CHAPTER IX.

BARMEN-THUNDER-STORM IN THE TROPICS-A MAN KILLED BY LIGHTNING -WARM SPRING-MR. HAHN: HIS MISSIONARY LABOR; SEED SOWN IN EXCEEDING STONY GROUND-THE LAKE OMANBONDÈ-MR. GALTON'S MISSION OF PEACE-THE AUTHOR MEETS A LION BY THE WAY; THE BEAST BOLTS SINGULAR CHASE OF A GNOO-" KILLING TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE"- -A LION HUNT-THE AUTHOR ESCAPES DEATH BY A MIRACLECONSEQUENCES OF SHOOTING ON A SUNDAY.

AT a first glance, Barmen has a rather dreary aspect. Hans thought it resembled many of the most desolate parts of Iceland; but when more closely examined, it is found to be by no means devoid either of interest or beauty. It is situated about three-quarters of a mile from the Swakop, and on its right bank. Towards the west, and immediately behind the station, rise irregular masses of low, broken rocks, ending abruptly on one side in a bluff, about one thousand feet high. The whole are covered with a profusion of shrubs, and several species of thorn-trees of the genus acacia, which, during the greater part of the year, assume every shade of green. To the eastward, it faces the Swakop, the course of which is conspicuously marked by the handsome black-stemmed mimosa. Beyond this, the view is limited by a noble range of picturesque mountains, rising between six and seven thousand feet above the level of the sea. These receive additional interest from being more or less a continuation of those mighty chains which take their rise a very few miles from Cape-Town-thus extending, in a direct line, about one thousand miles!

Within a stone's throw of the missionary-house, a turbulent mountain-stream winds its tortuous course. It flows, however,

76

A THUNDER-STORM IN THE

TROPICS.

only during heavy rains, when its great fall and violence prove very destructive to the native gardens.

About two years from the period of which I am now writing, I happened to be on a visit to Barmen, on which occasion I witnessed one of those extraordinary phenomena only to be seen. to perfection in tropical climes. One afternoon, heavy and threatening clouds suddenly gathered in the eastern horizon; the thunder rolled ominously in the distance; and the sky was rent by vivid lightnings. Knowing, from long experience, its imports, we instantly set about placing everything under shelter that could be injured by the wet. This was hardly accomplished, when large, heavy drops of rain began to descend, and, in a few seconds, the sluice-gates of heaven appeared to have opened. The storm did not last above half-an-hour; but this short time was sufficient to convert the whole country into one sheet of water. The noise, moreover, caused by the river and a number of minor mountain-streams, as they rolled down their dark, muddy torrents in waves rising often as high as ten feet, was perfectly deafening. Gigantic trees, recently uprooted, and others in a state of decay, were carried away with irresistible fury, and tossed about on the foaming billows like so many straws. Every vestige of many gardens was swept away; and some of the native huts, which had been imprudently erected too close to the river, shared a similar fate. Indeed, it must have been a miniature deluge.

Wonderful, however, as are the sudden creation of these floods, the very short time they require to disappear is no less striking. An hour's sunshine is sometimes sufficient to transform flooded fields into a smiling landscape.

These commotions of the elements are of frequent occurrence in the tropics, during the rainy season. Soon after Mr. Galton's arrival at Barmen, there was a very heavy thunder-storm. One evening, as he and Mr. Hahn were conversing, they saw a Damara struck dead by lightning, within a hundred yards of where they stood.

Water was abundant at Barmen, and very good. Mr. Hahn had dug a large well in his own garden, which was of very great convenience and comfort, as the water thus obtained was always clean and wholesome. Within a couple of hundred paces of the dwelling-house there were, moreover, two copious fountains. One of these was a warm spring, the temperature being 157 degrees of Fahrenheit. By means of small channels this spring was made to irrigate a considerable portion of garden land, and was, also, of great use in seasoning timber. To the

THE MISSIONARIES

AND THE NATIVES.

77

laundress, besides, it was invaluable. During our stay at Barmen, we indulged freely in the unusual and uncommon luxury of a bath; but it proved somewhat relaxing.

Mr. Hahn was a Russian by birth, but had, for a number of years, devoted himself to the service of the German Rhenish Missionary Society, and was now using his best endeavors to convert the natives of this benighted land. At first he had settled among a tribe of Namaquas, under the powerful robberchief, Jonker Afrikaner, of whom presently. Finding, however, that these people infinitely preferred to cut the throats of their fellow-creatures, than to listen to his exhortations, and knowing, moreover, that several missionaries had already established themselves throughout various parts of Great Namaqua-land, he thought that he might use his influence to more advantage with the Damaras, amongst whom, therefore, he had pitched his tent. Messrs. Rath and Kolbé were his coadjutors in the good

cause.

Seeing that their best endeavors were of little avail without a proper knowledge of the Damara language, they worked hard in order to master it; but the difficulty was immense. At last, by the merest chance, they discovered the key to it; and, from that moment, they made rapid progress, so much so, that, in the course of a few years, Mr. Hahn was able to return to Germany, where he has compiled and published a grammar and dictionary.

