Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-03-11
The Central African Slave Trade.

kidnapped in Central Africa actually die
of broken heart after a few days of
| captivity. 1t is the men who have held
d respectable position, and who have
never before had their liberty restricted,
who are most liable to succumb to the
disease. They will, perhaps, endure
their chains patiently until some circum-
stance reminds them forcibly of home,
and then grief oyerpowers them and
they quickly die. When questioned
about their malady they place their hand
over the heart and say the pain is only
there. One fine lad of twelve, dying of
the disease, when about to expire was
laid down by the path and a pit dug to
receive his body. He, like the rest, said
nothing allied him but the pain at his
heart. Outof d party Of young men cap
tured in a midnight assault eight died in
three days Of may0dj6 du pays, or broken
heartedness.
1t is related of kidnapped children that
they will keep up for a time with Won
derful endurance. Then, perchance, the
sound of dancing or the merry noise Of
the small drums comes to their ears from
some village they are passing, and the
memory Of home and happy days bursts
afresh on their minds. They fall to cry
ing and sobbing; the "broken heart"
comes, and they rapidly sink under it.
Many adult captives give way beneath
the heavy burdens they are forced to
carry. When caught, a heavy tanning
stick" or yoke, weighing from thirty to
forty pounds, is fastened about their
neck. The yoke consists Of long,
heavy stick Of timber, with fork at one
end, inclosing the neck, and secured
with a cross-piece. The opposite end of
the yoke projects several feet in front
of the prisoner, and is pretty effectual
obstacle in the way of escape or Of
rapid progress. When other burdens
are added to the weight Of the yoke the
slaves often give out and are left by the
way. In this case the slave driver fire.
quently vents his spleen at losing a slave
| by stabbing or shooting him, or by tying
him to tree and leaving him to perish
| slowly of hunger. DIR. Livingstone was
| SO affected by the distressing cruelties
which he continually saw practiced
upon the victims of the slave
traders that his dreams were haunted
with them and he would wake in the
night and suffer anew from the horrible
scenes he had witnessed by day, which
were reproduced by his tortured mag
nation.
While Sir Samuel Baker was travelling
along the Upper Nile, during his late ex-
petition for the suppression of the slave
trade in Central Africa, he held an inter
view with one of the Sheiks Of the Shir.
The man was loud in his invective against
the slave-hunters and made bitter com
plants of the enormities practiced upon
his people by the Berris, who had kid
naped manyof their wives and children.
| Sir Samuel felt that he had here prom
| Using subject to work upon and therefore
exhausted his powers Of persuasion in a
| sermon on the evils of slavery.
He f1attered himself that his discourse
was most effective, and would touch the
innermost heart of the heather Sheik.
The latter listened attentively, as though
deeply impressed with the truths set be-
| fore him. He seemed most affected by
| Sir Samuers picture of the distress occa-
stoned by the forcible separation of chill
dren from their parents, and eagerly
broke in with the question: Have you a
SOM"
my sens are, unfortunately, dead"
replied Sir Samuel.
Indeedw exclaimed the Sheik. 81 have
a son, an only son. lie is nice boy,
very good boy, about so high" Showing
his length upon the handle of his spear).
6 should like you to see my boy; he
is very thin now, but, if he should re
main with you, he would soon get fat
He's really a nice boy, and aI.oays
hunary. You'll be so f2nd of him; he'll
eat from morning till night, and still he'll
be hungry. You'll like him amazingly;
| he'll give you no trouble if you only give
him plenty to eat. He'll lie down and 90
to sleep, and he'll wake up hungry again.
He's good boy, indeed; and he's my
only son. PN sell him to y0u for a na0yate"
native iron spade).
The result of his sermon on the slave
trade, addressed to an affectionate
father, was, to use Sir Samuers own
words, "quite appalling. was offered
his only son in exchange for a spade"
And the young "knave of spades was
warranted to remain a{a00ys bu2gru"
1