Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-08-06
Translated from the French.
The Circasslans and the Sale of Beautiful
slave Girls

riAtC
TREBHoND, Thursday, May %, 1854
"A few days ago there arrived at the quaran-
tine of Trebizond about two hundred Circas
slams with, live cargo Of great variety, but
which they found some difficulty in dispensing
of by reason of the pecuniary straits in which
purchasers are just now placed. The traders,
who are steady friends Of Shamyl, the Mahomet
of the Caucasus, and the bitter and determined
enemies of Nicholas, whom in their 6gurative
language they call the vulture Of the SHOWS, had
for sale forty packages Of human flesh. They
were made up Of a dozen children of from four
to eight years old, and of thirty females, rang
ing between 10 and 30. The quarantine doc
tor requested me to accompany him on his
visit to this strange spectacle. The superin.
tendent of the Lazaretto made the merchants
and their wares stand in line, SO that we had
an opportunity of making thorough examina-
ton of the parties. The Circassians were all
very fine men, large, tall, and strong. Their
figure was as exquisitely beautiful as that of a
woman; their limbs were plump and muscular;
their hands and feet were small; their complex
ion was swarthy- produced by exposure to the
mountain air-but their countenances, notwith
standing, bore the impress of gentleness and
manly courage; their chests were full and
round, and their step as proud as that of q
monarch upon the stage.
Their costume was very picturesque. II con-
sisted OF great coat ornamented with lamb
skin, and which fitted closely of trousers cut
after the Turkish fashion, and made of light
colored cloth; of cap of gray felt with band
of lambslsin, the wool of which was long and
curled. They wore red slippers without stock
ngs, and cloak of lambskin or Of felt, with
which they wrapped themselves with the utmost
dignity. After having visited the merchants,
we approached the individuals they had for
sale as near as the guards would permit US.
The little Circassians and the females were
ranged before the doors of the cells, and from
their anxious air seemed to inquire whether we
were about TO purchase them. The children
were beautiful both in form and lin countenance.
Yet the latter did not exhibit that infantile
grace which is SO observable in Europeans.
They had an expression Of gravity, not unmix.
ed with care, which almost made us regard
them as little men who had already experienc-
ed the trials and difficulties of life. Young as
they were, they seemed as if they had already
passed through the term of their existence.
Their look was that of deep reflection, their
gait was slow and staid, their stare was pierre
ing and inquisitiye, their mouth pinched and
serious. All these peculiarities filled us with
rs much surprise as sorrow, for they forced on
us the conviction that this anxious air or pre-.
cocious intellect sprang from fear of the future
or from regret at being separated from those
mountain scenes around which they had so far
passed their youth. They were clad in tattered
clothes OF no particular cut or color, and wore
no covering on their heads or feet. Their food
was the same as that of their parents, and of
the coarsest and least substantial kind 1t con-
sisted of millet cakes and Of spring water, and
Notwithstanding this innutritious 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 or
batl-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 inquietude.
Their looks seemed to interrogate us as to our
intentions respecting them. One would sup.
pose that they wished to fathom our characters
in order TO foresee their own destiny, and when
they saw that our visit was one merely of curl
osity, they cast their eyes upon the ground
and awaited until they should be allowed to
withdraw. One of these females was exceed
ingly beautiful. She might be fifteen or six
teen years old; the look she gave us was that
of a proud and naughty soul, but in her man
ner there was nothing Of that pensive agitation
which we had remarked in her companions and
even in the little children. Her large, open,
and lustrous eyes were expressive Of mind that
was at once both bold and calm. She no doubt |
imagined that her beauty would be her protec
ton, and that even her future master could not |
help but feel its influence. IL would indeed be |
difficult to give anything like an adequate de- |
scriphon OF this woman. But have seen por-
traits which have strong resemblance to her; |
they were, however, the works Of great mas.
tiers, which | then believed TO have been the |
creations of their fancy and not the representa-.
tons Of any human being.
great master does not, however, deal |
merely in the fanciful, he delineates what he |
sees or what he recollects that he has seen. |
What admired in this young woman was not
so much her exquisite proportions, her grace,
and her charming countenance, as her noble |
and queenly attitude. Her mien was something
like that of Cleopatra; had she diadem on |
her head one could have taken her for one of
those queens we read of in ancient history, or
had she on an oaken chaplet, she might have
passed Tor priestess among the Druids. This
lovely mountain maid, who had passed her life
amid the SHOWS Of the Caucasus, and whose
Wv ~ hlaJ Wy w ucSpinS one gay the WIG Oh "A
sultan, wore o sorry garment Of coarse blue
cloth, which was faded and much stained. 1t
was made after the Turkish fashion, open in
front, and exhibited to view an under,garment
very much soiled, but embroidered with silk OF
many colors. This Carmen. showed 80 we'll
the graceful development Of the bust that you
would have almost sworn that it was pasted 10
her. 1t is quite clear that there must be some
superior seamstresses in the Caucasus. She
wore white muslin veil, cast back, which was
stained and torn, but 50 attached rs to envelope
her like yestal when she pleased. When we
had contemplated this specimen Of beauty, so
rare in any country, we proceeded TO inspect the
men who we're fathers or uncles of females and
children for sale. The greater part of the Cir.
cassians speak and understand the language
in which the doctor Intercepted them and re.
ceiyed their answers. shall merely give the
translation of my guide:
"Wbat is the price OF this child?" said he to
one Of the Circassians.
T" Three thousand piastres," replied the other.
A sum equal to about 600 francs