Hottentot Venus (19 page)

SWORN AFFIDAVITS

Zachary Macauley of Birchin Lane London Merchant, Thomas Gisborne Babington of the same place Merchant, and Peter Van Wageninge of Water Lane Thames Street London Gentleman. Severally make oath and say first this Deponent Zachary Macauley for himself saith that he is Secretary to an Institution called the African Institution the object of which is the civilization of Africa and the said Zachary Macauley having understood from different public advertisements and otherwise that a native of South Africa denominated the Hottentot Venus of a most extraordinary or unnatural shape was publicly exhibited for Money in Piccadilly . . . And these Deponents Peter Van Wageninge and Thomas Gisborne Babington say that the said female is called by the Exhibitor towards the persons standing round the stage and they are invited to feel her posterior parts to satisfy themselves that no art is practiced—And these Deponents Peter Van Wageninge and Thomas Gisborne Babington do verily believe from the dejected appearance of the said female and from the obedience which she pays to the commands of her Exhibitor that she is completely under restraint and control and is deprived of her liberty. And these Deponents further severally say that during the time they were present the said female at one time appeared very morose and sullen and retired into the little recess off the stage and appeared unwilling to come out again when called by the Exhibitor and the Exhibitor felt it necessary on that occasion to let down a curtain which when drawn separates the stage and little recess from the other part of the room. And this Deponent Thomas Gisborne Babington saith that the Exhibitor after the curtain was let down looked behind it and held up and shook his hand at her but without speaking and he soon afterward drew up the Curtain and again called her out to public view and she came forward again upon the stage. And these Deponents severally say they are informed and believe that the said female’s name is Saartjie and that the name of the person who has the possession of her is Hendrick Caesar—

[signed] Zachary Macauley
Thos. Gisborne Babington
P. Van Wageninge

—May it please the Court, I call to the stand Mr. Zachary Macauley.

Master Macauley took the stand, and while he was testifying to what he had seen at 225, I watched the face of the Reverend Wedderburn, who followed the testimony as if he himself were on the stand, squirming and muttering and repeating phrases and wringing his hands and rolling his eyes in disgust. I wondered why it was not he on the witness stand, defending me . . . rather than Master Macauley.

—And would you say, Mr. Macauley, that the woman in question was under duress and in physical danger . . .

—I definitely do believe she was under duress and threatened . . .

—Could you specify she . . .

—The Hottentot Venus . . .

—Her real name please.

—Sarah Baartman.

—Could you point her out to the Court.

—She’s sitting there.
(He pointed at me)

—Thank you, Mr. Macauley. You are dismissed.

—May it please the Court, I now read the affidavit established on November twenty-seventh, 1810, at the residence of Sarah Baartman in Duke Street, St. James’s Square, in the presence of Sir James Temple, Esquire, coroner of the Court, and the solicitors of each party without the presence of Mr. Dunlop and Mr. Caesar. And I call Sarah Baartman to the stand.

THE RESULT OF THE EXAMINATION OF
THE HOTTENTOT VENUS—
NOV. 27, 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 Caesar, brought her to the Cape: she came with her own consent with Peter Caesar and was taken into the service of Hendrick Caesar 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 Hendrick Caesar to ask permission to go to England: Mr. Dunlop promised to send her back after that period at his own expense [
sic
] and to send the money belonging to her with her—She is kindly treated and has everything she wants; Has no complaints to make against her master or those that exhibit her: is perfectly happy in her present situation: has no 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 four years yet being always in the employ of Hendrick Caesar; 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 completely attired for the purpose of fastening the Ribbon round her waist—her dress is too cold and she has complained of this to Hendrick Caesar who promised her warmer clothes; Her Age she says to be twenty-one 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.

[signed] S. Solly
Jn. Geo. Moojen

For the first time, Lord Ellenborough intervened:

Question: What is your name, age, and occupation?

—My name is Sarah Baartman. I am twenty-one years old, having left my homeland at the age of nine years old to come to the Cape as a slave to the Reverend Cecil Freehouseland. I returned home at age fourteen and married. When my husband was killed, I returned to the Cape when I was seventeen years old and I went to work as a children’s nurse for Mr. Peter Caesar, brother of one of my present employers. His brother, Mr. Hendrick Caesar, and Mr. Dunlop brought me to London with my own consent as his partner.

Question: Your occupation, then, is nursery maid?

—Yes, before I was taken into service by Mr. Dunlop.

Question: How did you arrive in England and how do you make your livinghere?

—I came by my own consent to England and was promised half of the money received for exhibiting my person just as I am . . .

Question: For what length of employment?

—Six years, sir.

Question: Did you receive permission from the governor of Cape Colony to
leave the colony as a protected person under the guardianship of the governor?

—I went myself to the governor’s house in Cape Town to ask permission to go to England with Master Dunlop.

Question: For how long was this arrangement to be for?

—Master Dunlop promised to send me back after six years at his own expense and to send at the same time all the money belonging to me.

Question: Do you have any complaints against Mr. Dunlop and Mr. Caesar
for harsh or inhuman or unfair treatment?

