and a half thick. They were placed on end and covered in. None of

them would hold more than four persons. They are in small clusters of

seven and eight together, and some less. They were covered in with

large stones, that have long since fallen. No account can be obtained

of them from the Bushmen. Their huts are a few sticks stuck up with

grass thrown over.

Several fresh Bushmen and women came to my camp this morning. Some of

the young girls were very good-looking, and with a profusion of native

ornaments upon them made entirely of ostrich eggs. A perfect set

comprised a tiara, three inches in width, for the head; a broad

necklace, six bracelets on each arm, and eight anklets or bangles to

each leg, and finally, a rope of beads of sufficient length to go round

the loins twice and fastened in front with a piece of rimpey. These

constituted the entire dress of one of the girls. She looked like a

young African queen, and it had the effect of making her look half

pretty.

I bought two sets for six yards of print each. I think there cannot be

less than 8000 beads in each set, between each bead a piece of leather

of the same size, which becomes black, so that they look like black and

white beads, which has a good effect upon their black skin. They were

delighted with the exchange. When disrobed of their ornaments, they

threw the print over their shoulders like a mantle. The ornament had

the appearance of having been handed down from generation to generation.

At Narukus, on the Nosop river, I came upon a family of Bushmen, ten in

number, of a different type to those I had in my service, evidently a

lower caste. They have no forehead; the wool on their heads comes close

down to the eyes, and the head falling back like a baboon; projecting

mouth, small nose, a sort of hair or wool all over the chest, arms, and

legs; their eyes are small and restless, watching every movement that is

going on; the tallest man did not exceed four feet four; their skin was

of a reddish-brown. A few old skins, broken ostrich eggs, and bows and

arrows, seemed all they possessed of worldly goods.

They would have decamped and hid in the bush, but I sent some of my

Bushmen and brought them back. I asked my own boys, if they were their

brothers, meaning of the same race; they repudiated the idea, and said

they were monkeys not men, and told me there were very few ever seen, it

was very seldom they ever came upon any; they eat carrion. They are

evidently a distinct race from the Masara Bushmen who are largely

distributed over the desert. One of the women had a baby not much

bigger than a half-grown kitten; all of them were destitute of clothing.

The country through which the Oup and Nosop pass, in many places is very

pretty and picturesque. At a fountain on the branch of the Oup, I

remained several days to hunt, to supply so many people with food.

_24th February_, 1872. A terrific thunderstorm broke over us soon after

midnight, and continued until six this morning, striking and splitting

up some large trees a short distance from our camp, and it rent into

three a large rock which stood out alone from the base of the hill. The

country was swamped with water, the oxen at one time standing half

knee-deep in it. My escort of Bushmen and their families for once in

their lives had a good shower-bath. The baboons also in the hills must

have felt its effects, for they could be heard far and near, with their

half-human grunts.

My Bushman with the stump foot told me he could understand the baboon

language, when, they are frightened or hungry, or are to meet together

to defend themselves against an enemy, or to meet to play, and he knew

well what they said and could talk to them. The old ones beat the young

baboons with sticks if they do anything wrong, such as stealing the food

from others. The Bushman's language has a great many grunts in it

similar to these animals.

I find there are four types of Bushmen in this desert; the lowest is the

one already described with no forehead and half wool and hair on their

bodies and legs. The second is the wild Bushmen, who live in the

mountains near the Orange river, also mentioned, who war on all men, but

they are of good form, without hair. The third is the Masara Bush

family, also of good proportions and of gentle dispositions, inoffensive

and harmless, ready to help or do anything, and they make good servants.

It was this tribe I had with me in my wanderings. The two girls I took

in charge made good cooks, washed the clothes, and mended them. The

fourth is much taller and well-formed, great rascals, who cannot be

trusted with anything; they inhabit the eastern portion of the desert,

and down by Langberg. A similar tribe were those Sir Walter Currie

drove out of the colony, some of whom I fell in with at Quassam under

Coche Africanda. The Bushmen of the northern Kalahara are much the same

as the Masara, every one of them quite distinct from the Drakensberg

Bushmen, whose form and colour differ entirely from the others, which I

believe to be a distinct race, and which I described in the first

chapter.

