Evening star., 1896-08-22
SLAVE SALES IN MOROCCO,
Why Auctions Are Always Held
After Dark.

Why Auctions Are Always Held
After Dark.
From the London Daily Telegraph
There has just returned to London a gen.
tleman, Mr.. G. Herbert Phillips, who. in
the course Of ten months wandering, spent
nine or ten weeks in the dominions of the
| Sultan Of Morocco.
The house in which Mr.. Phillips stayed
at Fee was the same as that which Sir
Euan Smith occupied when he made his
memorable visit there, some few years
back.
II asked my host" said Mr.. Phillips.
whether there was slave market at Fez.
as 1 was curious. if such were the case,
to visit 1t. He told me there was, and that
he would inquire when there would be a
sale. The result of the inquiry was that
on the evening of Sunday. May 81 last. I
was conducted to what had the appear
ance of an old-fashioned market place.
There was an open square. and round was
kind of arcade in which the people sat
The slaves. who were Soudanese negresses,
brought up from the Soudan through the
desert in caravans. were ranged in re-
cess in the corner The slave Dealers
healthy and substantial-looking men, led
out each of the slaves in turn, and in
Arabic shouted out the merits of each
These slave sales are invariably held in the
evening, the idea being that if there are
any imperfections in face or figure they
are less likely TO De nOtlCeQ In the tWt-
light. Eight women and two girls were
offered for sale. and before the actual bid
ding commenced the intending purchasers
went up to the recess in which the slaves
We're waiting and examined them closely
The first woman brought out was one ap-
parently about twenty-five years of age
although she might have been less as they
age very quickly. She was dressed in a
kind Of calico covering with girdle There
was bidding in the usual auction way, the
dealers going round and shouting out the
offers as they were made. The bidding
was, Of course, In Moorish money, and the
first woman was bought for sum equiva-
lent In English money to nearly f1O. Then
a young girl Of perhaps ten years was sold,
the price in her case being about FIJI. Dur
ing all this l was standing under the ar
cade. but, being dressed in an ordinary
English tourist suit, I kept behind the
Moors who accompanied me, and, so far
had been unobserved. I was aware that
the Moors object to any stranger being
Information about the traffic 10 get abroad
had seen the two sold. and in the case of
the girl the scene was heartrending, as she
cried bitterly and was greatly distressed.
l could stand 1t no longer and walked out
into the middle Of the square, and the
large attendance of Moors present then
saw that a European was there. They
gathered together in little groups there
was hurried whispering among them. the
unsold slaves were formally marched off,
and the Moors dispersed, most of those
present proceeding to the great mosque
near by
Mr.. Phillips proceeded to point out that
1t would have been useless for him to pur-
chase any Of the slaves and set them free.
Besides giving an encouragement to slave
dealing, 1t would be mistaken philanthropy.
About two years ago a European, acting
from the best motives. purchased through
a Moor at this same slave market one Of
these Soudanese girls and gave her her
liberty. but as he could not provide for
he Vyyoo nd oh v,0k
back to her own country, the result was
deplorable