7^ 
 
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RESIDENCE IN ALGERIA 
 
RESIDENCE IN ALGERIA 
 
 BY MADAME PRUS 
 
 ALDI 
 
 LONDON 
 WILLIAM PICKERING 
 
 1852 
 
LOAN STAC* 
 
P8 
 
 TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE 
 
 COUNTESS OF ZETLAND. 
 
 AVAIL myself most readily of your kind 
 -** permission to dedicate this translation to 
 you, and confidently trust that your approval 
 of the contents will be ratified by general 
 readers ; the public can hardly be expected 
 to take the same personal interest that we 
 do in Madame Prus, and yet may not be 
 displeased to know the real claims she has to 
 their sympathy and confidence. This accom- 
 plished widow of a highly educated French 
 Physician, was induced by many untoward 
 circumstances to emigrate to Algeria, and 
 settle in Bona. Left again by the sudden 
 death of her only brother, to struggle alone 
 with poverty in a distant land, she found some 
 alleviation to her many sorrows, and some 
 occupation to her active mind, in marking the 
 
 222 
 
 u ~ 
 
vi Dedication. 
 
 practical working of the French system of 
 colonisation in Algeria and in mastering the 
 character and manners of the natives. 
 
 Madame Prus never failed to communicate 
 to her friends in Europe, and to myself among 
 them, the impressions made by this new and 
 striking phase of things. Her truthful letters 
 written on the spot, and full of local colour 
 and character, give details which graver au- 
 thors of the male sex, busied with military 
 statistical politico-economical investigations 
 seldom condescend to furnish. She has tasted 
 the bitter salt of the inadequate appliances 
 and assistance afforded to the poorer and 
 humbler emigrants from Europe, who quit 
 homes and civilisation for a fatal region where 
 sun, soil, wild beast, and wilder man, are all so 
 antagonistic. Her plain unvarnished tale dis- 
 pels the poetic illusion of this distant African 
 Arcadia, and tears off the mask of this Uto- 
 pia, so full of promise at Paris, so impotent in 
 conclusion, at Algeria. She has lifted up the 
 shroud and exposed the skeletons of the heart- 
 broken stranger, which bleach in this whitened 
 sepulchre. She has lived with the natives, 
 and heard their curses, deep not loud, whe- 
 
Dedication. vii 
 
 ther when sojourning under the hair-tents of 
 the patriarchal picturesque Arab in the arid 
 grandeur of the desert, or associating with 
 the Musselman in the towns, and thus she 
 knows the antipathetic incompatibility, and 
 the hatred they all bear to their invaders. 
 
 France, — whose genius is for conquest not 
 colonisation, — in maintaining, the possession 
 of Algeria, at a vast expense of blood and 
 treasure, has sacrificed sound policy to pride; 
 assuredly her hold either on the homes or 
 hearts of the people is null, and when the 
 first angry cannon booms, and the fiery breath 
 of real war sweeps over the still blue waters 
 of the Mediterranean, her dominion will melt 
 away as the snow wreath under the sun of 
 Africa, and the imprint of her foot, — although 
 her heel be iron-armed, — will disappear as 
 the step of the camel is effaced, when the Si- 
 moom passes over the sands of the Numidian 
 Sahara. 
 
 Yours most sincerely, 
 
 THE TRANSLATOR. 
 
A RESIDENCE IN ALGERIA. 
 
 My dear Caroline, 
 
 Philippeville, July 20, 1849. 
 
 CCORDING to the wish you so 
 kindly expressed to hear from me 
 occasionally, I now despatch my 
 first letter from this quarter of the 
 globe, hoping that the description 
 of the new sphere of life now open 
 before me, will prove as interesting to you as the 
 reality of it is to me. 
 
 You know the regret I felt on leaving England, 
 where I had spent sixteen happy years, and the 
 strong motive which urged me to take so venturous 
 a step, at my age, and in this season. My brother, 
 ruined by the consequences of the revolution of 
 1 848, had determined to avail himself of the govern- 
 ment offer, made to all distressed persons, of a free 
 passage to Algeria, hoping by the cultivation of a 
 small allotment of land to find the means of exist- 
 ence, if not of prosperity. The only survivors of 
 our family, and both advanced in years, we had 
 agreed to rejoin each other as soon as possible, to 
 spend our old age together, in the exercise of that 
 
 B 
 
mutual care and affection which give fortitude to 
 endure the many reverses and trials of life. Un- 
 willing to take advantage of my sisterly attachment, 
 my brother represented to me in the strongest light 
 the many inconveniences attendant on the life of a 
 colonist in Algeria, and the want I should find of 
 all European comforts. Intent alone on the accom- 
 plishment of a project which I had fostered for 
 years, namely, to spend the last years of my life 
 with the only being to whom I was united in ties of 
 kindred, I resolved to accommodate myself to his 
 mode of life, whatever it might be. In vain you 
 cautioned me, with obliging solicitude, against the 
 adoption of too hasty a resolution ; my mind was 
 made up, and I set off accordingly. 
 
 After leaving London, and performing a pros- 
 perous journey through France, I embarked at Mar- 
 seilles on board " Le Phenicien," a ship bound for 
 Philippeville. Our passage was unfavourable, as 
 always is the case between France and Algeria, the 
 gulf of Lyons never being calm, even in fine wea- 
 ther, far less during a storm ; and the waters of the 
 Mediterranean here have a motion more agitated 
 than usual, owing to the vicinity of the rocky coast 
 of Africa. No incident took place on our journey, 
 except the capsizing of an unlucky fishing boat, 
 which struck against one of our wheels near the 
 entrance of the harbour. The crew, however, were 
 all saved. 
 
 We stopped this morning at Stora, an old Roman 
 port, now used as a harbour to Philippeville, the 
 approach to that town being dangerous for vessels 
 of heavy burden. On arriving, we saw an eruption 
 
of a volcano among the mountains of Bougie in the 
 distance. We soon reached Philippeville, and being 
 obliged to remain there a day and a half, I made 
 use of the time to visit the most remarkable places. 
 
 The town of Philippeville, built by the French 
 on the site of ancient Rusicada, has the appearance 
 of a fine provincial town thinly inhabited. The 
 walls which surround it defend it from the attacks 
 of the Kabyles, who, notwithstanding this, succeeded 
 in setting the town on fire a few years ago. Speedy 
 measures, however, were adopted, and the flames 
 prevented from spreading, but from that time the 
 Bedouins of the country were forbidden to remain 
 in the town after sunset. A tribe of Arabs is gene- 
 rally encamped outside the gates, and all the loi- 
 terers repair thither when the time allotted for their 
 stay in the city has elapsed. 
 
 There is nothing more singular or more pictur- 
 esque than the appearance of these Arabs, arrayed 
 in the majestic drapery of their " Bournous" and 
 reminding one strongly of the old engravings repre- 
 senting the Patriarchs of the Bible. Their aspect 
 and bearing are noble and dignified, and their im- 
 posing attitudes might offer many a model to our 
 actors. At every step, vestiges of the old Roman 
 city meet the eye, but it is impossible to obtain any 
 account of them. The town is peopled almost ex- 
 clusively by emigrants from Provence, Marseilles, 
 and Corsica, as is the case with all the principal 
 towns of Algeria. It presents a sombre aspect, as 
 many of the houses are shut up, and the number of 
 bills for lodgings, visible in every window, are a 
 sufficient proof of the depopulation of the city. 
 
The hospital is a fine large edifice, and the bar- 
 racks are worthy of a capital town. The buildings 
 are on a large scale ; yet all seems rather to indicate 
 the necessity of occupying a great extent of land, 
 than that of accommodating many inhabitants. 
 
 We shall embark for Bona at six o'clock. 
 
 Bona, July 23, 1849. 
 Pity me, dear Caroline ! On arriving here I 
 found a letter in an unknown handwriting, addressed 
 to me " poste restante." Alas ! my brother is no 
 more. Attacked by the typhus fever, he died ten 
 days ago. 
 
 Bona, July 28, 1849. 
 
 It seems that in the gift of tears, Providence has 
 granted us the means of alleviating our sorrow, and 
 that the very sign of our weakness is often the fore- 
 runner of renewed courage and energy. 
 
 The death of my brother destroyed all my hope. 
 No earthly consolation was left me. Without a 
 friend, without even an acquaintance in this foreign 
 land, my loss appeared intolerable. There was, 
 however, one advantage in my complete isolation : 
 I could give free vent to my grief, without being 
 molested by the foolish curiosity of those, who, in- 
 tending to show kindness, distract the mind with 
 their feigned expressions of sympathy. 
 
 The same letter informed me, that a cart would 
 be sent to convey me to Mondovi, on the following 
 Saturday at nine o'clock in the evening, in order to 
 avoid the heat of the day. I was utterly indifferent 
 about my place of residence, but felt a sort of mourn- 
 ful pleasure in the thought of inhabiting the house 
 which had belonged to my brother. I therefore 
 
waited for the cart, which arrived at the time ap- 
 pointed, drawn by oxen, as a journey of eight leagues 
 through a sandy country would have been too 
 fatiguing for horses. 
 
 Had I not been absorbed in grief, I should have 
 been most reluctant to travel in this manner by 
 night. But at that time I was entirely taken up 
 with the idea of entering that deserted abode, and 
 of finding myself the sole possessor of it, after all 
 my hopes of living there in peaceful happiness with 
 one whom I loved so much, and who loved me in 
 return with such tender affection. 
 
 At five o'clock in the morning, I perceived the 
 first houses of the village, or rather the encampment, 
 of Mondovi. My heart sank within me at the deso- 
 late appearance of this colony. Imagine, dear Caro- 
 line, long rows of wooden huts, divided lengthways 
 by slight partition walls, and subdivided again into 
 spaces of various sizes, according to the number of in- 
 dividuals in each family. In these spaces, or rooms, 
 as they are miscalled, men, women, children, dogs, 
 cats, pigs, hens and chickens live huddled together 
 in lamentable confusion. The wooden roofs of these 
 houses afford but feeble protection against the burn- 
 ing heat of an African sun ; but at seven o'clock in 
 the evening an abundant, cold, and heavy dew in- 
 variably falls, and such as yield to the temptation 
 of breathing the evening air pay dearly for this 
 temporary relief. But this is not all. 
 
 After sunset, the vapours rising from the ground 
 produce such a prodigious number of insects, that it 
 is no exaggeration to say one is literally covered 
 with them. Added to these, swarms of musquitoes 
 
6 
 
 render the idea of repose entirely useless. I thus 
 passed three weeks, spending the nights in a state of 
 feverish agitation, and the days in the lassitude 
 caused by want of sleep, and the annoyance of in- 
 sects of all descriptions. 
 
 My brother's house was quite empty. It had 
 been stripped of all its scanty furniture before my 
 arrival ; by whom I have never discovered. The 
 military police were not active in investigation, in- 
 deed there was but a slight force in the whole colony, 
 which, however, was by no means useless ; for though 
 many of the French colonists in Algeria are sober, 
 industrious, and honest people, several of them have 
 faults, the immediate reverse of these good qualities. 
 The allotment of land conceded to my brother 
 was transferred to me, as his heiress at law. From 
 that time I was placed as a widow on the registers 
 of the colony, and was obliged to share the dwelling 
 of another widow, in the same circumstances as 
 myself. 
 
 According to the original plan, the village is to 
 consist of two hundred brick houses. Of these, 
 scarcely thirty have been built. The colonists are 
 amused with promises of more substantial dwellings 
 than their present tenements ; but in spite of these, 
 the works proceed but slowly, it being almost im- 
 possible to prevail on the masons of Bona to work 
 at Mondovi, except for enormous wages. The rea- 
 son of this is obvious; unwholesome exhalations 
 rise from the soil when it is ploughed or dug for the 
 purposes of cultivation or building. These produce 
 the frightful epidemic of typhus fever; and the 
 wind, blowing over the vast plains of the desert, 
 
fills the air with fine and burning sand, which cor- 
 rodes the eyebrows, and strikes with ophthalmia. 
 The result of these calamities has been, that half 
 the inhabitants of the colony, and the whole of the 
 garrison, with the exception of thirteen men, have 
 been removed to the hospital at Bona, where one 
 third of them have died. The masons who caught 
 the fever refuse to expose themselves to the same 
 peril for any remuneration, and the Arabian work- 
 men follow their example. It is said that the works 
 necessary to establish the colony have killed more 
 soldiers than were destroyed by the Arabs. This 
 is very probable, from the fatiguing nature of this 
 kind of labour, which is now strictly prohibited. 
 
 I have arrived here under melancholy auspices, 
 but await with patience the result of my under- 
 taking. 
 
 The Algerian committee at Paris is in direct 
 opposition, both of will and action, to the military 
 authorities in Africa. Whenever a measure is re- 
 solved on by the former, the latter refuse to execute 
 it, on account of its impracticability. At Paris, 
 the colonization of Africa is viewed in a sort of 
 poetic light ; and if the country does not quite 
 realize the idea of fabled Utopia, it appears at least 
 a land of promise, an Elysian Paradise, where the 
 tombstones of the happy colonists will bear this in- 
 scription : " I also have been in Arcadia," — that is 
 to say, Algeria. 
 
 The military authorities, living on the spot, and 
 acquainted with the real facts of the case, plainly 
 declare : " These gentlemen are visionary enthusi- 
 asts, Utopian dreamers. On the strength of their 
 
8 
 
 vivid imagination, but at the expense of the govern- 
 ment, they send out thousands of unfortunate adven- 
 turers, whose sole fate is to perish in misery on this 
 African soil. In vain do they hope to carry out 
 their theory of Algerian colonization ; the only re- 
 sult of the many attempts made for this purpose 
 has been the death of the greater number of these 
 poor emigrants, who were unable to withstand the 
 fatal influence of the fevers and other epidemics 
 caused by this dreadful climate. The colony of 
 Robertville has been entirely destroyed, and the 
 site it occupied is now a vast wilderness ; that of 
 Penthievre can hardly support a quarter of its popu- 
 lation ; that of the Golden River has filled the hos- 
 pital of Guelma with its inhabitants, and Mondovi 
 will soon be a desert" 
 
 Such are the effects of this system. But in spite 
 of the plainest evidence, new arrivals are expected 
 in the month of October ; such is the force of the 
 delusion which it is the interest of the French go- 
 vernment to maintain. 
 
 On the banks of the Seybouse, which flows to the 
 north of the village, about a mile from Mondovi, 
 live a tribe of Bedouin Arabs, men of gentle dispo- 
 sition and friendly nature. Their chief, Abdallah, 
 had been a great friend of my brother, who had 
 taught him a little French. One day he came to 
 pay me a visit, attended by two of his companions. 
 The expressions " Thou" and " Thee" are the only 
 forms of address used by these primitive sons of the 
 Desert, all others being unknown to them. The 
 Arab chief seems about thirty years old, his coun- 
 
tenance is most intelligent, and his bearing dignified 
 but courteous. He led his little son by the hand, a 
 child of singular beauty, whose dark, piercing eyes 
 seemed to divine one's thoughts before they found 
 utterance in words. I embraced this child, and 
 promised to instruct him, which I should gladly 
 have done had I remained at Mondovi. Among 
 other gentle exhortations, I happened to say to him, 
 " Thou must be a wise and brave man, like Abd- 
 el-Kader." The father seemed struck with my 
 words, and said, placing his hand on my arm, 
 " Thou lovest Abd-el-Kader." " I love and admire 
 him," I replied ; " he is a great man, the Napoleon 
 of the Arabs." The chief then spoke in Arabic to 
 his companions and to his son ; the latter threw his 
 arms round my neck, and the two Arabs, who were 
 seated on the ground, rose, and stretching out their 
 hands, warmly greeted me. We conversed a few 
 minutes longer, after which my visitors took leave, 
 but from that time henceforth, I daily received a 
 supply of fresh milk, Barbary figs, melons, &c. and 
 every Arab who passed by my cottage gave me a 
 kind word or a smile. 
 