One amusing circumstance I omitted to mention in connection with one of

these wild Bushman boys, when at Swaart-Modder in the Hygap river, where

we had built a stone house under the cliff to keep our goods during our

stay there. A young Bush boy came in the evening to the camp and made

himself comfortable by the fire. After some time my boys asked him

where he came from, but he would give no reply. At last they got from

him that he had run away from his people, because his mother had burnt

his fingers for stealing, and he came to get something to eat. This was

his second visit, and as he had been well fed before, he came again, but

managed at the same time to steal some of my boys' food. On this

evening, we had a young man from the colony to drive the cart and look

after the boys, and as our stone house was infested with large mice,

this young Hancock was catching them in an iron pot, and throwing them

out amongst the boys for amusement. As one by one, up to seven, were

thrown, this Bush boy picked them up, put them into the red-hot ashes to

cook, and, when half-done, ate them as they were. Thinking he must be

awfully hungry, I told my cook to put on a pot and cook some Boer meal,

which is wheat ground but unsifted; two pints of this were cooked in

water, and when ready it was set before him and soon disposed of.

After all the people were asleep, he stole the food they had left, and

in the middle of the night, sucked three of my goats dry. The following

morning he was not to be found, and for nearly a month we did not see

him again; when we had travelled 100 miles north, and were outspanned,

he presented himself again, as if it were his first visit. We found out

he had lived in the bush, existing on a wild water-melon, called shama

or kongive, and had kept us in sight as we travelled. I tried to tame

him, but it was of no use; his age was about eleven years. He kept with

us off and on for three months, then disappeared altogether; the lions

would not let him remain long, without making a meal of him.

We were now travelling through a very pretty part of the desert, open

glades and timber trees, lofty pyramidal hills, partly covered with

bush, fine grass, with white feathery tops, no inhabitants; a wild and

picturesque region, crossing open plains, then gentle rises with low

bush; in the distance, mountains with their lofty peaks fading away into

nothing. The perfect calm and silence that pervades everything around,

the variety of game quietly grazing in all directions, the very

loneliness of my position, being many hundred miles from any white man,

surrounded only by my own Bushmen, and those who accompany me, living in

all their natural innocence as their forefathers lived in prehistoric

ages, add immensely to the pleasure one feels in viewing a scene so

novel and so seldom to be enjoyed.

The country as we approach Damaraland becomes more wild and broken,

lofty mountains come into view as we advance westward. We were nightly

visited by lions and wolves, which kept us constantly on the watch, and

our fires kept lighted. It is an anxious time, particularly when in the

stillness of the night we hear their roar at no great distance, in

answer to others far away. The roar of a lion in the still evening can

be heard miles away.

One morning about eleven o'clock, as we were outspanned in an open plain

about 300 yards from a small pool of water, our oxen, horse, and a few

goats grazing on the opposite side of the waggons, several of my boys

asleep, the Bushmen and the women cooking some flesh in the hot embers,

we saw seven lions leisurely walking up to the water. After drinking,

they went to a small rise, bare of grass and sandy, and commenced

playing, some lying down, others jumping over them, growling in their

deep bass voice, acting the same as cats at play. This lasted twenty

minutes, when they as leisurely walked away, taking no notice of us

whatever. If I had fired and wounded any, they might have come at us,

which would have been dangerous to our oxen, by dispersing. When an ox

or a horse smells a lion, they will bolt away anywhere, and some might

have been lost, therefore we left them alone and enjoyed so unusual a

sight, watching the movements of these beautiful but dangerous kings of

the forest, in their wild and natural state in the wilds of Africa.

The Kalahara, that portion, on the borders of Damara and Ovampolands for

300 miles, becomes much more densely wooded and hilly. Some of the

mountains attain a height of 8000 feet, in which lead, copper, iron, and

coal, also limestone, both white and dark grey, crop up everywhere.

