Omaha daily bee., 1889-05-05
THE SLAVE MARCH.
Terrible Trials OF Captives in the
African East Coast Trade.

Terrible Trials. of Captives in the
African East Coast Trade.
Eyes, have seen the terrible slave
march, said Mr.. II. f. Moir, who for
many years has travelled abroad, spend
ing more or less time in Africa. He
was speaking OF the sutferings OF those
captives who carry great burdens across
the deserts in the African coast trade.
Mr.. Moir is a resident of New York
state, and last night in the lobby at the
Grand hotel entertained a few friends
with recital of some of his adventures.
when the slaves are captured" he
said, they are taken to the headquar-
ters of the east coast traders. There q
yoke is placed about their neck, and is
allowed to remain night and day with
out being once taken off. The constant
rubbing upon the neck chafes the skin,
and gradually ugly wounds begin to
tester under the burning African sun
shine. The men who appear the strong
est, and whose escape is feared, have
their hands tied, and sometimes their
feet, in such fashion that walking be-
comes torture to them. And on their
necks are placed the terrible goree or
taming-sticks. The yoke is II young
tree with forked branches. 1t
is generally about five or
six feet long,, and from three
to four inches in diameter. One which
l examined not long ago was about
twenty-eight pounds in weight, but was
told that refractory slaves are often
placed in yokes weighing fifty pounds or
more. Through each prong of the fork
hole is bored for the reception of an
iron pin, which, after the neck of the
slave has been placed in the fork is
secure by a blacksmith. The opposite
end is lashed to the corresponding end
of another yoke, in the fork of which
another slave is held, and thus the poor
creatures have to march, carrying be-
sides this intolerable weight, a load of
provisions or ivory slung across the GEN.
ter of the pole. Other slaves are in
gangs of about dozen each, with an
iron collar let into long iron chain.
Are males alone of these captives?"
asked a Cincinnati Enquirer reporter,
who was one of the party.
mo, indeed, +" said Mr.. Moir. "Women
slaves are plentiful. A man with any
spirit can scarcely trust himself to look
at the starting of one of the caravans.
l accompanied one which contained
many women. They are all fastened to
chains or thick bark ropes. Very many
of the women in the caravan to which
l refer, in addition to their heavy
weight of grain or ivory, carried their
little brown babies. The double weight
was almost too much, and still they
struggled wearily on, knowing too we'll
that when they showed signs of fa-
tlgue, not the slaver's ivory, but
the living child, would be torn from
them and thrown aside to die. One poor
old woman ] could not help noticing.
She was carrying baby boy who should
have been walking, but whose thin,
weak legs had evidently given way; she
was tottering already; it was the su-
preme effort of mothers love-and all
in vain, for the child, easily recogniz-
able, was brought into camp a couple o.
hours later by one of our hunters, who
had found him on the path. We had
him cared for, but his poor mother
would never know. During three days
journey out from Liendwe death freed
many of the captives. 1t was we'll for
them; still we could not help shudder-
ing as In the darkness we heard the
howl of the hyenas along the track and
realized only too fully the reason why.
The attachment of the children to their
mothers and the mothers determina-
dren," continued the traveller. ''com-
bine to carry them along with the
slave caravan-that is, so long as their
poor little legs can bear them"
"How can the slaves keep up under
their burdens?" was asked.
"They do not do it long" was the
answer. "They march all day, and at
night, when they stop, a few handfuls
of raw 'sorgho' are distributed among
them, and this is all their food. AS soon
as any begin to fail, their conductors
approach those who appear to be most
exhausted and deal them a terrible blow
on the nape of the neck. A single cry,
and the victims fall to the ground in
the convulsions of death. Terror for
time inspires the weakest with new
strength, but each time one breaks
down the terrible scene is repeated. A
friend OF mine told me that once when
travelling in Central Africa he was OBJ
llged to attach himself to an Arab slave
gang, and that the drivers deliberately
cut the throats of those who could not
march. l have also been informed"
said Mr.. Moir, that in Central Africa
these slave-drivers have been known to
cut off an arm or any limb with one
blow from their swords"
Use Angostura Bitters to stimulate
the appetite and keep the digestive
organs in order. DR.. G. B. Siegert &
Sons, sole manufacturers. At all drug
gists.