KAID MACLEAN'S RELEASE

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 152, 21 March 1908, Page 10

KAID MACLEAN'S RELEASE

■ , ... SEVEN MONTHS IN RAISULI'S HANDS. STORY OP HIS' IMPRISONMENT TOLD ' .BY HIMSELF. • ' • Released by Raisuli, tho Moorish brigand, Kaid Sir; Hariy Maclean arrived at Tangier shortly after midnight on February 6, after being, seven.months a .prisoner. For his releasoho is partly, indebted to Mr. Edmond Pious Carloton, called "Bibi" ■ (beloved)/by tho natives,, who is British Consular 'Agent at Alcazar, and lias conducted the'negotiations'with Raisuli on behalf of the British Legation. / "Tho terms of tho Kaid's'release were: (1) a. ransom' of-£20,000, !.£sooo' to ho paid fit once, "Raisuli to draw monthly interest on the remainder for fivo.'years; if his behaviour is satisfactory during that time,, tho capital to bo paid' ovor to'.hiin; (2) British protection for Rinsuli . and his family ; (3) return of black slave women and of certain prisoners. ■ Raisuli seized" Mr!' l'erdicaris, a wealthy American,' arid' Mri. Va'rley; an Englishman,, on ]\lay*-18; lpo4j releasing them fivo weeks later for a'joint ransom of £11,000. Ho captured Mr.- W. B. Harris; tho ''Times" correspondent, oil June 16, 1903, releasing him in-exchange for certain'prisoner? three weeks later. - : '

THE RAID'S STORY. Sir Harry iMaclean-, furnished the "Daily Mail's" special correspondent in Morocco, Mr. William, Maxwell, . with 'an .interesting account of his oapturo'and.iiiiprismiment. "Before I left Fez in June," the Kaid wrote, "the Sultan gave me letters for Raisuli and for-somo of tho tribes.- His.Majesty, fold me to hand theso'letters to ■ tlie chiefs of the tribes- and ,'iiot to give tliem to Raisuli. . "When £ met Raisuli at the river'lie was -awfully nice. ■ : Ho asked 1110 to conje'a-. little' i way from tho"chiefs' country to. show stliat' I ;alsO';trusted ''them,t and'. to give .tliem;,-their letters fronr'the Sultan.' I- made -Raisuli clasp "HaMss and swearjby everything lie- held sabred - the--local ''saint, who, is his patron saint and ancestor—Ah at lie was, going to .act .fairly. Ho tjid all.these tilings, and added that it was a shame Ishoujd think ho_ would beliavd ill. : 'You ought not,' ho said, 'to italic.in,this way. -Am'l'.'no't going- to put my life in-your hands-by accompanying you to Fez?'

' "Raisuli had ...with', liini ; C6 armpd men, whereas 1 had only three or t four rifles. I knew that if ho had made, up his' mind to a,ct, unfairly I should bo, made.;to'-go with him, ■ and 1. went. I have ~not' told you . one [quarter.; of what;Raisuli'an'd his nephew said 'to.p.efsuado.ine.Scoii' after .we. passed .tlie •Tivor I knew.it"was, rriyißubicon, arid .that;l. 5 hands.. , '• • ' "Jfpxt;' das, ■ wh'eh.Raisvili isent liis'i s'cribb, . : El; , ';DdmliO); : .-^.;.tdll.'.mp; I.'.was;' a • prisoner, ; I ! sorrow-and.sh'ani'oy-.for instead : of j. Helping; tho" Sultan.: I: had made'' tnatters woSd'^ior him/;and liad piit ftiy bwiV'Gpvenilrient iiv a' difficult position. F felt ■ inclined to . lull myself;''in order to-help: tho Sultan and to ' prevont- Raisuli. - from making'-, any'' thing out of his treachery." ,• ; ' The 'Moorish Gbvornmeht ; tried to negotiate, and .failed., Then it sent'out two utterly 'inefficient armios against- Raisuli. ■ ' ..' [■'When the Sultan's,-soldiers came," . said tho Kaid, : . "Raisuli told tho people that 'I had sent them, and asked mo to writo letters insisting. on' their- withdrawal. 1 Of . courso .1 coiild not writo' such orders;. I was indeed' iglad. to.; hear, tho; firing, ..but' thp .'armies! wpi'o ■ lid' good.. 11l the.' last', attack ,not. a singlo, niaii .oil. Riiisuli's side 'was .killed.;, If I'had waited'till tho,'armies;■ released me I 'must,.have, waited.':for- ever. •; (: ■.

A BAD TIME. i "Raisulij realising' that I .would not -help li'ini';- of -urging' tho Gbv- . 'orhmeht' to > active. measu'rds,: determined to givo. mo:'a''bad; timo. i: On : the .march- nearly.' all' my mules werb : taken from me; and after' a. seven hours' rido my inon;>vero 'sent to put up -Rajsuli's 'tent, whilq I was'left- without 'food,";' sitting until night in, tho: burning 'sun; ;vith . a ■,' hot • .'dirty ;jellab'': over-, : nid; .'Raisuli know' ;. liow' 'I-- was ' treated,.' for 110 ,and his nephew : passecl ; .'closo- to fme seat*' jed' V,.;pn •' tlie;; /ground v. ill" -tlio ' sun; * - aiid •took no notice of me. , El ;Khmes tribP urged Raisiili, to givo riio up, but ho .put.thp guard round his : tent and deeleired. : ;that .-ho would fight first." .Fearing - that: the % tribesmon 'might, insist on bartering', tho. prispnor .for. - immunity ■from 'attack, Raisuli determined 'to remove thp. temptation. .In dead of;.night tho Kaid Was ordered to'.put lon Moorish ;clothos and. .was smuggled to a distant,:retroat-inacces-; sible save : to mountaineers and goats. I And now began a :pei'ipd of persecution that , -rMriced.!'thorprisonor.-to\a; skcletoii, ;: . hut left'his,'spirit unbrok6iv. : , For -many .'daJrsUhp : Kaid iavas-kept'.'in'■ close confinement'-Under ; cdnditipris 'that'Syduld! liavo -daunted a ' less proud - and'-.obstinate 'man. ";Not a ' W'ord: of complaint was. uttered;- and not for.'a-moment did; Sir.--Harry -.-Maclean $vo}his' enemies tho'. gratification of seeing that their'tortures 'had any effect on him. ,'"Ho' treated tlieni with silont contempt," said tho Moors Who visited, Raisuli's prisoner. "Ho.turned his back upon them and said;: "Shoot me,if: you will." Ho was nover -afraid,••