Chapter Iii. Unless These Misdoings Could Be Stopped, My Journey Would

soon come to an end. The Damaras believed that I and my party were merely Hottentots in disguise, and acting as spies. To make a long story short, I took Hans and two intelligent men and rode on ox-back to Jonker himself, and rated him soundly, in English first, to relieve my mind, and then in Dutch through my interpreters, brandishing my paper with the big seal, and thoroughly frightened him. Arrangements, which I cannot go into now, were made for a meeting between myself and the other Namaqua chiefs, and ultimately a modus vivendi was secured, which lasted all the time I was in the country and for a while afterwards.

These negotiations occupied fully three months, during which every nerve was strained to get the expedition into readiness to start. Andersson, Hans, and nearly all the men had gone down with the cart and newly-bought oxen to Station No. 1, whence they brought back the two wagons most successfully, though having first to break in the oxen. Then, whilst Andersson was encamped at Station No. 2, I rode with Hans to the mountain stronghold of the Ghou Damup, Erongo. Finally, in March, I made my start northwards from the place where Station No. 3 formerly stood, every step being henceforth through new country.