In consequence of a representation sent by Sir James Alexander to two Missionary societies, stations were formed at Jonker’s head-quarters; and, in 1840, he had been so far influenced, that he agreed to leave the Damaras at rest, and to take care that the other Hottentots should do the same, for he had become by far the most important chief among them all. The way in which peace was made and kept for three years was highly creditable to the missionaries concerned in it; a great deal of trade was carried on in Jonker’s werft. A blacksmith’s shop was put up there, and iron things, assegais, choppers for cutting wood, beads, and so forth, were made in great quantities and sold for cattle, which again were exchanged with traders from the Cape for clothes, guns, and such-like things. But this did not long last; the traders sold their goods on credit; Jonker and the others became deeply in debt, and as the only way of paying it off involved themselves once again in the endless Damara quarrels. It appeared that one Damara chief and his tribe had been invited to a feast, and when these were attacked, and nearly all killed, Jonker after much persuasion got a commando together to revenge the injured party, and started. Once on a raid, the Hottentots did not much care whom they attacked, and began by robbing a werft under Kasheua, who had nothing to do with the matter in question, drove off their cattle, and rode after the natives—men, women, and children, shooting them down in all directions; this he repeated elsewhere till a large herd of cattle were brought together, and then he returned. Cornelius’s tribe of Hottentots hearing of Jonker’s success, followed his example; they rode in a friendly way to one of Kahikenè’s villages, (Mr. Kolbe’s friend at Schmelen’s Hope) and as the Damaras were employed in bringing them milk after the usual fashion, they attacked them and massacred all they could. From this time up to the Schmelen’s Hope affair, nothing else had occurred but fightings and retaliations between the Namaquas and Damaras. I have the details in full of many of them, but they are all alike, with little more than the name and place varied. The consequence is, that although the Namaquas have no trade whatever with the Damaras, a steady export of Damara oxen goes on southwards to our colony in droves of from 200 to 800 head of cattle, which are bought here with far too little inquiry as to how they have been obtained. In fact I am assured in every quarter that of late years the news of a trader’s waggon being on the road has been the signal for a general raid upon the Damaras.