Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-13
Writes Cheerful Letter
from the Bandits Camp.
Says He Was Captured to
Avenge Wrongs of RaisuIi.
Dramatic Story Of Bandit Chief-Be-
trayed by Former Friend He Took
Desperate Measures-Perdieari Ex-
poets Early Release.

London, June 13.-TheE Daily Mail
| this morning, publishes a letter writ
ten to 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 Tssradon, June 4, and says:
Moth more startling and unexpect-
| ed than the circumstances of our cap
ture could be imagined. A quiet do
| nestle dinner without guests, the win
| dows open, the table a mass of flowers
then suddenly, like an avalanche, the
yelling onset of Raisuli's men-it was a
classic scene of rapine and confusion
nor would it be easy to conceive a pic
ture more wild and gloomy than our
forced journey; in fact the libretto was
perfect.
1T is easy to write in this strain
when we are assured that negotiations
for our release are concluding, but dur
ing that terrible "a hours ride over
| rocks and boulders and through dense
thickets where our captors had at times
literally to cut their way in order to
avoid the villages on the beaten track
We'll. we had no such consolation then
none of any Sort indeed"
After describing the dread which he
long had had Of being kidnapped on ac-
count of his family, Mr.. Perdicaris
says:
You may conceive my feelings whilst
thus being dragged along by ruffins
who began their amiable attentions by
clubbing us with rifles and threatening
us with their murderous looking curved
daggers. 1 was astonished to learn
that our fears We're not really well
founded. We have learned that Raj
suits chief object is to secure the re-
lease Of members of his own Kabyle,
unjustly or at least treacherously en-
trapped and imprisoned by the Bashaw
of Tangier former friend and foster
brother of Raisuli, who had trusted
this man and had been betrayed. What
ever ill he may have done, the fact re-
mains that he was betrayed.
1.-THE ransom demanded is not so
much, the price of our release as the
demand for the re-couping of the loss
es inflicted by orders Of Said Bashaw.
from whom Raisuli claims payment.
Another startling surprise is to find
in Raisuli himself the most interesting
has been my good fortune to have
known. 1t is impossible not to like the
man, conscious as I am of the injury
all at Tangier suffered at his hands,
After dealing with some private mat
tiers and referring to the courage of his
wife and the mental anguish she has
endured to Tangier and it's people. He
then proceeds:
Meantime you must not worry about
us. 1 am writing this at the mouth of
handsome tent placed at our DISPOSE
ton by Moulai Ali, the Wazzani
shereef. The brightest episode Of our
detention here was our first sight of
him and his brother. Moulai Asmerts
Crevan, accompanied by an armed
escort. Signal guns fired by three
Kabyles, leagued in defence Of their
rights under Raisuli's leadership, an
nounced the arrival of this welcome
relief expedition, which we saw later
on winding along the hillside.
"Moulai 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 a better 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