The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-01-11
BEAUTY SOLD BY AUCTION.
How The Ilarems Of ConstantimOple sre Re.
cruited with Circussiun Girls.

How The Ilarems of Cousta tinOple are Re.
cruited with Circassian Girls.
correspondent of the Paris Gautois
describes recent visit to slave sale in
Constantinople. Notwithstanding the
nominal abolition of the slave trade in
Turkey, tllrouglsthe efforts of the civil
lied European governments, it still con-
tinues in furtive way. As long rs the
harem exists, this trade will exist.
This sale was in n house. All the win
dows facing the street were closed. The
correspondent accompanied IN Egyptian
friend and his valet i'll a carriage to the
mosque of the Sultan Mahomet, at which
point they turned into narrow and COM
plicated streets, which finally became
impossible. They alighted before a pile
of mud which could be crossed only on
foot. Reaching the house, they were in
troduced into the selamlik, or chamber
reserved for male visitors. Here they
found the slave dealer standing, short
pipe in hand He was little old Tri-
| politan, Gassirgi- i-Messoud-Aga, by name
He has followed the business for forty
years. After the customary salutation
pipes and coffee were offered and taken
with the silence usuul to Orientals before
any business transaction.
An ebony young eunuch soon entered
and whispered in Messoud's ear. The
latter made II sign of Gcquiescence, and,
turning to the guests, said: "Bouyou-
roun" pefmit me). The guests rose
and followed him into room OF the
harem. A long divan, about foot and
half high and four feet wide. surround
ed three sides of the chamber. An ex-
cavation in the wall held the cushions
and coverings used at night. The tiool
was covered with mats and loose pieces
OF carpet. Upon the divan were seated,
side by side, two white girls from Cir.
cassia, in the dress of their country. OPP.
posite were three other women, one ol
whom was white, from Georgia, and the
others black.
All arose as the visitors entered. One
of the Circassians seemed scarcely four.
teen. She had bright chestnut hair,
long, dark eyelashes, which shaded eyes
of liquid blue light, well rounded
form and regular features, overcast witt
melancholy. She WAS beauty Of the
first-class Her companion, aged eight
cen. was slightly less beautiful but was
performer on the kemendja or Turkisl
violin. In addition, she was recon
mended as a good cook, seamstress an(
washer. Her brown hair fell to heI
knees She looked at the visitors coolly
and fixed her eyes Oh the Egyptian with
an expression that seemed to ask him t
purchase her.
At sign from Messoud one OF til,
black girls disrobel the Circassians
This was not a complicated process, n
: their dress was simply tunic, pair o
trousers and chemise. The youngc
seemed distressed; the other simp],
, fixed her eyes upuu the floor Messou,
passing his hands over them, called at
tentjon to their regular, peariy teeth
He dwelt also upon the strict decorun
Of their antecelents
After an examination Of the Georgian
and glance at the black girls the part
returned to the scllEmilk to close tn
. bargain. The youngest Circassian va
quoted at 300 pounds Turkish, the. eide
; at $50, the Georgian at 100. The E9vI)
t tian found them too high priced, an
took one OF the black girls for thirty
eight pounds. He simply wanted
| house servant. The sale being com
pleted, the party We're again served wit
: pipes and coffee, and left the house.
/ The preliminaries to this were COZ
{ Quoted with great caution The valet {
: the Egyptian was sent the day befor
| to announce his masters desire, an
Messoud Immediately came to the latte
to assure himself that all wss right by
personal inspection of his customer
As a mere visitor to the harem woul
have been eyed askance, the correspol
dent was introduced as Tahir-Bey,
Syrian gentleman who wished TO take
clambormaii home with him