HOW THE COMMUNISTS ESCAPED FROM NEW CALEDGNIA.

Dunstan Times, Issue 635, 19 June 1874, Page 2

HOW THE COMMUNISTS ESCAPED FROM NEW CALEDGNIA.

A correspondent of a Melbourne journal asserts that M. Balliere gave him .the following particulars of his escape, with five other Communist exiles, from Noumea While in durance he and his companions were not treated upon the same level with the rest of the Communists, and had perfect liberty to roam about the island, merely being required at stated intervals to report themselves. They, therefore,, continually occupied themselves in planning an escape, and the time having at length arrived, they accomplished it in the following manner : They obtained the concurrence of the captain of the ship P. C. E. —peace, comfort, and ease, for which they prnuised 10,000 francs (-100/.); an*! on the night the vessel was to weigh anchor, a small boat was place 1 at a cer part of the shore, in a secluded spot. That night they were dining with M. C'hanlon, le directeur Ju sen-ice Ue la deportation, and it was their custom nearly every evening to meet at a little drinking shop, to have a parting chat and a glass of porter ; moreover, they were in the habit of going down to the shore—it was not distant and occasionally bathing. So this night they met as usual, and in an unconcerned manner one went to the water’s edge, had a smoko, finished off his drink, and went back again, ami finally went away for the night. This little dramatic performance having been gone through by the entire band, they parted tor |ttieir respective reudeiNoiu. Mons, Balliere was to get into the boat an I to pick up the others along the shore outwards. The night was fortunately dn k, and the sky obscured by threatening rain. To arrive at the first point where two were to he taken into the hoar, Monsieur Balliere had to pass a lookout, guarded by two sentries. This, however, was safely done, and the first couple taken into the boat, fhe advisability of thus dividing the party was in order that, should the scheme fail, as few as possible might le implicated. At the next rendezvous, some distance from the starting point, were Loci ef rt, Grcusset, and Jourde, who had wadt .l out to their necks in the water, s:> thas they Jnright not he seen on laud ; they also were safely taken into the boat, and the enl re party proceeded on their perilous passage - they had yet to pass two points which w: v e guarded, one being on the land, and another a military vessel for the express purpose of keeping guard. In the first instance, they distinctly heard the tramp of the sentinel, but darkness shielded them from view ; on approaching the military ship, however, they felt it was almost impossible to escape detection, but fortey 't far'd fortious, and just as they were within a hundred yards’ distance a very hj .avy fall of rain took place, and so completely obscured everything that they c.rrld not even see one another. Nothing could have more effectually aided them, for besides the shelter at darkness, the rain as it were smothered the noise of thci r oars, and they passed on in security. Their troubles and dangers were not yet over, for they had neither compass to guide them nor port knowledge to guess by. They rowed on, however, and the genius of Aphrodite, or the best republican goddess, must have been sitting on their prow, for they went as it were by instinct -almost straight to their destination—having been two hours in the boat. They had to survey the barqne before ascending, and having made certain of her by the letters P. C. E. on her stern, they mounted without being noticed and soon found their way to the hold of the vessel. The following day they emc’gel (when the barque was at seal and went on deck, being hy that t'mc rather stiff and hungry. The captain was about the first to see them as they marched forward in single file headed by Rochefort. “ Hullo!” he exclaimed, “ who are you A correct reply was given, and immediately carno to the front M. Groussct, then M. Balliere, and so on. At each new face the captain gave true tragic effect to the scene by expressions of tire utmost astonishment, and striking a fresh attitude at each comer for the special benefit of his sailors and others not in werot.