e4 LEAVE OTJIMI3INGUE [CHAP, IV.
long conversation with him. He was not paramount over the mountain, but there were one or two more captains. Indeed, he assured me he could not give me guides over the hill, as his men dare not travel about it. I was obliged to return for I had my time limited in many ways ; else I should have liked to have fully explored the place. The fever that was on me increased hourly, and I was anxious to return. The nightwas bitterly cold, but I curled myself in my thin plaid round the fire, and got through the long hours somehow or other. The chief and I interchanged presents ; we bought a few goats, and returned as we came. The rocky slabs looked more dangerous and slippery than ever, but no accident occurred, The next evening we slept at the werft, where Gabriel had distinguished himself. I felt wandering, and was delirious during most of the night, but could sit on ox-back well enough the next day-it was Christmas day, but I dared not stop to do it honour. We rode on five hours. plans shot four zebras. The Damaras gave us milk in exchange for their meat, and that was our dinner. The next night I was again ill, but less so than before ; and the ensuing day I rode through to Otjimbingue: the distance between it and Erongo is about twenty hours' travel. The result of my journey was, that I bought twenty-five oxen and thirty or forty sheep (four common guns had been bartered for twenty oxen), which was a material addition to my stock. Andersson, who had had a slight fever like myself, was there in full vigour; he had been in an almost hand-tohand combat with a lion, for the beast was on one side of a small bush, growling at him, whilst he was on the other. He shot the lion. A stirring night scene had occurred here, which Andersson witnessed. As the evening closed in, some people saw a lion kill a giraffe on the opposite side of the river: the alarm was given ; everybody took firebrands; and it was quite dark when the mob arrived at the place. They ran unconcernedly up to the giraffe, and frightened the lion off it, who kept roaring and prowling about them close by, whilst they cut up the meat.
I determined to leave my cart at Otjimbingue, as I had hardly mules enough to take it; neither could I spare Timboo to drive it. It was thatched over against the side of the Mission-house: and Mr. Ruth kindly took charge of the mule's harness. Two days after my return from Erongo, my first experience in waggon-travelling began : I hated it from the first, and never became reconciled to it; I disliked its slowness, and the want of independence about it. In a rugged and
