The boundary of this region, adjoining Great Namaqualand, Kalahara, and
Ovampo, is very undefined. The natives are unacquainted with the true
divisions, and as each nationality is not confined to any particular
line, living in a kind of mixed community, it is difficult to say where
one country begins and the other ends; but from accounts of the people,
it appears that the extinct river Kuisip, which enters Walfish Bay, is
the correct boundary, and the coast-line to the north reaches to the
Cunene river, which is also the Portuguese boundary of Bengulo, the
distance being nearly 400 miles.
The first and only harbour is Walfish Bay, being an important
trading-station, belonging to the Cape Colony. This port, where there
are two trading establishments, supplies the whole of the northern part
of Great Namaqualand, and also all Damara and Ovampolands, the central
and northern Kalahara, as far as Lake N'gami. The great drawback to its
prosperity is want of fresh water. In many cases the people are
supplied with water in casks from Cape Town, but I believe if proper
means are taken by sinking wells, a good supply can be procured. At
present a considerable trade is carried on with the natives, and is on
the increase. On the north of this bay the river Swakop enters the
Atlantic, which is the main and principal stream that drains the eastern
division of Damaraland, upon which are situated many natives' wherfs.
Some of the principal are Oekiep, thirty-six miles up the river, then
Tineos, Oijimbinque, Otjimonjebba, Okandu, Little Barmen, Great Barmen,
Otjithebba, Gous, Eikham Hot Springs, and Thames Mission Station. The
distance of this last station by road to Walfish Bay is about 231 miles,
which is one of the roads to Lake N'gami, and is on the north of Awas
mountain, that attains an elevation of 6400 feet. The scenery in this
region is wild and grand, and eastward of these points the Ealahara
comes in, and is drained by the Black and White Nosops, Elephant river
and branches. South of Swakop are several native kraals and wherfs;
Wittwater, Reed Fontain, Tjobis, Platklip, Onanis Mission Station on the
Kuisip, and others. The country is fearfully sandy and dry. The Canna
river, a tributary of the Swakop, branches off thirty miles from the
coast. It rises in the spurs of the Ketje mountains and flows
south-west through a deep valley between some picturesque scenery. Upon
and near this river are several Damara wherfs: Omaruru, Omapyu, and
Evonga. A few miles inland from the junction of these rivers is the
Canrans Quanwas, or Colquhoun Mount, 3100 feet above sea-level, a
conspicuous object from the sea. Copper is found in its vicinity.
Forty miles along the coast, to the north of Swakop river, is the mouth
of the Omaruru river, which evidently at some seasons must have a
powerful current; the washing away of the banks of sand, and large
timber trees brought down and left on the bank, is a good proof.
Extensive copper works have been worked here for some time, but they do
not seem to pay the company, long since abandoned. Twenty miles inland
the lofty and barren hills give a desolate appearance to the country.
The sea-coast to the north is bold, and has many projecting headlands.
Inland, from Cape Cross, the land rises to an elevation of 3700 feet.
All this hilly district is inhabited by Berg Damaras, who are rather
scantily dressed. The women have a band round the head with lappets
falling behind, a profusion of beads round their necks, with a band and
large square apron folded round their loins, and bracelets. The men
have a broad belt, leather apron, with parts of tails suspended behind;
they have large bows five feet in length, and long arrows tipped with
iron. Few iron utensils; wooden bowls are mostly used.
The upper source of the Amaruru rises in the Eshuamen mountains, which
is a dense bush, and separates Damaraland from the Ovampo region. The
river Omuramba, already described in the Kalahara, rises in the same
mountain, Eshuamen, and also Mount Ketje, taking a north-east course,
then flowing east, leaving the lofty range of the Omureraoom on the
west. The upper part of the Swakop has many stations, and is thickly
populated.
Limestone prevails over an extensive area; the peaks, which are composed
of this rock, are 4444 feet high. The region to the east is the
Kalahara desert and a thick bush country.