Granite forms the hills. The Black and White Nosop and the Elephant

river, and their several branches, drain all this region. The country

is very dry, rain seldom falls, and when it does, it comes down with a

rush, which soon passes away; but the vegetation is excellent, fine

timber and thick bush predominate over this vast but little inhabited

country. The road from Walfish Bay on the west coast passes through, in

an easterly direction, to Lake N'gami, Zambese, Ba-Mangwato, and other

territories on the east. The road is difficult to travel for want of

water, but when the country is more opened up, means will be found for

procuring it by well-sinking and pumps, to make it as easy to travel as

any part of Africa. There are several permanent watering-places now

along this route. In the dry season it is three and four days' trek

between them, but as it is limestone nearly all the way, water can be

procured by digging wells. The country is subject to drought, more

particularly in the southern portion of the desert, consequently there

is more game to be found in the northern region. Elephants are seen in

troops of two or three hundred, also the zebra, and the various

antelopes, giraffes, rhinoceros, wild boar, and others.

The country is very favourable for rearing cattle; large numbers of

horses are yearly taken through the desert from the Orange River Free

State to Damaraland, and exchanged for Damara oxen, which are found to

make the best trek oxen, having small hoofs and being nimble on their

feet; they are compact and strong. Another advantage is that they are

bred on sour grass; when they arrive in the colony, it is sweet, which

improves their condition.

_April 30th_.--At Hoab, a lovely, calm morning, after a heavy rain last

night, at a vlei; there are several large ones in this open grass

country that contain water at this time of year, being the rainy season.

This station is on the desert-track from the lake to Ovampoland.

Outspanned under a large tree; boys employed skinning a koodoo, killed

early this morning by one of my Bushmen guides with his poisoned arrow.

The arrow-head is of bone, very small, the shaft two feet in length, and

the bow two feet six inches. The shaft, close to the head for four

inches, is covered over with their poison, which, in penetrating the

flesh, paralyses the animal; the flesh killed in this manner is very

good, and has no bad effect on those who partake of it. Several Bush

people have come to our camp begging for food; they look poor and

miserable, their only covering being a few pieces of ragged skins thrown

over their shoulders. Several of the grown-up boys and girls had not

even that to cover them. They are complete wanderers in the desert; no

home or fixed abode, but live on roots, berries, insects, and anything

they may by chance shoot: I gave them some flesh, and a fire to cook it.

The hot winds, which are very oppressive, come in waves, and are very

enervating, more particularly in the dry season, when they dry up

everything. The wood-work of the waggons shrinks to such an extent,

that the wheels are kept together by ropes of raw hide bound round them;

and your own system becomes so dried-up, that the natural functions of

your body partly cease to act; to remedy this, fat is absolutely

necessary, and nature craves after it. You will see the desire after

fat in the native tribes, not only to grease their skin, to protect it

from the sun, but to use as medicine.

When treking, some days afterwards, we were overtaken by one of those

gigantic whirlwinds so common in all tropical countries. We were

entirely enveloped in it; everything that is loose in the way of clothes

is carried up hundreds of yards. One of my boys had his hat taken by

the current, and it fell nearly a quarter of a mile from where he lost

it. Many of these whirlwinds may be seen at one time passing over the

desert.

At this outspan, late in the afternoon, sitting on my camp-stool where

my boys were skinning a buffalo I had shot, I saw in the distance a

Bushman coming. When near enough to distinguish, I saw it was a Bush

girl, tall and well-made, and for a wonder quite fat; she was marked

over every part of her body--face, legs, and arms--with white stripes,

like the stripes of the zebra, and had nothing else on. She came up,

holding out an old piece of leopard-skin. My Bushman spoke to her, but

could get no answer. I gave her some tobacco, when, dropping the skin,

she walked to the fire and sat down. We gave her a piece of cooked

meat, thinking she might be hungry, which she took, and after remaining

some ten minutes, got up and walked away in the same direction she came;

but no word could we get from her. She was even strange to my Bushman.

