The herald., 1896-09-06

troops are now waging war against the
Mahdists.
Nearly all of the slaves sold in Nor
Occo are stolen from the tribes which
infest the Soudan, and Of these slaves
30 per cent are young girls ranging
in age from eight years to twenty-five
years. The explanation Of this is that
the men of the tribes are away fighting
under the banner of the madhi, leaving
their women unprotected against the
raids of the slave dealers.
The latter, from all accounts, are talk
ing full advantage of the unfortunate
condition of affairs, and owing to the
abundant supply, slaves are now selling
in the principal cities of Morocco at
cheaper prices than ever before. An
unattractive woman of twenty-four
years can now be bought for the Moor
ish equivauent of $35, but a handsome
little girl of nine or ten years brings
as high as S6O
THE SLAVE MARKETS
Slavery is officially recognized in Nor
occo, and in each of the large cities
there is a special slave market where
the wares of the dealers are sold at auc-
tion at regular intervals These sales,
are always conducted with great de-
corum, but the dealers resort to many
tricks to get big prices for their unfor-
tunate victims. Bulletins are posted
in the markets giving particulars of
the next sale, and these are closely stud
led in advance by prospective buyers.
The slave market at Fez is one of the
most important in the kingdom of Nor
occo. 1t is situated in the center of the
city, being nothing more than large
open square surrounded by a kind of
arcade in which the buyers and specta-
tors sit. On one side of the open square
is a magnificent mosque. fine type
of Moorish architecture, and many of
the people who come to the sale first
visit the mosque and send up prayer to
Allah.
The slave sales invariably take place
In the evening, for the purpose of con-
cealing in the dim light any imperfec-
tions which the unfortunates may poss-
sess. During the sale the slaves are
kept together in one Of the recesses of
the arcade. They are always surrounded
by group of men-prospective buyers
who look them over as woman in
spects household furniture at an auc-
ton sale.
The average age of the slave girls Is
about fourteen years, but the raiders do
not scruple to steal children who would
almost be considered babies in other
countries. The dealers, who in most
cases are prosperous, fine looking men,
watch over their victims carefully until
they are sold, feeding them generously
and trying to make them contented so
that they will present an agreeable ap-
pearance when placed before the bid
ders.
THE SALE A SIMPLE AFFAIR.
The slaves are led out separately by the
dealer who cries out their many advan-
tages in Arabic. The usual dress of the
slave is a single garment of calico. The
dealer marches her around in the ring
of open space while the bidders raise one
another. When there is no possibility
of getting higher bid the girl is hand
. ed to the purchaser the money is paid
over and the next slave is brought out,
to go through precisely the same per-
formance. AS the auctions take place
every few days, there are not many
slaves put up at one sale. Twelve or fif-
teen is the average number, but in some
cases, where an exceptionally fruitful
raid has been made, the number runs as
high as fifty or sixty.
Abdul Azziz, the young sultan, who
looks ten years older than he really is.
encourages the slave traffic, but he is
very Jealous Of the details concerning it
reaching European ears. For this rea-
son nearly all of the sales take place in
the towns rarely visited by foreigners
but should any Of the latter appear at
sale it is at once postponed.