Chapter TWELVE (1)

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.