The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-06
THE RESCUE OF DREYFUS.
Thrilling Tale of Up-to-Date Newspaper Enterprise.

was cutting her way through the water
at 16 knots an hour
You know The Isle du Diable, cap
taih?"
yes, sir"
81 want you to approach it within
half a mile on the north, then turn to
the westward, run around the west end
of the island, turn sharp TO the east,
and run rapidly past the south end OF
the island, about a mile off; go right
past the island, clear out to sea, and I'll
tell you what to do next"
Aye, aye. siri" said the captain.
AS we drew rearer and nearer TO the
island our hearts beat faster and our
pulses quickened. On the bridge of the
steamer we had a large camera, and
/ when we were within half mile of the
north end of the island we rapidly took
half a dozen photographs of it. l at
tended to this, while Hudson examined
the island through a powerful glass.
/ This course we followed all the way
around the island.
As we got TO the south side we could
see through the glass two or three SOL
/ diers running to a little hut on rocky
/ eminence and presently gun was fired
with a loud report. We We're startled
at this evidence of watchfulness. but
were not alarmed, for the gun was I'M
/ shotted. 1t was evidently a signal, for
/ soon, from an island to the west came
an answering report. A few minutes
later we saw d small Sioop of war,
/ flying the French flag, emerge ana
head in our direction. AS she came out
she fired a shotted gun, the ball being
aimed to fall across our bows, signal
TO heaVe to.
"Heave to, sir?" said the skipper, ad-
dressing Hudson.
"Heave to HI" Hudson replied.
Full steam ahead, man, right out to
sea"
French Sloop, seeing that she could net
match our speed, soon turned about,
and we saw her touch at the DEVILS
island
Until darkness fell, Hudson and re-
manned on deck. Then we went below,
and, calling our men into the cabin,
Hudson said:
which we whipped around this after
noon is the one on which we have TO
land and rescue a prisoner. How diff
fcult the task will be you may imagine
from listening to what L have to tell
you about it. The Devils island is the
smallest of the three isles du Salut,
which are situated about Il leagues
from Cayenne and eight from the main
land OF French Guiana. OF these, the
Devils island is the most northern.
Upon this island Alfred Dreyfus is con-
fined, closely guarded by day and night
in wooden house composed of three
rooms. The middle room is occupied
by the prisoner, the rooms on either
side by his guardians. He is daily al
lowed to go for a certain time into an
exercise yard surrounding the hut,
which has been enclosed with a wooden
palisade
These facts knew before we start
ed" Hudson went on, but 1 have add
ed other information by my observa-
tons of this afternoon. Devils island
is a small one, as you saw. On the
north side I noticed that it is rocky,
with no signs of a beach. 1t seems TO
be impossible for a boat to land there
If the French think it impossible, our
task Will be so much easier, for that is
where we shall land. On the south side
you noticed that the land runs sloping-
ly down to the waters edge; there is a
stretch of white sand, and that is a
good boat landing. Through the teie-
scope L saw that there were only three
buildings on the island. As well as 1
could make out, the one to the east
ward is the prison cell of Captain Drey-
fus; the small hut to the westward of
this is where, in all probability, the
guard, or that part of it which is not
patroling the prison, sleeps. Farther
back, nearer the center OF the island. |
there is large building, a sort of bar
racks, and there probably is the COM |
pany Of French soldiers which has been
stationed on the island ever since Drey- /
fus arrived"
Hudson found by turning to the al
manac that there would not be a moon |
less night for three days. and we could !
not do a thing except on a pitch dark
night.