The principal road from Barmen Mission Station to Ovampoland runs along
by the Omuramba river, between which and Damara the country is divided
by an immense thorn district. Beautiful and picturesque scenery is to
be found in Damaraland, where the granite hills stand out in bold and
massive peaks. The mineral wealth of this region is little-known;
copper, lead, and silver, also iron, abound in the mountains. The
natives speak the Otjiherero language. There are many mixed races
spread over the country, and great numbers of cattle, sheep, and goats
are kept by them. Several mission stations are established in the
country: Barmen, Otjimbinque, Schmelin's Hope and others. The climate
is very healthy. All the large game are found in these regions. The
Damaras hunt them with the bow and arrow, but of late years guns have
been introduced into the country. They are a stout and powerful people,
very dirty in their habits, and seldom remain long in one locality,
being pastoral, cultivating no corn, and always at war with the Berg
Damaras, being of a different tribe, using the Hottentot language.
The Rhenish Missionary Society hold most of the stations, and have been
great sufferers by these lawless tribes, being plundered, and several of
them ruined, which has destroyed the trade of the country.
[Illustrative of which, one of the missionary's goats was being
constantly milked. One Sunday evening he caught a man at it, who ran
away, and he threw a piece of wood at him; and complained to the chief,
who decided that the man was sufficiently punished by that, and the
missionary was fined a goat for breaking the Sabbath.] Many English
traders were robbed and some wounded. The mission stations were
established about 1830, but scarcely anything has been done in
civilising the people. The Namaquas live by plundering their
neighbours, the Damaras. This was the state of affairs when I first
visited that region. Since then they have been robbing the Damaras of
their cattle. Several mission stations have been destroyed. Their
store at Walfish Bay was broken open and everything stolen, and the
manager, Mr. Toerson, murdered. The Europeans in the country, numbering
about thirty, made application for assistance at Cape Town. The
governor sent a man-of-war to Walfish Bay, which returned without
landing. Since then several British subjects have been murdered, and so
things have gone on from bad to worse, and not until 1875 were any steps
taken; then a commissioner was despatched to endeavour to settle
matters, but his influence had little effect in restoring order, and
eventually he returned to Cape Town. It is of the highest importance to
the Cape Colony that Walfish Bay and the coast-line for fifty miles
north and south of it should be annexed to that colony as being the
principal outlet for the native trade of the interior. If it should
fall into foreign hands an immense injury would accrue by the taking
away the greater portion of that trade which rightly belongs to the Cape
Colony. The chief, Kamaherero, is almost paramount in the country. The
population of the Hereros is estimated at about 40,000, and the Berg
Damaras nearly 30,000.
The importance of Walfish Bay is its having the command of all the
interior trade of Ovampoland, the Kalahara desert, and also that
extensive region at Lake N'gami, a great portion of which is brought
across the desert, therefore its importance as a British port cannot be
overrated. There is no field for emigration, as the country is too dry
for agricultural purposes, and the natives at present are too lawless
for any settled community to remain there; but as a trading-station to
collect the produce of the interior, and barter with the natives, it is
all important that it should be retained.
In the latter part of 1879 the country was in a lawless state. The
Gobabis have been robbing waggons; the Gobabis are Hottentots. They
robbed a Boer, one Van Zyl, of all he had, and he had to fly with one of
his sons, leaving his wife and another woman with seven waggons, with
horses, oxen, guns and ammunition in the hands of the Gobabis, who had
taken all except the two women. Van Zyl went to Mr. Palgrave, the
Commissioner, for help, to get his wife and waggons from the Gobabis
Hottentots, but Mr. Palgrave did not assist him, which has caused some
comment, and Mr. Palgrave started away from Walfish Bay. The Hottentots
released the two women who were prisoners, and kept everything. Nothing
has been done to bring peace to the country, as where so many petty
chiefs have separate rule in a country like this, it is impossible to
have law and order. Mr. Van Zyl was afterwards shot, and also his son
some time later.