It was a strange visit, and a strange mode of decorating herself. The

only other occasion on which I fell in with Bushmen so marked was more

to the cast, nearly 300 miles, when nearly a dozen came to my waggon, to

tell me I had that day ridden over a grave where a few days before they

had buried one of their people. The stripes may have something to do

with death, but the Bushmen I have spoken to know nothing of such

custom.

One of the vleis, which was full of water, appeared to be full of frogs,

from the noise they made at night; going down, next morning, I found

several small ones, having a peculiar appearance. Catching one, which

was very narrow in its body compared to its length, and having a short

tail, I concluded at once from its general shape that it was half-lizard

and half-frog. It had all the action of the frog in its long leaps,

without any attempt at running; all the others were of the same form,

and with tails. I brought it to the waggon to take its measure, viz.

from front of head to commencement of tail one and a half inch, length

of tail three-quarters of an inch, beautifully marked with green and

light-yellow spots. Not having any means of preserving it, I took it

back to the vlei, where there were hundreds sitting on the bank; as I

neared them they jumped into the water and disappeared. The Bushman

brought in to-day several ostrich eggs, quite fresh from the nest, which

we had cooked in our large iron pots, mixed with a little flour--a kind

of omelet; one is sufficient for three persons. The Bushman took me to

a nest that the old birds had been sitting on for some time; there were

eighteen in the centre, and fourteen on the outside, formed into a

circle round them, which are kept for food for the young birds, which

lasts them a few days when hatched; the hen bird then takes and teaches

the chicks to eat grass.

_Thursday, 18th_.--Our camp was visited by a party of traders and

Korannas on their way from Meer down South--the chief Puffadder, old Mr.

Ryland, from Kopie's farm and Low Blaat, four waggons, and a lot of

cattle, horses, and sheep. They remained the afternoon and night, and

started early the next day for Kebeum. They told me a trader on the

border of Great Namaqualand, going down to Walfish Bay, had been shot,

and his waggon and everything seized by the Gobabis Hottentots for

plunder, and that the country was in a fearful state of tribal wars. I

told them of my little affair with the Bushman Hottentot at Quassam;

they said I was most fortunate to escape as I did, particularly with all

my belongings, as they are noted as a nest of thieves, and have robbed

traders of everything.

I left them for Abequis pita, which are in limestone; it is a Koranna

station, under the chief Puffadder. The country is open and flat; the

grass in many places was up to my chin with white feathery flowers; at a

distance it looks like snow. The road is very good for waggon

travelling, and around Springbok fountain the scenery is very pretty.

At Abequis pits the Korannas have many huts, and seem to be doing well;

they have flocks of goats, and a few Africander sheep. They brought me

some very good feathers, which I took in exchange for powder and caps;

many of them have the old flint gun, which would be a curiosity now in

England.

The winters here are warm; it is now mid-winter, thermometer in the

shade 68 degrees. The men wear old leather trousers, which constitute

their dress, the women an old blanket thrown over the left shoulder, and

brought round and held in front by the hand. Overmodesty is not a

failing with them. They were very civil, supplied my people with goats'

milk, and I gave them what they much needed, tobacco, as the women are

great smokers. Dozens of them will sit or be lying round my fire,

having only two or three bone pipes between them, each taking a few

puffs and passing it on to the next, until all have had a turn; then

they begin again, the old ones keeping a pipe to themselves. My maids,

Topsey and Nina, the daughters of my Piet, knew these people, therefore

I got on very well, Piet also lived once with them. The country towards

the south and west was a level plain as far as the eye could see.

The next morning after the second day, started to the northwards; we

passed a large vlei on the left, six miles from the Koranna station,

which is the commencement of the sand-dunes. The dunes are small until

sixteen miles of country are passed, then they assume great proportions.

A mile to the left is another vlei, where we filled our water-casks and

gave the oxen water, and remained the night, to have a clear day to pass

over them. There were three Griquas' waggons outspanned, each waggon

was full of women and children, each Jack had his Jill, and each a baby,

plenty of little naked children of both sexes. They told me they were

on the trek to the Orange river. These people are always quiet and

civil, they exchanged a fat sheep for some tobacco. All the country,

including the sand-dunes, is limestone with sand above, and full of low

bush, many large and small land-shells are mixed up in the sand.

