The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-09-09

mosque situated in the heart of Galata,
and through which hundreds of persons
hourly pass. 1t has since transpired
that two female children-one already
slave, the other an incorrigible gadabout,
whose description answers to that of the
little maiden in quesiion--are missing
from their homes, having probably been
kidnapped by dealers in human flesh.
But though this case is particularly nota-
bic from the audacious openness with
which the crime-for such it is even in
Turkey-was committed, the law is fire.
quently and flagrantly violated, as the
columns of the local press bear witness.
A short while back, wretched girl es-
capped from the hareIn in which she was
confined, and carried her scarified and
bleeding shoulders to the nearest police
station, where it was clearly proved that
she had been stolen by a Circassian dur
ing the refugee panic and traded away
for a few pounds to an exceptionally
brutal mistress; and the authorities at
young negresses froma caique, just on
the point Of landing them. These I'M
happy beings, who were lying in the
bottom Of the boat. declared they had
belonged to a party of ten, that after a
years captivity at port of the Nile had
been brought by the dealers on board q
coasting schooner, and crammed. half
naked, into small sitting cabin, in
which they had to be packed so close to-
gether that they were half piled on top
of each other. After enduring the hor-
rors of that passage they were smuggled
at night into the bark as described, but
they could give no information relative
to their six companions in misery, who
are doubtless, therefore, by now in hope
less bondage. 1t does not appear that
their master was arrested. II these ex-
amples are accidentally dragged to light
how many girls are disposed Of without
the cognizance of the lax officials?
When was in Damascus. some three
years back. was led bya native into
several of the slave dens. but always
found them empty. Oninquiry. it turned
out that Midhat Pasha had sternly put
down the bazaar traffic. But what was
the result? The slaves were distributed
amongst private houses. chiefly Of Chris
tian Syrians. There they passed for
servants, but were in reality as freely
exposed to the genuine purchaser as
those who in ancient days had tosuffer
the bitter shame of the public market.
At Aleppo could not completely satisfy
myself on the subject. but have excellent
reason for believing that q like system
was pursued there.
In the capital itself the trade has of
late encountered no further checks than
such as the increasing scarcity of Circas-
SLAMS. Russia having to a great extent
shut of the sources of supply, and gem
eral poverty of the Turks afford The
merchants, however, manage to find
victims, and, provided your money
is ready. you can easily CRAFTY
your tastes as to color. age. beauty, etc.
An English lady of my acquaintance was
taken BY black driver, who had learnt
that she was curious in the matter, to a
place at Stamboul, into which she walked
without the slightest difficulty, cabby,
with his smattering Of French. acting as
interpreter through grating in the
door. When she entered the sale-roorn
IA large, barely furnished. and very
light apartment-the mistress of the es-
Enlistment conducted her to divau,
and slaves instantly fetched sweets and
coffee. No astonishment was betrayed
at the intrusion of a Giaour women on
such scene. A number of white girls,
of ages varying from twelve to eighteen.
were then led up to her one
after the other, each in her turn
standing motionless before the sofa
till signed to yield her position to
her next fellow. They are described as