DESERT SUICIDE PACT

Evening Star, Issue 20060, 28 December 1928, Page 1

DESERT SUICIDE PACT

LOST HUNTERS DRANK BLOOD TO QUENCH THIRST A terrible story of raging thirst under the pitiless rays of the desert sun and of a suicide pact to forestall what seemed inevitable death, is told by the three sportsmen who were found by R.A.F. planes after having been missing for six days. The rescued men, Ibrahim Bey Fuad,, an official of tlio Egyptian Royal Household; Signor Ohio Oristiani, an Italian, and a chauffeur, have now recovered sufficiently from their fearful ordeal to tell how it was that they cam© so near to an agonising end. PROVISIONS THROWN AWAY. Early in the morning of Friday week, September 28, Ibrahim Bey Fuad and Signor Cristiani, accompanied by a native guide and a chauffeur, left Cairo by motor for a shooting trip in tin desert. Their provisions consisted of four Hasks, each holding a litre (li pints) of water, a flask of coffee, toil loaves, two brace of pigeons, about two pounds of moat, a tin of tongue, and a tin of sardines. After passing the Pyramids they got out of the car and began to hunt the gazelle. At half-past ten in the morning they decided to return to Cairo. They had a good meal, and as they intended to return to Cairo the same day they throw away' what remained of the provisions. After continuing on their way for a while they lost sight of the Pyramids 'owing to the many sandhills in this region between which the car had to twist and turn. Night came on, and still there was no sign of Cairo, and with the darkness came the thought which had struck terror into the hearts of unnumbered voyagers .over the burning sands; they were lose. Their supply of petrol was exhausted, and so the sportsmen decided to spend the night in the cur. When day dawned they set off to search for the right route, each man going in a different direction. TORMENTING THIRST. Tito guide, who apparently did not know the ground at all, suggested that he should make in what ho thought was the direction of Gizeh. Ho, was, however, completely lost. After wandering about for two days lie foil in with a caravan of Uccluiiis, with whom ho trekked to Magagha, whence ho returned to Cairo and informed the authorities. 'Camel corps and motor patrols, were hastily organised, and accompanied by the guide, set forth to search for the missing men. The three sportsmen watched the guide disappear among the sandhills, and then, feeling that help was not far off, tuoy drank what remained of the water in the car’s radiator. Thu night passed, and another day of tormenting thirst dragged slowly by. By Sunday night it seemed clear that their only hope of life lay in trying to find their own way hack to civilisation, and so on Monday morning they decided to walk in what they thought was the direction of the Pyramids. The heat was terrible, and to allay their raging thirst they gashed their arms and sucked tho blood. For three days they trudged over the burning sands, with only desert herbs to allay the hunger which was now added to their torments. By AVednesday morning they reached the we'l named “ Hell Ravine,” where they Hung themselves down in a cave to escape the rays of the sun. Thereby they probably prolonged their suffering's, for aeroplanes which searched the region from tho air at first 1 ailed to spot them. On 'Thursday morning an agonising death seemed inevitable, and suicide a welcome release. Jt was proposed Hint one of tho sportsmen should shoot the other and tho chauffeur with a revolver, and then blow out his own brains. This plan would have been carried out bub for Hie strenuous opposition of the chauffeur, who;urgcd that they must wait to the last and pray to God for help. As the suu was .sinking the drone of an aeroplane was suddenly heard overhead. The three staggered into the open and tried to attract the pilot's attention by Tiring several shots into thcjiir. The roar of tho engine, of course, prevented tho airmen from hearing these signals, and tho plane disappeared' without giving any sign of having seen the missing men. But they were now buoyed up by tho hopo That the aeroplane would return on tho morrow, and as soon as day dawned they searched the sky for signs of a deliverer. At about 10 o’clock- in the morning (Friday) they again heard a drone above, and saw a piano coming in their direction. By this time they were so weak that it was only by a supremo effort that one of them managed to signal with a handkerchief tied to a rifle. FULL OF GRATITUDE. The machine was flying very low, and ho was observed by tho airmen, who landed close to him. He was clad in a shirt, and seemed to have been driven crazy hy his sufferings, and when the rescuers entered the ear© they found the two others, both naked, alicl with all the appearance of mad men. Saline injections were given to them ou tho spot, and they were carried out on stretchers to the aeroplane, in which they were whisked away to the Heliopolis Aerodrome. They are now well on the way to recovery, and are full of gratitude for the untiring efforts of the R.A.F.) which rescued them from a terrible death.