ROCHEFORT’S ESCAPE FROM NEW CALEDONIA.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4139, 26 June 1874, Page 3

ROCHEFORT’S ESCAPE FROM NEW CALEDONIA.

The following particulars of the escape of Henri Rochefort and his confreres from New Caledonia, have been supplied to the Southern Cross by Mr. William 11. Follett, the steward of the barque P.0.E., at the time the escaped Communists came on board ; “ On the afternoon that the Communists came aboard, Captain Law and the officers of the ship had gone ashore and left mo in charge, with instructions that Iwas to receive whatever came on board. I was not supposed to know what was coming on board at that time, though I did know it. As Rochefort was attempting to get on the vessel ho someway missed his hold, or became dizzy, and failing to hold the rail tightly, fell into the water. I immediately lowered our boat from the stem of the P.C.E., and picked him up before he had suffered much from his immersion. More than five minutes did not elapse before he was pulled into the boat again. Ho could swim. Next morning the captain and the officers came aboard at 3 a.m. The captain and second mate were having a row as they came on board, and in the squabble which ensued both fell overboard. With the assistance of one of the foremast hands I picked them up. After Rochefort and his companions came aboard, Rochefort asked for a bottle of champagne, and we all had »

drink together. They rowed themselves to the vessel in a small yawl belonging, I suppose, to some vessel or other in the harbor. So as to sink the boat as it lay alongside, I dropped a grindstone through it ; we were then lying in seven fathoms of water. In the morning the captain asked mo if I saw men come aboard last night, and I told him I had. They had only a valise with them and a small bundle of canes. They told me that the Commandant of New Caledonia had given Rochefort permission to sail about in a boat on the day on which he made his escape, and on that very same day the Commandant left Noumea for some other portion of the dependency, taking with him the three gun-boats. It was a strange coincidence, and a very fortunate thing as it turned out for Rochefort and his friends. I have been told since by a French resident at Noumea that after the Commandant returned we were still in sight of land, outside the reef, but he said it would be of no avail to send a vessel after us because we were so far away, but I don't know anything of this of my own knowledge. I was further told that after the Commandant returned he gave orders that every escaped Communist that might be met with should be shot down ; that no attempt should be made to retake any prisoner ; that all the vessels remaining in harbor and likely hiding-places were searched, but fruitlessly, of course. We carried the escapees to Newcastle, making the run in seven days ; and there they landed. I was promised £lO from Rochefort for my care and attention in making him comfortable, but I have not yet got it, and I did hear the captain and owners of the ship were in the same way promised £IOOO. Whether they got it or not I cannot say. I was the only one that took care of Rochefort, and I gave up my bed to him so that he might be made as comfortable as possible. Rochefort came to the galley to me to ask roe to look well after his wants in the preparation of his victuals, because he was sickly and was always unwell on board ship. He was sick all the time we were running from Newcastle. We had a publication on board called “ Bow Bells,” containing a likeness of Henri Rochefort. The paper was shown to him, and he fell back quite startled on looking at it. He admitted at once that he was Henri Rochefort. He could speak the English language moderately well.”