310
the 26th was passed in deep ravines, where not a word was allowed to be spoken and the pirates were on the alert at the slightest sound. For three nights the march continued, over almost impassable hills, where a path had to be made by separating the branches of the jungle. On the night of the 29th they arrived at a lair where the captives for the first time saw the whole band together. It comprised about a hundred and fifty men armed with repeating rifles. under the command of four or five petty chiefs. On the 30th the fatiguing journey was con- tinued. A high mountain was climbed and then a
defile entered, which M. Lyaudet believes to have been that of the Grandes Mamelles. On the night of the 1st May Chinese territory was entered, and the captives were not brought back to Tonkin until July, when they were taken for concealment to the fastness of Panai.
On the 3rd Mar the chief whom all the others seemed or obey, and whose name was Thien Sap-sirdered Mr. Lyandet to write to M. Portal,
the manager of the Kebao Coal Mining o., demanding a ransom of a million
dollar
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
place of seclusion in which they were kept that they saw nothing of this.
Since the 16th the first compradore had dis- appeared. The new one, who spoke French a little better and said he had been at Langson engaged in transport work, also exerted himself to calm the pirates, and he treated the captives with less brutality than his predecessor.
On the 31st, at nine o'clock in the evening, Thien Sap-si suddenly decided on the captives removal from Panai. Perhaps he thought this was the only way of saving them from the fury of his men.
Without giving them time to take anything with them, not even the diary which M. Landashed kept day by day and which was found by the French troops after the capture of Panai. he led them through the darkness and the fog. In the early morning, as the fog lifted for a moment, they saw the tents of the French officers on the crest of a hill, quite close. They were made to lie down in the thick grass until the fog again settled down, and then they passed into a defile about five hundred metres from the Po-heu
post. They were then outside the line of in-
A little later the demand was reduced vestment. $500,000.
to $
The interviewer asked for an explanation of this large demand, which the pirates must have known it would be difficult to obtain, being greatly out of proportion to the ransoms paid for prisoners already released.
M. Lyandet explained that the pirates had a compradore, a man who pretended to speak and write French, though he could hardly speak more than a few words. It was he who told the pirates that the Lyaudets occupied a very prominent position at Kebao, that they were very rich, and that a large ransom should be asked for. When the pirates found that this man had deceived them he fell into disgrace. He had ill-treated the captives, had caused them to be beaten, and to have cangues placed on their necks. Naturally they could not carry the cangues while they were marching, but they had them put on while in camp, so that they could neither move nor sleep,
During the period from the 1st May to the 5th July the camp was changed fifty-six times. This continued movement caused great suffer ing to the captives, worn out as they were, and having each day for their food only a little rice
without salt.
i
i
On the morning of the 6th July. before daylight, they again crossed the frontier. between Pac-si and Nam-si, passing near a blockhouse, and during the day they arrived at the fastness of Panai. Already the military had arrived in this neighbourhood. firing com menced on the 8th. and on the 12th shells began to strike all over the camp, and one ricocheted quite close to the mat shed in which the pirates were kept. During the night the pirates, seeing that their captives were likely to be killed and all chance of the ransom to be lost, removed them to another hill, where they remained until the 16th, guarded by half a score of the pirates. The rain fell in torrents and the captives were in deep despair, their strength and courage exhausted. On the 16th they were again removed lower down the hill, where they had
from little protection
the weather, being exposed to rain and snu. Here they remained until the 30th. During this time the investment of Panal continued sud the captives heard the fusillade. During several: hours on the 26th the were placed behind a rock to shelter them from the shells and the Lebel bullets that were flying around. On the 30th a pirate brought to them, saying they were those of an officer who had been killed, the ears of a soldier of the Legion who had fallen at the foot of the entrenchment, and whose rifle and cartridges were secured.
very
Seeing that the Protectorate refused to pay any ransom and that notwithstanding their resistance the stronghold of Panai. which they had considered impregnable, was likely to be carried, the pirates became exasperated and their attitude to the captives was very threatening. The chief, Thien Sap-si, being afraid that his men would kill them did not leave them night or day, and had it not been for him they would surely. have been murdered. It was to be supposed that a certain number of the pirates fell in the fighting, but the captives were so strictly guarded in the
!
In the evening. during the halt in the wood, Thien Sap-si, wishing to impress the Lyaudets, took away their little girl Sarah. The next morning, however, at four o'clock, in answer to their pleadings, she was restored to them. Then the compradore, no doubt to sound them. suggested an escape. For five or six thousand dollars he undertook to bring them to a post in Tonkin. but it was necessary to leave their child, who The proposal was in- could not follow them. dignantly declined.
On the night of the 1st September, by almost impassible paths, which it was difficult to follow even in Indian file, a long detour was made, and crossing the frontier above Bac-phon-si, they were once more in Chinese territory. For several days the same painful journey was continued, amongst the Hundred Thousand Hills, where The hardly a trace of cultivation was to be seen. sparse and widely scattered population occupied miserable huts on the hillsides and subsisted solely on maize that with great difficulty they grew. They were in a Catholic country, no doubt the district belonging to Father Freycinet's mission. A woman whom they met wore a scapulary. Moreover, letter reached them from Monseigneur Renaud, who placed himself at their service, but the pirates would not permit them
to send an answer.
men
|
[October 24, 1895.
pirate who was in waiting said a few words to the chief, and the march continued.
