Evening journal., 1904-09-09
BUYING GAIA GIRLS.
A FORM or - TRAFFIC THAT is
AFRICA.

zanzibnri Women Servants Are Not
For Hire. but Are bought and sold
Outright For cash-The Way the
transactions Are Conducted.
In Mozambique. the Portuguese ter
ritory on the east coast OF Africa. one
does not hire women servants. II one
wants n manseryant, that is another
matter.
There are always zanzibari boys,
with their white skullcaps, their night
gown looking robes, without sleeves;
barefooted and unrlvnled as cooks and
waiters-ideal valets.
Women servants nre quite a different
story. Zanzibari women are not for
hire, so the white woman or the bach
elor or the clerk desirous oe obtaining
n domestic buys a native GAIA girl
from the camera municipal, or town
council. OF the nearest town.
The purchase is simple. but binding,
as far as the girl is concerned.
For instance. that young man is at
Dclagoa Bay to push n certain firms
goods. He is allowed so much for ex
penses, commission and salary.
He will gravitate to the club. becom-
ing n member and sleeping there un-
I'll such time as he should have secured
a tiny cottnge on the Ponta Vamalia,
or. as the British call the high ground
above the harbor. Reuben's point.
A table. two or three cane chairs and
a camp bedstead complete the inside
furnishings On the step. or veranda,
will be arranged small cooking stove
and washtub. but naturally he will. II
from home. be at loss what to do as
far as cooking and housework is con-
cerned.
oh" his friends at the club will
say, buy n girl. You'll get a decent
one for anything over $50"
"But how?" replies the newcomer.
Isn't that slavery?
"'When you're in Rome. We don't
call It that here. Wen run you up one
OF the rivers and you can look around
the lSraals (villagesl till you see one you
fancy. Wen find out her name, and
the camera municipal will do the rest"
Perhaps on the following Saturday
or Sunday some Of the older white resi-
dents will take the newcomer up the
Koomati or Maputa river I'm a steam
launch. 90 ashore at some kraal OF 9th
er and have n look around.
The GAIA girls are by no means bad
looking Often their black hair Is long
and silky. their noses are not spatulate,
as in most other native races, their fig
ures are beautifully rounded and grace
full, the skin being either chocolate col
OF or lighter. These differences from
other tribes can probably be traced to
a strain OF Portuguese blood of some
distant ancestor.
The newcomer will have these things
pointed out to him. and from among
the maidens he will probably choose
one that may take his fancy
His friends will find out her name,
and after pnrtaking Of native spirits
and mealle cakes with the 'induna," or
headman. they will return.
On the Monday the newcomer will
appear before the camera municipal
stating that he needs a girl for his
house. He viii be asked il he wishes
| for any particular one. Yes" he will
say, giving her name and the name of
her kraaLDo 4. s.4 4t
A Portuguese official then visits the
kraal and purchases the girl from her
father for so much. and a few days
later the purchaser is informed that
II he will call at the camera municipal
be can receive his bargain.
He goes down and signs document
TO the effect that he has paid so much
for the girl. and in consideration of
that payment she is henceforth his
/ own particular property, 10 do with as
/ he will. in just the same manner as If
she were 4 table or a chair.
The usual price is from $50 TO 500,
according TO her social standing. looks
or figure and the ages from a market
able point Of view range from twelve
to sixteen years.
The Portuguese make so much on
each girl sold and, strange to say,
neither the girl nor the parents seem TO
object TO this dealing in human flesh
in fact, the parents often bring their
daughters over TO the mainland for the
purpose Of disposing of them at private
sale. but most Of the transactions pass
through the hands Of the Portuguese
they don't like TO lose the commission
Some Of the girls bought in this man
ner soon pick up English or whatever
] language their lord and master MAY
speak, and most OF them are fairly
well treated; but, equally. Of course
some Of them fall into the hands OF
brutes who treat them shamefully.-
Philadelphin North American.