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Slave Markets.--egypt: Grand Cairo

Slave Markets.--egypt: Grand Cairo image
Parent Issue
Day
7
Month
July
Year
1841
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

I was induced, from curiosity, to visit Ihe slave market, which has long been established in this quarter. Although I mfiy attempt a description of the objcts which I witnesscd, yelno idea can be conveyedofthose painfui sensations which I expericnced on this occasion. The placo sel a part for this scandalous traflic ís a large courl of the principie streets in the form oí a quadrangle, with a range of apartraentsaround, elevated about twenty feet from the ground, to which there is access by a staircase at one nd, and a sort of platform or gallery in front of the apnrtments,not unüke what we meel with in the 3rards of inns in London. ín one place I observcd á Turkish woman bargaining for the purchase of a young female, whoI was stripped previously fur the purpose of e.xamination, turnee! arouhd, her joints feit, her tounge inspecled, and, añer a deal of r.egotiation. refused to bo purchased. - In others I emv wretched creaiurcs, of all i ages up tofifty years, in a state of nudity, i and absolutely liuddied together in hovels i likc cattle. At the door of a miserable den fiat tho cold-hearted guardián or keeper, of the receptacle of Vol: a tyrannical Jook ing fellow, seated on the g round, crpssI le;ged and smoking. - He was watching ] for the arrival of purchasers; ond, having ; presumed I had come to market for this view, he deñíanded in a growling tone, if i I wanted aoy ora girl. At this time a puor helplffs child was turned out. I j could not suppress a tear at the incident j and the unfeeling conduct of the barbarían ; and I hurried away from a scène in i w!iic!iit would be difïïcult to determine, whelher human nature appeara in iis most guilty orits most abject form. This depot continúes ahvays weil stocked withslaves of both sexes, who arrive i' in proiHgiöus numbers in boats from Nubia I in Upper Egypt. Upon any person bcj ing oljserved to enter it, (which is alway? couciuded to be for the purpose of buying these despised èreatures,) they are turncd out from the'tr den quickly, as such persons passes alon, when they are rank ed and exhibited by their inhuman keeper. - Such, indeed, appears to bo their own anxiety to be purchaeed,so as to be liberated from their cfiptivity, that tftfr'e seemed to be a marked rivalship and emulation among them, by looks and motions, which ofthem should attract most attention. - some ofthem were compietely black, with an excellent set of teeth, were fineiy forrned, and had a mere rag thrown round part of the body. - Wilson. {Ly"The foUowiog resolution was unan imoudly passed by the congregational church of West Boylton, Mass. May 20. Resolved, That (knowing him to be such) we will not invite a slaveholding minister to enter the sacred pulpit, nor a sliiveholdiag professor to sit at our commuuion table. God has iwo dwellings. One in Heaveo - and th,e othe in a meek and quiet heart.