New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-01
THE GIRO ASSI4YS md THE SALE OF BEAU
TTFUL SLAVE GIRLS.

Trahizona ahout two hundred CIrcsssians with i've
cargo of great variety, but which they found some
difficulty in disposiug of by OF the pecunary
straits in which purchasers are Just placed The
traders who are steady friends Of Shamyl, the Nj
homet o; the Cascasas and the bitter and determined
enemies of Nicholas whom in their hgurauye Ian
euaoe they call the Nulture of the SHOWS, had Tor
sale forty packages of human flesh. They were
made up of dozen children OF from four 70
eight wears old and of thirty females ranging
between Is and 30. The quarantine doctor re-
ouested Inc TO accompany him on his visit to ths
STRANGE spectsce The Superintendent OF the Laza-
retto made the merchants and their wares stand IN
linz "a that we had an opportunity OF making thor
oueh examination of the parties. ne Crcaseans were
all very fine men, large, tail ana strong lh'H Hguc
was as exclusively beautiful as that oi "Ouish' 'uer
limbs were plump and muscular; thelr hahuS 'h' ee
were small: their complexion was sWartni
by exposure 10 the mountain alr-but thelr cOunte'
n.nces Notwithstanding bore the impress OF geheess
and manly courage: their chests were ul ana rouhdeu
and their step as proud as that of monarch upon c
stage. Their costume was yer! PICTURESQUE; ~
consisted OF q great coat Ornaiehted VII" i""i"
skin and which fitted closely; OF trousers cut
after the Turkish fashion, and made OF Hgu'.
coored cloth: of a cap OF gray ielt with oahI Oh
lambskin. the wool OF which was long ana curIeu'
They wore red slippers without stockings ana CLOAK
of ambskn or OF lelt with which they wrapped thehl,
selves with tie utmost dignity. After haNhg VISITED
the merchants We approached the ndiY duds they had
for sale AZ near as the guards would permit US Inc
little Circassans and the females were ranged before
the doors Of the cells and from their anN0us air seem
ed 10 inquire whether We were ABOUT 10 purchdse-
them. TIE children beautiful Doth IN form osd
in counteunnce Yet the latter did not exhibit that
infantile grace which is Observable IN Europeans
Tlev had an expression of gravity not unmXed with
care which almost made regard them as little men
who had already experienced the trials ana dilcutes
of life Young they were, the! seemed as II th'!
had already passed through the term OF ter chldh0Od
Their look that OF deep reflection, ther gat was
slow and stad their stare piercing ana nqusltNe,
their mouth pnched and serious All these PECULIAR
tirs He'd Us with az much surprise as sorrow Tor they
forced on ls the conviction that hs ANXIOUS air OF
precocOus intellect sprang from ieai oil the iutnre or
from regret at beng separated from those mountain
scenes amid which they had so lar passed thelr
YOUTH They were clad in tattercd clothes OF no par
ticuar cut or color and wore no covering on their
heads or feet Their food the same as that of
their parents and of the coarsest and least substantial
kind. Ii consisted OF met cakes and oi spring water
and notw outstanding this innutrOus fare they an had
blooming cheeks and the appearance OF health and
strength We next proceed Ia make close nspec-
ton OF the females They were, with the exception
of two Young girls, all considerably advanced IN years
and destined 10 become servants or bath-tenders
Their faces which had faded air, produced und0uOt
1
an expression profound sadness aud of vague n1ue
tude Their looks seemed to nterrogate us as To our
intentions respecting them. One would suppose thdt
they wished to athom characters IN order To lore
see their own destiny and when they saw that our VISIT
WAS one merely of curiosity they cast their eyes upon
the ground aud waited until they should be allowed
10 withdraw One OF these females was exceedingly
beautiful She might be fifteen or sixteen years old;
the look she gave us that OF proud and naughty
soul but in her manner there was nothing OF that pen
siye agitation which We had remarked IN her cOmpan-
ions and even in the little children. Her large, open
and lustrous eyes were expressive of mind at once
both bold aud calm. She no doubt lmaglued that
her beauty would be her protection, and that even
her future master could not help but ee It's influence
Ii would indeed be difficult 10 give anything IKE an
ADEQUATE description of this woman But nave seen
portraits which have strong resemblance TO her;
tLey were how ever the works of great masters which
then believed to have been the creations OF their
fancy and not the representations OF any human oeng
4 great master does not however deaf nIere! III 'uc
fancfu he deneutes what he sees or What ne fccoi-
ects that he has seen. What admired III this young
woman was not 80 much her exquisite proportions her
Grace and her charming cOuntcnance, as fer noble ana
uueenly attitude. Her men was something IKE that
Of Cleopatra: had she dadem on her head one
could have taken her TOR one oil tho'e queens
We read OF in ancient history, or had she
on an oaken chapet she might have passed
for priestess among the Druids. This lovely noun
tain maid who had passed her lie alnd the SHOWS oil
the Caucasus and whose lot 1t may be 10 become one
lv the wife of Sultan wore sorry garment OF coarse
blme cloth. which was faded and much stained IL
was made after the Turkish 3hon open in front, aud
Inhibited 10 view an mdergarment very inuch sOiled,
but embroidered with silk of many colors ms gar
ment showed well the graceful Development oil the
bust that YOU would have almost sworn that IL was
ma sted 10 her IL is quite clear that there must
he sunerior seamstresses in the Caucasus She
wore hte muslin vail cast back, which was stained
and form but so attached as to envelope her IKE
yestal when she pleased. When we had contemplated
this specimen OF beauty, so rare IN any country we
proceed 10 inspect the men who were the iathers OF
Iuces of females and children for sale. The greater
part of the Circassans speak and understand the IAN
puape of the Turks and It IN this language mat
the doctor interrOgated them, and received their
answers l shall merely give the translation OF my
guide: ., -,
the Crcassans. .
Three thousand piastres, replied the other.
sum equal 10 about 600 francs.
And what do YOU ark for the girl y SAID the Doc
tor. pointing to the individual just described.
TWENTY five thousand pastres, neither more nor
less." and seeing that the Doctor saying some
thing 10 me in q whisper he added: That IS not TOO
dear tor he- entire person ia free from detects az
her face When the quarantine il over you may make
Yourself sure that head 1t is only year ago since
sold her sister. who is not IN any way ner superior
and vet she brought me thrtytwO thousand piastres
But as We are az present in greater want OF money
than We usually are We shall lower the price to get
away the sooner.
And why do you want more money now than
last year"
Because we want TO buy muskets. and powder and
balls"
What And is it for the purpose OF buying arms
and ammunition that you going to sell your chl-
dren ?"
Certainly: sc wish to drive the Russians from our
country aud have nothing else to sell but one chill
dren."