Harry was a Hottentot who had been taken to Botavia in 1629/30 by an English ship. It was on this voyage that he received the name of Harry and where he learned to speak a little English. Harry was one of the first on hand when van Riebeeck landed in Table Bay in 1652.

An Entry in van Riebeeck’s journal in November 1652 reads: “The watermen live permanently in this Table Valley and behind the lion on Table Mountain. The oft-mentioned Harry alone remains with us plus wives and children to serve the company as interpreter as far as he is able. His people the watermen, have retired behind the lion and the Table Mountain where they exist on mussels from the rocks and roots which, with great difficulty they dig from the earth”.