The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

72 SOUTH AND EAST AFEICA.The chiefs, who in other respects enjoy very little personal authority, are heldto be owners of all the cattle. According as they grow rich, the nvimber of theirsubjects increases with the increase of their herds, and as they become poor theirsubjects melt away from around them. Thus the wealth of the chief constitutesthe only bond of the tribe, although the Hereros have full consciousness of theircommon national origin. Hence the political divisions are subject to constantchange ;but what never change are the centres of population, the life of the tribeever gravitating round about the watering-places of the herds. Like those of thepetty Ova-Mbo kings, the domains of the several Herero rulers are separated onefrom the other by intervening tracts of scrub or rocks, neutral ground neverencroached upon by the conterminous tribes except in case of invasion.But thesedreaded border-lands form the camping- grounds of Hottentot or Bantu marauders,ever on the watch to carry off stray cattle.Amongst the Hereros is also found a cattleless proletariate class, men unattachedto the fortunes of any rich owner of herds, and who live on the chase,or lead a roaming adventuresome existence.Such are the Ova-Tjimbas, kinsmenof the Ba-Simbas (Cimbebas), who camp for the most part in the north-easterndistricts near the Ova-Mbos. On all points connected with the tenure of land,the practices are essentially communistic. The soil is absolutely unalienable, andthe expulsion of the Catholic missionaries in 1879 must be attributed rather totheir imi^rudent propositions regarding the purchase of land, than to the jealousj'of their Protestant rivals. The Hereros are in any case well aware, from theexample of Cape Colony, that wherever the whites gain a footing, the nativessoon cease to rule the land.Nevertheless, with all their precautions, they cannotescape the fate in store for them. The Germans being henceforth their " protectors,"they will be unable to refuse acceptance of the new laws of property,which will be so framed as to plunder them to the profit of the stranger.The Hill Damaras and Namaquas.The Ova-Zorotus, or " Highland Damaras," are so-named by the Boers todistinguish them from the " Damaras of the Plains." They comprise all thosetribes which preserved their independence and took refuge on the summit of theplateaux, especially the isolated table mountains surrounded on all sides by steepescarpments. According to Galton these Damaras call themselves Hau Damop("True Damaras"), or else Hau Kho'in, "True Khoi'n," that is to say, Hottentots.But so far from belonging to thisrace, Galton regards them as akin to the Ova-Mbos, whom they still resemble in their physical appearance and social usages,although much deteriorated by misery and slaver}'. If most of them speak aHottentot dialect, the fact should perhaps be attributed to their isolation in themidst of rulers of Khoi'n race. They now belong to other masters, thus fullyjustifying the designation of Dama, whicb according to several writers has themeaning of " Vanquished."Of small size, weak and slender frame, and resembling the Bushmen, with whom