Evening star., 1923-06-02
Explorer Finds Snow-Topped Peaks
In Northwestern Corner Of Africa

quis returned to France on leave Of
absence.
x
Not long afterward rumors COM
menced to circulate at ST Louis and
elsewhere along the west coast of
Africa to the effect that Capt Qui-
queres' death, instead OF being the
result of fever, was due to gun
shot wound and reports of foul play
soon became rife. These led the au-
thorities on the coast to dispatch
mission into the interior for the re-
covery of the remains. which. on in
vestigation, proved that death had
been caused by a bullet wound in
the head. On the relatives of the
captain becoming acquainted with
charges OF murder against the mar
quis, and even went so far as to ac-
-cuse him of having shot his COM
rade In order that he. the junior mem
Der of the expedition, might reap
both the credit and the reward for
the success which ii had achieved.
The marquis was arrested in France
while staying at the chateau Of his
uncle near Tours and subjected to a
long series OF harassing examina-
GUS high dignitaries of the army and
even by the minister of war. to whom
| he admitted that the version which
he had given of the death of Qui-
queres was incorrect; that the cap
tain had blown his brains out dur
| ing an attack of deGrium tremens
and that he had concealed the facts
of the case out of consideration for
the feelings OF his comrades family
AS usual, the newspapers took
sides in the affair." and while the roy
alist press championed the cause of
the marquis, the radical organs were
so violent In their denunciation of
him as the murderer of Cuiqueres
| that the government had no alterna-
| tive but to hold him in military prison
| until the matter had been thoroughly
| cleared up. After nearly eighteen
| months in Jail in France, he was sent
back to st. Louis, on the west coast
[ OF Africa, under arrest. to undergo
| trial by court at St. Louis,
n X X
The only witnesses were natives,
] and while they all agreed that the
! two officers were constantly quarrel
ing while in the interior and ascrib-
| ed the responsibility for the disputes
| to the captain, who was continually
drunk. some of the evidence was to
the effect that he had shot himself,
while the other led to the Inference
that Quiqueres had been shot in an
encounter with the marquis, the lat
ter acting In self-defense. and in an
endeavor to control him, during a fit
| of delirium -tremens.
y X X
Finally the marquis was acquitted
and his sword was restored to him.
But he felt so bitterly the suspicion
which had prevailed with regard to
his responsibility for the death of
/ his comrade and the opprobrium Law
ished on his name by the; press that
he demanded and obtained his trans
fer to one of the Foreign Legion
! regiments stationed in the most dan
gerous portion of TonQuin, where at
the time French troops were in almost
daily conflict with black flag pirates,
and even a still more cruel enemy
namely, the pestilential climate.
He escaped both, greatly distinguish
ed himself, won rapid promotion as
we'll as the cross of officer in the
Order of. the Legion of Honor. and,
returning to Europe, retired from ac-
tive service, and has ever since de-
voted himself to the study and ex-
ploration of African problems. He
won a commandership of the Legion
OF Honor ana the cr0X de guerre
during the great war, on the outbreak
of which he rejoined the army, and
has entirely lived down all the former
animosity which the masses, incfted
by the radical press, at one time
manifested toward him.
Indeed, today there are few names
in France that are held in higher
honor by his countrymen and by the
scientific world abroad than that of
the Marquis de Segopzac,s whose
tragic experience with Capt. Qui-
queries thirty years ago shows the
| danger to which explorers are ex-
posed when they venture into the
wilds, beyond the boundaries of civ
ilization. with only a single white
companion. If one Of them returns
alone he is almost certain to expose
| himself to insinuations. or even to
actual charges of having murdered
his comrade, the annals of<geographi-
| cal exploration and of adventure be-
| ing full of episodes Of that kind.