A lovelorn Australian farmer who headed to West Africa last month seeking a love match is glad to be home, albeit without his bride by his side.

Des Gregor, 56, went to Mali to pick up the bride he had met over the Internet and pocket the promised dowry of $85,000 in gold bars to marry her.

Instead of gaining a fortune in gold and taking a wife, the Aussie sheep and wheat farmer took a beating at the hands of a gang of armed robbers who kidnapped him and took his cash and credit cards.

To make matters worse, the robbers threatened to hack off his limbs with a machete if he didn't pay them a ransom of $85,000.

Gregor's family back in Australia saved the farmer from becoming an instant quadruple amputee by alerting police in Mali and Australia to his plight. They hatched a plan to persuade the robbers to take Gregor to the Canadian embassy to pick up the non-existent ransom, then nabbed the crooks and freed the farmer.

Police officials gave the still-wifeless farmer an escort back to his lonely Australia home and warned others not to fall for Internet promises of brides bearing bounty.