Explorations in South-west Africa. Being an account of a journey in the years 1861 and 1862 from Walvisch bay, on the western coast, to lake Ngami and the Victoria falls

Front matter

SOUTH-WEST AFRICA.

LONDON

PRINTED BY SPOTTISWOODE AND CO.

Preface

This work was written by my Son during a journey from Walvisch Bay, on the west coast of Africa, to the Victoria Balls of the Zambesi River, in company with Mr. J. Chapman, a former friend of the author’s, who had spent many years in travelling and was well acquainted with the country and the language of the natives. In 1858 Mr. Baines was appointed artist to the Zambesi expedition under Dr. Livingstone, and accompanied his party to Tete, the principal town in the Portuguese territory, on the eastern coast of Africa ; but leaving that expedition in 1861, he returned to Cape Town. On recovering from a severe illness, which was attended with fever and loss of sight for several weeks, he resolved to explore the interior himself, and if possible to cross the continent from the west coast to the Zambesi on the east. For this purpose he built two copper boats, so constructed as to be used singly, or, when the river admitted, side by side, with a platform on which he could form a house or

VI

PREFACE.

cabin ; this he accomplished with his own hands, with the exception of a smith for a few hours’ work. Having provided himself with the requisites for such an undertaking, he left Table Bay, March 21, 1861, and arriving on the 29th of that month at Walviscli Bay, there began his overland journey. The journal was written under many difficulties, till they arrived at the Victoria Falls, when fever, famine, and the murder of many of their attendants obliged them to return at a time when they had hoped in a few weeks to begin their voyage down the Zambesi.

The absence of the author in Africa, while this volume was passing through the press, must be pleaded in excuse for the alteration in the paging of the latter portion of the work. The last chapter was already in type, when some MS. sheets were discovered which supplied the narrative of events for the weeks intervening between the first attack of illness and the final resolution to abandon the design of descending the Zambesi, and to return by land to Walviscli Bay. It was found necessary to insert this narrative, which now’ forms Chapter XV.

M. A. BAINES.

Chapter I. Tage

DEPARTURE FROM CAPE TOWN PELICAN POINT CURIOUS ACTION

OF WIND ON LOOSE SAND THE FLAMINGO NAMAQUA HOT-

TENTOTS— SAND FONTEIN — SHARKS — COW-FISH AND THEIR PREY

Chapter II. Start For Objimb1ngue — The Dupa River Mission Station

AT HYKOM KOP THE VALLEY OF THE SWA-IIOP THE ROODE-

BERG RAVINES OF THE TINCAS RIVER ROCKS AT ONANIS

ARRIVAL AT OTJIMBINGUE RETURN JOURNEY ARRIVAL AT

WALVISCH BAY THE JUNCTION OF THE OOSOP AND THE SWA-

KOP JOURNEY TO OTJIMBINGUE 21

Chapter III. A Hottentot Chief Dress Of The Damaras Habits Of Tiie

HOTTENTOTS GREAT BARMEN IIOT SPRINGS JUNCTION OF

TIIE BARMEN RIVER WITH THE SWA-KOP THE AWASSBERG •

TRADING AMONG THE HOTTENTOTS — APICA’s KRAAL UN- TRAINED OXEN THE VALLEY OF THE WINDHOCK . . 42

Chapter IV

THE QUIEP, OR ELEPHANT RIVER THE TWIN TURRETS — KOT- ZEBUE, TIIE DAMARA LIBERTY AND EQUALITY’ THE KLEINE

BAKJIE IIILD — THE NOOSOP HILLS — NAMAQUA GIRLS TOE

MISSION STATION AT GOBABIES— BUSHMEN, AND TIIEIR HABITS INOCULATION OF CATTLE FOR LUNG SICKNESS — ITS EFFECTS C>7

VU1

CONTENTS.

