Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-12-04

and the goats are swept out of every
field to. swell the general booty.
Meanwhile, in Finder, the inhabitants
await eagerly the return Of the hunters
These are sent out TO different elevations
near the city, to watch for the shadow
and the dust Of the Notwithstanding
army. At length after an absence more
or less prolonged, cry is heard. The
Sarkee is comingr All the population
throngs out to learn the truth. If he is
not himself within sight, the fruits of his /
achievements are visible. Asingle horse
man PAGES along, showing the way TO a
miserable train Of newly-made slaves
Here comes a group of little boys, naked /
fearless, playing about as though it were
a holiday; then a string of mothers,
dragging themselves along, with babes at
their breasts then girls of various ages.
some scarcely bIoomed out of childhood
others ripened to maturity; then, as
Richardson describes in his wonderfully
striking narrative, old men bent two
double. with the weight of many years,
their poor old heads covered with white
wool;' next come aged women, tottering
and helping themselves along with slaves,
and after them stout youths, chained neck
and neck together, who are huddled
through the gateways, never to pass
them but in bonds.
There is JOY in Finder. All day long
the triumph is prolonged. Following
this vanguard-the abject trophies Of
misery, come single cavaliers, then lines
of horsemen galloping over the plaiE,
then cavalry with drums beating, and
then body of mounted warriors, with
helmets Of brass and pudded coats, who
marched around the sarkee or sultan
At length the mass of the hunting army
appears in sight, toiling along Il rolling
canopy of dust, and with it comes the
spoil Of the expedition, perhaps three
thousand slaves. This is the beginning
of a sorrow which is 10 end with insults
and lashes in plantation Of Virginia.
Some of the captives taken, are, after
the general sale dnmesticatpd in Zinder
or neighboring Bournou city. Almost
/ every householder has one or two train
ed, who, from the method in which the
irons are fixed on their limbs, cannot
walk, but when they are obliged to &C
about move along with little jumps. NJ
sight can be conceived more painful
but if the people will have slaves it i
necessary TO fttter them, because there
? are so many towns and retreats near, to
which they could escape without dificul
| ty, and whence they could not easily b
brought back. They are exceedingl,
; useful TO their owners, who enjoy indol
I ence and comfort through their industry
and for this reason it is, that when tn
: slave-hunling army returns, so much de
i lights fills tue population as they salut
l the army with the beautiful Arabic wore
1 Al6erka - blessing = In the sam
5 spirit an Italian bandit repeats an invc
Il cation to the Virgin while he cocks hi
{ pistol!
= The slaves cultivate the ground, 500
= food, sweep the hutS, and do all kinds {
i mental offices for their masters and whe
IS they offend, are punished with awfl
d. severity by them. Yet they are not G
= the whole inhumanly treated, and al
b. allowed to enjoy some of their favori
Is amusements. On the might Of power
X in which the Koran is said TO have de
Is cended from heaven, they are permittt
ID to have feast, u free dance, and song
O. and then they forget for the hour, ;
or thought of suffering. and are as happy
re under their native shades. On certa
til days, too, they visit the tombs of the
le dead friends, burning incense over theI
re calling upon their names, and praying
ct be restored to them and to liberty aft
lie DEATH They dress very gaily on ho
K, days and drive from such occasions
ss enjoyment which seems almost to co
pensate for the sadness of the rest Of t
ly year. Many of them are patterns
re fidelity, and after heightened period
y service will die for their masters.
he But the most unhappy are those "
tn are doomed TO be sent across deserts,
NJ be sold in distant cities, and scattered
'ty over the earth in strange lands. Regu
lr- caravans are formed to take them acr
.ir the Sahara, to the market of the coz
Ial They are either sold or confded TO
ize dealers, and marched in the heat of
sly day over the desolate wastes Of sand ;
ck- rock, with no alleyialion TO their toll
iay cept the Bghtness Of their own he;
,pe and the cheer of their OWE songs.
=. =