Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-08-09

The w hItc slave Trade of the C1rcns=
SLAMS.
TREBIzoND, Thursday May %, 1854.
A few days ago there arrived at the quar-
antine of Trebizond about two hundred Cir
cassians, with a live cargo of great variety,
but which they found some difficulty in dis
posing of, by reason Of the pecuniary straits
in which purchasers are just now placed. The
traders had for sale dozen children of from
four to eight years old, and thirty females
ranging between fifteen and thirty.
The quarantine doctor requested me to
visit this strange spectacle, The superintend-
ent 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
woman; their limbs were plump and muscu-
lar; their hands and feet were small their
complexion was swarthy produced by exposure
to the mountain air; but their countenanees.
notwithstanding, bore the impress of gentle
ness and manly courage their chests were
full and rounded, and their step as proud as
that OF monarch upon the stage. Their
costume was very picturesque. 1t consisted
OF great coat onamented with lambskin.
and which fitted closely; of trousers cut after
the Turkish fashion, and made of light-col-
ored cloth; of a cap ofrgrey felt, with band
OF lambskin, the wool of which was long and
cured.
They wore red slippers without stockings,
and cloak of lambskin or 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 Circassans and the females were
no fno 80 IL.
their anxious air seemed to inquire whether
we were about to purchase them. The chill
dren were beautiful both in form and in
countenance. Yet the latter did not exhibit
that intantlle grace which is so observable in
Europeans. They had an expression of gravity,
not ullnlXed with care, which almost made
us regard them as little men who had already
experienced 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 deem re-
lection, their gait was slow and staid, their
stare was piercing and inquisitive, their
mouth pinched and serious.
All these peculiarities filed us with as
much surprise as sorrow, for they forced on us
the conviction that this anxious air or preco-
clous intellect sprang from fear of the future
or from regret at being separated from those
far passed their youth. They We're clad in
tattered clothes of no particular cut or color,
and wore no covering ON their heads or feet
1heir food was the same as that of their pa
rents, and OF the coarsest and least substan-
tial kind. 1t consisted of millet cakes and of
spring water, and Notwithstanding this innu
tritlous 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 destined to become
servants or 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
inquietude.
One would suppose that they wished to ia
thom our 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 thew
should be allowed to withdraw. One of these
females was exceedingly beautiful. She might
be fifteen or sixteen years old the look She
gave us was that of proud and naughty soul.
but III her manner there was nothing of that
penslve agitation which we had remarked in
her companions and even in the little children,
Her large, open and lustrous ewes were ex-
pressive OF mind that was at once both bold
ana calm. She no doubt imagined that her
beauty would be her protection, and that even
her future master could not help but feel it's
influence 1t would indeed be difficult to
give anything like an adequate description of
this woman. But have seen portraits which
have strong resemblance to her; they were.
however, the works OF great masters, which l
hen believed to have been the creations of
heir fancy, and not the representationsof any
human beings.
A great master does not, however, deal
merely in the fanciful he delineates what he
ices or what he recollects that he has seem
What admired in this young woman was
lot so much her exquisite proportions, her
grace and her charming countenance, as her
noble and queenly attitude. Her men was
something like that of Cleopatra; had she
laden on her head one could have taken her
.or one of those queens we read of III ancient
history, or had she on an oaken chaplet, she
might have passed for priestess among the
Druids. This lovely mountain maid, who
had passed her life amid the SHOWS of the
Caucasus, and whose lot it may be to become
one day the wife OF Sultan, wore sorry
garment of coarse blue cloth, which was fad
ed 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 garment showed so well the graceful de-
velopment of the bust that you would have
almost sworn that it was pasted to her. 1t is
quite clear that there must be some superior
seamstresses III the Caucasus. She wore a
white muslin veil, cast back, which was stain
ed and torn, but SO attached as to envelope
her like vestal when she pleased.
When we had contemplated this specimen
If beauty, so rare in any county, we proceed
I'd to inspect the men, who were the fathers
,r uncles of females and children for sale.-
The greater part of the Circassians speak and
the language of the Turks, and it
vas in this language that the doctor interro-
,ated them, and received their answers. 1
hall merely give the translation of my guide:
"What is the price of this child y said he
o one of the Circassians.
"Three thsusand piastres," replied the other.
sum equal to about 600 francs.
"And what do you ask for the girlY' said
he doctor, pointing to the individual Just de-
cribed
twenty-five thousand piastres, neither
lore nor less;" and seeing that the doctor
1as saying something to me in whisper. he
dded: "That is not too dear, for her entire
erson is as free from defects as her face
When the quarantine is over, you may make
oursef sure on that head. 1t is only wear
ince sold her sister, who is not in anv way
er superior, and yet she brought me thirty
wo thousand piastres. But as we are az
resent in greater want of money than we
sually are, we shall lower the price to Get
way the sooner"
''And why have you more want of MONEY
ow, that last year,"
Because we want to buy muskets, and