 The colony of Mondovi is divided into two camps, 
 called Centre No. 1 and No. 2. They are situated 
 at the distance of a mile and a half from each other. 
 Centre No. 2 is situated near the mountain passes 
 of Ella-rough, now the resort of the wild hordes of 
 the Kabyles, on a hill without water, which greatly 
 increases the difficulty of cultivation. No. 1, on 
 the contrary, is provided with two old Roman wells, 
 and the Seybouse, one of the principal rivers of the 
 
10 
 
 country, flows to the north of the village. This 
 river produces very bad fish, but is useful in many 
 places for irrigation. 
 
 The wild Kabyle tribes render the neighbourhood 
 of Ella-rough very dangerous. Our garrison had 
 hitherto kept them in awe, but at this moment it 
 consists of only thirteen efficient men, which pre- 
 sents rather an alarming prospect for the future. 
 I once asked Abdallah if there was any danger of 
 an attack ; he replied, " There might be, if the 
 Kabyles were supported by the tribes of the Desert ; 
 but should that ever be the case, thou shouldest 
 come to my tribe, where thou wouldst be safe." I 
 thanked Abdallah for his kind proposal, but thought 
 it a desperate resource. 
 
 Our captain, for we are under military govern- 
 ment, told me that he intended to organize the 
 colonists of the two centres into a kind of National 
 Guard, as all the garrisons would be withdrawn to 
 their respective battalions, should war break out 
 with the revolted tribes. " Then how should we 
 defend ourselves against the Kabyles ? " I inquired. 
 " As best you can," was the answer. 
 
 Whatever may be the supposed advantages of a 
 concession of land at Mondovi, I must confess, that 
 were it to come to the point, I should infinitely pre- 
 fer a safe retreat behind the fortifications of Bona, 
 to being obliged to defend myself, " as best I could" 
 in the case of a Kabyle invasion. 
 
 At the south of the colony are three fields, all 
 adjoining one another. Of these, one had belonged 
 to my poor brother, another, to a young man who 
 died shortly before my arrival, and the third was 
 
11 
 
 the property of the widow, my companion. All 
 three are waste, uncultivated, and dried up with the 
 heat. Not a tree is to be seen in this desolate land ; 
 a few rose-laurels on the banks of the Seybouse are 
 the only signs of vegetation to be seen for miles 
 around. The ground is deeply cracked in all di- 
 rections, and the crevices afford shelter to numbers 
 of reptiles. The jackals prowl about the neigh- 
 bourhood after sunset, and though they never attack 
 a man, a child might easily become their prey, or 
 be devoured by the wild beasts that follow in their 
 wake. Hyenas are as common here as wolves in 
 some parts of Europe. 
 
 One evening, I heard a loud, piercing scream, 
 like the cry of a child. My companion seized me 
 by the arm, and said, " Listen to the hyena I " A 
 cold shudder ran through my whole frame, and 
 shortly afterwards the wild animal passed our cot- 
 tage, pursued by all the dogs of the place. These 
 creatures are of a cowardly nature, and take flight 
 at the least alarm. This one had evidently made 
 its way to the "gourbi" or stable, where all the 
 cattle of the village were kept ; but, unable to en- 
 joy the feast in silence, its cry had betrayed it. 
 
 The driver of the cart which had brought me to 
 Mondovi, told me that a hyena had crossed our 
 road, but had taken flight at the mere cracking of 
 his whip. Lions seldom make their appearance. 
 Occasionally they come from the mountains of Ella- 
 rough, and prowl about Mondovi during the night. 
 The colony generally loses an ox or a cow by one 
 of these visits, but unless the lions are starving with 
 hunger, no great danger exists for the human part 
 
12 
 
 of the population, as they hardly ever attack those 
 who pay no attention to them, and give no signs 
 of fear. Panthers and tigers are more dangerous 
 to meet ; but they are seldom seen in frequented 
 places. 
 
 Hitherto, I had borne heat, fatigue, and want of 
 sleep without being seriously ill; but about this 
 time I was seized with a kind of listless apathy, 
 which threatened to deprive me of my faculties. 
 One day, as I was seated on a stone before our cot- 
 tage, in a sort of mental torpor, and almost uncon- 
 scious of what was passing around me, our captain 
 went by, and after looking at me for a few moments, 
 said : " You are not well, my dear lady ; the air 
 does not agree with you. You must go to Bona. 
 Can you do anything to gain your living there ? I 
 advise you not to wait till it is too late. Prepare 
 yourself for the journey, and I will give you a signed 
 permission to depart, and a letter of recommenda- 
 tion to Mr. Leoni, the Inspector of the Colonies." 
 I accepted this offer with joy, and left Mondovi that 
 very day, accompanied by the widow, my com- 
 panion, who also had obtained leave to depart. 
 We went' by the Invalid Carriage, a regular means 
 of conveyance which it had been found necessary to 
 establish, on account of the sickness that prevailed 
 in the colony. 
 
 We entered Bona by the " Porte Constantine." 
 It was most curious to see the Arabian market, 
 which is held outside the gates, but within the forti- 
 fications. Imagine a number of white figures, of 
 the same colour as the walls which surround them, 
 moving busily to and fro among the stores of pro- 
 
13 
 
 visions laid out for sale. These are the Arabs of 
 the district, wrapped in their white bournous, or 
 sheepskins. Their wares consist of different kinds 
 of fruit, which grows abundantly in this country, 
 curdled milk in earthen vessels, butter, &c. A cer- 
 tain degree of courage is required to penetrate 
 through this crowd and gather in one's stock of 
 provisions, as the want of cleanliness both in the 
 articles of food and in the persons of those that sell 
 them, is most revolting. These people use no ab- 
 lutions except those prescribed by the Koran, which 
 are limited to the hands and feet. Their clothes 
 actually swarm with vermin, and a visit to the 
 Arabian market can never be made without disas- 
 trous consequences ; but this inconvenience being 
 unavoidable, the best way is to bear it with stoical 
 firmness, and to overcome the disgust which the 
 scene described causes to our more refined feelings. 
 Nothing can be more picturesque than the view 
 from the market place. The old Arab town, half 
 concealed by its high embattled walls, is built in the 
 form of an amphitheatre, and about a hundred steps 
 further, you see the terraces belonging to the more 
 modern part of the city. The military hospital, and 
 the minaret with its pointed roof are imposing edi- 
 fices, situated in the "Place d'Armes." On the 
 left is the lofty Chain of the Edough, at the base of 
 which is a lovely valley, and on the right, the blue 
 waters of the Mediterranean. On the sea shore are 
 to be seen the tents of the Bedouin salt merchants ; 
 with their camels lying on the sand, and their small, 
 lean horses picketted to the ground. In the dis- 
 tance, the Twin Mountains appear in bold relief 
 
14 
 
 against the clear blue sky ; on these were erected 
 the sumptuous edifices of ancient Hippona, several 
 imposing remains of which are still to be seen. Re- 
 servoirs of enormous size, and the beautiful ruins 
 of the Church of Peace, of which St. Augustine 
 was the last Bishop, attest the grandeur of the an- 
 cient city. 
 
 The " Rue Constantine" which is a kind of sub- 
 urb to the town, is composed both of Arab and 
 French houses. The "Rue Damremont" and the 
 "Place d'Armes" are built entirely in the French 
 style, but the roofs are surrounded with terraces, 
 where linen tents are raised, under which the inha- 
 bitants spend a great part of their time, breathing 
 the cool evening air. 
 
 I presented myself at Mr. Leoni's, with the letter 
 of recommendation given me by the captain of our 
 colony. This gentleman and his young wife re- 
 ceived me with the utmost kindness, and enquired 
 what were my resources for gaining a livelihood. 
 Unfortunately for me, instruction was but little 
 valued at Bona, and the few talents I possessed were 
 equally useless. However, I could make artificial 
 flowers, which Mme. Leoni approved of as an ex- 
 cellent means of subsistence. I had brought a few 
 materials from Europe, and now found them of the 
 greatest use. I took a lodging in the " Rue Damre- 
 mont" for myself and my companion, whom I 
 trained to be my assistant. We made various or- 
 naments of artificial flowers, and I soon obtained 
 the custom of the principal Moors of the city, who 
 are passionately fond of flowers, but are deprived of 
 them in their natural shape nine months in the 
 
15 
 
 year. The higher classes of the Moors, though 
 they do not conform to all our customs, have adopted 
 many of them, from the mere impulse of imitation. 
 They speak French, which indeed they find indis- 
 pensable from their frequent contact with French 
 society, but this accomplishment is practised by the 
 men only. A Moorish lady has never been known 
 to accompany her husband on any visit, or to make 
 the least change in the traditional usages of her 
 nation. 
 
 Encouraged by the patronage of the Moors, I 
 gladly received all who were willing to give me any 
 information to satisfy the curiosity I felt on various 
 subjects. I wrote down all the facts I could gather, 
 and having besides frequent opportunities of mak- 
 ing observations on my own account, I soon formed 
 an ample collection of new and curious details. 
 
 Twice a week, the band of the forty-third regiment 
 gives a public concert outside the town, at the foot 
 of the ramparts. Mr. and Madame Leoni have had 
 the kindness to send for me to accompany them to 
 hear it. 
 
 September 20, 1849. 
 
 I have just witnessed a spectacle, dear Caroline, 
 which has strongly excited my feelings. I will tell 
 you the drama, when I have described the scene 
 where it took place. Imagine thirty or thirty-five 
 instruments, of which four were ophecleides, execut- 
 ing the overture to William Tell, under an avenue 
 of plane trees outside the fortifications of Bona, at 
 the base of the gigantic chain of the Edough, with 
 the mountains of Sainton in the distance. The 
 fortress of the Cashba crowned the summit of the 
 
16 
 
 intermediate hill. Extending to the right and left, 
 the vast plain of Karesas, burnt up by the heat of 
 the sun, and stripped of all vegetation, gave an idea 
 of the solitude of the desert. This wild landscape 
 was occasionally illumined by brilliant flashes of light- 
 ning, while the mountains re-echoed the inspiriting 
 music of the brass band ; and the sweet modulations 
 of the hautboy, clarionet, and cornet a piston gave 
 full effect to the graceful melodies of the fine com- 
 position chosen for the evening's performance. 
 
 Unlike the scene at the opera, where the brave 
 Helvetians alone occupy the ground, it seemed as 
 though that spot had been chosen for the assemblage 
 of representatives of all the various nations in the 
 vicinity. Spahis, Moors, Jews, Corsicans, Maltese, 
 French soldiers and sailors, together with the bril- 
 liant staff of the forty-third regiment of the line, 
 formed an animated and varied " coup d'oeil." A 
 few Arabs, leaning against the trees and wrapped 
 in their graceful white mantles, were attentively 
 listening to the music of Rossini. These various 
 individuals, unconscious of the effect they produced, 
 had been grouped together by chance in a style so 
 picturesque, as far to exceed the artistic arrange- 
 ment of the theatre. The clouds were pierced from 
 time to time by vivid flashes of lightning, giving a 
 still more imposing effect to this singular scene, and 
 by their fitful glare we distinguished the white forms 
 of the Bedouins, returning to their tribes among the 
 mountains, while the sound of the drums was mixed 
 with the rolling of the distant thunder. 
 
 Such were the decorations of the scene, sur- 
 mounted by the azure dome of an African sky. 
 
17 
 
 Now to the drama. Fixing my eyes on the distant 
 hills, I saw, half way between the base and summit 
 of the Edough, a small house, which though white- 
 washed with lime, according to the custom of the 
 country, was hardly visible on the steep declivity 
 of the mountain. I marvelled who could be coura- 
 geous or singular enough to inhabit a dwelling so 
 far removed from all human intercourse, and on my 
 return home, with the aid of a telescope, I could 
 still distinguish the house, which had every appear- 
 ance of being inhabited, although the distance pre- 
 vented me from distinguishing any person near it. 
 Instead of windows, the walls were furnished with 
 loop holes. 
 
 Incited by curiosity, I enquired of one of my ac- 
 quaintances at Bona, who was the mysterious occu- 
 pant of this solitary habitation. He gave me the 
 following particulars. 
 
 AYESHA. 
 
 AT some distance from Guelma, in the territory 
 of Coudia-mena, was an Arab tribe, governed 
 by a chief of great bravery and exalted patriotism. 
 He had two children, Mahomet and Ayesha. The 
 youth, though gifted by nature with great beauty, 
 had a weakly and delicate constitution, more adapt- 
 ed to the intercourse of private life than to the con- 
 stant warfare that generally falls to the lot of the 
 Arab. Ayesha, on the contrary, added invincible 
 strength of character and masculine energy to a 
 lofty stature and commanding features. At the 
 
18 
 
 time of the French invasion, their tribe, with several 
 others, took part against us ; Ayesha and Mahomet 
 accompanied their father to battle, showing them- 
 selves in all respects worthy of him. At last, he 
 fell, in an encounter with our troops, and dying, 
 gave his musket to his daughter, with a look that 
 seemed to command her to avenge his death. 
 
 The Arabs, dispirited by the loss of their leader, 
 were soon overcome, and taken prisoners to the 
 Cashba. 
 
 In consideration of her sex, Ayesha was treated 
 with respect. She soon learned a few words of 
 French, but neither could nor would dissemble the 
 profound hatred which she bore to her conquerors. 
 No degree of kind treatment could induce her to 
 acknowledge our dominion, she haughtily refused 
 to submit to the conditions imposed by the new 
 regulations, and as the French authorities rejected 
 with disdain the idea of treating this young girl 
 with severity, she and her companions were restored 
 to freedom. 
 
 Ayesha rejoined the wandering remains of her 
 tribe, and retired to the neighbourhood of Guelma. 
 The rising of the tribes of Ella-rough gave her a 
 pretext to renew the war, but from that period, all 
 her expeditions proved unfortunate, though they 
 were organized and carried into effect with the 
 greatest ability. Ayesha, the daughter of a re- 
 nowned leader, and celebrated herself for her cou- 
 rage and her hatred of the French, was invested 
 with supreme authority by the principal men of the 
 tribe. Even her brother yielded to her superior 
 talent. When she gave a counsel, or directed a 
 
19 
 
 measure, and the stern glance of her dark eye fell 
 on those who opposed her, Mahomet was the first to 
 submit, and the rest followed his example. 
 
