The following is the result of the Examination of the Hottentot
Venus - |
27th. Nov. 1810 |
She does not know when she left her native place she being
very young when she came to the Cape: the Brother of her late
Master, Peter Cæsar, brought her to the Cape: She came
with her own consent with Peter Cæsar and was taken into
the service of Henrick Cæsar as his nursery maid; She
came by her own consent to England and was promised half of
the money for exhibiting her person - She agreed to come to
England for a period of six years; She went personally to the
Government in Company with Henrick Cæsar to ask permission
to go to England: Mr Dunlop promised to send her back after
that period at his own expence and to send the money belonging
to her with her - She is kindly treated and has every thing
she wants; Has no complaints to make against her Master or those
that exhibit her: is perfectly happy in her present situation:
has not desire whatever of returning to her own country not
even for the purpose of seeing her two Brothers and four Sisters:
wishes to stay here because she likes the Country and has money
given her by her Master of a Sunday when she rides about in
a Coach for a couple of hours - Her father was in the habit
of going with Cattle from the interior to the Cape and was killed
in one of those Journeys by the "Bosmen". her mother
died twenty years ago she has a Child by a Drummer at the Cape
with whom she lived for about two years yet being always in
the employ of Henrick Cæsar; the child is since dead -
She is to receive one half of the money received for exhibiting
herself and Mr. Dunlop the other half - She is not desirous
of changing her present situation - no personal violence or
threats have been used by any individual against her; she has
two Black Boys to wait upon her: One of the men assists her
in the morning when she is nearly compleatly attired for the
purpose of fastening the ribbon round her waist - her dress
is too cold and ˆ she has complained of this to Henrick
Cæsar who promised her warmer Cloathes; Her Age she says
to be twenty two and that her stay at the Cape was three years
- To the various questions we put to her whether if she chose
at any time to discontinue her person being exhibited, She might
do so, we could not draw a satisfactory Answer from her - She
understands very little of the Agreement made with her by Mr.
Dunlop on the twenty ninth October 1810 - and which Agreement
She produced to us - The time of Examination lasted for about
three hours - and the questions put to her were put in such
a language as to be understood by her. - and these Deponents
say they were informed by the said female that she could neither
read or write. - |
S Jolly |
J[oh]no Geo[rge] Moojen |
Kings Bench - |
Samuel Jolly of Bridge Now Cannon Street London Merchant and
John George Moojen of Crutched Friars London Merchant severally
make oath and say And first this Deponent Samuel Jolly for himself |
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