Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-10-27
miscellaneous.
Slave.Hunts in the Sahara.
BY HORACE ST. JOHN.

From the bondmen. trembling under scourge
in the American plantations, we sometimes turn
to Africa, the mother of bondage, who chains
her own children. OF the iron dug from her
own mountains these letters are made, and the
tribes of the sons of Tuba Cain beat and shape
them on her own soil. In the solitude cf those
central deserts man keeps the gate open to hs
enemy The sword never found passage
thi,her Nothing but gold ever penetrated the
Sahara. Its dwelers were never conquered by
an Alexander or Cesar, but any trucking kid
napper can corrup, them. 1t is bitter witness
to the broken faith of man with man, 10 see crea-
lures born under the pledge of common com
pact and natural law betraying aud degrading
one another; but the most miserable sight in The
whole dark range of human debasement is that
Of the beginning Of the slaves sorrows. He s
ptluble when he has grown in servitude. but
still more pi,iabe when the ankpts AMI mana.
ces are new and bright upon his linbs. when
liberty still is in his Thoughts. like the sw eelest
taste of childhood, and he Is torn from home,
casting longing wretched, hopeless look be-
hind.
Remote in the wilderness of Central Africa
Slavery brings forth its offspring. There, among
beautiful hills and oasis, watered by delicious
springs with date-groves shading hamIets which
seem all peasantness and peace, mothers nurse
the young brood which is to pine and toll, and
perish, in the sugar or tobacco grounds of Cuba
or the We stern Continent
| A great belt of pnpulous country stretches
across the desert, which spreads over the region
of Africa, and was by the ancients coupired
with lis tawny surface and spots of bill and ver-
dure, to a eopard's skin. Four great Kingdoms
are situated upon this populous belt-Wadai
Bournou, Sondan, and TImbuc,oo, whence four
caravan tracks lead down across sandy and stony
wastes to the Barbary coast. Lesser kingdoms
lie round about, each in an oasis of lts own and
from all these come annually 10 the sea trains Of
captured slaves, to be sold in the cities and
ports. while others go westward to supply the
traders who ply TO the shores of Cuba. Ivory,
ostrich fl athers, senna, wax and indigo are also
brought down; but this legitimate traffic is com
paratlvely small, of recent growth, and likely to
become important without diminishing or extin-
gushing The commerce in human beings.
Melancholy everywhere, the slave system is
most melancholy in Central Africa. For. in
those distant countries, defended on all sides by
deserts, and only made accessible by The cupidi-
ty OF man. we perceive the slave in his oigns
home, enjoying that happiness which harmon,zes
with his nature, and is uninterrupted by the
stealth or violence Of the kidnapper.
We may choose city Of the once famous
and mysterious kingdom f Bournou-ihe city o
Kinder, buried deep in the centre of Africa i
is picturesqneIy situated amid undulations O
green hills, with sprnkes Of gigantic knos
Meadows lie around 1t without fences, and corn
stacks and granarles stard in the open countr,
without bolt or guard, illustrating feeling o
honor among these mighty hunters" of thei
fellow men. About twenty thousand peop
dwell here in habilatious which are scattered
over vast space Of ground. concal hill, o
block of granite. marks each separate quarter
Circular walls of mating, enclosing a number q
huts, or mud houses, denote the residence of
chieilaln, while irregular clusters show wher
) the inferior qualities Of the population are m
, gregaed. AT sunset, one or two hundred vol
, lures Fly in circle over the city, and clean
+ from refuse collected through the day. Ther
} are two weekly markets, when CATTLE came
sheep flesh fish, wheat, honey, hotkabobs an
J sweet potaoes are exposed for sale, besides mer
chandise and slaves. Fruit and vegetables, q
D the most cooling kinds, are bmnght from gar
dens which pleasantly enrifcle Zndcr and thu
. strange nation passes strange but unronsnti
e hle.
The great trade Of the kingdom is in slaves
who are classed in peculiar way the men ar
assorted into those who have beard, those VIII