 The town of Philippeville had just been built, and 
 the French flag waved over its white walls. Ayesha 
 and her Arabs, from their retreat among the moun- 
 tains of Bougie, beheld the safety of the rising city 
 ensured by fortifications, and our supremacy esta- 
 blished over all the surrounding country. Some of 
 her followers, discouraged and hopeless, muttered 
 words of surrender. How discordant must these 
 have sounded to the proud daughter of the slaugh- 
 tered hero ! Left alone with her brother, who had 
 witnessed these symptoms of dissatisfaction without 
 giving any sign of displeasure, she said to him, while 
 the blush of indignation overspread her handsome 
 countenance : " Mahomet, could you submit to live 
 under the yoke of the Infidels, and to bear in their 
 service the musket which has killed our father?" — 
 " Ayesha," answered Mahomet, " too much blood 
 has been shed already. The neighbouring tribes 
 have accepted the terms of friendship and com- 
 mercial intercourse proposed to them by the French 
 in exchange for their submission. Thus, they are 
 peaceful and happy ; let us also surrender. Our 
 father would have set us the example to do so could 
 he have foreseen the good conditions we can obtain 
 from our conquerors. We are allowed to retain 
 our laws and customs, our religion and form of 
 worship are protected. Let us therefore accept the 
 dominion of the Christians, and conclude the treaty 
 ere it be too late." " Never ! " replied the young 
 heroine ; " if your soul has lost the strength and 
 
20 
 
 energy that belong to a child of the Desert, mine at 
 least has inherited the courage and patriotism of 
 our father." 
 
 She then returned to her tent, and having sum- 
 moned all the men of her tribe : " Brothers ! " she 
 exclaimed to them, " our cause is the cause of Allah, 
 but to maintain it, brave and devoted hearts are 
 needed. Let those among you who feel their cou- 
 rage fail, go to the tents of the Christians and yield 
 to their authority ; but let those who love the in- 
 dependence of the Desert follow me, if they, as I, 
 are determined to live and die unsullied by the 
 ignominy of a foreign yoke." 
 
 Several from among the tribe slowly rose, and, 
 after casting a melancholy glance at the valiant 
 daughter of their former chief, left the mountains of 
 Kabylia, and repaired to the French camp, where 
 their submission was accepted. The next day, 
 Ayesha struck her tents, and withdrew to the Black 
 Mountains, whither some of the unconquered tribes 
 had taken refuge. 
 
 A change came over the demeanour of Mahomet. 
 Deeply attached to his sister, he had never enter- 
 tained the idea of abandoning her, but he saw with 
 grief that her mind was bent on an undertaking, 
 the only result of which could be to keep alive the 
 spirit of revolt, without any chance of realizing her 
 plan for the liberation of her country, which by this 
 time had become impossible. A prey to constant 
 sorrow, he used to withdraw from the tribe, descend 
 among the deep ravines, wander over the plains, 
 and return at the end of several days, worn out with 
 fatigue and privation. In vain he represented to 
 
21 
 
 his sister the futility of any further attempt at in- 
 surrection, the intrepid girl was but the more fixed 
 in her purpose. 
 
 But fortune seemed to have forsaken the cause of 
 the Arabs. Every attack made by Ayesha on the 
 French detachments was unsuccessful, and a strange 
 fatality seemed to attend all her undertakings. 
 Although it was evident that the French spared 
 the Arabs as much as possible, and treated them 
 more like rebellious children than enemies, still 
 Ayesha's troop, with many others, was worsted in 
 every encounter and driven back to their mountain 
 fastnesses, while the skill with which the French 
 defeated all their plans gave reason to suppose that 
 they had previous knowledge of their deliberations. 
 
 Ayesha had two companions, whom she admitted 
 to her confidence. One of these, having perceived 
 that continual reverses caused great discontent 
 among the tribe, and that the authority of the 
 maiden warrior was often called in question, deter- 
 mined to avail himself of the first favourable oppor- 
 tunity of ensuring the command for himself. Ayesha, 
 aware of his design, resolved to watch his proceed- 
 ings, suspecting him of being the traitor who had 
 betrayed her plans. 
 
 One night the young chief tainess, with four men 
 of her tribe, descended from the Edough. After a 
 march of three hours, they heard a slight noise, on 
 which they took up their post of observation behind 
 a caroub tree. They soon perceived an Arab, 
 wrapped in his bournou, taking the direction of 
 Bona. On arriving at the top of one of the small 
 eminences which rise from the plain of Karesas, he 
 
22 
 
 made a sign, upon which three horsemen left the 
 French outposts to meet him, and a short conver- 
 sation took place. In a few minutes they sepa- 
 rated, and the Arab, returning homewards by an- 
 other road, disappeared in the depths of a ravine, 
 and shortly afterwards was seen climbing the steep 
 ascent on the opposite side. In a moment he fell, 
 struck by four bullets. Ayesha, convinced that he 
 was the traitor, who had fallen by her orders, sprang 
 forward, and rushed to the spot where her victim 
 was lying. But at the first glance she cast on the 
 white form stretched at her feet, she trembled, and 
 uncovering the face of the dead man, uttered a 
 piercing cry of agony. She raised the corpse in 
 her arms, carried it to the Seybouse which flowed 
 near the spot, and tried to stanch the blood that 
 streamed from the wounds, but finding life extinct, 
 she threw the body into the river. 
 
 The sound of firing had attracted the attention of 
 the French guard stationed at the outposts. A 
 small troop was immediately sent out on investi- 
 gation, which arrived at the scene of the tragedy in 
 time to rescue from the waters what proved to be 
 the lifeless form of Mahomet. 
 
 At the sight of the soldiers hastening in their 
 pursuit, the four Arabs rejoined their tribe. The 
 unfortunate Ayesha made no attempt at flight. 
 She was captured, and on being examined, declared 
 that her brother had been murdered by her com- 
 mand. In the vehemence of her despair she accused 
 herself so that she might not survive him. But in- 
 stead of the condemnation she hoped for, she was 
 acquitted ; and having soon afterwards obtained the 
 
23 
 
 body of Mahomet, she caused it to be buried on the 
 spot where he fell. Four walls were then erected 
 on the site of his grave, and in this melancholy 
 abode the unhappy daughter of the wilderness 
 leads her solitary life, in shame for the subjection 
 of her country to the dominion of the infidel, grief 
 for the treachery of her brother, and remorse for 
 having caused his death. 
 
 The Arabs are fatalists in the extreme. Accord- 
 ing to their creed, it is useless to apply to the skill 
 of a physician in case of illness, as nothing can 
 change the irrevocable decrees of fate. The Moors 
 of the more civilized classes are less bigoted, and 
 though they admit the same theory, make no scruple 
 of calling in the best French physicians, whose 
 advice they carefully follow. If the patient recovers, 
 the cure is ascribed to destiny working through the 
 means of science ; if, on the contrary, he dies, the 
 survivors declare that nothing could have saved 
 him. 
 
 Among the more distant tribes, the Marabouts, 
 or holy men, exercise such a degree of influence 
 over the minds of their countrymen, that these lat- 
 ter believe them to possess magic power, or the gift 
 of healing. In all cases of slight accidents, the con- 
 sequences of which however might be dangerous, 
 such as the bite of reptiles, the sting of scorpions, 
 or any other kind of envenomed wound, their know- 
 ledge of local remedies often enables them to per- 
 form cures. They are careful to add to their treat- 
 ment a few cabalistic words, either pronounced 
 during the dressing of the wound, or written on a 
 
24 
 
 piece of paper, which the patient is forced to swal- 
 low. This is the usual remedy for fevers and other 
 epidemics. The dose administered, the patient lies 
 down, drinks quantities of water, and recovers or 
 dies according to the strength of his constitution 
 and the intensity of the disease. 
 
 When an Arab dies, the body is stripped of its 
 clothing a few hours afterwards, stretched on a board 
 of the requisite length and breadth, and washed ; in 
 which process it is often rudely handled. The eyes, 
 mouth, and ears are closed with small pellets of 
 cotton wool, and the corpse surrounded with sprigs 
 of wormwood, mint, thyme, marjoram, and other 
 sweet scented herbs, brought from the mountains. 
 Incense is afterwards burnt on small censers : in 
 districts where vegetation is scarce, the herbs are dis- 
 pensed with, and the incense alone is used. When 
 these ceremonies are finished, the corpse is wrapped 
 in a sort of winding sheet made of white muslin, 
 which is fastened with a cord, above the head, some- 
 thing like the closing of a bag. Then all the wo- 
 men of the family and of the surrounding neighbour- 
 hood assemble in the court of the house, or in the 
 tent of the deceased, if the death takes place in a 
 tribe ; when the oldest, seated on the ground, and 
 surrounded by the rest, begins to enumerate the vir- 
 tues of the departed. In the course of her recital 
 she becomes greatly agitated, and gives utterance 
 to her grief in piercing shrieks, which are re-echoed 
 by her companions. 
 
 These signs of despair have an effect rather sin- 
 gular than touching, and lose their sympathetic 
 power in becoming a customary formality. The 
 
25 
 
 nearest relations are placed in the centre, the others 
 according to their degree of kindred, then, the mere 
 acquaintances, and last of all, the women of the 
 neighbourhood, who arrive at the scen^ of lamenta- 
 tion by the terraces of their respective houses, with- 
 out setting foot in the street. It is curious to watch 
 the expressions of grief of this latter class of mourn- 
 ers, as they consist solely of strange contortions of 
 the body, executed with the most phlegmatic coun- 
 tenance. 
 
 Mother, wives, sisters and daughters utter loud 
 cries, and tear their faces, according to the degree 
 of affection they bore the deceased. Their grief at 
 first exhibits itself with some moderation, but they 
 proceed by degrees to the most violent outbursts of 
 despair, which increase to a sort of madness, while 
 the blood streams from their faces. In the midst of 
 their screams and howls, they reproach the dead 
 with having abandoned those who loved him, and 
 recount the many cares of which he was the object, 
 and of which he is deprived for ever. 
 
 During the space of nine days, these frantic scenes 
 are renewed three times a day. In the intervals 
 between them water is brought from the cistern 
 with which every Moorish house, rich or poor, is 
 provided, and ablutions are performed, which simply 
 consist in washing the head, hands and feet, without 
 drying them. Then all the women seat themselves 
 on the ground, on mats prepared for the purpose, 
 and drink coffee, while they are free to converse or 
 weep at pleasure. 
 
 The next day, the body is placed on a sort of lit- 
 ter, of the shape of a large open chest. This litter 
 
26 
 
 is carried by means of two long transverse poles, on 
 the shoulders of four men. The rest of the funeral 
 ceremonies are performed according to the wealth 
 of the family. If the deceased is poor, he is simply 
 placed on the litter in his muslin winding sheet, and 
 is rudely shaken in this primitive means of convey- 
 ance, by the constant succession of those who join 
 in the pious care of bearing him to the grave. This 
 act is obligatory according to the Mussulman creed, 
 and each passer by, whether known or unknown to 
 the deceased is forced to lend his shoulder for a few 
 minutes, as a last service rendered by the living to 
 the dead. 
 
 If, on the contrary, the family is rich, the body 
 is covered with silken stuffs, rich carpets, and gir- 
 dles embroidered with gold. The principal person- 
 age in the procession marches in front, while the 
 others surround the corpse, singing the funeral 
 hymn, the monotonous tone of which chaunt is in 
 strict accordance with the subject. On arriving at 
 the grave, the body is carefully divested of these 
 temporary ornaments, and the act of interment is 
 concealed from all bystanders. 
 
 The Arabian customs vary very much among this 
 population; each tribe has its own, which it preserves 
 even in the midst of cities. A few days ago, I heard 
 in a neighbouring house, the sound of tambourines, 
 reed pipes, &c. which usually announces a family 
 festival. I mounted on my terrace, but was unable 
 to see anything in the adjoining court, except a few 
 negroes preparing mats, as if to receive a numerous 
 company. In vain I endeavoured to get a view into 
 the interior of the house, my curiosity was doomed to 
 
27 
 
 be disappointed. I went into the street, where I 
 heard a wedding spoken of. I walked about near 
 the entrance of the house where the nuptials were 
 to take place, though with small hopes of success, 
 when a Moorish woman, carefully enveloped in her 
 veil, passed near me, and gently touching my arm, 
 said to me in excellent French : " Thou wishest to 
 see the wedding ? Come ! " She then linked her 
 arm in mine, and we entered the house together. 
 If I was astonished to hear her speak French so 
 well, I was not surprized at the kindness of her act, 
 as they all are, in general, civil and obliging to those 
 that please them. She introduced me into a large 
 hall on the ground floor, where I found myself in a 
 company of about twenty Moorish ladies, richly 
 dressed, and all seated in the oriental style. They 
 made room for me, and I seated myself among 
 them ; they received me most graciously, and after 
 shaking hands with me, made me the customary 
 salutation by raising their hand to their lips. Coffee 
 was served, without sugar, and the music began 
 again. 
 
 Three old women, no less hideous than the witches 
 in Macbeth, resumed their tambourines to accom- 
 pany the most discordant chaunt that ever offended 
 Christian ears. These three matrons possess a 
 great number of privileges at Bona. They preside 
 at births, and if the new born infant be a boy, they 
 hail its arrival with the frightful din of their tam- 
 bourines, and distract the ear of the suffering mother 
 with their noisy congratulations. Part of their busi- 
 ness is also to tattoo, which they do with great skill 
 and taste, and to arrange the dress of the brides : in 
 
28 
 
 which last particular they signally fail, at least in 
 the eyes of a Parisian. 
 
 I had endured my share of this dreadful concert 
 for above three quarters of an hour, wondering in 
 whose honor I was thus exercising my patience, 
 when at last the music ceased, and a pause ensued. 
 The lady who introduced me had taken off the 
 " koiik," or veil, that concealed her splendid attire, 
 and I was able to examine her at leisure. She was 
 singularly handsome, in spite of the pains she had 
 taken to paint her face, according to the Moorish 
 fashion. By this means her beautiful eyebrows 
 were joined in one arch across her forehead, and 
 her eyes received additional lustre from the tinge 
 of cucuma under her long eyelashes. Black patches 
 were placed on her cheeks that glowed with artificial 
 brightness, reminding one of the belles of the court 
 of Louis XV. and her frequent bursts of gaiety dis- 
 closed a set of pearly teeth. Her long black hair 
 was gathered in large rolls under a fillet of crimson 
 silk and gold ; her beautifully modelled hands and 
 arms were tattooed so admirably, that they seemed 
 to be covered with black lacework of the most intri- 
 cate design ; the tips of her fingers were dyed with 
 rocon ; and her legs and feet tattooed in the same 
 manner as her arms. Her slippers were richly em- 
 broidered with gold and silver, and heavy golden 
 bracelets adorned her arms and legs. All the other 
 women wore the same kind of costume, the only 
 variety consisting in the different arrangement of 
 colours, in the greater or less beauty of the silken 
 trousers, double chemises of cotton and muslin, and 
 length of the gauze veils ornamented with gold and 
 
29 
 
 silver spangles. The weight of the earrings and 
 gold chains with which they were loaded seemed in 
 no degree to impede their motions, and certainly, if 
 their intrinsic value was rather a proof of the wealth 
 than of the taste of the wearers, their size was a still 
 greater testimony of the personal vigour that was 
 able to endure such a weight in a heat of forty-five 
 degrees. 
 
