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DEPART FROM OKAMABUTI-VISIT FROM A LION.

CHAPTER XV.

Depart from Okamabuti.—Visit from a Lion.-Amulets.-Revisit Baboon Fountain.-Otjikoto; a wonderful Freak of Nature; Remarkable Cavern.-Natives unacquainted with the Art of Swimming. Fish abundant in Otjikoto; frequented by immense Flocks of Doves.-Panic of the Ovambo on seeing Birds shot on the Wing. -Arrive at Omutjamatunda. -A greasy Welcome.-Ducks and Grouse numerous.-Author finds himself somewhat "overdone.""Salt-pans."-All "look Blue."-A second Paradise.-Hospitable Reception.-Vegetation.-People live in Patriarchal Style.-Population.-Enormous Hogs.—Arrive at the Residence of the redoubtable Nangoro.

IN conversation with the Ovambo, we learned that Nangoro's werft was distant at least a fortnight's steady travel. We therefore felt anxious for the speedy return of the trading parties, in order that we might prosecute or journey; but they tarried longer than we had expected. By degrees, however, they reassembled at Tjopopa's werft, having brought about two hundred head of cattle, the result of their trade.

On the 22d of May Chikor'onkombè, their leader, announced that every thing was in readiness for a start; and, as we ourselves had long been prepared, the caravan set out that very afternoon.

We bivouacked at one of Tjopopa's cattle-posts, only a few hours' journey from Okamabuti, and had just finished dinner, when all at once our people rushed toward the fire with cries of "Ongeama! ongeama!"

And so it was. A lion had, it seems, been crouched in the bush within twenty paces of our camp, in readiness to spring on the cattle that were scattered about; but as one of the men who was in search of fuel had fortunately discovered him, the beast retreated. He was evidently much dis

AMULETS- -LARGE CARAVAN.

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pleased at being thus foiled, and kept growling in the distance during the remainder of the night. The following morning, on meeting one of the Ovambo, I inquired whether they also had been troubled by the lion, to which he only replied by pointing to a piece of wood-a charm of some kind— hung round his neck, as much as to say, "Do you think that any thing can hurt us or our cattle, with this in our possession?"

The Damaras have also great faith in amulets, consisting generally of the teeth of lions and hyænas, entrails of ani mals, pieces of certain kinds of wood, and so forth. Our native servants, indeed, before leaving Okamabuti, had pu:chased, for a few iron beads, several charms from Tjopopa's favorite wife, and, thus provided, conceived themselves proof against every danger and calamity.

On the 24th we again found ourselves at Otjikango ("Baboon Fountain"). By this time our caravan was complete, as straggling parties of natives had continued to join us; and we found to our astonishment that, including ourselves, we mustered one hundred and seventy souls. Of this number were no less than seventy or eighty Damara women, bent on various speculations—some in hope of obtaining employment, some to get husbands, and others with a view of disposing of their shell bodices, spoken of in chapter four. The latter, as we afterward found, are taken to pieces by the Ovambo women, and worn in strings round the waist. In exchange, the Damaras receive beads, tobacco, corn, &c.

The country between Okamabuti and Otjikango we found well watered with copious springs, and covered with a rank vegetation. Otjikango itself, being situated in a valley between high and steep hills, was not unpicturesque. It was well supplied with water, which in several places oozed out of a kind of vley or marsh—in the rainy season undoubtedly a little lake. We lost no time here, but were again on the move at an early hour on the succeeding morning.

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отлкотO FOUNTAIN.

After a day and a half travel we suddenly found ourselves on the brink of Otjikoto, the most extraordinary chasm it was ever my fortune to see. It is scooped, so to say, out of the solid limestone rock, and, though on a thousand times larger scale, not unlike the Elv-gryta one so commonly meets in Scandinavia. The form of Otjikoto is cylindrical; its diameter upward of four hundred feet, and its depth, as we ascertained by the lead-line, two hundred and fifteen-that is,

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at the sides, for we had no means of plumbing the middle, but had reason to believe the depth to be pretty uniform throughout. To about thirty feet of the brink it is filled with water.*

* Shortly before reaching "Baboon Fountain" I should remark that, at a place called Orujo, we saw a cavity of a similar shape, though on an infinitely smaller scale. It consisted of a circular-shaped basin in the limestone rock ninety feet in diameter by thirty in depth. As it

OTJIKOTO-REMARKABLE CAVERN.

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Otjikoto, “one of the most wonderful of Nature's freaks," is situated at the northern extremity of those broken hills which take their rise in the neighborhood of Okamabuti, and in the midst of a dense coppice. So effectually is it hidden from view, that a person might pass within fifty paces of it without being aware of its existence. Owing to its steep and rugged sides, cattle have not access to the water; and even a man can only approach this enormous well by means of a steep and slippery footpath. No perceptible difference could be observed in the height of the water; and the Ovambo informed us that, as long as they and their fathers remembered, it had always been the same. It is difficult to imagine how or whence Otjikoto receives its supplies. A spacious cavern, only visible and accessible from the water, may possibly be the grand reservoir.

After gratifying our curiosity, Galton and myself, standing in need of a bath, plunged head foremost into the profound abyss. The natives were utterly astounded. Before reaching Otjikoto, they had told us that if a man or beast was so unfortunate as to fall into the pool, he would inevitably perish. We attributed this to superstitious notions; but the mystery was now explained. The art of swimming was totally unknown in these regions. The water was very cold, and, from its great depth, the temperature is likely to be the same throughout the year.

We swam into the cavern to which allusion has just been made. The transparency of the water, which was of the deepest sea-green, was remarkable; and the effect produced in the watery mirror by the reflection of the crystallized walls and roof of the cavern appeared very striking and beautiful. In this mysterious spot, two owls and a great number of bats had taken up their abode. On approaching

was dry at the time, we ascertained that the bottom was flat, or nearly so. In various other places we also met with similar basins, but on a still smaller scale than Orujo.

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some of the latter, which I saw clinging to the rocks, I found, to my surprise, that they were dead, and had probably been for many years; at least they had all the appearance of

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mummies.

Otjikoto contained an abundance of fish somewhat resembling perch, but those we caught were not much larger than one's finger. One day we had several scores of these little creatures for dinner, and very palatable they proved.

In the morning and evening Otjikoto was visited by an incredible number of doves, some of which were most delicately and beautifully marked. On such occasions the wood resounded with their cooing; but when disturbed, as they frequently were, by the invasion of a hawk, the noise caused by their precipitate flight was like that of a sudden rush of wind.

Many Bushmen resided near Otjikoto, and, as every where else in these regions, they lived on excellent terms with the Ovambo, to whom they brought copper ore for sale, which they obtained from the neighboring hills. Indeed, as our acquaintance with the Ovambo increased, we were more and more favorably impressed with their character. They treated all men equally well, and even the so much despised Hottentots ate out of the same dish and smoked out of the same pipe as themselves.

We only staid a day at Otjikoto. The next morning, after a few hours' travel, we lost sight of all landmarks, and were now making our way through dense thorn coppices, which harassed and delayed us exceedingly. To say nothing of tearing our clothes to rags, they now and then extracted some article from the saddle-bags. Of the regular Ovambo caravan route all traces had been obliterated, and we now first began to understand and appreciate the difficulties that would have beset us had we tried to prosecute the journey alone. Indeed, without the most experienced guides, it would have been an utterly hopeless task. The wateringplaces, moreover, were very few, and scattered over an immense extent of country, which was dreary in the extreme.

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