The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-11-29
THE FRENCH REFUGEES.

>~~~~~~cS~>~~~~~>>>~>
Interesting Account or the Second Escape OF
ahc French Political Depoxtes from the
leland OF Cayenne, as Related by One or the
Escaped Prisoners.
Abandoned upon the desolate rock OF the island OF
Cayenne called by the French the DEVILS Ise destined
there to remain till death, far from all thai to
the heart OF manour ismilles-we often medsted plans
OF Escape; but all there plans or difficult execution
for there wood to be got the island rt build
Ing boat All the trees of the bland had
the year BEFORE for purposes and also that
tf constructing q large boat by the prisoners, who
ut that time bad made unsuccessful attempt .
escape. One only means Of attempting an escape was
left to US, and that the construction OF a small ra
Having decided upon doing this each or work.
The bark ef kind Of acacia which grew upon the
island terved instead Of hemp TO make qua atity
rope few thousand feet long. We made our rope BY
means OF wheel. which wheebsrow supplied Us
with. Then dug up immense root Of an enor-
NOUS tree, ard squared Oft with a little hstchet
Then we sawed it up with small joiner's This
timber, with slaves taken OF our shan
ties, served us for making several casks
few bars Of iron, which we took from uninhabt
cd shanlies supplied us the OF making the frame
Of helm For sails we made Of shirts psnta-
looms and biouses. OF course ucea,ed opera
tions and work as progressed with
from The overseer who came every morning TO bring
convicts upon the sland whose basness was to
gather When we had made the oars, We put To-
gether the several materials we had prepared, over
which we constructed sort Of deck, made OF panks
Dsiled and tied together with ropes We also made q
hand-rai, 80 as not 10 be swept away by the
waves, and to rest upon When
bac finished raft and launched 1t, we com
pleted the work by placing the casks underneath and
fixing up the sail Our provi, consisting of bread
and water, were also put uDon the rait Then at last
alter all was prepared at eight O'Clock night in order
not to be discovered By the governing powers who resi-
def coee by the Island Royale, set sail from the
deso,ae rock on which had long been held In cruel
bondage There ware seven Of rs in ALL and We rowed
away plying diligently and directing course
towards the ntighboring coast Of Guyana Dutch settle
ment. The night was fine and favored undertaking
When day broke could nothing of the promised
land or delverance TO which had directed our BARK
We were in the Gulf Of sinamarc, where the
Is always In motion, and our casks began to
fill with water. This obliged US to take them
up one by one and repair them. This was difficult
job, and attended with considerable danger inasmuch
the additional weight Of the cask Joined that OF
seven carted the raft sink several feet deeper
~ster. However, soon empted the cAsk OF the
sea water which had got In it, the ran would rise again
out Of the water to its former condition After
was mended, 1t Was difficult Job to replace It, One OF
obliged to plunge inio the in order 10 so.
cure IL by the ropes in lis proper situation While
comrade thus at work In the midst OF the sea- We
who the rafs held hm fast by rope tied round
his WANT This preeautioa necessary 10 prevent
engaged in fastening the cask with the rope
We had this difficult work 10 perform day and night all
the time we were on our passage on the ran. Thus
proceeded getting out OF sight OF land the nrs day
Next the direction OF the sun was our compass By
DAY. and at night anxious course by the
moon and the stars. We len Dsvs Island the l2th
osd,s ,yed o Sn S spd % ,ns ,en
we immediately dlsembarked. and remained tho
shore During The nsh We repsired our ran IS well as
our voyage, keeping close in s6orc hoping that we
should in ths vsy come to some Inhabited parts Anohsr
should be purrred by any boat vessel afsr vs.
from the isand wo had Left might DO able 10 such
selves BY running away, leaving raft spss and
trophy for our pursuers. On the seventh Gay o. our
pcrilous voyage our raj, run aground being driven
shore by the wind which bad turned against rs Tue
reader viii be curious 10 know ho~ we lived all
this time The following was the way we managed -
cieDtior three days This by carefully ekiog out we
lived upon fo' Ave days scxniy indeed ss may we'll DO
imasipec.
Or the morning the SIKH day our breakfast consisted
Of tbs half Of an ear OF corn for each mao night
had for our supper one crsS divided among seven.
wo had water, for had crank tue last OF Il for
breakfast In the mornirg On the seventh day vod
upon nothing but crabs, which male us dreadfnly
any means OF cooking them on the sth day, as tbs
wind dad ot change, 40 made up our minis tEat Il II
do lot olow next morning. N different direction tao
OF our number should so on shore and toy 10 and out
scme house. or obtain somc Assisance II any could DO
found
ChabArc aud CArpea were the two who were pltchei
upon I, undertake this busness The day, wh'ca pre-
ceded The purposed journey on shore ". dreadful day
salt gta water, and also urine, great
offering from thrst But these unhappy iesourccs oniy
increased our thirst the Bat toe night of tns
nful HnU ain all nd ghlA
sss 10 catch all could. But alas the quantity OF rain
which fell small that IL hardly enough oven
set work 70 suck the rnol.tosed salt an 10 The
stale IN which We were burning with ardent thirst tue
ls,e moisture Obtained oy saekiss the sss vas great
tho wind KEEP, in the same quarter, 40 pu, in
execution the measure We hal determined upon
comrades IN a. the coast close shore Tnclr names
a. follows;-manon, Gurard, BA,in B,ugeney and
you'd come 10 their relief a. soon an poss Ole We ,ud
be successful In nndng some assistance or means OF re-
lief
THE JOURNEY or FOOT, IN DEsoLATE TROPICAL
COUNTRY, IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST, OF THE TWO
MKN VINO WENT TO sEEx FOR RELIEF.
For two days and . hall walked with naked feet
among brusbwood, and among and trunks Of trees
We swan several creeks. and vadcd FOR about
two miles and quarter In the sea. with water Up
our nscs; this did 10 relieve ourselves from the
toerab'e fatigue and heat All that we got Of food on
our road Little honey, which ve found In honey.
comb 10 the hollow Of . uec-ouly . Few ounccs-and
some small BIRDS eggs. .we cny once 90,
. taste f fresh water during all these days,
we were Obliged 10 drink wine and water During all
THIS time o our journcying We with trace OF
or habiiaiions 0f other living creatures saw caeay
crabs There were some TRACKS OF "bichesr and of
tigers, and we saw few monkeys passing back warts
and al nigtt we were tortured by moustiqucsp rad.
flies, mosquitoes, aud'the common COW ny. At length
amer much and andscrIeaole SUFFERING on the 2st6 Of
August at IL O'Clock, mid day, reached come uha-
bit~i houses, tho FIRST had seen wore kindly rs
ceived by the Inhabitants One OF the men sent for the
dutch commander OF the post who resided n the oa,s OF
Mott creek Th gentleman, happily Tor u.s. could speak
French well We related I, him the dangers we had
passed through and how had our We com pan,on,
In misery ON the coast, anxously visiting for our
return and hoping for relief aud assistaoce
We concluded our recital BY entrcatns him n grant
m some Immediate relief; but entresties were IN
vain. We refused all reIei, and were tod tna, We
should be taken 10 the capsau Of the district who