 When I had finished my scrutiny, which seemed 
 by no means disagreeable to the objects of it, my 
 first acquaintance offered me a place by her side, 
 which I gladly accepted ; and the following conver- 
 sation took place between us. 
 
 " In a few minutes thou wilt see the bride." 
 " Where is she?" 
 
 Iff Behind that great damask curtain, where she 
 has been hidden three days." 
 "Why?" 
 
 " Because she came with her mother from one of 
 the tribes in the mountains, and is lodging here 
 with the mother of the bridegroom. Nobody is 
 allowed to see her before the moment she is con- 
 ducted to the nuptial chamber. She was married 
 this morning before the cadi, veiled from head to 
 foot, and neither her husband nor we have yet be- 
 held her." 
 
 " What is thy name?" 
 M Fatima." 
 
 " How, then, Fatima, dost thou speak such good 
 French ? " She laughed. 
 
 " Dost thou not perceive that I am a French 
 woman ? " 
 
 " What ! Thou ? Why then appear as a Moor ? " 
 
30 
 
 " That is very easily explained. My parents 
 brought me to Africa a few years ago ; they died, 
 and I was left alone, an orphan, with the dreary 
 prospect of entering a hospital of refuge. Mazoud, 
 our neighbour, a young man of great wealth and 
 kind disposition, offered me his hand and fortune, 
 with a solemn promise that I should be his only 
 wife, and enjoy the free exercise of my religion. I 
 accepted him. I am happy, my husband loves me 
 most devotedly ; and, contrary to the custom of the 
 country, I am sole mistress of my home, and re- 
 spected by his family, who load me with kindness 
 and marks of affection. I have nothing to desire, 
 and if Mazoud were to imagine that anything were 
 wanting to complete my happiness, he would allow 
 himself no rest till he had discovered my wish and 
 gratified it, anticipating my thoughts before I could 
 find words to utter them." 
 
 " But, Fatima, this is a complete rupture with thy 
 country and countrymen." 
 
 " My husband is dearer to me than all." 
 
 I felt that this was an argument that refuted all 
 mine, and pressed her hand in token of acqui- 
 escence. 
 
 The mother of the bride then made her appear- 
 ance, and passed behind the damask curtain before 
 mentioned, accompanied by the three matrons. Small 
 wax lights were distributed among us, after which 
 the curtain rose, and the bride, supported on each 
 side, was led into the midst of our circle, and placed 
 on a cushion that had been prepared for her. They 
 next proceeded to arrange her toilet, which had not 
 been required for the ceremony of the morning. 
 
31 
 
 The matrons covered her with a velvet mantle 
 worked in gold, slightly resembling the cope worn 
 by our priests, but closed at the sides. On her 
 hair, the long tresses of which were rolled under a 
 fillet, like Fatima's, was placed first a velvet band, 
 five inches in width, stiffly mounted on pasteboard, 
 then a second one of the same kind, but ornamented 
 with gold fringes and strings of golden coins. When 
 this was done, they proceeded to paint her eye- 
 brows, eyelashes, and lips, a measure which seemed 
 by no means useless, as she was deadly pale, and 
 appeared completely exhausted. 
 
 The poor young creature had been suffering from 
 fever for several months ; while her youth and good 
 constitution had struggled against the malady, un- 
 assisted by any scientific help, in consequence of 
 her nation's strange belief in fatalism. She had 
 been betrothed for many years, and the time for her 
 marriage having arrived, the promises exchanged 
 on each side had to be redeemed, without any 
 regard for the consequences. 
 
 When her toilet was entirely finished, all the la- 
 dies who were present went into the court, and, 
 striking their chins with their fingers, produced that 
 sound so like the barking of a dog, which is often 
 heard in the Arab towns, and is so disagreeable to 
 the ear. This was the signal that the husband's 
 authority was about to commence, and that the mo- 
 ment had arrived when he was permitted to take 
 the first view of his young wife. She was then 
 placed on the threshold of the door, and her hands 
 were left free, in order that she might raise her veil. 
 The bridegroom was just crossing the court; he 
 
32 
 
 advanced straight to his wife, viewed her by the 
 light of our tapers, and placed a piece of money on 
 her head, according to an ancient custom, as a sign 
 that he accepted the spouse chosen for him, though 
 the law would have permitted him immediately to 
 repudiate her. The poor young woman, who seemed 
 scarcely fifteen years old, exhausted with illness, 
 fatigue, and the painful uncertainty she was suffer- 
 ing, was unable to lift her hand to her head in suffi- 
 cient time to retain the piece of money, which con- 
 firmed her new title. It fell to the ground, upon 
 which arose a general cry of distress ; as Arab 
 superstition regards an accident of this kind as an 
 announcement of death to the person who lets fall 
 the fatal medal. 
 
 The bridegroom retired to his chamber, and the 
 bride was led back among the circle of her friends 
 to hear the hymeneal chant. This was another 
 severe trial to my ears ; and I much rejoiced that 
 at least I was spared the words of this discordant 
 music, which being in Arabic I did not understand. 
 We then went in a body to lead the bride to her 
 husband. I wish I could describe to you any of 
 the wonders that the Tales of the Arabian Nights 
 relate about the interior of Moorish houses, but I 
 was neither at Bagdad nor Bassora, and Bona is 
 still in a state of primitive simplicity, in regard to 
 costly furniture and other articles of oriental mag- 
 nificence ; a slight covering of whitewash was the 
 only sign of luxury in the houses of the richest 
 Moors. 
 
 On entering the nuptial chamber, the only thing 
 I saw was a white mass, squatted on the ground on 
 
33 
 
 a corner of the carpet. This was the bridegroom, 
 who had to be roughly shaken before he would 
 change his position and make room for his young 
 wife. She was then placed beside him, and they 
 remained in this singular attitude, resembling the 
 china figures that are sometimes seen on each side 
 of the fire place in old houses. We then returned 
 to the hall, where the dancing began, accompanied 
 by the same inevitable music. 
 
 The mother of the bridegroom first danced for 
 her son, and afterwards the mother of the bride for 
 her daughter; then came the performance of the 
 nearest relations. I shall describe this kind of 
 dancing when I give you an account of the festival 
 of the sheep. The spirit both of dancers and spec- 
 tators was excited by such an increase of singing 
 and vociferation, that for my part, satisfied with 
 what I had seen of the attractions of such a party, I 
 was too happy to return home, though even here I 
 was molested all night long with the sound of the 
 detestable Arab music, and the chants and other 
 signs of rejoicing of the guests, which were pro- 
 tracted till a late hour of the morning. 
 
 October 15. 
 
 The steam boat " Le Phenicien," which had 
 brought me from Marseilles to Bona, is now in the 
 harbour, with a yellow flag streaming from the mast, 
 as a sign of quarantine. The worthy captain who 
 commanded the vessel had died of cholera, twelve 
 hours' distance from Marseilles, and according to 
 custom, his body had been thrown into the Medi- 
 terranean. During our voyage I had heard him 
 relate to Sir Hamilton, who was on board, 
 
34 
 
 that the Princess Poniatowsky, who was returning 
 from Tunis to France six months ago, had died on 
 the passage, and her body was cast into the sea, ac- 
 cording to the custom on board ship. He added 
 that nobody was exempted from this necessity, and 
 that although he lived at Marseilles, he should cer- 
 tainly be consigned to the waves were he to die on 
 the passage. These words at the time impressed 
 me with a melancholy feeling. The captain died 
 a few weeks afterwards, and his corpse has very 
 likely been thrown overboard at the very spot that 
 he pointed out as the last resting place of the unfor- 
 tunate princess. 
 
 The cholera is raging at Tunis ; every one here 
 is in great alarm. The heavy rains have also be- 
 gun, and more falls here during one day than 
 during three months in France, where such showers 
 are quite unknown. I am literally placed between 
 two opposing torrents. My lodging on the first 
 story is inundated by the water from the terrace, 
 the rain from without pervades the ground floor, 
 and the cistern in my cellar pours its superabundant 
 supply into the neighbouring houses. The hospital 
 for the indigent poor has been hastily evacuated, as 
 the water, filtering through the foundations, has 
 undermined the ground, and the building threatens 
 to sink under its own weight. 
 
 My poor companion has been ill for a long time ; 
 she has a settled desire to return to France, but is 
 unable to do so for the present, on account of the 
 bad weather. A dreadful storm has been raging 
 for more than a week ; it began by torrents of rain 
 and hail, which fell in such abundance that it was 
 
35 
 
 impossible to see any object at the distance of ten 
 paces ; while the wind blew with such violence over 
 the plain as to force the cattle to lie down. Trees 
 are torn up by the roots, and bushes are dispersed 
 like dust, before this hurricane. The thunder-bolts 
 burst at several places at once, and the sea some- 
 times recedes, leaving a vast plain of sand uncovered ; 
 then suddenly returns, overflowing the vacant space, 
 while the furious breakers dash against the rocks, 
 and the sound is heard afar off. Large ships, with 
 sails unfurled, are violently tossed on the waves, 
 — now falling away to one side, then regaining their 
 balance, but only to be almost capsized on the other. 
 Some vessels lie at anchor, others fire the alarm- 
 gun, in danger of running aground, or of being swal- 
 lowed up in the quicksands of the Seybouse, the 
 shore of which is covered with fragments of wrecks. 
 
 This dreadful weather reminds me that twenty 
 years ago Bona was the resort of the fiercest pirates 
 on the African coast. Thus during the equinox, 
 when frequent tempests endangered the safety of 
 the vessels in the adjoining seas, the Arabs of Bona 
 awaited on the sands the drifting of the wrecks^ 
 murdered the unhappy victims who escaped the fury 
 of the waves, or led them away into slavery, and 
 pillaged what remained of the cargo. 
 
 The children who have grown up under the do- 
 minion of the French have much improved since 
 that period ; but the old men, who had been used 
 to the above-mentioned practices, would not be 
 found much altered in principle were the same op- 
 portunity to present itself. 
 
 In general, the disposition of the Arabs is good, 
 
36 
 
 so long as they are not governed by evil passions. 
 The charges of perfidy and cunning, often brought 
 against them, are accounted for by their weakness 
 and timidity. As strength and sincerity always 
 go together, so do weakness and deceit. We ought 
 also to remember that they are a vanquished people, 
 and that we are the conquerors, and that while the 
 dominion of the superior authorities is gentle and 
 conciliating, that of the lower functionaries and 
 underlings is always imperious and brutal, often 
 unjust, and invariably oppressive. 
 
 The population of Bona amounts to 12,000, — of 
 which 4,000 are French — principally natives of Pro- 
 vence. It seems as if Algeria had been conquered 
 solely for their benefit ; for directly after the inva- 
 sion of our army, the " Provencaux " and " Tou- 
 lounais " followed with theirs ; but even their ar- 
 rival had been forestalled by the Maltese, who had 
 come in the rear of our troops, like a flock of birds 
 of prey. They immediately assumed the monopoly 
 of provisions and household goods, and of loans at 
 interest, which are tolerated here as a secondary 
 evil. The rate of usury here is ten per cent, but 
 in urgent cases it is raised to twenty-five, thirty, 
 and even forty. If a Frenchman wishes to esta- 
 blish himself in any trade exercised by the Maltese, 
 all the corporation join against him, — prices are 
 suddenly lowered, — and the Frenchman, obliged to 
 sell at a loss, is either ruined or forced to retire. 
 They also lay sole claim to the office of street-porter. 
 All luggage and parcels are seized by these Mal- 
 tese when a vessel arrives at the landing-place, and 
 are carried, regardless of the wish of the owners, to 
 
37 
 
 the hotel where the best remuneration is given to 
 the bearers, who afterwards drive a hard bargain 
 for their trouble, if you can understand them suffi- 
 ciently. All the Maltese, without exception, are rich, 
 and display a degree of acuteness in their worldly 
 interest seldom equalled by any civilized nation. 
 
 The first time I saw a Maltese wedding party, 1 
 took it for a funeral, and was surprised, on viewing 
 the procession, not to see the coffin-bearers. In- 
 deed it is very easy to make this mistake, as the 
 women walk alone in front in profound silence, 
 their heads covered on one side with their large 
 black aprons, while nothing distinguishes the bride 
 from her companions. The men follow, dressed in 
 one uniform costume, not unlike that of the English 
 sailors. The cortege first proceeded to the office 
 of the mayor for the civil marriage, according to 
 the French law, which they are obliged to observe. 
 The religious ceremony was afterwards performed 
 in the church. 
 
 These Maltese are a singular people. Cruel, per- 
 fidious, cunning, envious, and revengeful, they have 
 all the vices of the Italians without their poetry and 
 fine qualities. If the sovereignty of the French 
 were to cease in Algeria, that of the Maltese would 
 probably take its place. These latter have taken 
 such firm possession of the soil, that it would be dif- 
 ficult even for the Arabs, though more numerous, 
 to dislodge them. The treatment which the unfortu- 
 nate natives receive from the emigrants from Toulon 
 and Marseilles is quite hard enough, and they dis- 
 like the intruders accordingly, but they positively 
 execrate the Maltese, who constantly ill-use them 
 
38 
 
 for no cause whatever, incite their children to d< 
 the same to the Arab children, assist them even in 
 this cowardly persecution, and set their dogs at the 
 unfortunate little wretches, in spite of their cries of 
 terror and agony. The only notice taken by the 
 police of these inhuman outrages is occasionally a 
 feeble remonstrance, if they happen to pass the 
 scene of action at the time ; and if the parents of 
 the children complain, it is impossible for them to 
 obtain redress, as numbers of witnesses are always 
 ready to depose in favour of the accused party. 
 
 One day I saw a hyena pass before my door : it 
 had been taken by some Maltese in the mountains 
 of Edough the preceding night. The poor animal 
 had one leg broken, and was severely wounded ; 
 but notwithstanding this, these people had the wan- 
 ton cruelty to deprive it of all its teeth, that their 
 children might afterwards torment it at pleasure. 
 Fortunately the poor beast's sufferings were termi- 
 nated by the command of a general officer who, pass- 
 ing by the spot, ordered it to be immediately killed. 
 
 As we are bound to give every body their due, I 
 must admit that the Maltese are a most laborious 
 people, and indefatigable in their undertakings : 
 they may be seen attending to their business at all 
 seasons of the year. They sleep on the floor of their 
 warehouses, or on a single board, generally with- 
 out taking off their clothes. Such is their muscular 
 strength, that four Maltese can easily carry a great 
 cask of wine, suspended by ropes to long wooden 
 poles, which they place on their shoulders. It is 
 very common to see six Maltese carry, in this way, 
 one of those large measures of brandy, called pipes 
 
39 
 
 of Montpellier. In cases of any general plague or 
 calamity, the Maltese undertake to gather all ne- 
 cessary contributions, but demand a high price for 
 their services. 
 
 December 30. 
 
 To-day I saw a lioness from the Atlas brought 
 into the town : some Arabs had killed her about 
 six leagues from Bona. Besides the premium of 
 fifty francs given by the government, the. hunters 
 were to receive seventy-five from the furrier for the 
 skin : when stripped of this, the body was to be re- 
 stored to them, as the flesh of the lion is good to 
 eat. 
 
