The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-19
WHITE PRISONERS IN AFRICA.
One Refuses to Escape. for He Knew the
Arabs Would XIII His Comrade.

Belgian officer. who has been in the hard
fights that have resulted in the overthrow Of
Arab slave stealers in the Congo basin. has
sent homo the story OF the pathetic fate OF
two white employees OF the Congo State. who
carly in the war were taken prisoners by the
Arabs.
Now and then the Arabs had some message
to send to the white leaders in the campaign
against them The prisoners wrote those let
ters and thus the BelEians learned that they
were still alive. though they did not know
from day to day what fate might befall them
One day q Congo State force reached the
bank of river. Shouting was soon heard
across the stream. and natives in the service
Oft Arabs informed the black soldiers Of
'h2 Congo state that conference was desired.
Making their way to tho river bank two white
officers saw in the tall grass on tho other
shore Mr.. Lebrun ono Of the white prisoners
No man was seen lear him. but the whites knew
very well that plenty Of Arabs and their black
armed slaves were lurking in the thickets
along the opposite river bank. 300 feet away.
Mr.. Lebrun said the Arab chief Sephar de-
sired the officers. with an escort OF fifty men.
to cross the river and 20 about mile inland
to have u talk with tho rebel ichiei. At the
same time I.ebrun made it plain that the
enemy was near at hand in large force. and
the whites knew very well that tho willy Arab
was merely trying TO set q trap to catch them.
They bad bad te a. Of falling into # but M
about fifty Arabs came into view on the bank
behind mebrun. and q quarter OF mile away
The whites began to cudgel their brains for
some wa, way to rescue lebrun: One OF them
Went oa th to GamP IT. to get retnf9rements and
river bank. though out of sight Of the rebels.
Tne 9s his on ts had had hd
ten more, acting az his guard. were in plain
view The talk wa, still going on, when sud-
denly the Belgian officer asked Lebrun.
r. Can anybody on your side understand
no" replied the unfortunate prisoner. As
he spoke he came down the Ink and bathel
his feot at the rivers edge. An Arab chief came
with him. and little behind him were lot Of
take the offensive at n moments warning The
Belgian officer said to his men in tho grass.
the shiel" Then A he said d' to ebrun 'eA's Mo
You can swim, can't your"
We ssa the ' BRIEFS have our best
marksmcn hid in the grass and we can save
YOU fou jump into the water and swim for
us and we can drop every man who lifts IL
The officer writes that there was half min
seated with his feet in the edge of tho water
and his head bent in thought. He had been n
9r se hnd Mh MIS-
and they had felt that any day might lie their
last. Here was chance to escape at last: 1t
be shot In the water but there was fair pros
poet that he would DO able to make the other
shore in safety. Should he try and what
would become Of "opens II lie lid try IT. 1t
was evident that such thoughts as these wore
passing through his mind. 1t did not tako
long. however. to reach decision. He arose
70 his feet and said to his anxious friends on
the other side:
Thank YOU boys: I'd like to try It, bnt
can't. THEY'D XII poor lepens sure II | did"
Then we walked up the bank TO his guard
again.
His friends shouted to him to wait minute.
and they sent over to him their last drop OF
brandy ard II piece of cloth and n letter that |
had been written to Lepens. That was the |
last that the Congo state forces saw of either
OF the men alive. A few days after the news |
came that b0tl the prisoners had hcon killed. !
IT was found that their heads had been struc.i !
off and placed high over the gate of an Arab /
settlement which soon fell into the hands OF |
the whites.
Fell A sic en- While Fishing and w, q Drowned |