Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-07-14
Slavery In the Soudan.

At Berber we note for the first time
the excess of the pure negro race, either
the descendants of former slaves or the
actual slaves of the swarthy Arab mer-
chants. These Berberine blacks are to
all appearances most happy and con
bondage or not, all alike have either
laugh or song on their lips. The labor
they perform is to a European observer
of the most dilatory character, a chant
accompanying the slightest physical ex-.
ertion. So slight is the physical power
exhibited that four men will leisurely
roll a bale of goods that an English
wharfman Or porter would make nothing
of. They pause at every turn of a
package and sing in unison; then over
it goes again; in fact, they take nhour
doing what or ordinary laborer at home
would accomplish in a quarter of the
time, and no one seems to hurry them.
They apparently have it all their own
way, and their way is to take things
leisurely. Let it be understood that no
apology is offered here for slavery,
though from my inquiries among those
in forced servitude I did not meet with
one who desired to return to his or her
native condition of barbarism; and
this, 1 think, speaks volumes in favor of
the kind way in which they are general
ly treated. Through the medium of an
interpreter, I had a long conversation
with a couple of very ~neatly-clad Durka
men, hailing from the country south of
Seminar, lying between the White and
Blue Niles. They had been captured
when young in tribal war-somethingg,
for instance, like a feud would be be-
tween Yorkshiremen and Northumbrians
and though their captors were of the
same race they were mercilessly sold
into servitude. To-day they %repudiate
all notion of returning to their own
country. They said: ssHere we are
we'll cared for by our master,n or, .as
they termed him, ''kind father" 'He
| clothes us; and when meal time comes
we sit under his roof and eat our fill,
and at night we have good bedding and
shelter. When we desire it, he gives us
money to go. to the bazaar, and what
belongs to him. belongs to us. We are
of his family. Why should we wish to
return to the misery and uncertltude OF
our early life:?" Such, so far as I have
been able to CLEAN, is the general feel
ing of those in servitude. They become,
SO to speak, members of the household
of their masters. They benefit largely
by the civilization, such as it is, that
surrounds them. They form ties and
affections; they marry and have chill
dren; and they become thoroughly iden-
titled with the country and surroundings
of fhoco xuho OUn Thorn - A I"
At sunset the .sTam-tam," or native
drum, is heard IN the court or at the en-
trance of every house. Masters and
servants are alike holding their ''ter-
tubas," just as in Spain one hears in
provincial towns and villages the
twanging of the guitar and the long
sighed tremulous note Of some Arab
fatkered music. The female slaves, if
really they can be called so, seem to sit
as high at their dress tables as the lighter
colored mistress whom they serve. OF
ornaments they have plenty-silver and
gold coins being woven into their in
Vulnerable and manipulated tresses.
Amhar. coral. and JASPER necklaces