Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1890-06-06
THE SLAVE-SHED.
Hapless Wretches Captured in
African Forests.
Many Become Victims of Ger
emonies in Congo Villages.

From E. ]. Glavc's article, 'Thc
Save Trade in the Congo Blsin." pub
lished in the Century, We quote as fol-
lows: "These hungry creatures form
indeed a truly pitiable sight. After
suffering this captivity for short time
they become mere skeletons. All ages,
of both sexes, arc to be seen: mothers
with their babes; young men and
women; boys and girls, and even babies
who cannot yet walk, and whose
mothers died of starvation, or perhaps
were killed by the Lufcmbe. One
women; they are all killed in the raids;
their marketable value being very
small, no trouble is taken with them.
"Witn essing groups of these poor,
helpless wretches, with their emaciated
forms and sunkcu eyes, their faces
very picture of sadness, it is not diff
cult to perceive the intense grief that
they are inwardly suffering; but they
know too well it is of no use to appeal
for sympathy TO their merciless masters,
who have been accustomed from child
hood to witness acts of cruelty and
brutality, SO that to satisfy their insati-
able greed they will commit them selves,
or permit to be committed, any atrocity,
however great. Even the pitiable sight
of one of these slaves sheds does not
half represent the misery caused by this
traffic-homes broken up, mothers
separated from their babies, husbands
from wives, and brothers from sisters.
When last at Masankusu l saw slave
woman who had with her one child,
whose starved little body she was
clutching to her shrunkcn breast.
was attracted by her sad face, which
betokcncd great suffering. ! asked
her the cause of it, and she told me in
a low, sobbing voice the following
tale:
81 was living with my husband and
three children in an inlanl village, a
few miles from here. My husband was
a hunter. Ten days ago the Lufembe
attacked our settlement; my husband
defended himself, but was overpowerel
and spearcd to death with several of the
other villagers. l was brought here
with my three chill dren, two of whom
have already been purchased by tho
traders. ! shall mover SEQ them any
more. Perhaps they will kill them on
the death of some chief, or perhaps
kill them for food. My remaining
child, you see, is ill, dying from star
walton; they give us nothing to eat. ]
expect even this one will be taken from
me today, as the chief, fearing lest il
should die and become total loss, has
offered it for very small price. As
for myself, said she. they will sell me
to one of the ncighboring tribes, to
toll in the plantations, and when 1 be-
come old and unfit for work shall be
killed.
"There were Ger tainly 500 slaves ex-
posed for sale in this one village alone.
Large canoes were constantly arriving
from down river with merchandise of
all kinds with which they purchased
these slaves. A largo trado is carried
on between the Ubangi and Lulungu
.ivers. The people inhabiting the
mouth of the Ubangi buy tho Bololo
slaves at Masankusu and the other mar
kets. They then take them up the
Ubangi river and exchange them with
the natives there for ivory. These ma
tives buy their slaves solely for food.
Having purchased slaves they feed them
on ripe bananas, fish and oil, aud wh,n
they get them into good condition
they kill them. Hundreds of tho Ba-
lolo slaves are taken into the river and
disposed of in this way each month.
A great many other slaves are sold to
the large villages on the Congo to sup
ply victims for the execution ccrcm mon
les.
'.Much life is lost in tho capturing of
slaves. and during their captivity many
succumb to starvation. OF the remain
der, numbers are sold to becom, vic
tins TO cannibaiism and human sacrifice
ceremonies. There are few indeed who
are allowed to live and prosper.