ugh he might perish in the
execution of vengeance and the relief of his feelings! We need scarcely
add that his discretion saved him. They soon reached the small square
in which the market was held. Here they saw a fine-looking young woman
sold to a grave elderly Arab for a sum equal to about eight pounds
sterling. Passing hastily on, they observed another "lot," a tall
stalwart man, having his various "points" examined, and stopped to see
the result. His owner, thinking, perhaps, that he seemed a little
sluggish in his movements, raised his whip and caused it to fall upon
his flank with such vigour that the poor fellow, taken by surprise,
leaped high into the air, and uttered a yell of pain. The strength and
activity of the man were unquestionable, and he soon found a purchaser.

But all the slaves were not fine-looking or stalwart like the two just
referred to. Many of them were most miserable objects. Some stood,
others were seated as if incapable of standing, so emaciated were they.
Not a few were mere skeletons, with life and skin. Near the middle of
the square, groups of children were arranged--some standing up to be
inspected, others sitting down. These ranged from five years and
upwards, but there was not one that betrayed the slightest tendency to
mirth, and Disco came to the conclusion that negro children do not play,
but afterwards discovered his mistake, finding that their exuberant
jollity "at home" was not less than that of the children of other lands.
These little slaves had long ago been terrified, and beaten, and
starved into listless, apathetic and silent creatures.

Further on, a row of young women attracted their attention. They were
ranged in a semicircle, all nearly in a state of nudity, waiting to be
sold. A group of Arabs stood in front of them, conversing. One of
these women looked such a picture of woe that Disco felt irresistibly
impelled to stop. There were no tears in her eyes; the fountain
appeared to have been dried up, but, apparently, without abating the
grief which was stamped in deep lines on her young countenance, and
which burst frequently from her breast in convulsive sobs. Our
Englishmen were not only shocked but surprised at this woman's aspect,
for their experience had hitherto gone to show that the slaves usually
became callous under their sufferings. Whatever of humanity might have
originally belonged to them seemed to have been entirely driven out of
them by t