But soon a detachment of Chinese regulars was met. The officer in command was on horseback. We were surrounded and marched in an unknown direction. The Chinese re gulars and the pirates fraternised as good com- rades. Arrived at a large village, the Chinese officer ordered a halt and took us into s tem- ple. But at the entrance to the village the re- gulars and pirates had taken care to form two se- parate parties. Behind us we heard some shots, two volleys. Was this a pretence at a fight, were all these people playing a comedy, or was the firing simply a sign of rejoicing?
In the temple two mandarins were seated. We were taken before them and obliged to kowtow.
In recalling this incident Mr. Lyandet was transported with anger and the Courrier urges that it is a matter to be borne in mind by the Minister at Peking when effecting a settlement
of the case.
After us, continued M. Lyaudet, Thien Sap-si and one of the petty chiefs who had guarded us during the last few days also prostrated them- selves before the mandarins. The man with Thien Sap-si received from one of the man- darins a roll of silver. 85 ih ten cent pieces. We knew the amount because, another similar roll was opened to pay our porters.
We remained there, M. Lyaudet continued, until the 13th September, not having even rice to eat, and for ten days we were reduced to a few grains of boiled maize without salt, and a few rats which we grilled. At this time the pirates were discouraged and the compra dore hronght forward a plan for sending me alone to Tonkin, giving me a month to return, with a ransom of $200,000, my wife and child to remain in their hands as hostages. On the 13th we were taken down the mountain. Setting out at eight in the morning we did not reach the foot until ten o'clock. Then, after crossing a river. I was separated for the first time from Mine. Lyaudet and Sarah. With six to guard me I was told that I was to be sent to Moncay, and Thien Sap-si made me promise to bring $200,000 for the chiefs, $4.000 for the forty members of the band, and $1.500 for the compradore. But on the evening of the 16th we were again united. Madame Lyaudet. seeing herself separated from me, said that she would find out the inen who took me
to away. She began scream and cry and throwing herself on
of
snatched the pirates
away his dagger. with which she tried to kill hor self. This scene took place in an inhabited house in a Chinese village. Thien Sap-si dis- armed my wife and said to her "We will go and find M. Lyaudet.“
one
Two days more were passed in this village: Then, with three or four chiefs and forty other pirates, we marched towards the south, near the Chuk-san coast. I felt the salt breeze which told that we were approaching the sea, and when we reached the top of the hill we saw the sea before us, at a distance of fifty kilometers, between Chuk-san and Paklung. We were now in a well peopled and cultivated district with flourishing Chinese villages. From time to time a detour was made from the road, a
I
an
road.
The pirates dispersed and in a side apartment the mandarins had a meal served for us. We were in a state of indescribable misery. Since our abduction we had worn the same clothes, which were in rage, and we were revoltingly dirty. A woman was moved to pity for Madame Lyaudet and offered her a Chinese dress,
Night arrived. We again set out, with escort of Chinese regulars, on a good But at ten o'clock the night was BO dark that the officer halted between two ruined houses and said we would wait there Then Thien Sap-si reap- till the moon rose." peared with some of his men, armed to the teeth, and the hope which we cherished of soon being set at liberty disappeared. It seemed a simple change of guard, as if the pirates had surrendered us to other pirates dressed as regulars. We set out again and during the whole night went on we knew not whither. At seven in the morning the detachment was replaced by another guard of regulars.
On the 8th, at four in the morning, we arrived at a house which we were told was Here an excellent occupied by General Sou.
It was six European meal was served to us.
inonths since we had eaten bread.
Once more we cherished hope, this treatment was so different from that we had experienced ever since our abduction. In the course of the morning General Sou came to see us, spoke said that a gentleman kindly to us, and
ou his arms would with much gold lace come in
us the evening to take
away In the afternoon a table with him to Pac-si. was luxuriously prepared for a European dinner, with champagne cups on the cloth. Assuredly visitors of distinction were expected.
The inhabitants crowded round to examine us as though we were strange animals and their curiosity became so pressing that General Sou ordered the door to be closed. There we im- patiently waited. hardly daring to believe it true, the deliverance of which we had so often dreamt.
A tumult. the sound of approaching foot- steps, and then appeared before us M. Bons d'Anty, Captain Coiffé, Dr. Clavel, and M. No Baduel, interpreter, with General Sou. longer doubt. It was liberty! A few hours more and we were once more under the protec- tion of the French flag.
It is believed that General Sou effected the deliverance of the captives by paying out of his own pocket a ransom of $6,000.
1
As the steamer Esmeralda was hauling out from the wharf at Manila on the 14th inst., we learn from Cthe omercio, the cable broke, the end striking on the right temple a Carabinero who was on duty on board, knocking him down with such force that his skull was fractured. Death was instantaneous. The un- fortunate man leaves a widow and child,
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