Gendarme Set

Adrift

Captured Japanese Poachers Turn The Tables In New Caledonia

From Our Own Correspondent.

Noumea, July 5.

RECENTLY the attempted capture of a Japanese poaching sampan in the north provided an exciting chase and an unexpected sequel.

The local gendarme, with five other men, boarded the sampan after a long chase in a launch. The 22 Japanese re fused to obey the orders of the gendarme to return to the shore. Night fell and the Frenchmen were forced to sleep on the sampan, which was at anchor.

In the early hours of the morning the anchor was slipped and the Japanese at tempted to make out to sea. This was prevented.

Shortly afterwards an abandoned whaleboat was sighted and it was decided to salvage it. In doing this, the French men placed their rifles on the deck, but the Japanese promptly seized them and threw them overboard. They then com pelled all but the gendarme to jump over board and swim back to their launch, which was some distance away.

The gendarme was taken out to sea and, at a suitable point, placed in a row ing boat and left to do the best he could to navigate his small craft back to shore.

Eventually he reached land safely.