M. LEBAUDY'S SAILORS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12401, 24 October 1903, Page 2 (Supplement)

M. LEBAUDY'S SAILORS.

STORY OF THEIR ESCAPE FROM THE MOORS. Toulon-, September 6.—The cruiser Gables arrived at six o'clock this morning in the roadstead, on her- return from Cape Juby with the five sailors of the yacht Frasquita, abandoned by M. Jacques Lebaudy on the Moroccan coast, and made prisoners by the Berbers.

Every effort was made to prevent the rescued men from communicating with anyone from the shore, but after they had bees transferred to the despatch vessel Inconstant, to await their examination by the, Commissaire des Inscriptions Maritimes, I was able to question them about their experiences, and obtained the following narrative of their deliverance— rather, escape—from the Moors: —

" The Galilee, having aboard as interpreter Allah Abiclh. Chancellor of the French Vice-Consulate at Mogador, arrived on August 21 off Tarfaja, at Cape Juby, where we were detained as prisoners by Moors to whom we had been sold by the Berbers, The interpreter landed, but his efforts for ransom came to nothing. '" On August 31 the Galilee sent the interpreter ashore with a letter inviting us to hold ourselves in readiness to make a dash for liberty, and to wear our white trouserJ so that we could be easily recognised. ; , " At one o'clock the same afternoon we were on the beach fishing, as usual—or, rather, pretending to fish—for all our thoughts were centred on the efforts being made to rescue us. By and by several boats put off from the Galilee and approached the shore, and the men in them pretended, like ourselves, to be fishing. At a prearranged signal we ran into the water up to the waist. At the same moment the Galilee's guns rang out, and the balls whistled over our heads and fell -between us and the Moors. / ' .';.;;'

" Our astonished captors could not par-1 sue us, and while they were wondering what to do we reached the boat, and were hauled'; on board. A few strong strokes of the oars | and we were alongside the Galilee, vh«» we received a hearty welcome." !

M. Lebaud (the " Emperor of the Sahara'') and his suite are expected at Gliosi, overlooking Montreux. He is travelling i n eognitc as an English gentleman. _~*' The recruiting in which he is' engage has so far not proved successful in spite of the increased inducements offered. He^ intends to raise a Swiss bodyguard, and l 5 likely to obtain plenty of recruits here, a' it is the end of the season. The authorities intend to prohibit opea recruiting, but dozens of offers are no* awaiting the arrival of the "Emperor ot the Sahara" at the hotel. He is expect to stay for a, week, and then go to Marseilles. Many Americans have arrived »* the hotel to see him. :,