The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-08

able women, two young children and q
very old and very black man.
There Is no sign Of great excitement OF
unrest among the slaves. Only the boy and
girl who are already grown up seem to feel
!" The Children are Obviously unconcerned,
and II they take any interest at all In the
proceedings IL is associated with their own
bright garments, which, by the way, have
been lent to them by the auctioneers in
charge. in order that they may present a
been purchased their new cwners sT must pay
for these guady rags or return them.
As he goes for the first and second time
in a wide circle around the central arcade
u auctioneer proclaims the. merits OF his
wares In general terms, and then a pur-
chaser demands the price Of the two middle
siderable activity before them. The dial
pauses. and presents the two slaves. who
reply to various questions that the intend
ing purchaser puts to them.
The dial himself talks very volubly and
the result must be s~atistactpry, for hs
pious praise be to Allah, who made the
world" gathers his company around him
once again and moves OIL. proclaiming that
the price Of the two men Is no many dollars,
and urging the assembled buyers t O do better
still. Apparently. they. are not inclined to
t8N6 ~ NdHtdkc VI tIIciT CHdlCt~, lol dltel
the circle has been completed twice more
the dial pauses again and hands the two
slaves over to their new master.
BY this time he has a bid for the grown
boy and girl, and summoning one of his
companions to complete the negotiations
just concluded, he hurries of. again, ex-
tolling the merits Of the pair he hopes to
sell next. In this case there is some short,
sharp competition.
The price rises by five and even ten dollars
at a time, and then-ominous sign-there
is separate bidding for the boy and the
girl, bidding that hints at separation. How
ever, in the end, q great country kaid,
who has travelled from Tarudant, secures
the pair, n they pass out OF the prone
nading circle into the care Of one OF his stew
~ards-himself a slav v ! watched carefully
for some expression Of emotion on the faces
stolen and sold as though they were chat.
tells, but it was perfectly impossible to note
anything more than bewilderment.
Presently there was a sudden interrupt
ton in the market place from a little group
in front OF me. Here we saw the one dra'
matte incident OF the afternoon. Since the
market opened a woman, who was approach;
ing middle age, had been tramping round
and round without interesting the buyers,
Now at last there had been some small bid
for her.
It had been accompanied by the usual
queries that all buyers make. There had
been no hesitation about reply, but at the
very last moment, when the sale was com.
pleted, ths woman raised her voice rra
cried aloud that she was OF the true faith
and had been stolen.
Instantly there was an outcry, and me
concern Of the a~uotioneer was very Genu.
inc indeed. II the woman's protest vas
correct, and she would hardly have nladeN
otherwise, here was a SCANDAL OF some
dimensions, for II is no small matter, even,n
Morocco, to sell a free Moslem woman INTO
slavery.
After her story had been heard thu saieo
the woman was held to be invalid. Notice
was sent to her owner, and by the tim" TINS
little matter was settled the muez2iE vas
calling from tho nearest minaret thal Inc
hour OF evening prayer had come.