1812. 
A BACHAPIN BEAUTY. 
485 
copper ear-drops in her left ear, and a brass button in her right. 
Round her neck hung several folds of thick cord * made from the 
sinews and entrails of animals, and a necklace formed of many thin 
strings neatly twisted of the inner bark of the acacia. Her hair was 
copiously adorned with sibilo ; but below the part which has the ap- 
pearance of a cap, some portion was to be seen of its natural color 
and appearance. The engraving of the face has been done with suf- 
cient care to render unnecessary any particular description of her 
features, or of the expression of her countenance, which was, in 
the living person, exceedingly pleasing and innocent : her manners 
were mild and, in my presence at least, rather reserved. 
Her father, who was much pleased at ray drawing her portrait, 
seemed desirous that I should write down her name correctly, and 
repeated, as I wrote, mossdrri o Morrupi, Massisdn, (Morrupi's wife 
Massisan). From which it may be seen that she was already 
betrothed, although not yet of an age to take care of her husband's 
house, who in the mean time had, probably, one or two other wives. 
The custom of bespeaking wives while they are still children, obtains 
among the Bichuanas, as among the Bushmen and perhaps other 
Hottentot tribes. It thus happens that an unmarried women is a 
rare occurrence, and a man without a wife, is still more rare. 
As a reward for Massisan's patience and good temper, I tied 
round her neck, with a piece of pink ribbon, a pretty necklace of 
black and gilt beads ; a present which, in her eyes, appeared of the 
highest value. 
During the whole time, I was overlooked by a crowd of men 
and women who, without considering that I was then occupied, kept 
almost incessantly asking me to exhibit Mollemmis porii'ait ; and 
those who had seen it but an hour before, wished to see it again. 
As soon as I was at leisure, I was compelled to open the book to 
them : I had scarcely shut it, after one party had seen the portrait, 
* Of the same nature as those which have been already described at page 209. of this 
volume. 