_July 17th_.--The Griquas left early in the morning, and we started to

cross the sand-dunes. A fearful road, their sides are about at an angle

of thirty, and every time we ascend one, we have to put two spans of

twenty-eight oxen in, to pull one waggon up at a time, which causes much

delay shifting them backwards and forwards, as each dune rises from 150

to 200 feet in height, with deep sand in the road, the wheels sinking

nine inches into it. After struggling over these for five hours, the

oxen were done up, and we outspanned for the day at another large dry

vlei, but on the bank a small spring of water was issuing, sufficient

for the oxen and ourselves, a grand discovery, as we did not expect to

find any until we had got clear of this heavy road. A short distance

from the water were several families of Bushmen, sitting round a large

fire; some of them had most extraordinary figures, thin calfless legs,

prominent chests and abdomen, altogether different from the other

Bushmen of the desert, and the colour of their skin was much lighter. A

thin band of leather round their loins, and a skin over their shoulders

was their only covering; long bundles of skins rolled up with several

spears were lying on the ground. The food they live on in a great

measure gives them this peculiar formation. They had the short bow and

arrow, and quivers made of skins, full of arrows, cleverly made with

bone heads, all smeared with poison. They appear to be half-Bushman,

half-Koranna.

I started the next morning, and after toiling for several hours, rested,

and again went on, crossing those lofty ridges until dark, outspanned

for the night in a deep hollow, where there was plenty of good grass,

and trees, and dead wood for fire. Our trek this day was about eight

miles; two great fires were made, and our little party of twenty-six all

told, made themselves comfortable over their supper, and at ten all were

fast asleep. But we did not get much rest, the lions kept round the

camp making a great noise, and being surrounded by these hills and thick

bush, we were the greater part of the night obliged to keep a sharp

look-out that none of our animals were taken. Early the next morning I

took my rifle and mounted one of these sand-dunes before inspanning, and

found from the base to the summit registered 204 feet. But what a sight

when I looked round; as far as the eye could see, nothing but these

immense sand-dunes in every direction, here and there open patches of

yellow sand and bush, a wild, rugged, and howling wilderness, that

appeared interminable, the fit abode for savage man and more savage

beast, and here we find them, man in primitive nature, as low a type as

the world can produce, little removed from the beast, for it is here I

have met those wild men which I have described elsewhere; they are

partly covered with short woolly hair, and have no forehead, the scant

wool reaching the eyes. They are rarely now seen, even by the Bushmen

of the desert, as they have repeatedly told me, and here they may find a

home for many years to come, for no other living man will fix his

residence in such a region of desolation,--

"A wilderness howling and drear,

Forsaken by man from famine or fear."

_Pringle_.

On our trek we started many head of game, which are easily killed by the

Bushman arrow, and with these and the many wild fruits they manage to

exist. It has taken four days to cross this wild and hilly region which

extends over an area as far as I have explored it, fifty miles from east

to west, and nearly forty north to south: the home of the leopard and a

legion of wild tiger-cats, that are spotted or striped,--their skins

make beautiful karosses. On leaving these dunes we come upon a level

plain of limestone, which we have ten miles to cross, where there are

several watering-places, fountains they may be called, and enter

sand-dunes again for some fifteen miles, and then come upon a bush

country, with gentle rises and low wooded bills with isolated conical

hills of granite. Close to the hills, I outspanned near a swamp; the

noise from the bull-frog kept us from sleep. They are monsters, a foot

across the back and quite black. The Bushmen eat them; they would form

a fine dish for our French neighbours.

The weather is very fine, like an English spring day, everything seems

springing into life. Clouds begin to collect on the horizon, and the

sunsets are most brilliant, purple and gold, forming celestial

landscapes of the most gorgeous hues. There are many ostriches to be

seen on the flats, but the country is so full of holes, partly covered

with grass, that it is dangerous to follow them. Far and wide in every

direction the character of the country is the same, which we pass

through up to Meer, the Bastard station.