 The animal was of colossal size, and had been 
 drawn in by two mules. I examined it at leisure, 
 raising its enormous heavy paws, furnished with 
 formidable nails, of the breadth of two fingers. Its 
 powerful jaws, closed in the agonies of death, were 
 provided with teeth corresponding with the claws 
 in strength and sharpness. On returning home, a 
 hound approached me, which, after smelling my 
 hands, ran away with every sign of terror. Its mas- 
 ter, an officer of our garrison, promised to relate the 
 history of an excursion he had made into the country 
 two years ago, in which he had the good fortune to 
 save a child which had been carried off by a lion, 
 and of killing the terrible animal itself. He kept 
 his word ; and I repeat the story here because it 
 seems to me as interesting as it is curious. I give 
 you the narrative in his own words ; and though I 
 may not succeed in exciting in you the lively in- 
 terest which the subject raised in myself, I shall at 
 least omit none of the details. 
 
40 
 
 NEFA. 
 
 DURING my residence at Bona, I became ac- 
 quainted with a family of Turkish origin, who 
 did me the singular favour of allowing me free en- 
 trance into the interior of their establishment ; by 
 which means I penetrated into the mysteries of ori- 
 ental life. 
 
 Sidi Ali el Ouchfoune was a man of lofty stature, 
 and strongly resembled the Abraham in Horace 
 Vernet's celebrated picture. His age appeared to 
 be about fifty ; and though the best part of life 
 is over at that time in Algeria, he had never 
 been visited by any infirmity. His principal wife 
 was about twenty years younger. She was tall and 
 handsome, and her arms were fit models for the 
 sculptor. Her face was beautiful ; her eyes of that 
 oblong shape peculiar to orientals, and her mouth, 
 rather too wide perhaps for European taste, dis- 
 played two rows of the most perfect teeth. 
 
 When she was not painted, her complexion was 
 of a delicate whiteness which many a Parisian ele- 
 gante might have envied. She had two little girls, 
 who had not as yet lost their natural colour by the 
 immoderate use of rouge ; and the family was com- 
 pleted by a third daughter, the offspring of another 
 wife, who had died a short time before. Nefa, — 
 such was her name, — was seventeen years old, 
 small, but pretty, and was betrothed to Osman, a 
 young Moor, who, though of rather an effeminate 
 style of beauty, was so ardent a lover of the chase, 
 
41 
 
 that no danger could deter him from indulging 
 in it. 
 
 Osman was my inseparable companion. One 
 morning, shortly after dawn, as I was walking as 
 usual on my terrace to enjoy the coolness of the 
 air, and the glorious spectacle of an African sun- 
 rise, I suddenly heard a noise like the firing of guns, 
 at about the distance of a league from the town ; 
 and soon afterwards I saw a horseman dashing 
 across the plain as fast as he could ride. This was 
 my friend Osman. My windows commanded a view 
 of the court of the Moor's house, where I soon saw 
 Osman arrive, apparently the bearer of evil tidings ; 
 and the shrieks of the women proved my conjecture 
 to be right. On enquiry, I found that Nefa, who 
 had been sent with some of her father's slaves to a 
 farm-house in the country, where she was to remain 
 till the day of her marriage, had gone that morning 
 to the Golden River, accompanied by a young ne- 
 gro, and had been carried off by a band of ma- 
 rauders. The negro had contrived to escape by 
 hiding himself in a thicket of rose-laurels, and then 
 had hastened to inform Osman of the disaster. 
 
 Before he set off in pursuit of his bride, Os- 
 man came to acquaint Nefa's father with what had 
 happened, and swore by Allah not to shave himself 
 until he had succeeded in finding her. I resolved 
 to accompany him. In vain he represented to me 
 all the dangers to which I should be exposed as a 
 Frenchman, — and especially as an officer ; I was 
 not to be dissuaded ; and in less than an hour we 
 were prepared for our expedition. The young 
 Arab had collected together a few friends and faith- 
 
42 
 
 ful servants, and the whole party consisted of ten 
 people. We went at once to the farm-house on the 
 Golden River, where the young negro showed us 
 the direction taken by the ravishers, and the point 
 where he saw them disappear. After walking three 
 hours, we came to the entrance of a vast forest, 
 where we saw a few smouldering embers on the 
 ground, which proved to us that the party we were 
 in search of had halted here to prepare their food. 
 At the same time, we perceived by the foot-marks 
 that one of their companions had left them at this 
 place and had taken another direction. The ques- 
 tion now remained to be solved, whether he had car- 
 ried off Nefa with him, or whether she was with the 
 rest of the party, as before this was discovered, it 
 was useless to follow either track. 
 
 We alighted at this spot, and while Osman and 
 his companions set out on their separate voyages of 
 discovery, the rest of us prepared a few articles of 
 food, amongst which was the indispensable coffee. 
 
 The view from our resting-place was magnificent. 
 We were surrounded by an immense forest, which 
 covered the winding passes of Mount Bouzizi ; 
 enormous trees extended their lower branches at a 
 distance of ten yards from the ground, and cast 
 their gigantic shadow over a vast thicket of un- 
 derwood, from which arose vigorous stems, — some 
 nearly four yards in circumference. Through a 
 few cork trees on our left, we saw the waters of the 
 great lake of Tetzara, which lies at the foot of the 
 mountain. No trace was to be seen of tents or ha- 
 bitations of any kind, and one might easily have 
 imagined oneself transported into a virgin forest of 
 
43 
 
 the New World. The middle of the space before 
 us was traversed by a small ravine, in the depths 
 of which flowed a scanty stream of water, almost 
 choked up by the dead leaves which continually fell 
 from the trees. Nothing disturbed the calmness of 
 this vast solitude except the wind, which occasion- 
 ally brought the echo of distant firing, and from 
 time to time the deep sound of the cannon, whose 
 portentous voice roused the jackal and the tiger- 
 cat from their den. I also heard at a distance a 
 kind of hoarse roaring, which the Arabs assured 
 me was that of the lion. 
 
 In about half an hour Osman returned, much 
 discouraged. The horseman whose track he had 
 followed had descended into the plain, going to- 
 wards the place from whence we had heard the 
 firing. A few minutes afterwards the other scout 
 returned, but could give us no information. A ne- 
 gro, called Korali, then said to Osman : " Master, 
 perhaps I may be more fortunate. I am well ac- 
 quainted with these forests, and I shall soon be able 
 to discover whether we ought to go on or return to 
 the town." " Go," said Osman, u and if thou suc- 
 ceedest in enabling me to rescue Nefa, I swear, by 
 the head of my father, that thou shalt be free." 
 Korali bowed, and went off immediately in the di- 
 rection that Osman had taken, but returned in a 
 short time, laughing to himself, and looking at us 
 with a significant expression. He then resumed 
 his search on the other track : after a few steps he 
 stood still, laid himself on the ground, put aside the 
 briers and brambles that covered the path, then 
 rose and exclaimed, clapping his hands for joy, 
 
44 
 
 " This way, Master ! " He then explained to us 
 that Nefa must have been with the single horse- 
 man, as the horse of the latter seemed more heavily 
 weighted than those of the others, as was evident 
 from the marks of his feet being more firmly in- 
 dented into the ground. This observation after- 
 wards proved to be true. Our little troop then re- 
 sumed its march, and plunged into the depths of 
 the forest. The traces that guided us were so faint, 
 and our progress was attended with so much uncer- 
 tainty, that, by a sort of tacit agreement, not a 
 word was spoken, for fear of distracting Korali's 
 attention from his arduous task. Nothing was to 
 be heard but the sound of our feet on the dry leaves, 
 and that of the branches broken on our way, which 
 we arranged in such a manner as to enable us to 
 find the road, should any mistake of the negro cause 
 us to lose it. 
 
 We had gone a considerable distance in this way, 
 rousing a few wild beasts, which fled before us, 
 when we arrived at a vast opening in the wood,— a 
 sort of glade, — partly overgrown with reeds, bushes, 
 aloes, and yellow broom. Here Korali stopped, 
 the traces he had hitherto followed being no longer 
 visible. The ground was composed of pebbles and 
 bare rock, on which not a foot-print could remain. 
 We were obliged, therefore, to make another halt, 
 while the negro resumed his search. This time he 
 permitted me to accompany him, on condition that 
 I should follow him as closely as possible. 
 
 In vain we examined every spot where a little 
 earth or a few leaves were to be found ; Korali 
 seemed quite discouraged; when all of a sudden I saw 
 
45 
 
 him rush forward, and make signs to me to approach, 
 showing me a stone. I hastened to him, and looked 
 at it, but to no purpose ; I could find no meaning 
 in his discovery. Korali smiled, and showed me 
 that the stone was dry on the under, and wet on 
 the upper side, and that in consequence its position 
 must have been disturbed a short while ago. " But 
 what is the proof," I said, " that it has been turned 
 by a horse going over it ? " 
 
 This observation seemed to puzzle the negro, and 
 make him reflect ; nevertheless, proud of his disco- 
 very, he continued to walk in the direction indicated 
 by the stone, and the point where the traces had 
 ceased to be perceptible. Korali was right in his 
 conjecture ; after passing the rocks, we distinctly saw 
 the foot-marks of a horse printed on the ground. 
 But now a new perplexity arose ; the steps seemed 
 to go towards the point from whence we had come. 
 This difficulty was soon overcome, for on a nearer 
 survey it was easy to perceive that the horse had 
 been forced to walk backwards. Was this the effect 
 of stratagem, or accident? Where had the horse 
 stopped ? These were now the questions to resolve, 
 which to me appeared most difficult, as the pebbles 
 on the rock prevented any trace remaining, and the 
 whole side of the mountain from the glade where 
 we halted, to the place where the foot-prints re- 
 appeared, was covered with a thick jungle of under- 
 wood. While we reflected on this, Korali was not 
 idle, he searched and examined all about, and soon 
 showed me a gap in the thicket, where the dust had 
 been brushed off the leaves at the height of a man 
 on horseback, evidently showing that the fugitives 
 
46 
 
 had gone that way. We followed this trace, and 
 when we arrived at the outskirts of the forest Ko- 
 rali's assertions received full confirmation. He 
 stooped, uttering an exclamation of delight, and 
 rose again holding a woman's slipper, which Osman 
 recognized as belonging to his betrothed. Shortly 
 afterwards the track was again discernible, and we 
 rapidly advanced, descending the declivity of the 
 Bouzizi. 
 
 In about four hours we arrived at a valley, where 
 there was a small Arab encampment. We got our 
 arms ready without stopping, prepared for all emer- 
 gencies, while Osman advanced to meet the first 
 Arab he perceived, and made signs to us to approach 
 without fear. We found him in conversation with 
 an old man, in which some other men of the tribe 
 presently took part. Korali had led us right, the 
 ravisher had passed that way, and was three hours 
 in advance of us. This was all the information we 
 could obtain. To all our questions, the old man 
 and those about him made this one laconic answer, 
 " M'narft,"— I don't know. What was to be done ? 
 How was it possible to find the direction we wanted 
 in the midst of the numerous foot-prints of cattle 
 and horses belonging to the tribe, and which they 
 evidently wished to conceal from us ? After a short 
 consultation I persuaded Osman and his friends to 
 accept the hospitality offered us by these Arabs, 
 telling them that a word might escape from our 
 hosts by chance, which might give us some idea of 
 the route we were to pursue ; besides which, that it 
 was better to sleep in the encampment than to run 
 the risk of falling in with a band of marauders, or 
 
47 
 
 spending the night in the forest with no covering 
 but the skies. I, for my part, resolved to satisfy 
 my curiosity by a close examination of my new ac- 
 quaintances. 
 
 After resting for an hour or two in one of the 
 tents of the encampment, I found myself on the 
 best terms possible with my hosts, and their little 
 child, a lively mischievous boy about three or four 
 years old, whose friendship I gained with the assist- 
 ance of some small pieces of money and some lumps 
 of sugar. I then went out, taking my weapons, 
 amongst which was my double-barrelled gun, a 
 faithful friend with which I had scarcely ever missed 
 my aim. My wish was to employ the last hours of 
 the day in enjoying the animated spectacle of the 
 return of the cattle to the tents, and to kill one of 
 the large grey vultures that I saw flying above me. 
 
 On arriving at a wild space covered with long 
 grass, nearly as high as myself, I turned round, 
 and contemplated with delight a landscape that re- 
 minded me of some of the scenes of the Bible. I 
 viewed with a feeling of singular interest the tents 
 of camels' hair, woven by the women of the tribe, 
 under whose shade the Arab house wifes were pre- 
 paring and kneading the flour of the " conscouss," 
 for the evening meal; the herds of cattle, driven 
 home by young men whose scanty dress revealed 
 their robust forms, the horses picquetted to the 
 ground, the tall palm trees, whose long shafts 
 seemed to rise to heaven, the thick tufts of rose lau- 
 rels, among which were seen the pomegranate and 
 the wild orange, and farther off (in the distance) 
 the immense forest of Mount Bouzizi, standing out 
 
48 
 
 in bold relief against the clear blue sky. This 
 beautiful tableau, half illumined by the last rays of 
 the sun, was animated by the picturesque costume 
 of these sons of Ishmael. One moment I shall 
 never forget, though I have often seen the same ef- 
 fect reproduced. 
 
 The instant the sun disappeared below the hori- 
 zon, a sudden calm ensued, so deep, so instantaneous, 
 that nothing can give an idea of its magic impres- 
 sion. All was silent, the animals on the plain 
 ceased their lowing, the birds in the air their song; 
 and all nature seemed sunk in sleep. Suddenly a 
 shrill bark was heard, resounding from the moun- 
 tain, which was slowly repeated from the opposite 
 side ; then, as at a given signal, a thousand voices 
 rose, filling the air with hideous yells, which were 
 doubled by the echoes. These proceeded from the 
 jackals, descending from the hills in numerous 
 bands, in pursuit of prey, and giving tongue like 
 an immense pack of hounds, while the half wild 
 dogs of the tribe responded to the cry. This cla- 
 mour was occasionally interrupted by the shrill and 
 plaintive scream of the hyena, but broke out after- 
 wards with renewed violence. 
 
 I listened to all these sounds, so new and striking 
 to me, and perceiving a few jackals, which, bolder 
 than the rest, had ventured to cross the valley, I was 
 preparing to shoot one or two of them before I re- 
 turned to the tents, when I heard a noise among 
 the branches close beside me, which I thought might 
 be caused by the passage of a hyena. I waited, and 
 soon afterwards shuddered to hear a hollow sound 
 that seemed to make the earth tremble under my 
 
49 
 
 feet. My whole frame was convulsed, the cold 
 sweat poured down my forehead ; a strange and 
 
 fearful voice struck my ear It was the 
 
 roaring of the lion ! 
 