Chapter V. Page

ELEPHANT KLOOF WANT OF WATER — CONSEQUENT SUFFERINGS

OF THE CATTLE AFFRAY WITH BUSHMEN TRIAL AND

PUNISHMENT OF THE AGGRESSORS — ELANDS — GIRAFFE PIT

THE OTCHOMBINDE, OR THORN RIVER PROFESSOR WAHL-

BERG — CURIOUS SCENE AT A DRINKING-POOL — LIMESTONE PLAINS 101

Chapter VI. Discontent Among The Damaras — Knavery Of Gert — Chase

FOR STOLEN HORSES GEOLOGICAL FORMATION AT GHANZE —

VARIETIES OF THORN-BUSHES DAMARA NECKLACES — FUR- THER SEARCH AFTER GERT THE MARKWIIAE, A SUCCULENT

ROOT WOLF FOUNTAIN ARRIVAL AT KOBIS PREPARATIONS

FOR A LENGTHENED SOJOURN 133

Chapter VII

CONTINUED SICKNESS AMONG THE CATTLE — ILLNESS OF SOME DAMARAS— OCCUPATIONS IN THE BUSH— DAMARA COSTUME

the bushmen’s poison — chameleons — brindled gnoos —

LEOPARDS INTELLECT OF BUSHMEN DISCIPLINE OF BE-

CHUANA WOMEN — THE CniEF LESHULATEBE — BAOBAB TREES FURTHER TIDINGS OF GERT AND THE HORSES — KOBIS . 157

Chapter VIII. Renewed Search For Gert And The Horses — The Lamb

CATCHER, OR GOLDEN EAGLE ORIGIN OF LOCAL NAMES —

KOBIS — THE BUSHMEN CHEATED BY THE DAMARAS A SMOKING

MATCH AN ELEPHANT WOUNDED THE ZAMBESI RIVER

IVORY TRADERS TUFTED OWLS THE VIVEIRA, A KIND OF

CIVET CAT ANECDOTE OF PROFESSOR WAIILBERG PREPARA- TIONS FOR A TREK A LEMUR— EFFECTS OF SUNLIGHT ON

CLOUDS . 191

CONTENTS.

IX

Chapter IX. Tagb

INSPANNING SNYMAN AND THE CHIEF LESHULATEBE THE

MOTJEEKIE TREE A METEOR — DUTCH OXEN-DRIVERS THE

KOPJIES — CHANGE OF SCENERY INSECT -EATING JACKALS — •

A FIRE IN TIIE ENCAMPMENT FEUD BETWEEN SEKELETU

AND LESHULATEBE — QUARANTINE VLEI — THE OOMAHAMA TREE— -THE IRON TREE — ANTIDOTE TO THE BUSHMEN’S POISON — THE IvAA GRUB — LITTLE NGAMI — THE MOWANA TREE — THE LOW LAND OF NGAMI 226

Chapter X. Earth-snakes Bechuana Thieves Effects Of Heat On

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS VISIT TO LESHULATEBE — BAR- TERING ADROIT ROBBERIES EXTORTIONATENESS OF THE

BECHUANAS CHRISTMAS DAY PREPARATIONS FOR THE

JOURNEY INTO THE FAR INTERIOR ..... 272

Chapter XI. Letters From Henry Chapman — Arrival At Moselinyan

TIDINGS OF GERT MAMU-KA-HOORIE RAIN-VLEIS MAIIA-

LAAPIE THE WELLS AT KOOBIE MORE LAST WATERS A

NIGHT IN THE BUSH AFTER AN ELEPHANT HUNT THE DEAD

ELEPHANT BUTTERFLIES AT A FEAST — DEATH OF DR. HOLDEN

DEALINGS WITH NATIVE TRIBES REMEDIES FOR HORSE

AND CATTLE SICKNESS — UNION- VLEI— -A METEOR — TRIP TO

THE NORTH-WEST ELEPHANT HUNT DENTITION OF TIIE

Chapter XII. Undulating Country Uncertainty Of Finding Water

DISAPPEARANCE OF BUSHMEN STRENGTH AND CAUTIOUSNESS

OF ELEPHANTS— AN EVENING SCENE VULTURES FEASTING

ON DEAD ELEPHANTS— FIRST SIGHT OF A GIRAFFE — UNDU- LATING GRASS LAND — THE ONJUKA, OR TREE-SQUIRREL — .

