A Moorish Slave Market.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 170, 18 September 1886, Page 3

A Moorish Slave Market.

There is situated in the Sous province oi Morocco a place called Sidi Hamed oi Moußsa, about seven days' journey south oi Mogador, and here a great yearly fair is held, which is called the Amoo Ghur. August or September is the time usually selected, when traders congregate from different parts of the Empire, and the vast unexplored tracts which lie southwards, to barter slaves 5 , oetrioh feathers, gold dust, and different kinds ol gum, for Manchester goods, iron, tea, sugar, steel bars, cutlery, etc. The slaves ava brought from the Western Soudan or from Timbuctoo, and, after being pui chased, are forwarded in gangs to diflcrent towns in Morocco, chiefly ' Morocco cify, Fez, and Miuquinez, where slave markets are held. Ib is said that many of the newly-imported negroes die of nnbtulgia, but if they survive the first few months they generally adopt the Mohammedan reliyion, settle down into their new life, and become fairly Juvppy, Tho number of slaves imported annually has been estimated at from ;)00<» to 5000, but 4000 nviy be considered as about the average The ordinary price of a lull grown male negro varies from £15 to £-20. Children are sold, according to their age, at from £3 or £4 upwards a Good-looking female slaves often fetch far nu>re than men, when they axe purchased as concubines for their Mo- rich masters." An ad-valorem duty is levied by the Sultan on every slave imported, so if the average price 'be considered as £12 per head, this would gi\ c <vn annual revenue of £4800 on the tuxiiic in human beings. A special commerce of a very revolting nature exists ' in negro boy-* de&tincd to become the future guardians of M^oii-h harems, but the high price paid ior the \\ retched lads, being three Lime'?' that of an ordinary slave, makes the * train" c'in en nnchsstooluci at iveto be neglected by the 1 slave dealer. Tne extent to which the practice it- carried on may be judged from the fact that about two years and ahalf <igo a ganej of nf<y boys were 'tali en up f ■.O'Mequinez 10 becomn cnntodians.of'Moorish female' 'vii l ue The high 'price given * for*' female 'tlaves possessed- of personal attractions hhs'tended to induce a custom; which' in 'some- 'distiicts is tfery prevalent, af fathers soiling their own daughters' born bo them' by slave concubines ; and not only " this; but it has fosteredf ost ered to an appalling extent theVi'ime of child-stealing, which is so 1 ' common in 1 Western Bnrbary. Thus it is not jnly the negro or mulatto who falls into the slutches of the fclave dealei*. ' Children of &he free 'white inhabitants, without the slightest negro taint, are continually kidaapped; taken to some retnote'district, and ».old as slaves. Though less frequent Dn " aecoiint' of its attendant difficulties, it* often s 'happens that ' the. o vie- ■ :ims are < grown up ■ white girls, >who; 0 oy aid of -a iVmule accomplice; are decoyed from their 'homes then seized, and •carried pffby foree 1 to a dL*tan cc,» and eventaalry become the property ot a. Moor Who desires an addition "to his* "harem. As an instance v 3f tbe'Atitlaoity with wluch acts of this- kind ', a,re perpetrated, a ca^e sis cited in twhich three white 'girls, from, about seventeen to : Dwentyiyears of age, had been- kidnapped, '< * md wei'6- phblicly exposed for sale., Thist> pceurrence tooli place little mo»e than three ; yeais ago in the town of liaraiphe, a placeoccupied by-several European residents..; *" , * - •„ u , vi „ f , «, „ , yoii „;.\.j *'A clergyman Who married fo'ur'coupleV in j .one 1 liqur '"tne^other day, 1 remarked' to va*rfen&; that } it/ was 1 " prettiy l 'foBt^'wbY&' s+ ••'NotßO v4ry f fa»t,'» responded hia IHeiidf *Wk only four Kricfta" an hour;"' */' - ' »«^*