 When I recovered my presence of mind, I per- 
 ceived a magnificent lioness going towards the en- 
 campment, describing a semicircle in her course. 
 Prepared for all events, I took a couple of large 
 bullets from my pocket, and loaded both barrels of 
 my gun. More composed, but not daring yet to 
 leave my place of concealment, I strained my eyes 
 to keep the animal in sight, that I might seize the 
 favourable opportunity of returning to the tents 
 without danger. Every creature had been struck 
 silent at the dreaded voice of the lioness ; the bark- 
 ing of the dogs and jackals, the cry of the hyenas, 
 had suddenly stopped. It was not dark yet, and 
 the twilight, so short in these regions, had begun. 
 I thought I heard the voice of a child calling to me, 
 then a frightful roar, to which succeeded a shriek 
 of horror. At the same instant I saw the beast re- 
 turn, slowly, carrying in its jaws the child of my 
 host, which it had seized by the clothes, and with 
 which it was trying to regain the solitude of the de- 
 sert. The poor child neither cried nor moved, but 
 seemed perfectly insensible. The men of the tribe 
 stood gazing at the lioness, afraid to follow her, 
 while Osman and his friends made a circuit in hopes 
 of cutting off her retreat. The animal was coming 
 straight towards me : the thought instantaneously 
 struck me that if she were to plunge among the 
 long grass, the child would be lost for ever, and 
 that at all events I should attempt to save it, even 
 
 e 
 
50 
 
 at the risk of missing my aim and killing it in- 
 stead of the lioness. My fright had entirely dis- 
 appeared, I did not even consider that I was a lost 
 man should I fail in killing the animal on the spot ; 
 I thought of nothing but the child, and its poor mo- 
 ther, whom I saw rushing on the track of the lioness 
 with dishevelled hair. I offered a silent prayer for 
 assistance, and when the beast passed me, took a 
 sure aim and fired off both barrels. I heard neither 
 cry nor roar, as I expected, my sight grew dim, I 
 heard a crackling in the bushes near me, something 
 touched my shoulder, and I thought I felt the hot 
 breath of the lioness. I bounded convulsively 
 aside. 
 
 It was Osman, who came to join me and congra- 
 tulate me ; one of the two shots had struck the heart 
 of the lioness, which had fallen down dead without 
 a struggle, and the child was saved. 
 
 Osman and I remained near the body of the 
 animal; all the inhabitants of the tribe, even the 
 women, hastened to the spot; eager to approach 
 me, ancf kiss the skirt of my bournou. But the 
 most affecting sight of all was the mother, who 
 seemed almost distracted with joy. She seized the 
 child in her arms, overwhelmed it with caresses, 
 and made it strike the dead animal with its hands 
 and feet. She then led the child to me, made it kiss 
 my hand, placed it in my arms, and took it back 
 again to show it to her friends. It was a scene 
 of joy and delight that no words can describe. 
 When her emotion had subsided a little, she asked 
 me what was my name. I spoke Arabic with faci- 
 lity, and having assumed the Mussulman costume 
 
51 
 
 as a kind of safeguard on my dangerous expedition, 
 I resolved to keep up my character, and replied — 
 
 " My name is Abdalla ben Yacoub." 
 
 She answered, "If Abdalla ben Yacoub ever wants 
 a friend in any part of the country between the 
 Mountains of Edough and the Lake of Tetzara, let 
 him remember Etzeria and her husband Ben Ma- 
 zourck ; he, she, and all that belong to them would 
 lay down their lives for him. Is it not so, Ma- 
 zourck ? " she exclaimed. 
 
 " Yes, by Allah !" replied her husband. 
 
 Whilst we returned all together to the tents, an 
 old woman plucked me by my bournou, and made 
 me a sign to stop. 
 
 " Thou art not called Abdalla ben Yacoub", she 
 said in a low voice : " but thou art none the less a 
 servant of God,* for thou art good and mighty. 
 My tribe have not recognized thee, but I, who some- 
 times go to the town, know that thou art a French- 
 man, and a captain cadi.f Fear nothing, I love 
 thee, though thou art a Frenchman, because thou 
 hast saved my grandson. Listen to me : if ever 
 thou needest our help, go to the Marabout at Ain el 
 Turco, and thou wilt find us. As a proof that I 
 love thee, know that the young girl of whom thou 
 art in search, is in the hands of the Beni-Salahs, 
 who are going to deliver her to their Sheik. Keep 
 my secret, and lead thy friends to the encampment 
 of the Beni-flittas. The girl will sleep there to- 
 morrow. Go, and may Allah protect thee ! " 
 
 * Such is the meaning of Abdalla. 
 f Chief of the council of war. 
 
52 
 
 The next morning at sunrise we were on horse- 
 back. Osman, guided by my advice, made us take 
 the direction of the great lake of Tetzara, which we 
 left on our right. Towards evening we arrived at 
 the first outposts of the Beni-flittas ; and by means 
 of the information which the ingenious Korali ob- 
 tained for us, by entering into one of their encamp- 
 ments unobserved, we learned that Nefa had arrived 
 at the tribe, and was to be taken the next morning 
 to the Beni-Salahs. We then continued our route 
 without stopping, and a little before sunset our ca- 
 ravan halted at a small oasis, where Nefa was ex- 
 pected to pass on her journey. A vast sandy plain 
 was extended around us, as far as the eye could 
 reach, where a few bushes and tall grasses found a 
 scanty subsistence. No sound disturbed the uni- 
 form stillness of the desert, while above our heads 
 myriads of birds filled the air with their cries. To- 
 wards the north, a slight vapour indicated the situ- 
 ation of the lake, which was at the distance of about 
 three leagues from our resting place. 
 
 There we remained till break of day, when the 
 sun rose, bursting through the clouds, and spreading 
 its dazzling brightness over the plain. The ground 
 was pulverized by the heat, and the drought had 
 cracked it in a thousand places. Suddenly a small 
 black point was seen to the west, and became more 
 distinct as the mist of the early morning vanished. 
 We soon perceived that it was a group of horsemen 
 rapidly approaching. " There she is I" cried Osman, 
 " I know her by her striped veil." We agreed to 
 attack them when they should have alighted on 
 the borders of the oasis, where we conjectured they 
 
53 
 
 intended to halt ; and that till the time arrived, we 
 should remain on horseback, concealed behind a 
 hedge of rose laurels, which divided the oasis in two 
 parts. But the horsemen had scarcely come near 
 us, when the impatient Osman rushed forward, and 
 we were obliged to follow him. I cannot tell what 
 ensued, for the moment I leaped the boundary, I 
 felt a violent concussion; my horse carried me some 
 distance into the desert, and I fell to the ground 
 quite insensible. 
 
 When my senses returned, I was alone, in the 
 midst of a barren plain, and parched with burning 
 thirst. I was not wounded, but felt a violent pain 
 in my head and shoulder, caused most likely either 
 by the fall or by a flattened bullet, while a sort of 
 dizziness which I attributed to the heat of the sun, 
 almost overpowered me. The wind had risen, a 
 thick vapour had overspread the plain, the horizon 
 was pervaded with a red glow like the reflection of 
 a fire, and the sand on which I lay seemed burning. 
 I turned towards the point from whence the wind 
 blew, and in doing so, a hot breeze passed over my 
 face, like the air from a heated oven. I recognized 
 the terrible wind of the desert, or simoom, and fear- 
 ing lest it should overwhelm me, I gathered all my 
 strength, and rose, hoping somewhere or other to 
 find a refuge, as the hostile tribe of the Beni-Salahs 
 lay towards the east. I went a short way in a north- 
 westerly direction, but now once more my con- 
 sciousness forsook me. Falling down exhausted, I 
 remained in such a state of torpor that I lost all re- 
 collection, till suddenly awaking, I found myself in 
 utter darkness. Regardless of the consequences, I 
 
54 
 
 called aloud for help, and immediately heard the 
 barking of dogs, which seemed to sound from above 
 my head. I then groped around me, and disco- 
 vered I was in a Silo ; where, as I afterwards disco- 
 vered, I had been removed by those who had found 
 me in a state of insensibility. 
 
 This is the name given to a sort of cave, hollowed 
 out in the shape of a hive, and lined with masonry. 
 The greatest number of these " Silos" may be traced 
 to the Romans, to whom all that bears any impress 
 of grandeur or utility in this country may justly be 
 ascribed. The Arabs use them as granaries, or as 
 places of concealment, and on leaving them in search 
 of richer pastures, they always cover the openings of 
 these caves, which in general are very narrow, so 
 that their situation is most difficult to find, when 
 not known beforehand. In some parts of Africa 
 there are plains entirely covered with them. 
 
 In a few minutes, I heard the sound of the Tam- 
 tam, and other musical instruments, announcing a 
 fete ; soon afterwards cries and the noise of fire- 
 arms. While I tried to guess what all this meant, 
 (I learned afterwards that the tribe was celebrating 
 the birth of the Sheik's son) I heard a voice, calling 
 to me from above : — 
 
 " Is it thou, Cadi?" 
 
 I answered in the affirmative. 
 
 " Do not fear," continued the voice, " remember 
 Ben Mazourck, I am he." 
 
 The voice ceased, and a sound of retreating foot- 
 steps announced to me the departure of my protec- 
 tor. Tranquillized in some degree, I patiently 
 awaited the time for escaping from my hole. Soon 
 
55 
 
 after two Arabs came for me, and took me to the 
 principal tent of an encampment, which I recog- 
 nized as one of those we had passed the preceding 
 evening. In this tent I found about twenty Arabs 
 discussing my fate ; among these was Ben Ma- 
 zourck ; I went straight up to him, and saluted him 
 as a friend. He returned my greeting in Arab 
 fashion, and uttered the word " Well," as if to 
 assure me I might depend upon him. 
 
 The discussion continued, and in spite of the op- 
 position of Ben Mazourck, it was resolved that I 
 should immediately be given up to the Sheik of the 
 Beni-Salahs, as one of those who had rescued the 
 young girl who had been promised to him as a gift. 
 This was my death-warrant, for they had recognized 
 me as a Frenchman. This decision being made, 
 Ben Mazourck went out to prepare me an escort, as 
 he declared, and returned soon afterwards, saying 
 that all was ready. I then left the tent, guarded 
 on all sides by a crowd of men, women, and chil- 
 dren, who insulted me, and threw sand in my face. 
 
 All of a sudden, a veil was thrown over my head, 
 and a child seized me by the hand, calling me his 
 friend. Cries of rage then arose, and I heard the 
 name of Etzeria. I knew that I was saved, for it is 
 a custom among the Arabs of all these tribes, that 
 if a woman touch the clothes of a prisoner, or cover 
 him with her veil, or place the hand of her child in 
 his, he regains his liberty, and is regarded as sacred 
 so long as he remains in the camp ; but he cannot 
 leave without danger, unless accompanied by an 
 Arab, who declares him to be his guest. As I re- 
 solved to depart, the husband of Etzeria took me 
 
56 
 
 under his protection, and we set off immediately, as 
 he feared a reaction against me, because I was a 
 Frenchman. The title of Marabout, which be- 
 longed to Ben Mazourck, had for a time suspended 
 the ill-will the Arabs bore me, but it was urgent to 
 make use of the delay thus afforded us. 
 
 After walking a few hours, Ben Mazourck left 
 me, saying : — 
 
 11 Make haste and flee, lest they should pursue 
 thee. The lake will guide thee, keep it to the 
 right, until thou arrive at Ain Turco, where thou 
 wilt be in safety. I will come next month to the 
 town, to reclaim this horse and this weapon which 
 I lend thee," he added, giving me his yataghan. 
 " Thou hast saved my child, I have saved thee ; we 
 are quits. Fare thee well. God is great!" 
 
 I made use of the warning, and spurred my horse 
 into a gallop, till my friend had disappeared. Soon 
 afterwards, seeing a negro coming towards me, I 
 was about to avoid him, when I perceived that it 
 was Korali. The faithful servant informed me that 
 Nefa had been rescued, and had returned to Bona, 
 under the safeguard of Osman. The negro had 
 remained behind, at the command of his master, in 
 hopes of gaining some news of me ; but not having 
 found me towards the south, as he expected, he was 
 going round the lake of Tetzara. One more event 
 happened on our journey homewards, which proved 
 to me the belief which the negroes entertain, that it 
 is possible to fascinate the lion by speaking to him. 
 
 When we had arrived half way to Ain Turco, we 
 made a short cut through a wood of olive trees, on 
 one of the last slopes of the Edough Mountains, in 
 
57 
 
 order to regain the borders of the lake, which forms 
 a sort of curve at this point, and return to Bona by 
 the valley of rose laurels. In an instant my horse 
 began to tremble, which being observed by Korali, 
 he exclaimed " A lion must be near ! " 
 
 Immediately afterwards, we heard the noise of 
 branches crashing, and turning round, I saw a lion 
 of large size rush from the thicket, about 200 steps 
 behind us. I was going to urge on my horse, when 
 Korali said to me, seizing my bridle, 
 
 M If thou goest faster, we are lost ! — leave it to 
 me." 
 
 We then walked on at the same pace, while Ko- 
 rali, still holding my bridle to restrain my horse, 
 addressed the lion, which had approached near us, 
 in a voice which he tried to render calm : — 
 
 " Thou wilt not attack us, for we are men, as 
 brave as thou." 
 
 He repeated this sentence for several minutes, 
 which appeared very long to me ; the lion followed 
 us slowly, then with one bound, disappeared in the 
 jungle. Korali continued to repeat his singular 
 form of conjuration, and then said to me : — 
 
 " Thou seest that a lion is not dangerous, when 
 he is met with courage." 
 
 My return caused great joy to the whole family 
 of Sidi Ali, especially to the two betrothed, whose 
 marriage took place a few days afterwards. Osman 
 did not neglect to perform his promise to the intel- 
 ligent Korali; the good negro was almost overcome 
 with joy, not so much at regaining his liberty, as 
 that his master made him a promise to keep him in 
 his service in a confidential situation, and to give 
 
58 
 
 him in marriage a negress whom he loved. The 
 ceremony of enfranchisement is very short, and con- 
 sists solely of a declaration made before the cadi. 
 
 On the day fixed for the wedding, Osman and his 
 father-in-law came to request me to attend it. I 
 accepted the invitation, but was disappointed to find 
 that the whole society was composed of men. For 
 more than a week the bride had been kept in the 
 strictest seclusion, seeing nobody but her mother, 
 the slave who brought her food, and the matron 
 who had negotiated the marriage. The last day 
 was devoted to the purifications prescribed by the 
 Koran, and according to the custom of rich families, 
 a whole establishment of baths was engaged for the 
 day, and all the women of the company availed 
 themselves of the opportunity, with or without in- 
 vitation, for the bathing was gratis, all the expenses 
 being defrayed by Sidi Ali. 
 
 Xfre marriage ceremony being the same as that I 
 have already described, I refer the reader to the 
 preceding article. 
 
 Note. Not only the negroes, but all the natives 
 of Algeria maintain that meeting with a lion is not 
 dangerous, unless the animal be hungry, and the 
 person show signs of fear. I shall give further 
 facts on this subject, one of which was related to 
 me by my friend Abdallah. This good Arab, who 
 certainly cannot be accused of vanity, regards an 
 adventure of this kind as quite a common occurrence 
 at Mondovi. When a lion appears in the village, 
 which is generally at night, in search of prey, the 
 dogs tremble, and no animal ventures to give notice 
 
59 
 
 of his approach; but the heavy step and deep 
 breathings are sufficient indications of the awful vi- 
 sitor. He always takes the direction of the gourbi, 
 or stable, and his hoarse roar when he arrives in 
 sight of his prey, gives warning to the colonists not 
 to venture out of their dwellings. 
 