X

CONTEXTS.

DIFFICULTY OF PRESERVING BIRD-SKINS A NIGHT ATTACK

OF ELEPHANTS— A NARROW ESCAPE COOKERY OF THE

BUSHMEN THE TOUCAN GEMSBOKS WANDERINGS OF ELE- PHANTS IN SEARCH OF WATER 328

Chapter XIII

DEEP YLEI CERASTES, OR HORNED SNAKE THE RIVER VUL- TURE— OSTRICHES SERINGA BUSHES — NOISELESS TREAD OF

ELEPHANTS— DAMARA DANCES — FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR A START SKIN OF THE GIRAFFE NEW YEAR VLEI DIFFI- CULTY OF PRESERVING ELEPHANTS’ SKULLS FROM DAMARAS

A PUFF-ADDER THE WHITE RHINOCEROS VARIOUS SPECIES

OF VULTURE DAMARA INDOLENCE— THE KALIHARI DESERT

LUBELO HILL THE NQUIBA MOUNTAINS— THE BLACK

FINCH — MAKOLOLO FORAYS— A SIGHT OF LAKE NGAMI — - NATIVE NAMES THE BOTLETLE RIVER — RAVAGES OF ELE- PHANTS IN LESHULATEBE’S VILLAGE 373

Chapter XIV

DIFFICULTY OF MAKING OBSERVATIONS — A CONFERENCE WITH LESHULATEBE — CRIMES OF SEKELETU AGAINST THE MISSION

PARTY LESHULATEBE’S BARGAINS HIS ADMINISTRATION OF

JUSTICE — GRASS ON FIRE — A SAIL ON TOE RIVER RIVER

SCENERY A TRADING EXPEDITION A BECIIUANA VILLAGE

THE SOLITARY PALM LOCAL NAMES A CONJUROR

THE PEETRO, OR COUNCIL OF WAR THE TIGER REGI- MENT LESHULATEBE’S ARMY THE CHIEFTAIN MAKHOLOQUE

A MAKOBA WIZARD HORSE-DEALING — RUMOURS OF THE

DEATH OF SEKELETU A BROWN EAGLE — AN ATTACK OF

Chapter XV. The Tamalukan River The Makobas — The Zambesi And Its

TRIBUTARIES — MAKOBA TREACHERY FEVER THE EUPHORBIA

AND THE POISON GRUB THE TREE WITH LEGS KAMMA-

KAMMA MUD PANS — SAND PLAINS AND THE MIRAGE

CONTENTS.

XI

PAUE

SECKOMO AND HIS SON ODEAQUE — PAKHOPATE — MATLOMO-

GANYANI — GERUFA DAKA OR GUAKA THE TABLE-LANDS OF

THE ZAMBESI — THE APPROACH TO THE FALLS . . [390]

CHAPTER XYI.

SABLE ANTELOPES HOTTENTOT BOASTFULNESS ROADS TO THE

ZAMBESI FALLS — CHOICE OF THE WESTERNMOST ROAD— THE

TSETSE COUNTRY RAPID DIMINUTION OF GAME HUNGER-

BELTS OF TnE KAFIRS THE TSETSE-POISON — THE MATETSIE

RIVER — A QUAGGA SHOT THE RIVER BOLUNGO — A DISSEL-

BOOM BROKEN ANECDOTES OF LION HUNTING — A CHANGE

OF COURSE — SECHELl’s AMBASSADOR — SEKELETU’s DEFENCE EXPLOITS OF WILDEBEESTE 458

Chapter XVII

APPROACH TO THE VICTORIA FALLS — DISTANT SOUND OF THE CATARACT— THE FIRST VIEW OF THE FALLS A BLACK RHINO- CEROS THE SOUTHERN FACE OF THE FALLS — ITS DOUBLE