We passed several small Bushmen kraals; the women and children as we

approached hid themselves in the bush, but when they found we were

friendly, and giving presents to the men, they came forward. At one we

remained a few days to buy feathers, during the time my Bushmen and the

girls soon made friends with them, and dancing went on in their fashion

every evening. These women daub their faces and bodies with black

stripes, which they consider ornamental. Their natural colour is half

black, consequently these stripes show out prominently; they are a mild,

timid race, very good-natured, willing to do anything, and, if left

alone by the border tribes and the Bastards, their lives would be happy;

their wants are few and easily supplied, clothes they do not require,

the climate at all seasons of the year is seldom colder than our English

summer, and, as these children of the desert are constantly shifting

their locations, huts are not required, or only of the most primitive

kind, a few sticks stuck in the ground, and the long grass thrown over

them. This is a portion of the central part of the Kalahara.

When we arrived at Meer, all the people were out ostrich-hunting close

round the village, a great excitement, the birds running in all

directions, and the Bastards after them on their horses; they managed to

shoot seven; the others, about fifty, made their escape.

Meer is a straggling village, the soil is rich and grows good crops of

corn, the two pans supply the people with water. Dirk Falander, the

head-man, is supreme over the people. They possess several waggons and

have large herds of cattle, and live very comfortably, sending down to

the colony for what supplies they require. Coffee and sugar are in

great demand.

After a delay of two days, I left for Chuane pits, distant one hundred

miles; as the rains were very early, there was plenty of water to be

had. This occupied me eleven days. I remained some time on the Oup and

Nosop rivers, hunting, and it was necessary for one or two guns to be

out every day to supply my little family with food, and as there was

plenty of large game about, we had no difficulty in procuring it.

The wild aspect of the country, bush here, open plains there, with long

ridges of low hills, no living soul to be seen until we arrived at the

pits, and there we found a small family, who on our approach ran into

the bush, but my own Bushmen called them back; they came very

reluctantly, but soon became friends, some fifteen in all, a little

dahka and a few beads as presents soon restored confidence amongst them.

I am much interested in the Bushmen of the desert, and also in the white

Bushmen of the Drakensberg mountains, because they appear from their

isolation from the outer world, and cut off as they have been from the

tribes that now occupy the regions around them, to be the descendants of

the people who occupied the lower end of this ancient continent before

the tribes from the north came down, and pushed their way south,

bringing with them their Asiatic and Hebrew customs, which all without

exception now practise more or less, evidently proving from what regions

they had migrated. Eventually they nearly penetrated to Cape Town. Not

so with the white Bushmen of the Drakensberg, the Hottentots, or Bushmen

of Cape Colony, and the Bushmen of the Kalahara Desert, each retaining

up to the present time distinctive physical formations and distinctive

dialects, so entirely different from those tribes that come down south

and overrun the southern peninsula of the African continent. These

ancient aborigines of South Africa are comparatively pigmy races to

those above referred to, who are as tall, robust, well-formed specimens

of the human race as can be found in any part of the world. Then again

their language, if it can be called such, is entirely different from any

other known tongue, their thoughts are described by certain clicks, four

in number, the white Bushmen of the Drakensberg have only these clicks,

the Hottentots or Bush men of the Cape have, in addition to the clicks,

sounds which accompany the clicks which come from the throat like

grunts. The Bushmen of the desert have also these clicks, showing, I

think conclusively, that these early people were in existence before

languages,--what we understand by language, words formed by the mouth,

tongue, and lips, as the nations of the world now converse and talk.

Some of the South African missionaries have committed to paper these

clicks, and they state it is a most beautiful and expressive language.