—I have no complaints to make against Master Caesar or Master Dunlop, sir.

Question: Would you characterize your situation as a happy one?

—I am happy in my present situation, sir.

Question: Would you like to go home? Return to your own country?

—I have no desire whatsoever to return to my own country, sir.

Question: You do have family? Two brothers and one sister, isn’t that so?
Wouldn’t you like to return to them?

—No, my two brothers are dead. I have not seen my sister since I was eight years old. She may be dead too.

Question: Why do you wish to remain in England?

—Because there is no slavery on English soil.

—Any other reason?

—I like the British Isles and wish to remain here in liberty and freedom with money given to me by my master to spend as I please.

Question: And what do you do with this money?

—I ride in coaches on Sundays. I shop on Bond Street and Oxford Street. I buy gloves.

Question: Tell me a bit about your background. Where do you come from?

—My father was a herdsman who was killed on Khoekhoe lands, where he had assembled his herd to go to the Xhoa market. He was killed by Boer raiders. My mother died almost eighteen years ago when I was an infant. I was married to a drummer, called Kx’au, with whom I lived for four years. I had one child, !Kung, who died a babe just after the murder of my husband.

Question: How much of the money do you receive for exhibiting yourself?

—I receive one half, and Master Dunlop and Master Caesar the other half.

Question: Are you desirous of changing your present situation?

—No, I am not.

Question: Have any threats or personal violence been used by Mr. Dunlop
or any individual against you?

—No violence has been used against me. At least, not by them . . .

Question: You are happy then?
he repeated.
You have no complaints to
make to the Court?

—I have no complaints. I have two servants to wait on me. They help me dress, I lied. However, my clothes are not those of my climate. I would like heavier, warmer clothes, but I have complained about this to Master Caesar and he has promised me warmer clothes.

Question: How long were you employed by Hendrick Caesar before you came
to England?

—Almost four years, at the Cape.

Question: Can you, if you choose, discontinue exhibiting yourself at any
time?

—I . . . have a sacred contract with Mr. Dunlop, to whom I have promised myself and certain things . . . as well as certain years of my life.

Question: Yes, but if you
choose,
can you refuse to continue with the exhibitionof your person, without fear of reprisals?

—I don’t understand the question.

Question:
(repeated)

—I have a contract.

Question: Do you understand the terms of your contract?

—Yes, I do.

Question: Have you read the terms of your contract?

—I can’t read or write.

Question: Then how can you say you understand the terms of your contract?

—It was read to me out loud in Dutch, which I understand, by the notary public, Master Guitard.

Question: When was the agreement drawn up?

—I don’t know.

Question: When was it read to you?

—I don’t remember, ah, it was read to me . . . yesterday.

Question: Only yesterday, November twenty-seventh, 1810?

—If you say so . . .

Question: But the agreement is dated October twenty-ninth, 1810. How do
you explain that?

—I don’t know. I can’t read. The contract was read to me. I believe Master Dunlop’s word that the contract will be honored . . . that this contract is sacred.

Question: Did any other person except Mr. Dunlop’s notary read or read to
you this . . . contract?

—I don’t believe so, but I don’t remember . . . I have no recollection.

Question: You understand we are here to help you. To ascertain the truth. Is
there anything you wish to add to your affidavit?

I wanted to say that for three hours you have bothered me with your questions and inquiries as if I were a criminal or a slave. I am a free woman! I am not a criminal. I am not a slave. I am not a prostitute or an immoral person. My only crime is that I cannot read or write and that I am a Hottentot. I am only seeking asylum from my enemies, from people who kill Hottentots. Instead, I bowed my head and said nothing. Still that question came.

Question: You are in danger of your life if you return to the Cape, is that
what you are saying?

—I am saying that I will die like all Khoekhoe if I return. I’m saying that I have a contract! A contract! A contract!

The prosecutor for the King representing Zachary Macauley and the Reverend Wedderburn paused. He hadn’t been able to get any kind of accusation out of me. Sir Stephen was jubilant. Sarah Baartman had not cracked. She had held her ground. Her keepers had nothing to fear.

The solicitor general and the judge both made a last effort to persuade me.

Question: Are you under any restraint at all, moral, physical or mental?

(Silence)

Question: Wouldn’t you like to return to the bosom of your tribe? To stop being exhibited as a freak?

(Silence)

Question: What have you been promised for your silence?

(Silence)

—I would like to be rid of you all! I said out loud.

I was shouting now, but so were the men from the African Institution. And the judge was hammering for silence. Everyone was determined to set me free, even if it killed me. I refused to answer any more questions. My affidavit, as they called it, had been read. I had told them all I knew. I was not an outlaw nor contraband. I was not a prostitute. What more did they want? I trusted none of these white men. The Reverend Freehouseland would have known whom to believe. The rainmaker would have known whom to believe. But I didn’t know whom to believe. Was I to end up in the hands of charity, of a beneficient society for slaves, paupers, morons and the like, to be shut up again in a shelter, a refuge, to see the world once more through a keyhole or a coffin? The only alliance I had now, I thought, was to the other things-that-should-never-have-been-born.