Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-08-30


something to me in whisper, he added (: ",rhis
is not too DEAR or her entire person is as free from
defects as her face. When the quarantine is over,
you may make yourself sure on that head. 1t is
only year since | sold her sister, who is not in
any way her superior, aud yet she brought me
thirty-two thousand pias,eys. But as we are at
present in greater want Of money than we usually
are, we shall lower the price, 10 get away the
sooner"
''And why have you more want Of money now
than last year 2"
"Because we want to buy muskets, and powder
and balls"
"What! And is it for the purpose of buying
arms and ammunition, that you are going to sell
your children?"
"Certainly we wish to drive the Russians from
our country, and we have nothing else to sell but
our children
The idea that these men would engage in such
traffic for the purpose of enabling them to strug-
gle against the Russians made me reflect gravely
for moment. | looked at the doctor Of quaran-
tine to see if he shared my emotion, but he was
50 accustomed to these scenes that the present
made little or no Impression on him, and he now
confined his attention to whether there were any
individuals among the lot who required his pro-
fessional services. But in what light was to
regard these people? Could admire those men
who carried their patriotism and love of liberty TO
such pitch as to sell their children? Admira-
tion. no doubt, felt, but not without sentiment
of deep sorrow.
Unfortunately, however, on reflection came
to learn that it was not since the war began that
these men have engaged in this detestable traffic,
and that it was not merely for the purpose olbuy-
inc arms, with noble and heroic intention, that
they were in the habit of seiug theiI daughters,
their sisters, their sons and their brothers, but
that it has been practlsed by them from time i'm
memorial, for the purpose OF satisfying the com
monest wants. felt thrill ui horror run through
me when looked at those obdurate and heartless
men, smoking and laughing, and coolly talking
about the fate of their own flesh and blood. |
wished to leave the odious scene, bnt the doctor
beo ped me to stop, and not condemn these men
before had heard them in justification of their
conduct He took aside hale old man, the quick
flashes of whose eyes denoted birth, intelligence
and communicatveness. The latter, being inter
ropated by the doctor, said that it was from sen
timent of tenderest affection for their chilerep,
that he and his countrymen were addicted to this
traffic.
''lt is no riling sacrifice that we make" said
ho, Sin thus separating ourselves from our dear
children but we are consoled by the thought that
This separation will be useful TO them. In the
mountainous regions where we live our daughters
are subjected to the greatest hardships We have
neither bread nor clothing to give them. But
once that they are sold, they become ladleS-they
enter the harems of the Turks, they lead quiet
and easy life, they feel no want of clothing in the
winter, and they have always bread TO eat And
those who chance to get into the harems of the
great people have not only clothes and bread al
their command, but also luxury. grandeur and
power. They amuse themselves in baths OF am-
ber They have head dresses of pearls. They
have perfumes and music, aud everything that the
tenderness and love of their masters can procure
| for them. BY their side our sons who have been
received by the Turks may become officers in the
army. captains, cads, pashas and viziers. They
then bless their parents who have had the courage
and good sense to emancipate them from life of
hardshps, of struggles and of cruel labors. And
then, when we rear them with the intention of
selling them, they know that no happiness awaits
them IN theirown country and therefore they leave
it without regret. The Russians who wish 10 en-
slave us under the pretence that we follow an in
| human trade, are not better than we are. The
! great Prince (Shamyl.) who knows them well,
who has lived in their cities and studied their
manners and their laws, has often told us of the
horrible deeds committed among them. We sell
our children because the soil of our country is IN
fruitful, because we cannot afford them any other
life than that of constant labor and of misery that
cannot be removed Yet we have gentle man
ners, we love each other, and we oblige and as
sis each other Among us You will not find the
kmout, neither will You see prisoners nor eXecu-
toners. The wishes Of our old men are always
attentively listened to and respected. And the
stranger who risks his person among our noun
tains is always sure of protection and assistance"
The doctor continued his conversation with the
old Circassian for a few minutes longer. HespOke
to him about ShamyI, who is king. prophet.
and a very god throughout all the Caucasus
Shamyl is hero, even in the eyes of Europeans,
but besides this he is 4 prophet among the Cir
clssans.
.'Shamyl is inspired, by God" added the old
man. ale often retires 10 the recesses of a cav
ern, where he remains for five or six days at 4
time. to hear the counsels which an angel comes
to give him. He is a lion in battle The Rus
sians are not able to bear the glare Of his counte-
nance, and when they hear the thunder Of his
voice, they turn their backs and flee. We have
slain many of those fellows, and this is the reason
why the Vulure of the Shows (Nicholas) is now
levying bloody war against lis. But wait a
while the muSkets that we are going to buy will
| do our business better than the aRces. Before
long. depend on it. no Russian will dare show his
face in our mountains. The great Prince has pre-
dicted that, and what he predicts always turns
out true"
We left the quarantine, and I carried away
with ne lively impression of all that ] had
heard and seen. Here there is a young people,
full of hope and overhowing with vitality, for it
not only has not exhausted lis vigor, but it is
constantly giving ont to a nelghborng nation the
best portions of it. Here is a people on the bor
ders of Europe, and within fourteen days journey
Of the highest civilization. Well, this people, 50
masculine, so vigorous. so energetic, SO sober, SO
intelligent, and which, up to the present time,
has been hardly known to the world, has been
cast into utter barbarism by the ignorance and ap-
athy of Europe. We trust that out of the s,rug-
gle which has now commenced between Europe
and Russia, some good will come to these poor
countries. Circassia. Georgia and Abasia still
sell their children. This deplorable state of things
will, no doubt, cease among our allies from the
very contact Of the French and British fleets aud
armies with them. Nor shall this be the first time
that the diffusion of civilization shall depend on
war. just as the fertilization Of the soil is some
times the effect oil the most terrific storm.
DE VALOIS.
REvoLT IN THE HAREM-A Constantinople
correspondent says that the Turkish ladies are
progressing rapidly, and in proof, remarks that
their wells grow thinner and thinner every day.
They are also growing more and more sociable.
according to the same authority. especially with
their ewes One of them nm q rocen, ccoson