We are ordered to return.—Hesitation.—The Slave dealings here.—Future of Ovampo-land.—A Field for Missionaries.—Best way of getting there.—Slavery and Servitude.—Giving Men away.—Arrange my Packs.—Start Homeward.—Leave Ondonga.—The Oxen suffer severely.—Reach Okamabuti.—The Waggons are safe.—Start for Omaramba.—Okavarè.—Elephants visit us.—Ice every night.—Pass Omagundè.—Reach Barmen. On one occasion Nangoro told me that he would send Chik back with me to my country. I promised to take him as far as that of the Hottentots, where he could see some of my countrymen; but that my country was so far off, that if he went to it, he would never find his way back again; besides, it was cold, and he would die there; so it was agreed that Chik should go back with me to Barmen. I was very glad of this arrangement, as I wanted to obtain fuller information from him than I possessed. I wished to make a small vocabulary of the language of the Ovampo, and learn something more than I could observe of their manners and customs; but here in Ovampo-land Chik would scarcely answer a single question. He constantly replied, “You must not ask these things; Nangoro will think that you want to take away his life.” And he became quite sulky if he was pressed. Indeed, I have no conception to this day whether or no the Ovampo have any religion, for Chik was frightened and angry if the subject of death was alluded to. My articles of exchange were now reduced to a few handfuls of beads; and I could not stay longer in the country. A man can no more travel without things of exchange here than he can without money in England. I therefore insisted upon being allowed to leave Ondonga, where my cattle were dying by inches, and where I was eating up my food, and could afford to stay no longer; and I begged hard for a guide to take me on to the river, or to some place where I should find pasturage and game. _June 13th._—Nangoro sent me word “that day I might buy and sell; that the next day I must come and take leave of him; and the day after that I must go back to Damara-land.”