Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-10-06
THE CIRCAssiAN SLAVE TRADE.
A FsightfuI nIassacre-Four- Hundrec
Pe,ssns KILLED.
A correspondent of the nevant Her


A correspondent of the Levant Her
aid, of Constantinople, writes:
Letters from the Circassian coast re-
mort popular outbreaks against the nus
sian authorities at Souanettri, IN the
mountain range to the north of Inertia
and i'm the southern Abasian slopes OF
the Caucasus, and the Russian consui
at Trebizond has, it is said, reeeiyen
reports from Soukoum-kale more or
less confrmatory of these statements.
The direct news from Soukoum- kale. II
corroborated, is very serious indeed
II would seelnthat four slave merchants
arrived a short time since In Abasla
from Trebizond, and shortly after their
arrival serious complaints were made to
the Russian authorities OF the abduc-
ton of a number of young girls, some
of them Christians. The Russians, to
their credit be it said, have organized a
regular police system for the proven
ton OF this infamous traffic, and meas
ures were Immediately taken to arrest
the four yesSirdiS and liberate the girls
whom they had trapped.
There are, however, a class OF lnnq-
entail CiTcassians, who connlve at TINS
trade, from which they derive direct
pecuniary Advantages set OF crafty
and turbulent intriguers, who profess
Christianity to Christians and lslamlsm
to Niussulmen-to whom the proceed
| ines directed against the slave-deaiers
nv the Russian commander at Sou
koum- kale were not at all palatable.-
The leaders of this clique are unde r
stood 70 be Mans Bey and the immedi-
ATE relations of Hamid Bey, and of the
late Abasian chief Michael A plot
was set on foot TO surprise and massacre
the garrison and the Christian popula-
ton of Sonkoum. kale, to plumber the
place. and then embark with number
of slave girls in coasting vessels Tor
Turkey. where the whole band would
present themselves in the guise OF or
binary emierants, and subsequently
dispose of their human freight at the
best available. profit, E.. II ~, 80
This atroeibus plot, was, 1t appears
to some extent-and, unfortunately, to
fatal extent--carrled out. Under the
cover of nighta party of armed Abas-
ians repaired to the country house OF
the military commandment and murdered
that officer and all his family. massacre
ing even tie little children. Almost
simultaneously a regular rising was
made throughout Soukoum-kaie and lts
vicinity; the houses,Of the Russian Of
fleets Of all ranks, and of private indi-
yiduals also, were attacked. with torch
and poniari the Abasians carried devas-
tation in every direction, sparlng nell
Their women nor children, until the gar
rison of the fort came to the rescue,
and after!an obstinate struggle, got the
lbefter of the assassins and saved the
town from farther pillage. Between
300 and. $50 Abasians are said to have
been kill d, and about 100 Russiaps, in
Guiding women and children, most OF
the latter having been massacred before
the soldiers could-, save them. The re-
suit of this deplorable affair is that mar
tial law has been proclaimed through
out Abasia; and several detachments OF
Russian troops have been dispatched as
fast as steam can carry them to Souko-
umrkale, by way of Poth. KIT