It is a thickly populated country. Bushmen and poor Ovaheros are scattered over this region, which with the tribes have already been described. There are no mission stations, but the people are friendly, honest, and hospitable, and travelling through the country in the rainy season is not so difficult. In the dry season there are many parts which cannot be visited. The produce of Ovampoland is brought down by traders to Walfish Bay. Some few Portuguese travel through it from the Portuguese settlement, their merchandise and themselves being carried by slaves. Along the Ovampo river there are many extensive vleis; some retain their water throughout the year, others are partially dry. The Otjihero tribe have many wherfs along the river, and on the banks of the vleis, under petty chiefs, who are almost independent. Extensive open grass plains, and portions thickly wooded, fine timber trees, and beautiful flowers. The cotton-plant is indigenous, and if cultivated the country might become a valuable district. Between this and the Cubango the Batibe tribe is found. The natives hunt the leopard, panthers, and the lynx with dogs. Wild dogs or African wolves go in large droves and roam the country; they are seen in packs of 200 and upwards. In one of the low-lying swampy pans or pools I witnessed a novel sight late at night; nearly one hundred elephants came to drink, and seven giraffes. The latter have difficulty in bringing their heads down to water. To enable them to do this where the water is shallow they spread out their fore-legs as wide apart as possible, and then bring their long necks down to enable their mouths to reach the water. A full-grown bull-giraffe measures eighteen feet in height. The front legs six feet, six feet at the shoulder, and the neck six feet. When galloping, their unwieldy movements, throwing their heads on each side, give them a strange appearance. Although they seem to move slowly, they get over an immense extent of ground in a short time. I have had some difficulty when in the saddle to keep pace with them; they are as timid as lambs. I have ridden for some distance abreast of several at different times within a few yards before I could get a shot; that is the time when their size becomes apparent; and when they fall, after receiving a vital bullet, the sight is grand; but at the same time it is painful to think that such noble animals should be killed to keep the pot. Lions sometimes kill them, by springing on their back, seizing the upper part of their shoulder with their mouth, and with one of their hind legs bury their powerful claws into the flank, tearing open the side. This soon cripples them, and they fall with a crash, the lion still holding on; frequently their skeletons are found on the open plain.