 January -, 1850. 
 
 In spite of the stormy weather, the new colonists 
 have arrived, and have been immediately despatched 
 to the two central depots, now rendered desolate by 
 the pestilence. They cheerfully took possession of 
 their new abode, in the hope of meeting with better 
 fortune than their predecessors. They certainly 
 will enjoy more real advantages, as even now there 
 is a great difference between the position of the first 
 colonists and of those recently arrived. The con- 
 voy of vessels which brought the first inhabitants to 
 the unfortunate colony of Mondovi arrived at the 
 African coast on the 10th of December, 1848. It 
 was a mournful spectacle, say the inhabitants of 
 Bona, to behold this crowd of men, women, and 
 children, bearing the signs of miserable poverty and 
 profound discouragement. The clergy and the civil 
 and military authorities received them with a great 
 display of welcome, and the Maltese music vied 
 with that of the garrison in satiating their ears with 
 the tune which has become so unfortunately popu- 
 lar — " Mourir pour la patrie." This air was their 
 last adieu to their country on their departure from 
 Paris, and now welcomed their arrival to Bona with 
 an unconscious, but cruel irony, as if to make a 
 bitter allusion to the fate that was prepared for 
 them. 
 
60 
 
 The 900 colonists spent the first night sleeping 
 on straw in the barrack yard, and the next morn- 
 ing they were sent, fasting, to the district of Mon- 
 dovi, where nothing had been prepared for their 
 reception. Those who were forced to go on foot, for 
 want of room in the military conveyances, had to 
 walk a distance of eight leagues through a marshy 
 ground, where they sank knee-deep in mire: — a 
 whole day was taken up by this painful journey. 
 The conduct of the soldiers of the 43rd, who formed 
 their escort, was touching in the extreme : they 
 supported those who seemed spent with weariness, 
 relieved them of their baggage, carried the chil- 
 dren ; and performed all these little offices with an 
 affectionate solicitude which spoke well in favour of 
 their humanity. When they arrived at the place 
 of their destination, instead of the shelter they had 
 so good a right to expect, they found nothing but 
 an extensive treeless plain, almost converted into a 
 swamp by the constant rain. Their kind escort 
 hastened to pitch tents, to shelter them as well as 
 possible from the violent showers, so abundant at 
 that season of the year. But no means had been 
 taken to furnish them with provisions : — for the 
 first day they had no food whatever ! 
 
 Worn out with fatigue, they lay down on the 
 damp straw : those who had none, stretched them- 
 selves on the ground, some literally in the mud. 
 The next morning provisions arrived from Bona, 
 with waggons carrying the mattresses and other 
 effects belonging to these unfortunate people. Six 
 whole weeks were spent in this manner, under tents, 
 till at last temporary huts were erected ; but even 
 
61 
 
 then, the poor colonists had to sleep on the wet 
 ground, as nothing better was provided for them. 
 
 The new comers are not exposed to the same in- 
 conveniences. Their little dwellings are now en- 
 tirely finished ; and though the rain does occasion- 
 ally demolish a few of them, at least they have 
 some shelter. May they long be able to resist the 
 contagion which has destroyed their predecessors ! 
 
 I remember that during my residence at Mon- 
 dovi, my companion and I were surprised one night 
 by a torrent of rain, which inundated our cottage. 
 We opened a large umbrella, and passed the whole 
 night during which the storm lasted, seated on our 
 bed, shivering with cold, while the water poured 
 around us, and our mattress was soaked through 
 like a sponge. 
 
 Since I have again returned to the subject of 
 Mondovi, I must tell you of an episode in my me- 
 lancholy life there which I had forgotten, or to say 
 the truth, had deferred to mention, but which, pro- 
 bably will be more amusing to you than it was to 
 me. 
 
 As I had left Mondovi for Bona by the convey- 
 ance used for invalids, and in consequence had taken 
 with me only as much baggage as I positively wanted, 
 our captain had my trunks put by in a safe place, 
 and promised to have them sent to me as soon as 
 an opportunity should occur. Soon afterwards, 
 however, the captain was removed from the district, 
 and on my boxes not appearing, and my applications 
 for them remaining unanswered, I resolved to go 
 and fetch them myself, in spite of the repugnance I 
 felt at the idea of returning to Mondovi. 
 
62 
 
 To avoid the heat, I left Bona at nine o'clock 
 one evening, in a cart drawn by oxen, which was to 
 bring back my luggage, and which was now the 
 only means of communication between the two 
 places. The oxen that had been put to the cart 
 were in harness for the first time, and from the 
 very outset were extremely difficult to guide. They 
 were allowed to rest at the oasis of Marabout, about 
 midnight, and then we resumed our journey. When 
 we arrived at a halting-place called " the fig-trees," 
 the oxen stopped, and, with their proverbial obsti- 
 nacy, refused to move a step further. The drivers 
 tried in vain to urge them on by all the means usu- 
 ally applied in such cases. Threats, blows, cries, 
 invectives, gentle exhortations, and amiable encou- 
 ragement were alike useless ; the animals would 
 not stir ; and at last, to show that their determina- 
 tion was fixed, they lay themselves down. 
 
 I was then requested to leave the cart, as it was 
 necessary to employ vigorous measures, and the 
 vehicle was in some danger of being overturned. 
 Anxious to get to a safe distance from the refrac- 
 tory brutes, I went about thirty paces off, where I 
 sat down on the sand with my back turned, that I 
 might not see the poor animals tormented. 
 
 The night was beautiful, and such was the clear- 
 ness of the atmosphere that objects appeared dis- 
 tinct at a great distance. A complete silence reigned 
 around me, interrupted only by the cries and voci- 
 ferations of the drivers, and the yelping of the 
 jackals, which was heard in all directions. The 
 surface of the ground was perfectly even, unvaried 
 even by a hillock. Nothing was to be seen but the 
 
63 
 
 vast expanse of sand and sky. I consoled myself 
 with the idea that there was less danger of wild 
 beasts in such a country as this, than in the vicinity 
 of mountains and woods ; and employed my time in 
 contemplating the enormous fig-tree, or African 
 cactus, whose knotty trunk, twisted in many shapes, 
 resembled a mass of intertwined serpents. The 
 height of this tree is about twenty-five feet; its 
 broad thick leaves are covered with extremely small 
 thorns, and resemble the rackets used in the game 
 of tennis. The flower, which is of a beautiful bright 
 yellow, grows at the extremity of the leaf, and is 
 succeeded in the fruit season by a fig of exquisite 
 taste. This tree is also called the Barbary fig, and 
 grows in almost every part of Africa, in deserts, as 
 well as in cultivated land. They are used to form 
 enclosures for gardens, as it is dangerous, as well 
 as difficult, to climb over them. 
 
 The cold had by this time become extreme, and 
 still the chances for continuing my journey seemed 
 as remote as ever. What was 1 to do ? Continue 
 my vigil during the remainder of the night on the 
 forlorn hope of meeting with another cart, or set 
 off on foot, leaving one of the two guides to take 
 care of the baggage ? This latter expedient was 
 by no means tempting to me, as I should have had 
 to walk two leagues and a half knee -deep in sand. 
 
 At last the oxen took fright at a straw fire which 
 was lighted behind them. They sprang up, and 
 the drivers had as much trouble in abating their 
 speed as they had had in arousing it. We did not 
 arrive at Mondovi till the morning was far advanced, 
 having spent ten hours and a half on the journey. 
 
64 
 
 I secured my trunks, and the cart, provided with 
 a pair of fresh oxen, proceeded on its return to 
 Bona, laden with my luggage. I had hoped to find 
 some more convenient vehicle to convey me home, 
 but the village, then almost deserted, was in sad 
 want of horses. I sought in vain throughout the 
 whole camp for some of these useful animals, and 
 was at last prevailed on to go to Abdallah's camp 
 to prefer my request, on which measure I decided, 
 in spite of the excessive heat. 
 
 Protected by the shade of an immense umbrella, 
 for that of a parasol would have been quite insuffi- 
 cient, I set out on my expedition, following the 
 brink of the Seybouse, as I knew that the Arab en- 
 campment was situated in the midst of a plain not 
 far from that river. I soon perceived the brown 
 tents appearing in strong contrast to the pale tint 
 of the surrounding sand. The Kabyle dogs saluted 
 my approach with vehement barking, but as I was 
 well acquainted with these people, some Arabs came 
 to meet me, stretched out their hands in token of 
 friendship, and led me to the tent of Abdallah, who 
 was absent. 
 
 The tents were very low, and made of an ex- 
 tremely thick tissue of camel's hair, by which they 
 were enabled to resist the scorching rays of an Af- 
 rican sun, and also the torrents of rain which inun- 
 date the whole country during the wet season. Not 
 a single tree, not a single plant relieved the eye 
 from the monotony of this arid spot. One of the 
 extremities of the plain was bounded by the Bour- 
 zizi mountains, whose rocky summits appeared in 
 sad harmony with the still and deathlike face of 
 
65 
 
 surrounding nature, though the valleys which are 
 occasionally found among the table-lands offer a 
 scanty pasturage for cattle. 
 
 The tent of Abdallah was divided into two rather 
 large compartments. One of these was occupied 
 by his family, wives, chickens, cats and dogs. The 
 other, into which I was introduced, was his hall of 
 reception, which was also used as his dormitory 
 when he wished to sleep alone, and private sitting- 
 room, in which he smoked from morning till night, 
 seated cross-legged, according to the fashion of the 
 Arabs. 
 
 The word "Mama," which I heard repeated 
 around me, led me to understand that such was the 
 appellation given me in the tribe. The title of mo- 
 ther is always regarded by the Arabs with the most 
 profound respect. The women surrounded me with 
 signs of the greatest curiosity ; they never came to 
 Mondovi, and had probably never in their lives seen 
 a Frenchwoman. They requested me to sit down 
 on a pile of mats from which the hens had just been 
 dislodged, and afterwards brought me some fruit 
 and goat's milk. About forty of them crowded 
 round me, all taking the most minute survey of my 
 person. One lay down on the ground to examine 
 my shoes, while two or three more passed all my 
 garments in review with the most scrutinizing at- 
 tention, and others extended their hands, begging 
 for a few " douros." All set upon me with a num- 
 ber of questions which I could not understand, and 
 I was much annoyed with their impertinent curi- 
 osity. Fortunately Mohamed, one of the friends of 
 Abdallah, who arrived, understood a little French, 
 
66 
 
 by which means I was enabled to make him com* 
 prehend my request, viz. : to be mounted on some 
 animal, — mule or ass, — that could convey me back 
 to Bona. 
 
 A mule was instantly got ready and brought to 
 the entrance of the tent ; but imagine my conster- 
 nation at the sight of a flat and very wide saddle, 
 without stirrups. The Arabs use these saddles to 
 place burdens upon them, and seat themselves close 
 to the tail of their steed, as chimney-sweepers in 
 England ride their donkeys. 
 
 It was no easy matter to disperse the inquisitive 
 crowd of gazers that had gathered round me. Ma- 
 homed succeeded at last by making a prolonged 
 sound of ro-o-o-o-o, more expressive than civil, and 
 by administering a few vigorous blows with his 
 switch. 
 
 I had the choice of riding in two different ways. 
 The first was in the manner of the Arab women, 
 which is done by seating oneself tailor-fashion on 
 the saddle. I foresaw that my equestrian powers 
 were not up to this, and therefore adopted the other 
 method, which was to mount like a horseman. For- 
 tunately my dress was well adapted to this purpose, 
 so I took my seat, though not without some dread 
 of an expedition of eight miles, to be accomplished 
 in this novel manner. Mahomed accompanied me, 
 to see me safe, and to bring the mule back to the 
 camp. 
 
 We had hardly gone a league, when my poor 
 legs, placed in so uncomfortable a position, without 
 support of any kind, felt as if they would drop from 
 me ; nor was this the least of the evils I had to en- 
 
67 
 
 dure; — the heat was suffocating, and the plain we 
 traversed was burnt up by the almost perpendicular 
 rays of the sun. All of a sudden my companion, 
 who possessed but a slight knowledge of conven- 
 tional proprieties, lightly sprang up behind me, and 
 seizing the bridle with both hands, urged on the 
 mule to a high trot. This torture was not to be 
 borne : I made a sign to beg that he would go at 
 a foot's pace. He obeyed ; and intoned a sort of 
 monotonous chaunt, which the mule seemed to un- 
 derstand, and regulated its pace to the measure. It 
 may have been the reverse, — the rider adapting his 
 melody to the action of the beast: but for this I 
 cannot answer. 
 
 Almost dislocated in my joints by this new kind 
 of horsemanship, and overwhelmed with heat, drow- 
 siness came over me. I involuntarily fell asleep, 
 but was roused by a sudden stop. I opened my 
 eyes, and saw my companion running after my um- 
 brella, which had dropped from my hand during 
 my temporary slumber. This happened ten or twelve 
 times, and Mahomed, with the calmness and pa- 
 tience peculiar to the Arabs, jumped off his seat 
 without a murmur, caught the fugitive umbrella, 
 and restored it to me with a smile. 
 
 We met nobody, except a few troops of camels 
 with their guides ; but had there been any chance 
 of meeting with Europeans lately arrived in Africa, 
 they would have had some difficulty in solving the 
 mystery of the singular group we presented, cross- 
 ing the desert in the full heat of the sun in the 
 middle of the day. The first idea would naturally 
 be that of an elopement of a bedouin with a 
 
68 
 
 Frenchwoman, but how then could they account 
 for the umbrella held with so much placidity by the 
 cavalier over the head of his victim, in such a man- 
 ner as to shield both ? Instead of the dishevelled 
 hair which, according to the true style of romance, 
 ought to have been floating in the wind, my straw 
 bonnet, thrown back by the motion of the mule, 
 jerked backwards and forwards in the face of poor 
 Mahomed, who tried in vain to escape this inconve- 
 nience, and guide his steed by stretching his neck 
 to the right and left with the strangest contortions. 
 
 The question of elopement would have put me in 
 a position still more awkward, had I been seated 
 behind the horseman, like a " chatelaine " of the 
 middle ages, for in that case the spectators would 
 undoubtedly have come to the conclusion that a 
 French lady was carrying off a bedouin. At last, 
 no longer able to resist the drowsiness that over- 
 powered me, I closed the umbrella, and placing it 
 horizontally before me, I leant upon it with both 
 hands, and fell asleep in safety, if not in comfort. 
 
 This step was most imprudent, as I exposed my- 
 self without protection to the danger of a " coup de 
 soleil." Fatal attacks of fever, attended with into- 
 lerable pain, frequently follow sleep in the open air 
 during the mid-day heat, unless violent perspiration 
 prevent the effects of such ill-timed indulgence. I 
 was fortunately preserved from any pernicious re- 
 sults of my expedition, thanks, in a great degree, 
 to the care of the good Arab, who tried by all 
 means in his power to keep me from falling, and 
 held me firm on the saddle till I woke up at last 
 considerably relieved by my short repose. 
 
