168 
HANNAH. 
18, 19 JuxVE, 
plexion, like that of all her race, was of a tawny buff or fawn color ; 
such as a painter might imagine that of a Guinea negro would be, if 
half washed off, and a light tint of ochre put over the remainder. Her 
age was probably about thirty, though she had the appearance of 
being much older. Her figure was not quite so small as the general 
size of her country-women ; yet the hands and feet were little. Her 
manners were heavy and lifeless, with a countenance indicating a 
dull and stupid mind ; while her features were as little handsome 
as those of her husband. Her eyes unfurnished with eyebrows, 
were small and set very obliquely ; that is, instead of the four corners 
being in the same horizontal line, imaginary lines, drawn through 
both corners of each eye, would intersect as low down as the middle 
of the nose. From one cheek bone to the other, the space was 
uniformly flat, the ridge of the nose being scarcely elevated enough 
to be perceivable. The end of this organ was wide and depressed, 
the nostrils seeming as if squeezed out of shape ; but the mouth 
and thick lips pouted out much beyond it. The chin was long 
and forward, and exceedingly pointed and narrow : this narrow- 
ness of the lower part of the face, being one of the distinguishing 
features of the Hottentot race. Her short black woolly hair was 
entirely concealed by a handkerchief bound tight round her head ; 
a custom followed by every one, who is able to procure it, whether 
male or female ; but particularly by the women, who, conscious that 
their hair is no ornament, seem desirous of concealing a mark by 
which they think their inferiority to the colonists is more evidently 
pointed out. She wore a coarse linen dress made in the Dutch 
fashion, and shoes of raw hide covered her feet. 
Fearing that she would be unable to bear the fatigue of so 
laborious a journey, or that she might become rather an incumbrance 
than a serviceable addition to our number, I at first objected to her 
coming with us ; but as her husband begged earnestly that she might 
be permitted to go with him, and as she engaged to make herself useful 
in cooking and washing, I consented to add a lady to our party. 
Ko sooner was this arrangement made, and Speelman's ragged 
