The Saint Paul globe., 1904-06-13
PERD|CARIS TELLS
OF HIS CAPTURE
Imprisoned American Writes an
Entertaining Letter to a
London Friend

LONDON, June 13.-The Daily Mail
this morning publishes a letter written
10 A. J. Dawson, the novelist and
traveller, by Ion Perdicaris, the Ameri-
can citizen who was captured by Raj
suli. the Moroccan bandit. 1t is dated
at Tsaradon, June 4, and says:
Nothing more startling and unex-
pected than the circumstances of our
capture could be imagined. A quiet
domestic dinner without guests, the
windows open, the table a mass of
flowers, then suddenly, like an ava
lanche. the yelling onset of Raisuli.s
men-it was a classic scene of rapine
and confusion. Nor could it be easy to
conceive picture more wild and
gloomy than our forced journey; In
fact the Hbretto was perfect.
1t Is easy now to write in this
strain when we are assured that nego-
tiations for our release are conclud-
ing, but during that terrible twenty
four hours ride over rocks and boul-
ders, and through dense thickets where
our captors had at times literally to
cut their way in order to avoid the viii
lagos on the beaten track-well, we had
no such consolation then-none Of any
sort, indeed
CIuhbed by Ruffians
After describing the dread which he
long had of being kidnapped on account
OF his family, Mr. Perdicaris says:
You may conceive my feelings
whilst thus being dragged along by
ruffians who began their amiable at
tentions by clubbing us with rifles and
threatening us with their murderous
looking curved daggers. was aston
ished to learn that our fears were not
really well founded. We have learned
that Raisulis chief object is to secure
the release of members Of his own
kabyle unjustly or at least treacher-
ously entrapped and imprisoned by the
BashaW of Tangier, a former friend
and foster brother of Raisuli, who had
trusted this man and been betrayed.
Whatever i'll he may have done the fact
remains that he was betrayed.
'The ransom demanded is not so
much the price of our release as the
demand for the recouping Of the losses
inflicted by order of the said Bashaw,
from whom RaisuIi claims payment.
Another startling surprise is to find
and kindly hearted native gentleman it
has been my good fortune to have
known. 1t is impossible not to like the
man, conscious as am of the injury
all at Tangiers suffered at his hands"
After dealing with some private mat
ters and referring to the courage of his
wife and the mental anguish she has
endured Mr.. Perdicaris expresses the
hope that some good will come of the
trouble to Tangier and its people. He
then proceeds:
Is Comfortable
Meantime you must not worry about
us. I am writing this at the mouth of
a handsome tent placed at our disposal
by Moulai Ali, the Wazzani ,shereef.
The brightest episode of our detention
here was our first sight of his and his
brothers -Moulai Ashmets caravan, ac-
companied by an armed escort. Signal
guns fired by three kabyles, leagued in
defense of their rights under Raisulis
leadership, announced the arrival of
this welcome relief expedition which we
saw later on winding along the hillside.
"MouIai Ali himself has remained
with US ever since. Indeed, he and
Raisuli dined with us every evening in
the tent
"The climate is admirable, and bet
ter site for a camp would be hard to
find.
Our release will be very welcome,
but it is at hand now, so you must not
pity US too much"