New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-11-29
FRENCH KEfUGEEs From CAYENNE.
REMARKABLE ESCAPE.


the nine who came together aud have learned the par
culars Of their exile and escape Eighty-'eyen con-
vcts political and otherwise, herded together on
little island about mile across, fly called the
Devils Island ore Of the group Of the Safety Islands
l,rg of French Guyana They were fed on salt pork
and biscuit, occasionally varied by salt Goldfish and bis
cult. and visited every morning by their keeper who
came from ntighborng island Lie Royae, where
there was detachment Of troops.
An escape was planned and carried out by nine men
o. a raft made with four casks, dashed beneath a
frame. After suffering great hardshps and losing
two of their number, one Of them, brother of the
Pianori, wlo attempted to shoot Louis Napoleon,
tbey reached the Dutch settlements Another was
planned about month after with two RATS, one of
which containing tweuty men, succeeded in escaping
the vigilance ofthc French steamers while the fourteen
men IA the other were retaken. These men rejoined
heic con rades at Paramerbo Most Of those who are
here are men of considerable culture. They have
written at our quest the following accounts of their
escape: Messrs. Carpaza and Chabanne furnishing
the account Of the FIRST and NJ. Gustave Dime,
young man from the department of the NieSTe,
victim of the coup deta whohas spent three years IN
Cayenne, that of the second escape.
THE FIRST ESCAPE.
Cast upon the rock Of Devils Island and left to die
far fom everything in the world which is dear TO a
man, we formed many projects for escape, all Of which
were difficult of execution, all the trees on the island
had toen cut down the year before to build schooner
and several other vessels in attempts at escape-Ih which
always failed. We had but means leit-that of
building raft. This agreed on, all went to work.
Some thousands of feet CT cords made Of bark, by
the aid Of the wheel of wheelbarrow. We dug out
an 81 ormous stump, and with Ratchet and handsaw
made slaves of this and the boards of chests
These were made into barrels with jackknife for
plane and pick-ax, which Transformed into an
adze. Al old trunk of a tree and the beams OF some
minhablted houses served for the frame of the raft
and shirts, pantaooDs and bouses were sewed
together for a sail. Every thing Was carefully
hidden so as not to excite the attention of
the keeper, who came every morning. When our
oars were finished, put our raft sohdly together,
and some boards partly nailed aud partly tied, served
as floor for it; bulwark also put on to support
our oars and keep the waves from sweeping over u.s.
The raft was launched, barrels, mast and sails were
put on board with bread and water AT last, seven OF
us rowed out at o'clock in the evening so Is not to
be seen by the troops, who are established at Lie
Royae, and directed our course toward Dutch Guyana
The night clear and at daybreak the islands were
out of eight, and We were enter ng into the Gulf OF
Tinsmaiie where the sea- always empestuous, started
leaks in casks and filed them with water, so that
We were compelled to take them on deck to empty
AZ repair them. lAis was difficult task, "a the
weight of tie men ard the cask which they
took up sunk the raf. and it did not come up
again until il was repaired, when man was COM
PEELED TO plunge into the water 10 replace IL aud secure
ii by ropes. The man who did this secured by a
rope aroun the wai hat be should not be washed
away This operation was renewed night and day.
During tie first dsys kept out of sight of land the
sun our compass by day, and the moon and stars
at night. Welet the Island on the 10Th of August,
and on the 10TH al pm, we landed on Dutch soil.
The raft was repaired during the night and at daylight
started sgaD keeping 10 close ~ the land so ss 10
60 on shore in of pursuit On the seventh day we
landed, u wind being contrary. We had three days
rations on board; we made them last five days. On
the sixth, breakfast was half an ear of corn for
each man our supper a single crab. Our wafer gave
out that morning. On the seventh day we Gte crabs,
which made us very thirsty as they were not cooked
On the eighth day, the wind being the same way, 1t
was decided that if il did not change the next day two
of us 81 ould 60 by land TO seek aid This day ter
rible we we G reduced TO drink our wine and salt
water which still increased our thirst. Rain fell that
night, and We stretched our sail 10 catch il; but
SO little fell that the sail only mois,ened.
We sucked it, and it did erea. deal Of good. On
the next day started, leaving behind our seven
c, Erades Pianori, Querard, Babn, Bouqueney and
Boktnski), to whom we were 10 bring aid as soon
As possible Baref,Otod we walked for four days
and half through mud and over trunks of trees. We
sn am several small rivers and walked for mile ortwO
in the sea- with toe water up to our necks. To
retT, I'll ourselves, iOund nothing on our rOue oub
a few pounds of honey and some very small bird.
eCgs We had sone fresh water once Urine and
sait alter cur only rink, with this exception
During this tine fou' d no trace of msn. Wesaw
nohiDg bu: crabs deer and tigeriracks and monkeys
Iur ling about us. Night and day we were eaten up
by musketcts guats and horse-tes. At last, on tbs
18th, at noon, reached the first haotiticns, and
were well received. man went FOR the oihce: IN
charge of the Dutch post at the mouth OF the Mot-
crick. He spoke French very well, aud we told bin
of tie peril of our comrades. We begged him 70 give
them speedy aid but in vein. We were toe thai
We should be tax en- to the Captain of the District who
would take measures 10 give them AID. When We "en
TO him We made the same request, but he kept us al
night in bis house and sent off next day 10 the Gov
eIpor at Para Maribo. We reached that place on the
morning Of the Goth and Immediately taken to the
irocureur General who sent Ia prison. ana II was
not until thirteen hours afterward that police agent
was cent for Us 10 in search Of comrades. We
started that night al 10 O'clock and ON the 3lst We
f md three Of five comrades They ha construct
small ran and had Common ed their Journey bat
they grounded il the sand and left the raft 10 wade
through the shadows Boqueney reached the Dutch
rost in the night of TIE 9th, Babin and Ouerard
during tire day Of the 2Sthhese last fe from exhaus.
lion during The DAY Of the 27th in place whee there
was shade, and the sun rendered them deaf. Our
ilIce comrades came board our bark and
went with US IN search OF the other two.
We reached the pace that same day from which
20 start 10 hnd them, but were 90 ICED 10 wait
for order from the Captain of the District, which
did not until the next day, the ls of September
At last physician the people Of the house. the two
men who were 10 take Us 70 Parimarbo, he police
sgeI and three negroes searched the coast but they