The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-10-23
THE SLAVE TRADE.
SYSTEMATIzED HORRORS OF TIE
TRAFFIC.

trade by Brazil and the United States That In
famous practice was broken up, seems 10
have become generally entertained by civil.
lied commuties In both hemispheres. Re.
Gently, however, the attention of the British
Government has been called to the fact that
the slave trade is still carried on systemstlcal-
~ and extensively In the interest of various
Eastern powers, and Queen Victoria, In her
propagation speech, made suggestions looking
to Its speedy and entire overthrow. The
same phllsnthroplc object is being steadily
| pursued by certain isolated individuals, like
| Dr.. Livingstone and Dir Samuel Baker, and Its
accomplishment, concerning the Justice of
which there can be but one enlightened opin-
ion, will be assured If these Individual efforts
are supplemented by the prompt and united
action of the Christian nations.
The horrors of the slave trade, as II now
exists, may have been Imagined perhaps, but
pulsive details until the Nile correspondent
of the New York Herald undertook the task.
His letter, dated at Khartoum, July rs, 1872,
gives q vivid and clrcumstantlal account OF
the modus operdndi of the slave dealers,
together with the attendant suferings OF the
unfortunate Africans. It ia almost impossible
to believe that such q condition Of affairs as
he describes is possible In the nineteenth cen
tury, but there are, unfortunately, too many
evidences of Its existence to admit of doubt.
According to the correspondent, the traffic
begins every year In the month Of August,
when the traders prepare for their departure
toward Northern and Central Africa. Their
capital usually consists OF borrowed money,
and they can afford to pay from sixty to one
hundred and forty-iour per cent. per annum.
All The preparations having been completed,
thew ascend the Nile in q regular squadron.
Every expedition means war, and, &C;
cording to It's magnitude, is provided
with one hundred TO one thousand armed
men. The soldiers employed consist of the
miserable Dougolowie, who carry ,ohr-
| relied shot-guns and knives, ana are cnleny
marri.sa (beer.J Each large dealer has bis
own territory, and he resents promptly any
attempt of another trader to trespass thereon.
FOR instance, Agate, the most famous OF all
African slave.traders, knew, and his men ire
ouently visited, the Victoria Nyanza long be-
fore Speke ever dreamed Of 1t. Agate's station
is now. near the Nyanza, and ne Keeps up
stations. When the expedition is ready 1t
moves slowly up to the Neam'NeamC Country,
for instance. and II one tribe Is hostile to
another. he joins with the strongest and takes
his nav in slaves. Active spies are Kept 10
liberal pay to Inform him OF fhe NUMBER anu
quality OF the young children; and when the
chief believes he can steal one hundred, he
ssifIes down to work, for that figure means
four thousand dollars. He makes q landing
with his human hounds, after having re-
connoitered the positions, generally 10 Inc
MONT time. At dawn he moves forward on
the village, and the alarm Is spread among the
negroes, who herd together behind their aoo,
rielna breastplates and fire clouds OF poisoned
arrows. The trader opens With musketry,
and then begins q general massacre Of men,
women and children. The settlement, sur.
rounded by inflammable grass, Is given to the
flames. and the entire habltation is laid IN.
ashes. Probably out OF the wreck OF one
thousand charred and slaugnterea people ms
reserve has caught the one hundred coveted
women and children. who are hying IRON On
su ,.ir sIoitsxEI -Un1.rnnu OF Iilem alay..
nave the smallpox, and then WITH Snis lnleot.
ed cargo the trader proceeds 10 MS nearest
station. Thence the negroes are eianasseine.
they are dispersed over Lower Egypt and
other markets. 1t not unfrequently happens
that the negroes succeed In killing their ad-
veraarIes In these combats. But the blacks
are not brave. They generally ny AFTER . loss
Of several killed, except with the Neam-
Means, who always light win . orsvesy CON-
mensurate with their renown as cannibals. -
THE statistics OF the slave trade are dif1cult
tn Obtain with absolute accuracy, but an ade-
onate approximation may be reached. lG Is
safe to say that the annual export OF slaves
from the country lying between the Bed Sea
and the Great Desert is $4,000 q year, distrlo-
sted as follows: From Abyssinia, carried 10
Jaffa or Gallabat, 10000; Issuing Dy otner
routes OF Abyssinls, 5000; BY the Elue Nile,
s000: by the White Nile. 1000. 70 obtain
ihese 26. 600 slaves and sell them In market
more than 5000 are annually killed, andotten
the mortality reaches the terrible figure OF
$50. 900. It Is g fair. estimate that 10000 chll.
dren are stolen from their parents every year.
of the number forced into slavery, $4,000
being boys and 10000 girls, It ls found that
about 5000 60 to Lower Egypt 2oOo are MADE nc1e
| cooks or servants, while 10000 eventually die
| from the climate, and 5000 obtain their papers
| of freedom. They are dispersed over
5000, 600 square miles OF territory, and their
| blood finally mlngles with that Of the Turk,
| the Arab, and the European.
| the Dlnkas, who are strong, handsome ne.
groes, the finest Of the White Nile. The other
| races are thickly built and clumsy, and are
| never ornamental; the Abysslnians, tor what
/ ever service and of whatever class, excel all
their rival Victims 10 slavery. They are quiet
and subdued, and seldom treacherous or in
| subordinate. They prefer slavery, many OF
them, to freedom, because thsy have no aspI.
| rations that are inordinate. The girls are
| delicate, and not built for severe labor.
Though born and bred In a country where
| concublnes are as legitimate and az much
houored az wives, they revolt against tho ter
rors of polygamy. The slaves vary In price;
| according TO age, beauty and accomplish
ments, nearly as indicated In the following
table:
For raw negro boys from the White Nile, 8
For raw negro girls from the White Nile, 8
For men taught to work, rs years OF siye...... $50
| For women. negroes, % years OF age......... 100
For Abyssinisn grl, II years old, ordinary
looking.. 100
For Abyssloian girl, II years old. fine looking. $50
For AbyL sinian girl, IA years old, beautiful. 200
For Abyssinian girl, IL years old, beautiful
twhite). ...-........ 800
| For ADyssinian girls -......... .............. 160
Women beyond II are not IN demand, but
when sold, II concublne5, bring......... 100
Old slaves, seldom sold, 1t beiog q point Of
honor not to send an aged serVttor sdrif5. so
For euauchs, ordinary, coal black............ $50
For eulu .hs OF the first class. 800
The correspondent pays a high tribute to
the courage and nobleness of Sir Samuel Ba.
ker, who has been the only European in the
Egyptian region who has dared to oppose this
primeval crime Of slave-stealing. His rela
tInna with the Khedive enable him IN e7pr-