Early the next morning, a friend: ly man took charge of a letter to my wife, and shortly after, the while force made a move. To.my relief 4 horse was provided for me, bu: then and after a Chinese quilt' was all T had by way of saddle. Bareback riding in Australia 30 years before had prepared me to sume extent for this inconvenience, although my horse's back was of that kind we used to call the "post and rail" variety.
The scenes as we ced throveh the streets were vastly interesting. The bandits numbered: according their own statements, 10,000 mee, ind were probably not so very far short of that number. These were divided into "tui" or groups of from 40 to 100 in each. As each company. had its own string of captives and each string averaged some 20 to 50 in number, the confusion was tremendous. "Each band of captives were kept under contro! by means of double cords. They walked in double order, the cords man's arm. The foreign captive was the cause of great curiosity, and I was carefully guarded, having one man with a fast hold on the rein of my horse, and others in readiness to empty' their revolvers into me should I attempt to dismount and rush into some house.
The open country being reached, more freedom was given me, and my horse was given a free head, so with guards als) mounted before and behind, I was able to travel along in comparative comfort.
After confinement in a filthy room the french air and exercise were quite refreshing. Later on I met a friendly man of the party wh seemed to make his being a Roman Catholic compatible with his occupation. Anyhow, he was, during the few days he remained with our} group, very kind to me, seeing that T had food, and in other ways show. ing friendly feeling. I almost forgave him for eportine my Waltham arch which T had purchased some 25 years previously.
Phe scenes that fret day were asf striking as rare.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.