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.
Chapter Thirteen.
Great Namaqualand.
This country occupies the western shore of the South Atlantic, from the Orange river, which is the northern boundary of the Cape Colony, to Walfish Bay, a distance of 420 miles. The southern boundary follows up the Orange river for ninety miles, where the Great Fish river falls into it from the north. The native name of this river is the Garip. The breadth at its mouth is nearly four miles; the sand in its bed and the many shoals and sand-banks prevent its being navigable. Higher up there are long stretches of smooth water for miles, intersected by rapids and rocks,—some of them very beautiful, passing down between broad belts of rich vegetation, with splendid timber of many varieties: the willow, with its drooping branches kissing the water, adds greatly to the beauty of the scene.
It was on this river, some miles above, that I spent many delightful months, with my canoe, sailing on its placid waters,—some of the most pleasant of my life. Many beautiful stones, not in small quantities, but in cart-loads, can be shovelled up wherever the water has left them on the shore. The upper portion of the river I have already described.