At any rate, my belief is, that the earliest formed language of man was

by sounds such as clicks and grunts before they advanced so far as to

express their ideas by forming words, and language has been progressive

as man advanced in civilisation. In travelling over South Africa and

listening to the sounds of the baboons as they move about the rocks

above you, you can detect a great similarity in their guttural sounds

and the Bushman language, and I could quite understand when my Bushman

told me he could converse with, and knew much of what these said,

showing a connecting link between them. Therefore I take much interest

in watching their characteristic qualities, in connection with the

general run of mankind. Anthropological study naturally embraces the

study of their early implements, where, and how found, their artistic

qualities, and for what purpose made, for peace or war, and this desert

is particularly rich in these interesting relics of past ages.

The desert on the east and south of these Chuana pits, extends up to the

chiefs Sechele, Montsioa, and Gaseitsive, that join on the eastern

boundary 230 miles, unbroken by rivers or native towns, one immense

tract of wood and plains, long flats, and in other parts undulating,

with the exception of the detached mountain ranges, which run north and

south--the continuation of the Langberg range--and they terminate 100

miles south of Lake N'gami. They are beautiful, picturesque and lofty

hills, rising from their base 3000 feet; many of their sides and deep

kloofs are thickly wooded with fine timber of great value, and in the

extensive ravines are ancient caves, some of them now used by the

Bushman tribe. This range is distant from these pits about twenty miles

on the east. Game of every kind is plentiful; lions, also, we hear for

hours every evening. Hawks, kites, vultures, eagles, locust-birds are

almost always seen on the wing.

As there was good water at these pits, in consequence of several heavy

thunderstorms having passed over the last few days, I have remained here

to have a little exploration of the country and provide a good supply of

dried meat, which is called biltong, for my people; and in the evenings,

when all work is over, they amuse themselves dancing, singing, and

shooting at targets with their arrows for small presents, which causes

great fun; they are the most happy people in the world. To amuse them I

made a kite about three feet in length, and with some string sent it

flying, to the astonishment and delight of all.

Spring was now advancing fast, everything springing into life. The

little, happy African lark flying up some thirty feet, where it remains

a few seconds, then down it comes with such a sweet plaintive voice, and

this is repeated every few minutes, and as there are many of them about,

their little notes are constantly heard. Thunderstorms are now coming

almost daily, and the evening sunsets are the most brilliant and

gorgeous that can be imagined, portraying golden lakes, mountains and

waterfalls, rivers and islands, with noble castles, and everything to

perfect a landscape, and this remains long without alteration. It has

been a source of much pleasure in this lonely region to endeavour to

convey the like on canvas.

As we had now plenty of water and could go anywhere, I struck north,

leaving these pits on the 30th October; but a few days previous to my

leaving, I found several small quartz reefs of the right sort for gold.

After spending three days with pickaxe and hammer, digging and breaking

off nearly a ton of quartz, I was rewarded with one little speck of

gold, finding, so far as I could see, that these reefs were not rich;

and if they were, the distance is too great to make it pay to work them.

On leaving, my friends, whom I found in possession of the pits, wanted

to join my party. Treking due north, keeping west of these mountains, I

outspanned, after four hours, close to one of the highest of the range

for the night, as I wanted to make an excursion to the top the next day,

to see the country and take observations, altitude, and get the

difference in temperature at the highest part. The night passed off

very quietly, except hearing in the stillness of the night an occasional

roar of a lion and other wild beasts, to give us warning not to sleep

too sound. The sun rose the next morning in a magnificent glow of

crimson light. After breakfast I started with my driver and five

Bushmen, each with a rifle and ammunition, all on foot, leaving the

waggon at 6 a.m. I soon reached the foot of the mountain, when the

difficult part of the journey commenced, passing round projecting rocks,

crossing deep kloofs, thick with bush, where we had to keep a good

look-out, having only one dog to tell if any lions were near. I

managed, after three hours' labour, to reach the highest summit about 10

a.m., a clear lovely morning, without a cloud. The view from this

elevated position was grand. In all my wanderings I have never seen

anything to equal it, no lofty hills to break the view for 150 miles.

