The Washington times., 1919-03-02

prefer asked to be allowed to with BOatsWan
Picard the prisoner confirm the report Of the safety
of the other four and to learn the circumstances
der which the little army had been captured
Since satisfactory bargain for the had been
made the Arab chief objection to conversation
between his prisoner and the interpreter. In dialogue
shouted back and forth from the interpreter the boat
and the boatswa1n among the Arabs on shore it was
learned that after Lebaudy otilla had set sail to the
southwark the five who left behind rather
pleased at the prospect of week ten days the
African sands acceptable change from the wear
routine of life aboard ship.
BOatswain Picard said that the busted themselves
inspecting the stores the portable stOrehOuse which
Lebaudy had christcned Cafe de Paris and were In
terested samplng of the choice provisions they
found there The furnished comfortable shelter
from the midday sum- and there chest full of books
and French Illustrated papers to entertain them.
Of danger there seemed little possibility there
did Of hunger thirst hardship of any kind Save for
themselves and the few people in the little village
of Tafaran the country for many miles apparently
unInhabed And the people Of TafaFan their visit
there had proved, peaceabe lot and very kindly
disposed to white men.
''A is going be very well with u.s. said Pierre
Picard he and his companions reened in the shade OF
the tents enjoying their aferdnner pipes and watching
the sails of Lebaudys three ships fade away in the dis
tanee. And it certainly seemed if there every
reason for the honest boatswain s prediction.
AS Lebaudy'S instructions regarding the exploration
and incidentally the occupation of the surrounding terri
tory had been rather indefinite the going Frenehmen
decided until the next day before pushing into
the desert
The cOntentment they enjoyed that afternOOn-read-
ing eating smoking and refreshing themselves occasion
ally with big glasses of good red wne-was doomed be
short lived.
Returning from the beach with an armful of drift
wood for their supper fire Louis Ecuyer one of the
sailors far off the sand tiny cloud of dust
1t hardly than speck the horizon and would
have escaped the notice of eyes less well trained by long
years
Presently the dust cloud grew larger and larger the
watching Frenchmen could detect vivid flashes of light
the reflection of the rays of the setting from spear
heads barrels other polished bits of metal Long
before the had sunk beneath the oceans rim they
able to distinguish the cameS horses pack mules
and urbaned riders of a considerable caravan 1t
heading rapid pace straight for the site of the Saharan
capital city
But the sailors felt no alarm Their visit to Tafaran
had made them feel that these Saharan nOmads
the bloodhirsty brigands they painted. And so
they welcomed the caravans approach a pleasant
means of relieving their desert solitude
Whom perhaps two hundred yards distant the
came to halt and its members began to deplOy them
selves in huge semcrce that terminated either side
at the waters edge The sailors escape was thus cut
of except by sea-and Lebaudy had left them boat
But even this maneuvrP. Picard said the part of
the Arabs failed to the Frenchmen fears They
thought the curious native method of approach for a
friendly And if their intentions were not
friendly what could fifty Arabs. apparently armed for
the most part with spears hope to accomplish against FIVE
sturdy sailors with revOlverS rifles and lots of eartrdges