Norwich bulletin., 1919-09-03

i surprising statement not of a friend 1 but of the wealthy American who was held for ransom by Raisuii in 1904, un til President Roosevelt sent a fleet of waFships and his famous ultimatum, "Perdicaris alive or Raisuh dead,' to Morocco.
 Ion Perdcaris' own story of his ad ventures the prisoner of the Mo- roccan Robin Hood'' is told in com munieatien sent by him to the Naien- al Geogra phic Society soon after his release.
 Tn many respects the man interest ed and attracted me in spite of all my natural motives for dislike. Raisuli was at once so gracious and dignified, not to us only, but to his own wild I adkerents, who evidently idolized their chieftain, whose position among them seemed that of the head of q High land clan n the olden times. He quick to see the humorous aspect of a situation. while his partee was as immediate and to the point though he had been born in County Galway itself. Tn fact I dis covered to my consternation that was beginning to like the man in spite of my natural resentment. I found myself unconsciousiy accepting his contention that he was not a mere brigand or cattle litter but patriot struggling to rescue his Borher fol l lowers from the tyranny of the cor rupt chereefian officials. His charm of voice, the natural poise and digni- ty of his manner. his seif-conTol under proyoca tion all betrayed a su perior character. He is in fact born leader and with a certain statesman i Ike quality. He deplored the condi- ton of his country the feuds which separate the tribes, the many deeds of violence, and the blood so uselessly shd
 Tn fact. this strange appearance while in camp with Raisuli at Tsar- radan began to assure an aspect of un- expected and idyllic charm. The life of the natives: the little touches of more gentle human character; the tiny child who offered me fruit which I at first declined. until I noticed the expression of disappoin tnent and modification upon the boys face. and then the radiant and almost ridicu- lous satisfaction of the little fellow when I pretended to enjoy his half ripe offering: the many attempts of the wild people about me to prop;tiate me their curiosity to our own man ners and customs, as when one ve~ erable inha bitant of the village led me gently aside to inquire why We walked so energetically up and down the village green. For health's sake was my reply Indeed 9 said the old many. such daily turns. up and down, it may require to keep a Christian in good health-all afforded matter of interest and reflection.
 While standing near Raisuf one day on the village green, of which we were not allowed the freedom. one of his followers came up from Tangier, almost breathless from his haste, to report the arrival of the two Amer ican squadrons. The man described how the eight frigates had entered the bay, one after another. He told of the anxious deliberations of the Moorish authorities and of the alarm of the native inhabitants. who feared the town might be bombarded. The man declared that the place was mkloub,' or upside down.
 'I watched Ra:suli with anxiety, lest experimenting the landing of ma rineS with a view to our relief and his own capture. he might endeaVor to drag us to some more distant and inaccessible retreat. What was then my surprise when looking up with q bright smile. he said, Well, I think I can now congratulat you!'
 C I do not understand you, I re- piled.
 t' T mean answered Raisuli, that the presence of these vessels will lead the authorities at Tangir to make such representations to the Sultan as may result in his acceding to my de- mands. and then you will be able to return to your friends.
 "Raisuli was confronted by the problem to what disposition he to make of the seventy thousand Spanish dollars which he demande there were no iron safes, nor so much for our release. Here at Tsarradan as a house with a cellar, while the thatch of skaf. dried reeds, the only roofing of the houses. offered but pure security should he leave much coin stored in a village where he him. self was but a transient sojourner.
 ITO the great amusement of Mulai Ali, and to my considerable astonish- ment. the solution of this troublesome question which RaisuH proposed was that La Senora,' as the natives call ed my wife. should receive the seV- enty thousand dollars from Torres and deposit the money to her own credit in Tangier at the bank where we were accustomed to cash our checks, and that he Raisuli, might then draw up- on Mrs. Perdicaris as occasion should require.
 'I however entirely declined to re- quest my wife to aecede to this sing ular proposal, and when I explained to Raisuli the suspicious to which such an ara ng ement might expose us, he at once said that he would be the Ia st to wish to place in such po-