The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-10-04
Pious Slave Traders.
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Slavery has been almost rooted out
of Africa, but the Arabs remain slave
traders at heart, and there is more
buying and selling even in this year
of grace than most people imagine.
Many of Morocco's crumbling cities
owe their walls and battlements to
the unremitting labor of Christian
slaves. There are men still living
and working who can remember the
days when slaves were openly bought
and sold in all Morocco's coast towns.
Thanks chiefly to the intercesslon
of Queen Victoria, this traffic was
stopped in the latter part of the last
century, and to-day the slave markets
of Morocco are held either in the
great capital cities or at some of the
big country fairs. In Marrakesh, the
Sultan's southern capital, you can
count slaves by the hundred; and
during the two hours of the daily
sale the transactions include scores
OF human beings.
may also mention fact that is
perhaps quite unknown in this coun
try, and seems to be u iealously
guarded secret in Morocco. 1t is that
/ there are white women slaves in sew
eral parts of the country-not Cir
cassians, but seemingly women from
western Europei
When the market is about to begin
dozen men file through the en-
| trance. They are the auctioneers, the
dilals, who have been occupied with
| 20 Of he
| giving him list and description of
all who are to be offered for sale.
Auction and Prayer.
The preliminary work done, they
are now coming to the serious busi-
ness of the afternoon. They move
! in a line to point where there is
/ some shade, and then they turn to-
ward the east, the sloping sun be
hind them. The chief auctioneer
now offers up an opening prayer.
He praises Allah, who made the
world and gave the true faith. He
curses Satan. who has sought vainly,
but without ceasing, to destroy man
! kind. He praises the patron saint Of
the city of Marrakesh, and calls upon
him to intercede with Allah in order
! that all who buy and sell in the slave
market may have health, prosperity,
and length of days.
Such are his appeals, delivered
slowly, -olemnly and with a certain
measure of digniied gesture; and to
one and all of them the dlals, on
either hand, and the buyers, sitting
| l,r r,l do
or by the walls, respond with a pious
Amen" They hold it is no more
than a seemly thing that business
] should commence with prayer, and
the fact that the business happens to
be buying and selling slaves does
nothing to obyiate the necessity.
Prayers over, the dilals break up
and proceed each to his pen. or pens,
| to summon the occupants to range
themselves in line. For few mo-
ments the confusion is indescribable.
The dilals rush hither and thither, ar
ranging their human chattels in
groups. Then, having placed them
selves at the head of their respective
groups, they promenade slowly
/ around the market.
We cannot watch them all, so we
selec- an average one. containiro a
boy and girl. brother and sister,
who have been brought in by a car
avan, and are facing a slave market
for the first time in their lives. Be-
side them are two vigorous men, two
able women. two young children and
a very old and very black man.
! There is no sign of great excite
ment or unrest among the slaves.
Only the boy and girl, who are al
ready grown up, seem to feel their
| position acutely.
! fhe children are obviously uncon-
cerned, and If they take any interest
at all in the proceedings it is asso-
ciated with their own bright gar
ments, which, by the way, have been
lent to them by the auctioneers in
charge, in order that they may pre-
sent a more attractive figure. When
they have been purcf ased their new
owners must pay for these gaudy
rags or return them.
AS he goes for the first and second
time in wide circle around the CEN
trail arcade our auctioneer proclaims
the merits of his wares in general
terms, and then purchaser demands
the price of the two middle-ageI men,
who sc - to have years of consid-
cradle activity before them. The
dial pauses and presents the two
slaves, who reply to various questions
that the intending purchaser puts to
them.
bargaining.
The dial himself talks very volu-
bly,, and the result must be satisfac-
tory, for his patron names n price,
and the dial, with pious Praise be
to Allah, who made the world" gath