The outlook from this point extended both east and west over 200 miles;

the lofty hills near Secheles could only be distinguished with the

telescope, and then like a pale lavender cloud, the country between

thickly wooded, and long stretches of open country, apparently a

waterless region; the same on the western side, excepting that the

country was more open, and the ancient river system could be distinctly

traced by the trees and bushes that grew on their banks. The game in

the open looked like ants. One of my Bushmen called the attention of

the others to something they went to look at behind some bushes. Going

to see what they were examining, I found the remains of four fires that

had recently been alight, and several pieces of bone broken near some

stones to extract the marrow, but nothing else could be discovered.

Evidently there were Bushmen in these mountains, but no sign of them

could we see. After exploring the ins and outs of the topmost ridges, I

selected a good position for taking observation, after which we disposed

ourselves for lunch; the walk up and pure air gave an edge to our

appetites. Cold tea and a dash of brandy, which gives the tea the

flavour of wine, was served to all alike, and they then disposed

themselves on the grass for a smoke. I found the elevation at this

point above sea-level to be 6470 feet, and from the base of the mountain

to where we were 2795 feet.

At 3 p.m. we made a start for the return journey to camp, taking a

different route down, which was much more difficult, the mountain being

broken up into many almost perpendicular ravines, and gigantic rocks

projecting in all directions. Half-way down my Bushmen called out in an

excited tone that there were several Bushmen on a projecting spur making

for cover. We counted eleven; how many more we could not tell. I told

my boys to call to them to come, but they paid no attention, and

suggested that some should go and bring them, but they refused, being

afraid they should be shot by the poisoned arrows; and they informed me

they were monkeys, not men, meaning they were of the same type as those

I have mentioned previously as having woolly hair on their body, legs,

and arms. As we wound round the mountain, it being too steep to come

straight, we came suddenly upon three more, a man, a woman and child,

quite naked, and of a reddish-brown colour. My Bushmen called to them

in their language of clicks to stop, we were friends, but they seemed

much alarmed. A present of beads to the woman gave them confidence.

They appeared very young, not more than seventeen. The height of the

man was about four feet two inches, large bodies for their size, thin

legs, and small receding head, and disgustingly ugly.

Passing round one of the overhanging rocks, I came upon several caves,

none of any great extent, but evidently made use of as dwellings from

the numerous remains of fires in them and the smoked appearance of the

roofs and sides, and heaps of broken bones lying about, but no one was

in them. If I had had the means of sending this little family down to

the colony, I should have done so. After a delay of nearly an hour

looking about, we continued our downward movements, and reached camp

soon after sundown.

During our absence one of our Bush girls went out with two other little

ones to dig up inches, a small bulb like an onion growing in the veldt--

good to eat--when a lion seized and carried her off. The screams of the

girl and the two little ones brought several of the Bushmen with guns,

but no trace of the girl could be found. This occurred just before our

arrival, when I formed a party of seven and went to look for her, but

night coming on and very dark, it was impossible to follow up the spoor.

Early next morning by break of day all that could be spared started,

but nothing could be seen, the bush being so thick. Many of the Bush

people are carried off in this way. All last night the roar at

intervals could be heard far and near; the man-eating lions are the only

ones these people greatly fear.

To go through my daily routine from place to place, the same duty daily,

would become too tedious. We therefore, after leaving this place,

visited various localities. My Bushmen knew that water could be found

at Hoodedoon, and the dry river where we managed to capsize the waggon.

We reached Reitfontain and Wahlberg, my old station, at a pan situated

at the north end of that mountain range; I had left five weeks back, and

encamped once more for a rest. I call this my station in 22 degrees 10

minutes South latitude, 22 degrees 12 minutes East longitude. The whole

of the country is high, 3880; at my pan the mountain registers 6880

above sea-level. After a stay of ten days I left for Lake N'gami.

The importance of this desert cannot be over-estimated in connection

with our interior trade. Whatever nation secures it, secures all the

trade to the Zambese, which would be an immense loss to England and the

Cape Colony. It is capable of great improvement, and under a proper

government will become a most valuable field for emigration.