The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-05-13
lRGAN aAIE NIRlEIS
Human Beings Bought and
Sold in Morocco
WHITE WOMEN INcL UpED

ia ~ ~ ~ az
Is IncreaAe Their Selling Prize
Auction Opened with Prayer.
Slavery has been almost rooted
out 81 Africa, hut The Arabs remain
slave traders al heart, and there sis
more buying and selling even ~ this 4
rear Of grace than most people
imagine.
Many Of Morocco 8 erunthlirE cit
les owe their walls and battlenents
| to the unrenltting labor Of Christian
slaves. There are men still living
and working who can remember the
DAYS when siayes were openly
bought and sold IN an Mcrocco's
coast towns
THANKS chiefly to the intefcession
OF, Queen Victoria this tradac was
stopped insthe latter part Of the last
century and. to-day the slave mar
kets OF Morocco are held either in
the great capital cities or. at some
OF the big country fairs. In Mar
rakesh, the sultan's southern capiz
tai, you can count slaves by the hum
dred; and during the two hours Of
the daily sale the transactions In
clude scores Of human beings.
II may also mention fact that Is
perhaps quite unknown in this coun7
try. and seems 70 be jealohsly guard
ed secret in Morocco, says S. L, BEN
susan in the Wide World magazine.
It Els that there are white women sr
slaves in several pafts 81, the conn
trS; not circassians, but seemingly
women from Western Elrope
When the market IS about to be-
gin 4 dozen zen file through the en-
trance. They are the auctioleerss
the difals;3Sho have been occupied
with THE representa- of9the Gov
eminent, giving him a list and de-
scription Of all who are TO be7oHered
for sale.
This preliminary work done they
are now coming to the serious busi-
ness OF the afternoon. They move IN
aiIhe to a point where there Is some
shade, and then they turn toward
The east, the slipping sun behind
Them. The chief auctioneer nov Of
Eers up. an opening prayer.
Prayers over the dilals break up
and proceed each to his pen. orpens.
to summon the, occupants to range
themselves In line For a few mo-
tnents the confusion is Undesirable.
rhe dilals rush hither and. thtther.
arranging their human chattels In
groups. Then having placed them
selves at 'the5head Of their respective
groups, they promenade slowly,
around The markets =.
we cannot watch them all. SO We
select an average one containing 2
boy and a girl, brother and sister.
who have been brought In by a,cara-
van and are facing a slave market
Tor the first time in their lives Be-
side them are two vigorous men, two
able women, two young children and
4 very old and very black man,
There Is no sign OF great excite
ment OF unrest among the slaves.
Only the boy and girl who are al
ready grown up seem to feel their
position acutely.
The children are obviously uncon-
cerned, andif 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 auctioheers in
charge, in order that they may pre-
sent a more attractive figure. When
they have been purchased their new
owners must pay for these gaudy
rags or return them.
AS he goes for the first or second
time in wide circle around the cen-
trail arcade our .adctioneer proclains
the merits Of his wares in general
terms, and then a purchaser de-
mands the price Of the two middle
aged men, who seem to have years
Of considerable activity before them.
The dial pauses, and presents the
two slaves, who reply to various
questions that the intending pur-
chaser puts to them.
The dial himself talks very volu-
bly, and the result must be satistac-
tory. for his patron names aprice,
and the dial, with a plous Praise
be to Allah, who made the world
gathers his company around him
once again and moves of, proclaim
Ing that the price ofithe two men IS
so many dollars; and urging the as
-sembled. buyers to do better still.
Apparently they are not inclined to
take advantage OF their chances, for
after the circle has been completed
twice more the dial pauses again
and hands the two slaves over to
their new master.