RAINBOW — BUFFALO HUNT NEGOTIATIONS WITH MOSHOTLANI

SEKELETU AND THE MISSIONARIES — THE GREAT CHASM OR

THREE-RILL CLIFF EXORBITANT PRICES OF FOOD DEALINGS

WITH MOSHOTLANI AND MADZEKAZI A FALL INTO A GAME-PIT

THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE CATARACTS — CHANGES PRODUCED

BY THE FALLS IN THE CHARACTER OF THE SCENERY DR.

Livingstone’s garden — shooting and descending the

RAPIDS EXTREME BREADTH OF THE FALLS CLOSE OF THE

MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

MAPS.

PAGE

Sketch Map of South Africa, showing the Regions explored

by Mr. Baines - . . -to face 1

Route Map: Walvisch Bay to Thounce . . „ <35

Route Map: Thounce to Victoria Falls — Zambesi River „ 224

CHROMO-LITHOGRAPH.

Regiment of Flamingoes — Swa-kop River . . frontispiece

WOOD ENGRAVINGS, FROM ORIGINAL SKETCHES.

(Engraved by G. Pearson.)

Namaqua Hunters, Walvisch Bay . . . .10

Griqua Hunter and Griqua Women . . .11

Pomp and Vanity . . . . . .41

Kynomobia, or Mrs. Kanoa, Dikkop’s married daughter . 46

Hot and Tepid Springs at Great Barmen . . .51

Damara Woman carrying Water in a Native Jar, and

holding Ostrich Egg-shell . . .56

XIV

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

Namaqua Hottentot Women begging

to face 7fi

Melon Dance, Hottentot Girls

„ 88

Jem, a Portrait ....

. 92

Bushmen, a Group

Damaras and Bushmen with a Dead Ox

. 97

Damaras .....

. 104

Bechuana drinking

. 123

Arrival at the Water Pit .

Damara Mother-tree in Seed, but Leafless .

. 181

Bechuana smoking Dakka .

. 204

Tufted Owl (Hiboa of Cuvier)

. 213

An Attendant on a Chief .

. 231

Bechuana Ivory -carrier and Girl with Milk

. 279

A Chief bringing Ivory to sell

Tree at Mamu-ka-Hoorie .

. 295

Group of Storks ....

Storks in Sleepy Hollow

. 338

Storks feeding on Elephants’ Flesh .

First Sight of a Giraffe

. 343

Bittern .....

. 345

The enraged Mother (Elephant)

. 356

A Group of Three Ostriches

. 377

Tired Elephant washing

. 393

Finch .....

. 404

Native Doctor extracting Disease .

. 438

A Woman of the Batasanas (a subdivision of the Bechuanas)

standing for her Portrait

. 442

Makalaka, with the first Reef in his Hunger-belt.

. 467

Bird’s-eye View of the Victoria Falls

EXPLORATIONS IN SOUTH-WEST AFRICA.

Chapter I. Departure From Cape Town Pelican Point Curious

ACTION OF WIND ON LOOSE SAND THE FLAMINGO NAMAQUA

HOTTENTOTS SAND FONTEIN SHARKS COW-FISH AND

THEIR PREY.

On Wednesday, March 20th, 1861, I had the satisfaction of embarking at Cape Town the materiel of my intended expedition on board a smart little brigantine of about 110 tons, called the 4 Elizabeth Mary.’ The greater number of my packages were of course sent below ; but the two boats, which, from inability to find a boat-builder to work in metal, or a smith to understand the requirements of the case, I had myself constructed of copper, were retained on deck, and securely lashed on each side under the waist bulwarks.

