2 Seven y^cais in the Soudan.

collocted in a month.' These merchants carried on a o-ood trade and became rich in a short time.

'rhe slave trade was hitherto unknown m the boudan of the Nile, and only began in 18G0. This new and infamous traffic soon proved most lucrative, and m

a ^horfc time those who carried it on became million-

aires. In the brief space of fourteen years more than four hundred thousand women and children were taken from their native country, and sokl in Egypt

and Turkey, while thousands and thousands were massacred in the defence of their families.

Other speculators of Khartoum joined themselves to the first in taking part in these raids. They armed

some nuqar^; and undertook expeditions into the tern- tory of the natives. The latter were surprised during the nio-ht, the villages were burnt, the men killed, the women, children and ivory carried off. The boats beino- freighted, thev returned to Khartoum, where

the 'spoils^ of such' raids found ready purchasers. These events took place openly, and the authorities of Khartoum were unable to hinder thein ; and even to this day the evil, though in a more hidden form, still exists.

Europe was not, however, indifferent, especially Enoland, where the Anti-Slavery Society was formed, composed of the most influential personages. The con-

tinual protests of these philanthropists, and articles imblished in the leading daily papers, induced the

Government to demand of the Viceroy that an end should be put to this infamous trafi&c. ihe then Viceroy, an enlightened prmce, gave orders

for the immediate suppression of slavery ; but the evil was too deeplv rooted, and those who had to execute the orders of the Government were

directly interested in the shameful trade, attracted bv the enormous gains it offered. The immense

distance that separates Cairo from Khartoum per-

' Tlio Tuikish vear lias thirteen months. ■■ Largo sailing boats.