Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-04
In an African Slave-Shed.

All AGES of both sexes are to be seen
mothers with their babies, young men and
women. BOYS and girls, and even babies
who cannot vet walk and whose mothers
bave died of starvation. or perhaps been
killed by the Lufembe. One seldom sees
either old men or old women; they are ali
killed in the raids. their marketable value
being very small no trouble IS taken WIN
them. IL,
less yrretches. with their emnciated forms
and sunken eyes, their faces very picture
OF sadness, it is not difficult to perceive
the intense grief that they are inwardly
suffering. but they know too well 1t Is oil no
use 10 appeal for sympathy TO their mercl,
less masters, who have been accustomed
from childhood TO witness acts OF cruelty
and brutality, 80 that TO satisfy their lnsa-
table greed they will commit themselves
or permit 10 be committed any ntrocity
however great. Even the pitiable sight or
ono az these slaye-shcds does not half
represent the misery caused by this tTatfic--
homes broken up, mothers separated from
their babies, husbands from wives, and
brothers from sisters. When last at Ma
sankusu / saw slave woman VINO hau
with her one child whose starved little
body she was clutching to her shrunkcn
breast | was attracted by her SAD race;
which hetokened great suffering ASKED
her the cause of 1t, and she told me III
low, sobblng voice the following taie
d" was living with my husband and three
children in an inland village few miles
from here. sIy husband was hunter
Ten DAYS ago the Lutembe attacked ouI
settlement. my husband defended himself
hut wac overpowered and speared TO death
with several of the other villagers. was
brought here with my three children, two
/ of whom have already been purchased 10y
tho traders. | shall never see them any
more. Perhaps they will kill them on
the death of some chief or perhaps XII
them for food. My remaining child, you
see. is ill-dying from starvation; they give
US nothing 10 eat. ] expect even this one
will be taken from me to-day, Gs the chief
fearing lest II should die and become TO
/ tal loss. has offered it for a very small
price. AS for myself" said she. they Will
| sell me to one of the neighborinS tribes &C
| toll in the plantations. and when become
| old and unit for work shail DE kiiieu.
There were certainly five hundred slaves
exposed for sale in this one village alone
/ Large canoes were constantly arriving IRON
! down river with merchandise OF all KIND:
with which they purchased these slaves.
/ LARGE trade Is carried on between the UDan
/ pi and Lulungu rivers. The people IN
/ hablting the mouth OF the Ubangl buy th'
/ Balolo slaves at Masankusu and the
other markets. They then take them upth'
/ Ubangi river and exchange them with The
natives there for ivory. These native
buy their slaves solely for food. Having
purchased slaves they feed them on rip,
bananas, fish. and oil, and when they ge
! them into good condition they Kill them
Hundreds Of the Belolo slaves are takeI
into the river and disposed OF III this way
each month. A great many otner slaNe'
are sold to tho large villages on the Congo
/ to supply victims for the execution cere
monies.
Much life is lost in the capturing o
slaves. ana during their captivity many
succumb to starvation. OF the remalpde
numbers are sold TO become victims u
cannibalism and human sacrifice ceremo3
MES. There are few indeed who are al
/ lowed to live and prosper.