On the following day, accompanied by Mr. Logier, I went down to the jetty, where, a stiff southeaster rendering it unsafe to trust to a dingy, Mr. Bates kindly lent us one of his large cargo-boats. After about two tacks, plentifully sprinkled with salt

B water, we reached the vessel just as the anchor was being weighed. Having passed between the island and the main, we saw towards afternoon the old Table mountain looming grandly in the warm distance, when all the minor features had disappeared. W e soon had a succession of variable winds, alternately with calms, accompanied by very dense fogs.

After a week thus spent, we ran in towards the land. As we heard surf but could see nothing, we hove to towards evening, and ran on again in the night. On Friday the 29th (Good Friday) we were again becalmed, and so enveloped in fog that, though the roaring of the surf was unmistakable, not a vestige of land could we see till breakfast time, when we made out part of a long range of sand-hills, with a number of indefinite objects, that most likely were rocks exaggerated by the refractive state of the atmosphere. As the fog cleared away, the line of sand-hills lengthened out ; a solitary mountain was visible far inland to the north-east. About noon we made out the long low Sand Spit, called Pelican Point, which extends northwards till it forms a sheltered basin, on which the prevalent southerly winds can hardly raise a ripple that would endanger a boat. We passed its extremity in 22° 52' S. and 14° 22' E. with a freshening breeze. A sailingboat soon came off to us, and the head-man directed us to an anchorage, about a quarter of a mile north of Mr. Latham’s house. Of course the captain was anxious to meet the principal consignee of his cargo,

AN OUT-STATION ON THE COAST.

and I to fall in with my friend and future fellowtraveller, Chapman, who had preceded me ; but we learned that the first named, after having been wrecked in the ‘ Canute,’ near Ichaboe, and conveyed to Sandwich Harbour in the ‘ Eagle,’ was at present some distance up the country, and that the latter had left for the interior about two months before. The head-man, however, offered to send a Damara with a letter, which was accordingly written and despatched.

As no cargo could be landed, we contented ourselves with hoisting out the copper boats, and finding that from their unfinished condition they leaked considerably, we towed them ashore, and the fishermen carried them above high water mark for me. At night we caught a large quantity of eel fish, barbels, dog-fish, and small sharks.

On the 30th, Captain Burstall and I went ashore, and found the house built upon a foundation of sand-bags, certainly not six feet above high water mark, and the fishermen’s huts almost on a level with it ; the water, in fact, flowing nearly up to them. A large quantity of fish were drying on a framework of poles, and their huge heads were lying in heaps upon the beach. Farther on was a cage or trap with fallingdoor and baited hook, for the purpose of catchingjackals ; but strong indeed must have been the scent that could compete, even under their discriminatingnoses, with the masses of decaying matter on the beach.

Beyond was a broad flat, covered with cat, dog, and other mud-frequenting fish, which, venturing too far with the last spring-tide, had been left at a distance from their element, and were now adding each his mite to the ‘ ancient and fish-like smell ' that pervades the whole place. Still farther inland was a quantity of small drift-wood, brought down long ago, I suppose, when there was water in some of the channels between the sand-hills. At length, after having walked about three miles, we reached the commencement of the first range, and on ascending ten or twelve feet for a more extended view, found that the mirage, which had created an illusive sheet of water between us and the house, had entirely disappeared. The difficulty of representing this phenomenon in a painting is that, supposing the artist to succeed perfectly, he cannot convey to the beholder of the picture the absolute knowledge that it is not intended for water ; if there is wind, the mirage ripples like a sunny lake, and the only test by which to judge of it on the spot is, that it never rises into breakers, and that it exaggerates excessively the height of objects within its influence. I have seen in Table Bay the hulls of vessels rise up like great castles nearly to their lower yards, while all above was unaltered and natural; and the houses and rocks on Bobben Island, hardly visible under ordinary circumstances, shoot up like great spars' to nearly the same height. Here the dense flocks of pelicans and flamingoes present an appearance that actually led the mate of the vessel to mistake them at first sight

1861.] CURIOUS ACTION OF WIND ON LOOSE SAND. 5

for houses ; and considering that the last-named bird, with its white plumage and scarlet wings, stands about four feet in height, I do not wonder at the current stories of their being mistaken for a column of infantry with red jackets and white caps and trowsers.

