332 FEMALE HEROISM. 



but it was some time before my curiosity was re- 

 warded. 



At length fortune favoured me, and in all my 

 journeyings I never saw a more perfectly developed 

 figure. At that time she was about fourteen years 

 of age, and, therefore, just entering into womanhood ; 

 her colour a rich brown, her skin possessed of a 

 lustrous polish and smoothness, ever indicative here 

 of good lineage and being well fed and cared for. 

 Where there is so little clothing worn, none of her 

 figure was concealed by drapery. Thus, I was 

 aware at a glance, that I looked upon a bust, waist, 

 and limbs that would have clone honour to any 

 artist's model. 



Her face, too, was remarkably attractive, her nose 

 being straight and thoroughly Grecian, eyes large 

 and brilliant, mouth possibly a trifle too full, while 

 her carriage was equal to the grace of the far-famed 

 belles of Andalusia. Alas ! all these charms had a 

 terrible obstacle to contend with : viz., an enormous 

 coiffure of black, frizzled hair, abundantly daubed 

 with mica and rancid butter. Here, as elsewhere, 

 young ladies engage in numerous games of romps, 

 the only peculiarity that I noted in the Bechuana 

 maidens being that they were a trifle more bois- 

 terous than their European sisters, and the subject 

 of my narrative appeared to out- Herod Herod in 

 hilarity and feats of activity. 



To say that these girls can run is scarcely suffi- 



