In the afternoon of this day we reached a Damara village which had already been visited by Mr. Galton, and camped near to it. Previously to our arrival here our guide absconded, taking with him, besides the calf my friend had given him as payment, a horse-rug which he had borrowed from Timbo.
The next morning, just as I was returning to the village from a successful hunt, I observed an unusual commotion among the natives, accompanied by the most terrific yelling, passionate vociferations, and brandishing of assegais. The cause of this uproar was at first thought to be an attack by the Bushmen on one of the cattle-posts of the Damaras. However, on investigating the matter more closely, we ascertained that the apprehensions of the Damaras arose from the arrival of some inhabitants of a neighboring kraal, who had come forcibly to recover a flock of sheep which the chief had taken possession of under the pretext of “hunger.”
The news of our arrival had by this time spread far and wide, and the Damaras were flocking together from all parts to see the white strangers. Some of them promised to conduct us to their great chief Tjopopa, who resided at a place called Okamabuti, which was on our way to the Ovambo.
In the course of our journey to Tjopopa I learned the history of the father of one of our visitors, who, it would appear, had been a thorough rogue. He professed great friendship toward the Ovambo, whom he allowed freely and peaceably to pass through his territory; but when, on one occasion, they were returning home with a numerous herd of cattle obtained by barter, he fell suddenly upon them, and deprived them of all their hard-earned gains. When, however, his treacherous conduct became known to Nangoro, he instantly dispatched a party in order to punish him, and this was done so effectually that, since that day, no one has ventured to molest the Ovambo in their peaceable and industrious vocation. Indeed, this tribe now commanded a large share of the good-will and respect of the Damaras.
Elephants were said to be numerous to the northward, and the Damaras pointed to some wooded knolls, where they said these animals walked “as thick as cattle.” At times they would suddenly make their appearance in the night in the midst of a village, and drive the inhabitants precipitately from their dwellings.
On the 15th of April we were again moving, and the very next day we entirely lost sight of the palms, which we did not again see till nearly a whole month’s travel had been accomplished.
On the 17th we reached Tjopopa’s werft. It was reported that through the instrumentality of his friend Nangoro this man became a chief of the first order. Be that as it may, he was now living in very great abundance, though, like many who are well off with regard to worldly possessions, he was avaricious in the extreme. A miser’s parsimony always increases in proportion to the enlargement of his property.
Okamabuti may be said to be the northern limit of Damara-land. It is situated at the foot of those wooded knolls already pointed out to us by the natives as the resort of elephants; indeed, the ground round about bore ample testimony to the destructive propensities of these animals. The place was well supplied with water by a fountain springing from a limestone bottom.
The morning after our arrival at Okamabuti, we started off on a shooting excursion, in a northeast direction, in search of elephants; but, though we discovered their fresh tracks, and followed these for a whole day, we were unable to overtake the beasts. Notwithstanding our failure, we enjoyed the trip extremely. The scenery was novel and highly interesting. At times we crossed savannas where the grass reached above our heads as we sat on the oxen, and at others we passed through magnificent forests of straight-stemmed and dark-foliaged timber-trees,[24] fit abodes for the most wonderful creatures of animated nature.