The action of the wind on these ever-shifting sands is also worthy of notice. The dry light sand is heaped up in a ridge by the first gust capable of scooping a hollow in the surface ; gradually it advances like a wave of the sea with its steepest side to leeward, and the sand flying from its crest seems so like the ocean spray, that the similarity is almost complete. Farther inland were some brown bushes, perching themselves upon the reddest sand-spots that they might appear more green by contrast. The most noticeable things on our return was the track of a large water-barrel, in which, in fashion of a garden roller, the inhabitants draw their supplies from an indefinite distance. I hardly know what can give a better idea of the utter destitution of this place than the fact that we have at present on board twenty-seven large barrels of water, at a cost in Cape Town of 5,s., and a freight thence of 30.9. per ton. Of course the casks are required in the fishery, but the want of water is everywhere forced upon our notice. Even Captain, the agent’s half-bred Newfoundland, swims regularly to the ship, puts his paws in the bight of a rope to be hauled up, and sniffs so pleadingly at the casks, that the hardest heart on board cannot refuse to fill a dipper for him.

EXPLORATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA.

At night Tom caught a couple of spotted sharks ; the male 4ft. Gin. and the female 4ft. 2 in. in length, the latter nearly ready to produce eleven young ones, besides containing several ova in various stages of development.

On Easter Day we remained on board, putting affairs a little in order. The fishermen brought a penguin, which fought the boys and dogs gallantly, and pecked with its hard sharp beak at any naked ankle or sea-boot most impartially. Seeing it rather roughly treated, I interceded for the poor creature, but was informed that nothing could by any possibility hurt it.

By the 6th of April we had got all stores out, Mr. Dixon having come thirty-six miles to meet us. As I was a little undecided till I heard from Chapman, I resolved to stay at Mr. Latham’s, who, I was assured, would be happy if I did so. Dixon accordingly took charge of the various packages intended for residents in the country, and having tied up all the letters in a bag comprehensively enough addressed ‘ To the white inhabitants of Damara-land,’ spanned in his oxen and set forth on his dreary night-long journey through the sand-hills.

The fishermen had been engaged during the 6th in ballasting the vessel, and, having finished their work, received payment, part in rum and part in coin, which last, however, soon found its way back in exchange for more of the first, A couple of sovereigns which remained to me I invested in a dozen

1861.] ENCOUNTER WITH AN OLD SERVANT.

of cheap shirts, and some tobacco, for small presents, to which Captain Bnrstall generously added a quantity of bread and some spirits ; and shortly after dinner I saw the anchor lifted, the sails spread, and the 4 Elizabeth Mary ’ on her way to Rio.

Early in the morning of April 9th, while we were still waiting for Mr. Latham, three wagons were seen crossing the flats, and by breakfast time Mr. Dixon returned, accompanied by Mr. Langenhoorn, a fine old man, with hair slightly tinged with grey just thinning on the top, and with a beard and countenance which Rembrandt would have delighted to copy. He had come down on the part of Mr. Andersson, with two wagons to bring hides, and to wait for the arrival of our vessel — the news not having reached Otjimbingue when he left. Of course he was glad to find his cargo ready for him ; and by the afternoon, the wagons being reloaded, he and Mr. Dixon again left me alone in my glory. The Dutch proverb says, ‘Mountains cannot meet, but people may,’ and this morning Dixon called my attention to a man engaged in spanning out the oxen, who proved to be John Human, the driver of one of M‘Cabe’s wagons when we were over Vaal River in 1850, and my afterrider in my second trip from Mooi River to Bloem Fontein. He had told Dixon of the care I took in teaching him to read, but said he had since forgotten it. He had, I believe, been more than once to Moselekatse’s country. Chapman had picked him up somewhere in the interior, and after wander-

EXPLORATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA.

fApRIL ing through several of the neighbouring tribes, lie had at length found himself in the service of Mr. Andersson. The country between this and Otjimbingue, I understood was at present full of game, principally springbok and blawe wildebeeste. Tracks of giraffes and rhinoceroses had been seen, and in one place the spoor of as many as eighteen lions. Indeed, in some parts it was not safe to dismount from the wagon at night, and on one occasion a traveller had encountered a number of these beasts sitting across his track, awaiting his approach, and by no means inclined to get out of his way.

As I accompanied the wagons a short distance from the house, I asked how so many of the oxen had lost their tails, and wTas told it was the lung sickness — a curious effect of the disease, I thought ; but I was further informed that it was usual to inoculate healthy cattle by passing a needle and thread, previously steeped in the virus of the diseased lung, through the skin of their tails. This caused a painful swelling, which, if the needle touched the bone in its passage, extended to the whole hind-quarters, and occasioned the loss of the tail, or perhaps of the animal. I was told that of the cattle not inoculated fifty per cent, died, and that the operation reduced the per-centage to twenty-five. How it reached this country is not known.

On returning, I found a fine flamingo which the head fisherman had just killed and brought up. This was the first time I had actually had the bird in hand,

DESCRIPTION OP A FLAMINGO.

and I could not but admire the delicate gradations of white and scarlet on the body and wings, contrasted with the jetty black of the quill feathers. The legs were of a delicate pink, and naked to within three inches of the body ; the feet were webbed, and the toes tipped with black nails resembling in form those of the human hand ; the head was large, the beak abruptly crooked, and covered from the eyes to the bend with a delicate flesh-coloured skin, forming a small pouch under the lower mandible — the tints of this, however, are unfortunately likely to be lost in drying. The tip of the beak was black, the eye small and bright yellow, with a black pupil. The extreme length, from tip of beak to middle toe, was four feet ten inches, the neck and beak being nearly two feet, and the legs, exclusive of the short thigh which is concealed in the body, two feet two ; the wings were rather small, their spread being five feet four. I should think the bird, when living, would stand four feet high. At night I skinned the flamingo, and was surprised chiefly at the enormous size of its tongue, which filled the whole of the large lower mandible, and was provided with recurved papilke with soft points, so that they could hardly be of service, like the serrated beak, in securing the prey. The tongue contained a great quantity of fat, a thick layer of which was also spread over the whole body.

Two days later, a number of Namaqua Hottentots passed on ox-back, carrying their guns, but downwards, in a bag before the right knee, the muzzle

EXPLORATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA. [April projecting backwards beyond the arm, as described by Mr. Galton. They were bound to a place seven hours’ journey to the north, where Dixon had informed me a herd of buffaloes inhabited some reed patches. The fishermen hauled the seine during the day, but caught only some small fish the shape and size of a herring, some sharks, sting-rays, cat and dog-fish, and several broad-finned flat-bellied sharks, called from their shape fiddle-fish.

namaq.ua hunters, walvisch bay.

As yet we have seen very little of the natives 'of the country. The Namaqua Hottentots, before mentioned, came up at first to help in discharging cargo ; and it was amusing to see four of them labouring under a bag of flour, while a similar one was steadily carried up by a single fisherman, or three of them kneeling in the sand to roll a tar-

NAMAQUA HOTTENTOTS.

were introduced to was dressed principally in a bundle of firewood, and the lashings necessary to bind it to her shoulders ! The Hottentots recognised drawings of the elephant, rhinoceros, springbok, and blue wildebeeste, the last of which they named ‘ Gbiow.’ * barrel. They were dressed mostly in leather trowsers, duffle jackets, and felt hats. Their native ornaments consist of long thongs of leather coiled like ropes about their hips, with others forming fringes below the knee. The first lady of this tribe we

GRIQUA HUNTER AND GRIQUA WOMEN.

