The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-01-11
Beauty Sold by Auction.

A correspondent OF Lu0 FdI1S Odu1OAo
describes a recent visit to slave sale
in Constantinople. Notwithstanding
the nominal abolition Of the slave
trade in Turkey, through the efforts OF
the civilized European Governments,
still continues in furtive way. AS
long as the harem exists, this trade
will exist.
This sale was in house. All the
windows facing the street were closed.
The correspondent accompanied an
EGYPTIAN friend and his valet in car
riage to the mosque of the Sultan Ma
homet, at which point they turned In
to narrow and complicated stress.
which finally became impossible. They
alighted before pile OF mud when
could be crossed only on foot. Reach.
ing the house, they were introduced
into the selamlik, or chamber reserved
for male visitors. Here they found
the slave dealer standing, short pipe
in hand. He was little old Tripoli-
tan, Gassirgi-Messoud-Aga, by name.
He has followed the business for forty
wears. After the customary saluta-
lions, pipes and coffee were offered
and taken with the silence usual to
Orientals before any business transac-
ion.
An ebony young eunuch soon en-
tered and whispered in Messoud's ear.
The latter made a sign of acquies-
cenee, and, turning to the guests, said :
.'Bouyouroun" (permit me). The
guests rose and followed him into the
room of the harem. A long dlvan,
above foot and half high and four
feet wide, surrounded three sides OF
the chamber. An excavation in the
wall held the cushions and covering
used at night. The floor was covered
with mats and loose pieces of carpet
Upon the divan were seated, side by
side. two white girls from Circassia
in the dress Of their country. Oppo
site were three other women, one o.
them was white, from Georgia, an(
the others black.
All arose as the visitors entered
One of the Circassians seemed scarcel.
IA. She had bright chestnut hair
long, dark eyelashes, which shade,
eyes of liquid blue; light. well
rounded form and regular features
overcast with melancholy. She was
beauty of the first class. Her CON
panion, aged Is, was slightly less bea,
tiful, but was q performer on LII
kemendja or Turkish violin. In at
dition, she was recommended as goo
cook, seamstress, and washer. He
brown hair fell to her knees. Sh
looked at the visitors coolly. and fixe
her eyes on the Egyptian with an e:
preston that seemed to ask him
purchase her.
At a sign from Messoud one OF tt
black girls disrobed the Circassian
This was not a complicated process
as the dress was simply tunic,
pair of trousers, and chemise. II
Younger seemed distressed the 9th
simply fixed her eyes upon tho foo
Messoud passing his hands over thel
called attention to their good point
and made them show their pear
teeth. He dweit also upon the stri
decorum of their antecedents.
After an examination of the Geol
ian and glance at the black girls t
parts returned to the selamlik to clio
the bargain. The youngest Circassi
was quoted at 200 pounds Turkish, t
elder ut 100. the Georgian at 120. 7
EGYPTIAN found them too high-pric'
He simply wanted a house serval
The sale being completed, the pal
were again served with pipes a
coffee. and left the house.
The preliminaries to this were c.
ducted with great caution. The va
of the Egyptian was sent the day
fore tn announce his masters deSi
and Messoud Immediately came to
latter to assure himself that all
right by personal inspection OF
CUSTOMER. AS mere visitor to
harem would have been eyed askaI
the correspondent was introduced
Tahir-Bey, Syrian gentleman
wished to take chambermald az
with him.
The stories of the shipwrec
r.osln rSor Kav Vast Florida are tOucf