On the first appearance of the missionaries in Damara-land, the natives were very reserved, and retired with their cattle into the interior. Being wholly dependent on them for supplies of live-stock, the settlers suffered great hardships and privations. Indeed, on more than one occasion, starvation stared them in the face; and they lived for a long time in a precarious way on such wild animals as their Hottentot servants managed to kill. The Damaras, moreover, probably judging others by themselves, conceived the idea that the missionaries had come into the country with some sinister object, and that it would be advisable to frustrate it. Accordingly, they assembled in great numbers within a few miles of Barmen, for the purpose of exterminating the new settlers. Their diabolical intentions. were, however, defeated by the counsel of one of their tribe. At the time of which I am now writing, Mr. Hahn and his coadjutors had completely succeeded in pacifying and conciliating the Damaras, and a great number of the poorer classes were now living at the station, where, by a little industry and perseverance, many managed to live in tolerable comfort. The great

78

THE LAKE OMANBONDE.

source of their wealth consisted in the cultivation of tobacco, which here grew to perfection-the leaves of this plant often attaining the size of three feet by two. What they did not consume themselves was bartered for cattle to their wealthier countrymen.

Here, however, their civilization seemed to be at a stand-still. The missionaries were laudably and strenuously exerting themselves in their behalf; but, as yet, they had met with little or no encouragement. To the mind of a Damara, the idea of men visiting them solely from love and charity, is utterly inconceivable. They cannot banish a suspicion that the motives of the stranger must be interested; and they not unfrequently require a bribe in return for any services they may render to the missionary cause. As an instance of the utter failure of religious zeal in these parts, I may mention, that Mr. Hahn, who is liked and respected by the natives, never succeeded, as he himself told me, in converting a single individual! In one instance, however, he imagined that he had made a convert; but, before the individal in question could be finally admitted as a member of the Christian church, it was necessary that he should give satisfactory answers to certain questions. One of these was, whether, according to the usages of Christianity, he would be contented with one wife. To this, the man replied, that, though he was very anxious to oblige Mr. Hahn and his friends personally, and to further the objects of the mission in every way possible, yet his conscience would not permit him to make so great a sacrifice as that required.

The wealthy Damaras were even more indifferent to spiritual matters than their poorer brethren; and, if they happened to visit any of the stations, it was not for the purpose of hearing the gospel preached, but either in the hope of protection against their enemies, or with a view to business by bartering tobacco, ironware, and so forth. One exception to this rule was found in the case of the chief Kahichenè, who had settled, with part of his tribe, at Schmelen's Hope.

Mr. Galton had not been idle during my absence. Besides collecting much interesting information with regard to the Damaras and the Namaquas, he had ascertained the existence of a fresh-water lake, called Omanbondè. This had the effect of raising our spirits considerably. We had landed at Walfisch Bay with a very vague idea as to our route, and had hitherto felt quite at a loss how to act.

To enable us to reach Omanbondè, it was necessary to pass through Damara-land, which was totally unknown to Europe

ans. Even the missionaries, who had resided several years on the frontiers, were ignorant of the country beyond a very few miles of their stations. The Damaras themselves entertained the most extravagant notions of its extent, population, and fertility. The people, however, were known to be inhospitable, treacherous, suspicious, and inimical to strangers. It had always been considered insecure to travel amongst them; but more particularly so at this time, since their southern neighbors, the Namaquas, attracted by their vast herds, had lately made several extensive raids upon them, killing the people and carrying off large numbers of cattle, sheep, etc. They believed, and with some show of reason, that every individual of a light complexion was leagued against them. They well knew that the cattle stolen from them by their enemies, the Namaquas, were sold to European traders, and they knew also, that, if by accident or design, the cattle belonging to the missionaries, or other white men, were stolen by the thievish people in question, they were always restored on application. This, together with the fact that an European could pass unmolested through the Namaqua territory, strengthened them in the conviction that we were enemies in disguise.

In order, therefore, to clam their excited feelings, to assure them of our friendly and peaceable intentions, and to explain to them the real motive of our journey, Mr. Galton had dispatched messengers to the principal Damara chiefs. He also wrote to Jonker Afrikaner (having previously sent messengers to him while at Richterfeldt) remonstrating with him on the barbarity and injustice of his conduct. Jonker is a leading chieftain amongst the Namaqua-Hottentots. He headed in person the greater part of the marauding expeditions into Damara-land.

Having spent a few days agreeably and usefully at Barmen, we prepared to return to our camp at Richterfeldt; but when the day of departure had arrived, I felt very feverish, and Galton was obliged to prosecute his journey without me. In a short time, however, I was able to follow.

On riding briskly along, early one morning, I observed, as I thought, a solitary zebra a few hundred yards in advance. Instantly alighting, and leaving "Spring" to take care of himself, I made towards the quarry, gun in hand, under cover of a few small trees. Having proceeded for some distance, I peeped cautiously from behind a bush, when I found, to my astonishment, that the animal which I had taken for a zebra was nothing less than a noble lion. He was quietly gazing at I must confess I felt a little startled at the unexpected