THE MOORISH SLAVE MARKET

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2439, 30 October 1886, Page 2

THE MOORISH SLAVE MARKET

There is situated in the Sous province of Morrocco a placo called Sidi Earned or Moussa, about seven days' journey south of Mogador, and liero a great yearly fair is hold, which is callod tho Amoo Ghur. August or Septombor, is tho time usually selected, when traders congregate from different parts of tho country, and the vast unexplored tracts which lie southwards, to barter slaves, ostrich feathers, gold dust, and different kinds of gum, for Manchester goods, iron, toa, sugar, steel bara, cutlery, etc. The slaves aro brought from the Western Soudan or from Timbuctoo, and, after being purchased, aro forwarded in gangs to different towns in Morocco, chiefly Morocco city, Fez, and Minquiiu% where slave markots aro held. It is said that many of the nowly-importcd negroes dio of nostalgia, but if* thoy survive tho first few months they generally, adopt tho Mohammedan religion, settle down into their now lifo, and become fairly happy. ' Thn number of slaves imported annually has boon ostimated at' l from 3000 to 5000, but 4000 may be considered as about the average. The ordinary price of a full arowii male negro varies from LIS to L2O. Children aro sold, according to their ape, at from L 3 to 14 upwards, Good-looking female slavos ofton' fotoh far moro than men, when, tl»oy aro purchased as concubines for their Moorish master*. An aH-vabrm duty is levied by the Sultan on every slavo imported, no if thoavorago price be considered as Ll2 per head, this would give an annual revenue of L4BOO on the tho traffic on human beinw. A special commerco of a very revolting naturo exists in negro boys destined to become the future guardians of Moorish harems, but tho high.price paid for the wretched lads, being three times that of an ordinary slave, makes the traffic in ounuchs too luorative to bo ncelected by thn slavo dealer. Tho extent to which tho practice is carried on may be judged from tho fact that about two years and ahalf ago a gang of fifty boys woro taken up to Menquinoz to bocomo custodians, of Moorish virtue Tho high price given for femalo slaves possessed of personal atliactjons has tended to induce a custom which in some districts is very prevalent, of fathers selling their own daughters born to them by slavo concubines; and not only this, but it has fostered to an appalling extent tho crime of childstealing, which is common in Westorn Parbary. Thus it is not only tho nogro or mulatto who falls into the clutches of the slave dealer. Children of the froe white inhabitants, without tho slightest negro taint, aro continually kidnapped, taken to somo remote district, and sold as slaves. Though los 3 frequent on account of its attendant difficulties, it often happens that, the victims who aro "frown up white girls, who, by the aid of a femalo accomplice,.aro-decoyed from their homes, then seized and carried off : by force to a distance, and'eventually become tho property of a Moor who < desires an his harem', As an' ! instance of the audacity.with: !whicß aobi .'

of this'.kind ars [jerpetratcdj'a coso is cited' in which jfcliree' 'whito girls,: from about--.seventeen;■ to -twenty 'years of age, had been kidnapped] and were publicly exposed ■ for.«tk ; This occurrence took placelittlomore than thvee years ;ago in the town of Landche, a. place'occupied by Beveral European residents. ..";..,