The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-23
memorable visit there some few years

memorable visit there some few years
back
Il asked my host" Mr.. Phillips. "wheth-
ct there was a slave market at Fee. as
was curious. II such were tho case. TO visit
IT, He told me there was. and that be
would inquire when there would be n sale.
The result OF the inquiry was that on the
evening Of Sunday. May 81. last. was con-
Quoted 10 what had the appearance Of an
old-fashioned market place. There was an
open square, and round was a kind OF ar
cade, In which the people sat. The slaves.
who We're SOudauese negresses. brought
up from the SOudan through the desert
I'm caravans. were ranged in "A recess In the
corner The slave dealers. healthy and
substantial looking men. led out each Of
the slaves in turn, and ln Arabic shouted
out the merits Of each. These slave sales
are Invariably held In the evening. the
idea being that 10 there are any impertec-
tions in face or figure riley are less likely
10 be noticed I'm the twilight. Eight Wo-
men and two girls We're offered for sale,
and before the actual bidding commenced
the intending purchasers went mp 10 the
recess IN which the slaves We're waiting
and examined them closely. The hrst Wo-
man brought out was one apparently -
years OF age, although she might nave
been less. as they age very quickly She
was dressed In a kind of calico covering
with a girdle. There was bidding Ia 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 a sum equivalent 10 English
money to nearly flO
Then a vounr girl of perhaps 10 years
was sold. the price In her case being about
al. During all this / was standing under
the arcade but. being dressed In an ordi-
nary English tourist suit, l kept behind
the Moors who accompanied me, and, so
far had been unObserved. 1 was aware
that the Moors object TO any stranger be
ing present at these sales, as they do not
wish information about the traffic to get
abroad ] had seen the two sold, and in
the case Of the girl the scene was heart
rending, as she cried bitterly and was
greatly distressed / could stand 1t no
longer and walked out into the middle OF
the square, and the large attendance Of
Moors present then saw that European
was there. They gathered together In lit
tie groups, there was a hurried Whisper
ing among them, the unsold slaves were
formally marched or and the MOors dis
persed. most of those present proceeding
to the great mosque near by"
Mr. Phillips proceeded to point out that
II would have been useless for him TO pur-
chase any OF the slaves and set them free.
Besides giving an encouragement to slave
dealing, It would be mistaken philan-
thrOpy. About two years ago EURO
pean, acting from the best motives, pur-
chased, through a Moor at the same slave
market. one Of these Soudanese girls and
gave her her liberty, but as he could not
provide for her permanently, and she
could not go back to her own country, the
result was deplorable.
Mr.. Phillips has a profound belief in
the resources OF Morocco. but very
poor opinion of the people. It's mineral
wealth Is absolutely unbounded, gold, sill
YER anthony, Goals, marble, slate-all
available for our needs-almost within a
fortnight of London. Enough grain could
be grown In Morocco TO feed Great Brit
ain, and there are enormous numbers of
bulocks and sheep. AS to the Moors,
this matter Of slavery is not the only
reproach which Is to be laid against
them. However slavery is recognized by
the law of Morocco. The sale of a slave
is accompanied by the exchange OF a le-
gal document and these slave markets
although that at Fee was in "A secluded
place. being reached through narrow
lanes and private paths-are regularly
maintained ais SUCH and are so called.
| Mr. Phillips saw much Of Sheriff Muali el
! Had1 relative Of the present sultan
and the most influential man in Southern
| Morocco. who is British subject He, as
| tho title sheriff implies, Is a direct de-
| scendant of Mohammed. When the pres
! ent sultan, a young man Of about 49,
| was placed upon the throne the sheriff
was probably regarded as a dangerous
person, and, as there were plots against
him, he came down to Tangier and put
himself under British protection.