* Or, Gliau ? — Ed.

EXPLORATIONS IX SOUTH AFRICA.

In the afternoon of the 12th, I walked along the beach at the head of the bay, which is now being divided from the anchorage by a bar of sand, and in a few years will probably become a shallow lagoon. Taking a telescope with me, I had a better view of the floeks of flamingoes and pehcans feeding at the edges of the shoals. Part of the skeleton of a whale, covered with barnacles, and killed, probably, when the bay was worthy of its name, bore evidence to the fact that the water had once been much deeper. I believe these creatures are seldom or never seen here now.

On the 15th I set to work to find out how to make cartridges for my gun, a Wilson’s breech-loader, but had to make several trials before I succeeded.

The day after, I went out in hopes of shooting a flamingo, and had a few shots at from 500 to 700 yards, the balls generally striking a very small distance short of the flocks. We saw one flying with his leg broken, but could never get near him again, and another remained, apparently disabled, behind the flock ; but as Tom took off his shoes to go after him, he mustered strength to get away. I believe the fishermen kill them by lying on their belly in the wet sand, and making the ball ricochet along the water ; but the birds are so shy that they have not killed another since they shot the specimen the headman gave me.

After walking about half-way round the head of

1861.] CAPTURE OF TWO LIVE GEMSBOKS.

the bay, we struck inland a little, and returned over large ridges of sand, like the billows of the ocean, walking easily up the inclined slope of the weather side, and launching, as rapidly as we could keep our legs going, down the lee, which, as usual with sand, lies at an invariable angle of about 45°.

During the day we had a smart brief shower, the first rain, as Joseph told me, that had fallen for two years.

I began now to fear that I should be obliged to discontinue my work on the boat, as my paint oil was expended ; but the old steward, Joseph, brought out a bucket of tar for me, which timely assistance enabled me to continue my work. The plan I had adopted was to lay another piece upon the inside, fore and aft ribbed; and having first tarred it well, to clinch it through all with the longest nails I have, each of which has to be beaten out to nearly an inch beyond its original length before I can use it. To show through how minute an aperture water will find its way, I may mention that where the box for containing the lower part of the mast is screwed to the end of its section, the screws are rusted, and the wood blackened.

A Damara brought in a fine pair of gemsboks,* rr ■: livings but they were rather spoiled by having been scraped at the points. I bought them for a cotton

* The g here is pronounced hard, or rather with a guttural . sound. It will be near enough if you pronounce it as in the English word gun, and not as in gem or Jem.

EXPLORATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA.

[ A PR 1 L handkerchief. The name of this animal, as nearly as I can express it in writing, is Kaiip ; it begins, I think, with the dental click.

In the afternoon of Sunday the 21st I walked along the wagon-track, over the flats, for nearly a couple of miles, and then among the sand-hills for almost as much more to Sand Fontein, a little on the left hand of the road. I came upon about half-a-dozen huts of the very rudest description, being in fact mere boughs thrown over a rough framework, without the slightest pretence of being either wind or water-tight. The only furniture was a few wooden troughs for carrying water, and the only article in demand was tobacco, a small modicum of which they stick into the shank bone of a sheep, and straightway the rejoicing native calleth it by some name that means pipe, and essayeth to smoke therein.

Launching down at an angle of 45° mid-leg deep in dry loose sand, we came to the waterhole, where my Boschman, clearing it away a little, laid hold of an old pot-lid, and revealed the well, whose sides were formed of fragments of that same pot. A broken gin-flask had found its way even here, and this he proceeded to fill, using the half shell of a nara as a ladle. The liquid had a soft unpleasant taste, and was neither cool nor refreshing. It is said that, having once found water at the depth of four to six feet, if you break through a thin stratum of clay the water leaks out, and you have to dig fifteen or sixteen more before you again reach it. The waters of the