HOW- THE COMMUNISTS ESCAPED FROM NEW CALEDONIA.

Evening Star, Issue 3511, 25 May 1874, Page 3

HOW- THE COMMUNISTS ESCAPED FROM NEW CALEDONIA.

A correspondent of a Melbourne, journal asserts that Mr Balliere gave him the following particulars of his es- 1 cape, with five other Communist exiles,' troni. 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 (the P.GiE.—peace, cdmfort, and ease), for which they promised. 10,000 francs (L 400) ; and on ; the night the vessel was to weigh anchor a small boat was placed at an appointed part of the shore, . in a. secluded spot. That night they were dining with Monsieur Chanlon, le difecteur d/u service de 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 smoke, finished off his drink, and went back again, and finally went a way - for the night. This little dramatic performance having been duly gone through by the entire band, they parted' for their respective rendezvous. Mons. Balliere was to get into the boat and' to pick up the others along the shore; outwards. The night was fortunately dark, and the sky obscured by threatening rain. To arrive at the first point where two were to be taken into the boat, Monsieur Balliere had to pass a look otit, guarded by two sentries. This, however, was safely done, and the first, couple taken into the boat. The advisability of thus dividing the party was in order that, should the scheme fail, as few as possible might be implicated. At the next 'rendezvous, some distance from the starting point, were Messieurs Bochefort, Grousset, and Sourde, who had waded out to their necks in the water, so that they might not be seen on land; they also were safely taken into the boat, and the entire party proceeded on their perilous passage—they had yet to pass two points which were 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, Jthey felt it was almost impossible to escape detection; but Jor tuna j amt Jortibus, and just as they were within a hundred yards’ distance a very heavy fall of rain took place, and so completely obscured everything that they could not even see one another. Nothing could have more effectually aided them, for besides the shelter of darkness, the rain as it were smothered the noise of their oafs, 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 Vent as it were by instinct almost straight to thesr destination—having been two hours in the boat. They had to survey the barque before ascending, and having made certain of her by the letters P. 0. E. on her stern, they mounted without being noticed, and soon found their way to the hold of the vessel, where they remained tor the night. The following day they emerged (when the barque vas at sea) and went on deck, being by that time 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 came to the front M. Grousset, then M. Bailliere, and so on. At each new face the captain gave true tragic effect to the scene, by expressions of the utmost astonishment, and striking a fresh attitude at each comer for the special benefit of his sailors and others not in the secret.”