Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-06-17
KIDNAPPING OF PERDIcARIs.
Interesting Story Of the Affair From
the Pom Of tho Victim.

Interesting Story Of the Affair From
tho Pen Of tho Victim.
An extremely interesting letter. writ
ten in the brigand's camp in remote
Morocco has just been received by Mr..
A. ]. Dawson, the well-known traveller
and authority on that country, who for
wards 1t to the Daily Mail, as it is
from Mr.. Ion Perdicaris, who, together
with his stepson, Mr.. Varley, was seiz-
ed and taken into captivity by Raj
suli, the Moorish brigand, says a Lon
don cable Of Monday.
The letter is remarkable for the
wholehearted tribute it pays to the
personal qualities and fascinating man.
ners Of the bandit. It is dated Assa-
radon (Beniares), Saturday, June 4,
and runs as follows:
What an opportunity for good copy
you missed by not being with us when
Varley and were carried of. Moth
Ing more startling and unexpected
than the circumstances Of the capture
could be imagined. We happened to
have no guests, and-but you can pic
ture one Of our quiet dinners at Aldo
ME, conversation In easy domestic vein,
windows all open, the table mass Of
flowers and suddenly like an avalanche
a yelling onset of Raisulis men, a
classic scene Of rapine and confusion!
Nor would It be easy to conceive a
picture more wild and gloomy than
that Of our forced Journey Varley's and
mine. In fact, the libretto was per-
feet.
1T Is easy now to write in this strain
when we are assured that the negotia-
tions for our release are being conclud-
ed and that we shall very soon be re-
stored to our friends, but during that
terrible twenty-four hours ride over
rocks and boulders and through dense
thickets. where our captors had at
times literally to cut their way in or
der to avoid the villages on the beaten
track, well, we had no such consolation
then; none Of any sort, indeed"
Seizure the Dread of His Life.
Indeed, the dread Of one day being
seized and held for ransom has Of late
been one Of the chief anxieties Of my
life in Morocco. for my faInily's sake.
You will remember our talk about It
at Ell Minzah a few months ago, 30
thinking of Mrs. Perdicaris and Of the
young people. you may perhaps con-
ceive something of my feelings when
we found ourselves being dragged along
those difficult and perilous paths by
the gang Of rufflans who had begun
their amiable attentions by clubbing us
with their rifles and threatening us
with their murderous looking curved
daggers.
II was astonished to find that our
fears were not really well founded.
We have learned now that Raisuli's
chief object is to secure the release Of
members Of his own Kabyle unjustly,
or at least treacherously entrapped and
imprisoned by the Pacha Of Tangier,
the former friend and foster brother Of
Raisuli himself.
"Raisuli had trusted the man and
been betrayed. Whatever Ill he may
have done, the fact remains that he
was betrayed.
"The sum demanded by Raisuli
against our release Is not 80 much the
price Of our release as the demand for
the making good Of the losses inflicted
by order Of the Said Pacha, from whom
Raisuli claims payment.
Raisuli's Personality.
Another startling surprise was to
find in Raisuli himself the most inter-
esting and kindly hearted native gem.
tleman it has been my good fortune to
have known. It is impossible not to
like the man, conscious as am OF the
injury I and all at Tangier have suf-
fered at his hands,"
Mr. Perdicaris' letter continues with
some private matter, and in reference
to Mrs. Perdicaris, says "the real dis.
tress of this situation has been most
bravely supported by her. True have
had some taste Of the fatigue, Of dan
ger, Of inconvenience, and Of actual
pain, but such material trials are trif-
ling compared with the mental anguish
she has suffered.
Thank heaven the evil hour has all
but passed and perhaps even out OF
all this trouble some good to Tangter
itself and to the people may arise.
Meantime you must not worry too
much about US. I am writing this at
the mouth Of handsome tent, placed
at our disposal by Moulai Ali. whom
you know, Of course. Wazzani Shereef.
1.-The brightest episode Of our deten-
ton here was our first sight Of him
and his brothers (Moulai Ahmets)
'Mhallah' caravan, a long train OF
horses and mules, accompanied by an
armed escort on foot.
"Signal guns fired by three Kabyles,
leagued in defense Of their rights, un-
der Raisulps leadership, announced
the arrival Of this welcome relief expe-
dition, which we saw later on winding
along the hillside.
"Moulai Ali himself has remained
with US ever since. Indeed, he and
Raisuli have dined with us every
evening in our tent. The climate here
Is admirable and a better site for a
camp it would be hard to find.
Release will be very welcome, but
it is at hand now, so you must not pity
us too much"
THAT was eight days ago." comments
NJ D,wson "apd tho inevitable illness