St. Landry democrat., 1884-08-02
The Slave Trade in Egypt.

2, asterday the Forus made a long stop
to tai e in fresh supply of provisions
and coal A short distance from US lay
gloom dahabieh, with q convoy OF
slaves fro. n Cordufan. In that dirty
and iII-sm. ling boat, scarcely large
enough to ac> eommodate two travellers,
were crowded ten women and five chill
dren, on their W ay to Ca TO to be sold
Those fifteen yictl ms were huddled pell-a
nell in the hold, W bile on the deck q
dozen sailors were laughing bolsterous-
ly. The Captain, leaning against the
mast, was smoking his chibouque, and
[ never saw on a galley slave more
hang-do looking countenarce or snch
sinister head. Our dragoman knew
him, and told US that he was an old
Turkish canvas, well known at Cairo,
very daring, fearing neither God nor
the devil, yet, withal, pattern OF fllai
devotion; in proof of which, on his re-
turn from his last expedition, he had
sent to his parents at Constantinople
pair of young negroes of great beauty
The drageman also explained to us the
method OF pursuing this sort of industry
| The slave traders maintain spies on
| the confines of the Soudan, whose duty
it is to keep them informed as to the
condition Of the villages that border on
the Nile, the number of women and
children suitable for seizure, the habits
of the population, and the most oppor-
tune hour for making a successful raid.
The time having arrived. mounted on
| swift dromedaries, bearing at their
TANKS huge hampers, they pounce like
a flock of vultures on the villages indi7
Gated, bind their victims, throw them
into the hamper and take flight. Ut
tcrlv INSCRIPTIONS and well armed, If q
native attempts to obstruct their pas
sage they kill him without mercy.
! Such atrocities justify only too well
the hatred that the African tribes bear
to foreigners and the cruel treatment to
which they subject those who fall into
their hands. Have they not the right
to look upon every paleface as an enc
my? Unfortunately here as elsewhere,
the innocent suffer for the guilty, and
honest travellers have expiated the
crimes of these traf1ickers in human
flesh.
Returning on board at sunset, we
were present at the supper OF these
slaves. And what supper! Some
dirty flour stirred up in water-a por-
ridge which our dogs would eat with
disgust. They were all shiVering. half
naked, around scanty fire of rusheSs
and were coughing with dry coughs
I.slready the cold was affecting those
lungs accustomed to the temperature of
the equator, and disposing them to con-
sumption.
i | had remarked in the group a tall
and beautiful girl, with naughty mien,
fine features and graceful figure. She
alone was not cast down and seemed to
DEFY fate. 1 was contemplating her
with compassion, mingled with q GER
tain artistic curiosity, seeking to define
the exact meaning of that word
s.grace,' which has its equivalent in all
languages and is applicable to all
species, when the rulfian asked If
would like to buy her.
"Tell him. said to the dragoman,
"that he is the one would like to buy,
to have him hanged. !"
NV reply had no other effect upon
him than to provoke smile of sanctl~
mon;ous serenity. That smile exasper-
ated me. | am by no means cruel, yet
[ could have blown the fellows brains
; out in cold blood. In Europe we hunt
down the wolves and foxes that deci-
mate our sheep-folds and pillage our
poultry-yards, and ought We to show
shild stealers any more consideration?
} One of the women, still young, was
weeping while sQuatting before the
warm ashes Hakim Chakor, who
could speak little in the Soudanese
} tongue, approached and offered her an
orange and some sugar. She refused
; ii, but seeing the friendly hand that
had brought her the first consolation
she covered it with tears and kisses.
J .Why do you not eat?' asked the
.While my child is i'll I shall take no
Where is your childp" asked the
| doctor.
, physician, cure him. The master who
i killed my husband and my brother
wishes perhaps to kill him also. Then
/ shall starve myself to death. =
! NIGHT had now come. The slave
trader brandishing his courbach, ut
I tered q formidable ELLA (forward)
and in the twir,kling of an eye all those
wretches. shiyering with terror and
| cold. had disappeared in the hold of the
dahabieh. The accursed craft went its
way, and we felt relieved, at least. at
| having no longer under our eyes that
! ignoble spectacle. -SGet'aters'ags M Up
per Egypt.
, Had a Long Memory
.Wen, JOHN said old man Jordan
! ~ h;s x-ouno- friend. ssyOu have lust been