Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-08-23
THE eIRoAssIAN SLAVE TRADE.


dency of the Western Powers IN the waters of the
Black Sea- is the revival of the traffic in Circassian
women This infamous and inhuman trade was IN
terrupted by the Russian blockade of the Crcassan
coast of the Black sea- and since the withdrawal OF
that pressure, it has revived and is now pursued
with unexampled activity. The matter has been
brought to the attention of the British Parliament
by the Bishop of Oxford who produced letters from
the Caucasus and Turkey to show that the traffic in
Circassian women was fourishing with the counten-
ance Of the allies and the connivance of Austria:
Z" At present" said letter from Bardane, the
only trade that may be said be carried here is
that in women and this to be extraordinarily
active at present. from the large prices obtained in
Constantnople, and the removal of all obstacles.
have been told from good authority that girl bought
for fifteen purses here, is sold in Constantinople for
forty. Numbers of little boats arrive all along the
coast from Trebizond almost every day. They haul
themselves up the beach, and spread the sails on
the sides of the boat to form tents here the captain
sits, and the natives bring down to him their girls
to exchange against his cargo, which generally con-
ssts of cacoes prints, and other stuffs and of salt
Another letter from the Bosphorus said:
regret to state that the slave trade is greatly on
the increase here. Every boat that arrives from the
ports of Abasia brings in or 10 girls boys des-
tined for the Consantinople market 1t is right to
add, that when the coast blockaded by the Rus
slams, this traffic necessarily ceased. But now that
the communications with Trebizond are free, the
rush to dispose of daughters sons sisters, &C.. is
immense l regret, also, to mention that the Aus
tran steamers do not raise objections to convey the
slaves to Constantnople and every boat takes 80 or
100 down.
The New York Tribune publishes letter from
Trebzond, which gives more circumstantial state
ment of the condition of the business. The writer
says ga few days ago there arrived at the quaran-
tine of Trebizond about two hundred Circassians
with live cargo of great variety, but which they
found some difficulty in disposing of by reason of
the pecuniary straits in which purchasers are just
placed The traders, who are the steady friends
of Shamyl, the Mohammed of the Caucasus and the
bitter and determined enemies of Nicholas, whom in
their igurative language they call the Vulture of
the Shows had for sale forty packages OF human
flesh. They were made up of dozen children of
from four to eight years DID, and of thirty females
ranging between fifteen ana thirty
The quarantine doctor requested me to accompany
him his visit to this strange spectacle. The SUI
perintendent of the Lazaretto made the merchants
and their wares stand in a line that had an
opportunity of making thorough examination of
the parties. The Crcassians were all very fine men,
large tall and strong. Their figure was as exqu-
stely beautiful as that of woman; their limbs
plump and muscular their hands and feet were
small their complexion was swarthy- produced by
exposure to the mountain air-but their counter
ances, Notwithstanding, bore the impress OF gentle
ness and many courage; their chests were full and
rounded, and their step proud as that of a mon
arch upon the stage Their costume was very pic
turesque. 1t consisted of great coat ornamented
with lamb skin, and which fitted closely, of trousers
cut after the Turkish fashion, and made of light col
ored cloth of cap of gray felt with hand of
lambskin, the wool of which was long and curled.
a
cloak of lambskin felt, with which they wrapped
themselves with the utmost dignity. After having
visited the merchants we approached the indlvldu-
ais they had for sale the guards would
permit US. The little Circassians and the females
ranged before the doors of the cells and from
their anxious air seemed to enquire whether were
about to purchase them. The children were beau
tiful both in form and in countenance. Yet the lat
ter did not exhibit that infante grace which is
observable in Europeans. They had an expression
of gravity, not unmixed with care, which almost
made regard them as little men who had already
experienced the trials and difficulties of life Young
as they were, they seemed if they had already
passed through the term of their existence. Their
look that of deep reflection their gait was slow
and staid, their stare piercing and inquisitive,
their mouth pinched and serious
All these peculiarities filled us with much sur
prise sorrow, for they forced the conviction
that this anxious air or precocious intellect sprang
from fear of the future from regret at being Sepa
rated from those mountain scenes ound which
they had so far passed their youth. They were clad
in tattered cloths of particular cut color, and
wore covering their heads or feet. Their food
was the that of their parents, and of the
coarsest and least substantial kind. 1t consisted of
millet cakes and of spring water and notwithStand-
ing this nutritious fare they all had blooming
cheeks and the appearance of health and strength.
We next proceeded to make close inspection of the
females. They were, with the exception of two
young girls, all considerably advanced in years and
destined to become servants bath tenders. Their
faces, which had faded air, produced undoubtedly
more by fatigue and hardship than by age, bore an
expression of profound sadness and of vague inquie-
tude. Their looks seemed to interrogate to
intentions respecting him.
One would suppose that they wished to fathom |
characters in order to foresee their own destiny
and when they saw that our visit was one merely of
curiosity, they cast their eyes upon the ground and
waited until they should be allowed to Withdraw
One of these females exceeding beautiful. She
might be fifteen or sixteen years old the look she
gave that of proud and naughty SOUL but
IA her manner there was nothing of that pensve
agitation which we had remarked in her companions
and in the little children. Her large open and
ustrous eyes were expressive of mind that was at
once both bold and calm. She no doubt imagined
hat her beauty would be her protection, and that
Ven her future master could not help but feel its in
1uence It would indeed be difficult to give any
hing like an adequate description of this woman
But have portraits which have a strong re- |
'emblance to her: they were, however the works
If great masters, which then believed to have been
he creations of their fancy and not the representa-
ions of any human beings.
A great master does not, however deal merely in |
he fanciful he delineates what he sees or what he
ecollects that he has seen. What admired in this
7oung woman was not so much her exquisite pro-
portions, her grace and her charming countenance,
IS her noble and queenly attitude. Her mien was
omething like that of Cleopatra; had she diadem
IN her head one could have taken her for one of
hose queens we read of in ancient history, or had
he on an oaken chaplet she might have passed for
priestess among the Druids. This lovely mountain
naid who had passed her life amid the SHOWS of the
caucasus, and whose lot it may be to become one
hsr Eo4f Gil,