180 DOMESTIC ANIMALS-DISEASES OF CATTLE. approach to civilization ?) or captured bushmen. The former are seized upon when children, and mostly employed as herds men. The Damaras have numerals up to a hundred; notwithstanding which, they are sorely puzzled should the sum exceed the number of fingers. They count like bad poets, who settle their metre by their digits. It is a most amusing sight to witness a group trying to reckon a dozen head of cattle. Though they give names to many of the heavenly bodies, they have a very absurd conception of their character, rotatory motion, and so forth. Thus, many imagine that the sun which sets at night is different from that which rises in the morning. Like the children who wondered what was done with the old moons, perhaps these savages are equally perplexed to ascertain what becomes of the old suns. The domestic animals indigenous to the country are oxen, sheep, and dogs. The latter greatly resemble those mentioned as existing among the Namaquas; but-be it said to the honor of the Damaras-they take much more care of these associates and companions of man than their southern neighbors. Indeed, I have known them to pay as much as two fine oxen for a dog. Of the Damara cattle I shall have occasion to speak hereafter. The sheep are (or rather were) plentiful, and the mutton is by no means bad. Though somewhat spare-looking, they furnish good joints when cut up. Skin and offal included, they not unfrequently weigh 100 lbs., and sometimes as much as 110 to 120 lbs. They have large tails like those of the Cape Colony, but they do not arrive at such a formidable size. They have no wool; but a kind of short, glossy hair (lying close to the skin) covers the body. The greatest peculiarity of these animals is their color, which is of every hue and tint. Cattle are subject to several diseases. The most common and dangerous is that which affects the throat, and which invariably proves fatal. Cataracts on the eye, frequently followed by blindness and swelling of the feet, are also very common ailments. Sheep often die from the blood conglomerating in divers places under the skin, which is called the "blood-sickness." It is even asserted that man is affected by this disease (sometimes from partaking the flesh of the infected animal), and that the only thing to save him under such circumstances is instantly to cut away the parts affected. CHAPTER XIX. SHOOTING BY NIGHT AT THE DISPATCH A MESSENGER TO CAPE-TOWN-DEPART FROM BARMEN-EIKHAMS ES THE Vessel which brought the missionary stores to Walfisch Bay every second year, was expected in December, and, by this opportunity, we hoped to be able to return to Europe, or at least to the Cape. In order, however, to insure a passage, Mr. Galton dispatched a messenger to his banker in Cape-town, to make the needful arrangements. In the mean time, as we had still several months on our hands, Galton resolved to employ the interval in making an excursion to the eastward, partly with the view of penetrating to the Lake Ngami, our original object, and partly to become better acquainted with great Namaqualand and its semi-civilized inhabitants. Moreover, the prospect of good sport with the larger game, which every one said we were sure to meet with in abundance, was a further inducement to undertake the journey. It was arranged that Hans should proceed to Walfisch Bay with one of the vehicles to fetch the remainder of the stores, etc., whilst Galton and myself, with the other wagon, prose 182 DEPART FROM BARMEN-EIK HAMS. cuted our journey to the eastward. A rendezvous having been appointed where Hans was to meet us, we left Barmen in the afternoon of the 12th of August. In about three days we reached Eikhams, the residence, as already said, of Jonker Afrikaner, where my friend, before finally leaving the country, was anxious to settle certain disputes between the native tribes. Eikhams is very prettily situated on the slope of a hill, bare at the summit, but at its base adorned with very fine groups of mimosas, among which a tributary to the Swakop winds its course. It was the only spot in South Africa where I ever saw anything resembling a twilight. This was produced from the reflection of the setting sun on the peaks of the picturesque mountain-ranges, by which it is almost entirely surrounded. Eikhams is abundantly supplied with water from three or four copious springs, and, the site of these springs being elevated, the land in the lower ground is easily irrigated. The natives construct gardens, wherein they grow many sorts of vegetables, some of which arrive at perfection. The soil is exceedingly fertile, and seems well suited to the cultivation of tobacco. Taking it as a whole, Eikhams is the prettiest place I ever saw either in Damara-land or Namaqua-land. About twenty minutes' walk from Eikhams is a bountiful hot spring. The water, just where it gushes out from the limestone-rock, has a temperature of 194 degrees of Fahrenheit. Mr. Hahn informed me that here, on one occasion, he boiled a piece of meat, and that, though not quite so good as when dressed in the ordinary manner, it was not unpalatable. Eikhams, as already said, was formerly a Rhenish missionary station. It was founded as far back as 1843 by the Rev. C. H. Hahn, resident at New Barmen in Damara-land. After a time, however, it was given up to the Wesleyan society, which sent Mr. Haddy to reside there. This gentleman erected an excellent dwelling-house, and a most substantial church. For a while the mission flourished, but was latterly abandoned, and the station is now rapidly falling into decay. This, I am sorry to say, has been the fate of many other institutions of a similar nature in Southern Africa. Amongst other gifts, Mr. Galton presented Jonker with a splendid cocked hat and richly gilt uniform. A court dress, in fact, that had once probably adorned the person of some great man when paying his respects to majesty, and with which the African chief expressed himself highly gratified. Being desirous of obtaining a likeness of so famous a personage as Afrikaner, I requested him one day to put on this costume, and allow me to take his portrait. He good-naturedly consented to my solicitation, and on the following morning appeared duly appareled. We rather expected to have a laugh at him, since his gait and figure were somewhat unprepossessing; but we were disappointed. He marched up to his seat with as much. ease and dignity as if he were familiar with the usage of courts. During our stay at Eikhams, we became acquainted with a Mr. Eyebrecht, formerly in the missionary employ, but now Jonker's right-hand man. In addition to excellent English and Dutch, he spoke the Namaqua and the Damara tongues rather fluently. As he was well-acquainted with the country, Mr. Galton secured his services for our tour to the eastward, and he proved of the greatest assistance. On arriving at Eikhams, Mr. Galton imagined that his business with Jonker would soon be arranged; but in this part of the 184 ELEPHANT FOUNTAIN. world expedition is not the order of the day, and we were therefore so long delayed as to prevent our departure until the 30th of August. WILD BOAR'S HEAD. In the course of our journey, we encountered a great number and variety of wild animals, and consequently our larder was well supplied. Indeed, in a few hours, on a certain night, I bagged no less than three hartebeests, two pallahs, and five zebras, and, had I felt inclined, might have shot double this number. We also observed a few wild boars. After a fortnight's harassing travel, we arrived at Elephant Fountain, formerly a Wesleyan missionary station. It was founded in 1847 by the Rev. Mr. Tindal; but had of late years been abandoned in consequence of a destructive fever, which carried off many of the natives. Even the few Europeans, settled there, suffered severely. It was situated within the territory of the chief, Amral, who was born and bred in the Cape-Colony, and, if I am not misinformed, was raised to his present dignity partly through missionary influence. Elephant Fountain is chiefly inhabited by Hill-Damaras, who cultivate extensive gardens of tobacco, etc. Game was abundand thereabouts, but we had not then time to look after it. From Elephant Fountain, eastward, the country was represented as very sandy and bushy; and, as our oxen were in a very indifferent condition, we determined to leave the wagon behind in charge of John Mortar, the cook, and to prosecute our journey with pack-and-ride oxen. Amral, with a great number of the tribe, expressed a wish to accompany us, chiefly for the sake of the anticipated sport. As we traveled on, we were joined by Lambert, his son, and other Namaquas, with their attendants, till at last our party amounted to several hundred individuals. |