Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-06-20
TIE SLAVE TRADE IN AFRICA.
Interesting Particulars of the Methods OF
Carrying il On.


The Paris Temps published the other
dav a letter from Arabia giving some
details in regard to the slave markets
in Hodeida and other towns. 1t Is said
that the Turkish Government closes its
ewes to the traffic, and that consequent
IL slavery iourishes with little or no
obstruction. The few vessels scattered
along the great distance from Zanz bar
to Suakim are utterly inadequate for
the purpose Of suppressing the trade.
To exercise an effective surveillance a
large fleet of cruisers would be neces-
sary, involving. of course, an immense
expense.
The Captains of slavers are thorough
" skilled in the methods Of cOnceallng
their merchandise. For example,
when a war ship is approaching the
slaves are thrown n the bottom OF the
hold, and barrels and bales and all
sorts Of things are placed over them,
with little care for the danger of their
suffocation. In this way many a SLAYER
escapes as a vessel engaged in an hon
est business. In the Red Sea they en-
ploy other means of escape. They deal
principally in children, and when there
is danger of capture they put their
captives in small boats and land them
on some island, where they conceal
them as best they can. One Of the
difficulties in the way of stopping this
traffic is the consent Of the slaves
themselves. In liberty away from
their own countries they see nothing
but starvation before them, and the
result is that many liberated slaves
often resell themselves. Moreover,
they have dread of Europeans, The
Arabs tell them that the whites eat the
blacks.
The proper way to suppress the
traffic would be to commence with the
slave markets, which flourish under
the protection. or at least the toler-
ance, OF the Turkish Government.
Formerly the markets were carried on
openly, now they are operated secret
", and that is the only difference. The
slavers land their merchandise upon
some deserted portion of the coast, and
from there it is brought overland to
Hodeida. Everybody is informed of
the arrival. The Governor is the first
to get the news. PIE slaves are placed
with agents. who sell them either il
the tow itself or in the interior. OF
course, the prices vary according to
the quality of the goods; but of late
years the prices have been considera-
bly, raised on account of the fees which
the merchants are obliged to pay to
the Turkish officials. Nevertheless, a
good servant can be purchased for
about $50 or $50. The negroes from
/ Zanzibar and the SOudan are generally
employed as servants. The women
/ from Diilmona and Abyssinia are high
1 priced. They are generally very
pretty, with tolerably clear complex
/ ions. and features of the European
/ type They fill the harems of Arabia.
| 4 handsome Gala about twelve years
old will sell easily for $120, $3.50 or
even $500. In Hodeida, where there
are two European Consuls, this trade
is carried on secretly, but in the in
terror it goes on openly. In Loheva.
little town north of Hodeida, the
slaves are sold at auction, and the
Northumberland receives 81 for
each slave that is sold. Moreover, he
generally selects one or two for him.
self out Of each new cargo. This func-
tionarv does not even know how to
sign his name, and the Gadi Of the
same town deals in Calais and Soudau-
csc as the most legitimate business in
! the world.
All that the Turkish Government
does against this traffic is to give a
color of satisfaction to the European
powers Lately Turkish war vessel
/ seized two slavers with 100 negroes;
but this is after all only thin veil to
cover the acts which are going on
every day under the shelter of the
Ottoman flag.
About one thousand slaves are an
nually sold at Hodeida, and the trade
is carried on at other points on a much
larger scale.