69 
 
 It were vain to attempt to give an idea of the 
 pain and discomfort I endured on this expedition. 
 Great was my joy, on arriving at the oasis of Ma- 
 rabout, to find the cart with my luggage halting 
 under the trees, and both drivers and beasts repos- 
 ing in the shade. I was lifted from my mule almost 
 senseless, placed in the cart in the midst of my boxes 
 and bundles, and thus conveyed to Bona, but more 
 than a week passed before I recovered from the 
 effects of my perilous journey. 
 
 Many people blamed me for my imprudence in 
 going alone into the midst of a tribe, and trusting 
 myself to an Arab in the solitude of the desert. 
 They said that my age had been my only safe- 
 guard. In this they were wrong ; for in the first 
 place, it may be supposed that I should certainly 
 not have risked so rash a venture had I not been 
 well known by the Arabs of the tribe of Abdallah. 
 But had I even been a young woman I should not 
 have had less confidence in the good faith of my 
 conductor ; for he seemed flattered by his mission, 
 and respect to women is strictly enjoined by the re- 
 ligious creed of the Arabs, and is therefore scrupu- 
 lously practised. It is true that I have heard of 
 some terrible exceptions, particularly among the 
 Kabyles, but I speak of the rule, not of the excep- 
 tions, and in my individual case I certainly had no- 
 thing to fear. 
 
 April, 1850. 
 The ravages of the cholera still continue, accom- 
 panied by the typhus and other dangerous fevers. 
 The greatest mortality takes place in the camps, al- 
 though a permanent medical board is established, by 
 
70 
 
 which means immediate aid is afforded on the slight- 
 est appearance of the symptoms. In spite of this, 
 the malady makes fearful progress ; besides which 
 a sort of acrid vapour, that principally affects the 
 throat, pervades the air. My poor companion is 
 suffering from constant fever, and is determined to 
 return to France when the weather is improved. I 
 forget whether I have told you that the cause of the 
 cholera has this time been traced to the crew of a 
 vessel from Tunis, which by some strange impru- 
 dence, was allowed to land on our coast, regardless 
 of the many cases of the malady which were raging 
 on board. All the town was in commotion on the 
 occasion, but the evil was done, and the only re- 
 medy that remained was to stop its progress as 
 much as possible. The Tunisian passengers were 
 obliged to encamp at the distance of a league from 
 Bona, and a " cordon sanitaire " was established, 
 which was formed by the Maltese militia, who in 
 consequence exacted a high price for their services. 
 Such precautions, however, were little better than a 
 mockery, as if a " cordon sanitaire " three miles 
 from the town could be any real protection against 
 the cholera ! 
 
 The perfect inutility of these measures was soon 
 evident from the appearance of several cases in the 
 military hospital. This is the place where the in- 
 vasion of the epidemic is most to be dreaded, as 
 among a crowd of invalids death strikes right and 
 left. 
 
 The question then arose on the expediency of 
 forcing the Tunisians to put to sea again — a tardy, 
 useless, and, above all, a most inhuman measure ! 
 
71 
 
 Yesterday a Maltese brig, bearing a doubtful flag, 
 cast anchor in the haven. An intimation was im- 
 mediately sent for its departure, and on the refusal 
 of its captain to obey, he was allowed the space of 
 an hour to make up his mind. Orders were de- 
 spatched to the commander of the Cashba to fire the 
 guns of the fortress on the unfortunate vessel, and 
 even to sink it, should it still remain in port when 
 the time had elapsed. The brig put out again to 
 sea before the expiration of the appointed period. 
 
 This was the second time within six months that 
 the cholera had visited Algeria. The mortality is 
 frightful, but the government has forbidden the 
 publication of the bulletins of health, to prevent the 
 further discouragement of the population, who are 
 already quite cast down with terror. Orders have 
 been given to the clergy to send out the funeral 
 processions by the " Porte de Constantine," which 
 is near the church, and to avoid traversing the town, 
 that the mournful spectacle may not increase the 
 despondency of the survivors. When a child dies, 
 the custom is to carry it to the grave with its face 
 uncovered, adorned with its best clothes, crowned 
 with flowers, and holding a nosegay in its hands. 
 
 As the scenes of desolation with which I am sur- 
 rounded prevent me from making many observations, 
 I shall employ the time of my forced retirement in 
 giving you a slight historical sketch of Algeria. I 
 shall make it as succinct as possible, and only write 
 down the facts that are already known, though, per- 
 haps, it may not be useless to repeat them here. 
 
72 
 
 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF ALGERIA. 
 
 ALGERIA, formerly known as the Regency of 
 Algiers, extends from east to west along the 
 northern coast of Africa. This country, which was 
 once the most powerful of the Barbaresque regen- 
 cies, is bounded on the north by the Mediterranean, 
 on the south by the Sahara, or great desert, on the 
 west by the empire of Morocco, and on the east by 
 the territory of Tunis. It is composed of ancient 
 Numidia and Csesarean Mauritania, so called from 
 Csesarea, its capital, built by Juba II. and dedicated 
 to Augustus, on the elevation of Juba to the throne 
 of Mauritania. Before the conquest by the French 
 this district had endured the sway of four different 
 nations, namely : 
 
 That of the Carthaginians, which lasted 700 years. 
 
 That of the Romans, which lasted 600 years. 
 
 That of the Vandals, which lasted 100 years. 
 
 And that of the Mussulmen, which lasted 16 
 centuries. 
 
 Carthage had fixed her mighty empire on the 
 northern coast of Africa. She aimed less at the 
 sovereignty of the continent than that of the seas, 
 the latter being most favourable for her commerce ; 
 and if on her invasion of Spain she carried her con- 
 quest into the interior of the country, it was be- 
 cause mines abounding in gold were to be found 
 there. From the beginning of her importance as 
 an empire, she had planted her colonies at the foot 
 of Mount Atlas, near the Cape Nun, but her own 
 territory was limited, and the dominions of Syphax 
 
73 
 
 and Massinissa extended almost to the very gates 
 of the city. 
 
 The Carthaginians might conquer the nations of 
 Africa, but never dreamt of their civilization. They 
 left them in their native barbarism, and merely 
 used them as slaves to equip their vessels, thinking, 
 perhaps, that their very ignorance was a pledge of 
 their greater docility. This selfish policy was not 
 without its consequences ; Carthage was often obliged 
 to defend herself against the invasion and the vio- 
 lence of her neighbours, and her dominion, though 
 powerful, was often contested. Jealousy of Rome, 
 her haughty rival, produced a war between the two 
 nations ; till after many years of alternate victory 
 and defeat, the power of Carthage was utterly de- 
 stroyed. Then followed the subjection of the north 
 of Africa to the Romans, after which several native 
 princes reigned in Numidia with the title of kings, 
 but under the protection of their conquerors. 
 
 These princes, — acquainted by their communica- 
 tion with the Romans with the advantages of civil- 
 ized life, — accustomed their subjects to peaceful 
 and sedentary pursuits. Arts and agriculture flou- 
 rished ; the rich culture of the soil bore testimony 
 to the industry of the people, and several cities were 
 founded. In Numidia, on a bog, arose Hippo-Re- 
 gius (Bona), the first residence of her kings ; fur- 
 ther inland, Cirta (Constantina), whither they after- 
 wards removed. In Mauritania, Julia Csesarea 
 (Cherchell) and Choba (Bougie) were the principal 
 maritime towns ; and farther inland, Selifis (Setif) 
 gave its name to part of the country. All Barbary 
 was reduced to the rank of a Roman province, with 
 
74 
 
 the exception of Mauritania Tingitana, afterwards 
 the empire of Morocco, whither the Roman armies 
 never penetrated. 
 
 Frequent rebellions proved the impatience with 
 which the Numidians bore the Roman yoke. An- 
 dalusia had become the patrimony of the Vandals, a 
 body of whom, commanded by their king, Genseric, 
 made a descent on Africa in the year 428, besieged 
 Bona, of which town St. Augustine was at that pe- 
 riod bishop, and in the space of ten years entirely 
 expelled the Romans from Algeria. 
 
 All traces of civilization disappeared under the 
 sway of these barbarous invaders. The roads, 
 aqueducts, temples, statues, amphitheatres, trium- 
 phal arches, and other edifices erected by their en- 
 lightened predecessors, were suffered to fall into 
 ruin. The crops were destroyed, the vineyards ra- 
 vaged, the forests cut down. Such was the reign 
 of the Vandals, one of desolation, darkness, and 
 misery. 
 
 These countries were reconquered by Belisarius, 
 and in the course of time passed under the domi- 
 nion of the Saracens, and were governed by the 
 Caliphs until the arrival of the Moors, when chased 
 from Spain by a fanatical minister. Cardinal 
 Ximenes persecuted the enemies of his religion even 
 on the African shore to which they had withdrawn, 
 and a Spanish army landing there in 1505, took 
 possession of Oran and Bougie, and forced Algiers 
 to capitulate. 
 
 Tired of their new oppressors, the Algerians 
 called in the aid of the famous Mahometan corsair, 
 Barbarossa, whose vessels infested the Mediterra- 
 
75 
 
 nean. He hastened to their assistance, and entered 
 Algiers at the head of 5,000 devoted partisans. 
 The Algerians were not long in perceiving that it 
 was hut a change of masters, as the ambitious pirate 
 soon threw aside the mask, assassinated the prince 
 whom he had come to succour, and caused himself 
 to be proclaimed king. Such were his cruelties, 
 however, that the Algerians were obliged to have 
 recourse to the Spaniards to rid them of their ty- 
 rant, and Barbarossa was killed in battle. 
 
 His brother, Khair-eddin, assembled fresh parti- 
 sans, and succeeded in driving away the Spaniards ; 
 but feeling the necessity of putting himself under a 
 powerful protector, he offered the crown of Algiers 
 to the Sultan, on the sole condition of himself being 
 appointed Pacha. Algiers thus was placed under a 
 new government, the statutes of which were drawn 
 up by the Sultan, and Khair-eddin was the first of 
 the line of Deys, afterwards so celebrated. " There, 
 as in a vulture's nest," says Laborde, the historian 
 that I consult, " he planted the first germ of that 
 piracy which afterwards spread terror over the whole 
 of Christendom." The seas were taxed as though 
 they had been his own domain, and human beings 
 were brought to the market and sold like so many 
 heads of cattle. Then were heard for the first time 
 the words of captive and slave, which left so sad an 
 impression on all these coasts. Miguel Cervantes, 
 the author of Don Quixote, and Regnard, one of 
 the best French comic poets, bore the chains of 
 these sea-tyrants : the Knights of Rhodes and of 
 Jerusalem resisted them bravely for many years, 
 and other humbler religious orders, such as the 
 
76 
 
 Brothers of Mercy and the Trinitarian Monks, were 
 founded to purchase their clemency. Thus did re- 
 ligion and benevolence come to the assistance of 
 misfortune, to whom worldly policy was unable to 
 afford further protection. 
 
 Wearied by a perpetual though unavailing strug- 
 gle, several of the European princes preferred pay- 
 ing the pirates an annual tribute rather than exhaust 
 their forces in a succession of hostilities. But even 
 these ignominious transactions were not always 
 sufficient to protect them from attack, and frequently 
 the infringement of treaties forced the sovereigns to 
 have recourse to arms. 
 
 The Spaniards, who had been the principal suf- 
 ferers from the depredations of these brigands, made 
 a few ineffectual attempts to conquer them, till at 
 last Charles V., irritated at the constant insults 
 offered to his empire, resolved to crush with the 
 whole weight of his power this den of crime, the 
 cause of such extensive misery. The success of a 
 glorious expedition he had recently made against 
 Tunis encouraged him to undertake the conquest of 
 Algiers, and the crusade against the maritime op- 
 pressors was preached throughout his dominions. 
 Such an undertaking was calculated to excite the 
 religious and chivalrous enthusiasm proper to the 
 times, and warriors from all nations hastened to 
 range themselves under the banners of the Emperor. 
 Among the most distinguished were the Duke of 
 Alva and Ferdinand of Gonzaga, as also the Spinolas 
 and Colonnas, generals renowned for numerous 
 victories. 
 
 Fernando Cortes, the conqueror of Mexico, though 
 
77 
 
 in extreme old age, marched as a volunteer, followed 
 by his three sons, and the fleet was commanded by 
 Doria, the greatest seaman of that period. 
 
 Unfortunately, in spite of the admiral's urgent 
 warnings, who entreated the Emperor not to risk a 
 descent on the coast of Algiers at that season of the 
 year, Charles V. persisted. He landed without op- 
 position, and raised the Christian standard on the 
 platform of Sidi-Jacoub on the 22nd of October, 
 1 54 1 . The whole army set to work to make trenches, 
 and the fortress of the Emperor was begun under 
 his very eyesight. But at the moment fixed for the 
 assault of the town, a violent storm arose, and the 
 Emperor had the mortification of seeing the total 
 destruction of fifteen galleys and eighty-six transport 
 vessels, with their crews and all the provisions for 
 the army. 
 
 The Dey of Algiers, taking advantage of the 
 stupor caused in the Christian army by the sight of 
 this disaster, made a sally, and cut in pieces three 
 companies which were occupying the bridge of Bal- 
 azoun. He then retired, but returned shortly after- 
 wards to attack the Knights of Malta. One of these, 
 a French subject, in despair at the disorder which 
 had begun to prevail in the ranks of the Christians, 
 dragged himself, though wounded, to the gate of 
 Bal-azoun, and, striking it with his dagger, said, " A 
 French knight pierces thee at this place. May a 
 French army come hither at some future time, and 
 avenge our reverses/ - A prayer whose sad fulfil- 
 ment has been realized in our days. 
 
 Near the gate of Bal-azoun are to be seen four 
 enormous iron hooks, fixed in the wall a few feet 
 
78 
 
 above the ground : these are used for the torture of 
 the " chinhun," which consists in precipitating the 
 victim from the top of the ramparts on to these 
 hooks, where he remains suspended till life is ex- 
 tinct. 
 
 To return to the battle : the Emperor rushed to 
 the assistance of the Maltese with a German divi- 
 sion, and the Dey was forced to retire. The admiral 
 Doria, preserving all his presence of mind, succeeded 
 in rallying the remains of the fleet near Cape Mati- 
 foux, and wrote to entreat the Emperor to relinquish 
 his design, and save the army by a timely re-em- 
 barkation. Charles V. dispirited by his failure, gave 
 the order for retreat, and on the 29th of October, 
 the Spaniards left their position in front of Algiers. 
 But the Algerians, taking advantage of the disorder 
 occasioned by their precipitate retreat, fell suddenly 
 on the Christians, made a great massacre among 
 them, and led away six thousand into slavery. At 
 last the fleet set sail and left Cape Matifoux, but 
 three hours afterwards was overtaken by another 
 storm, which entirely dispersed it. Many vessels 
 were lost, and one amongst the rest sank with seven 
 hundred Spanish soldiers on board, who were 
 drowned in the very sight of the Emperor without 
 there being any possibility of rendering them assist- 
 ance. After all these disasters, the Christians 
 arrived on the 2nd of November at the port of 
 Bougie, which still belonged to the Spaniards. 
 Charles V. then dismissed the generals who had 
 accompanied him, leaving them free to return home 
 by any route they pleased ; then, after repairing the 
 principal injuries that his vessels had sustained, he 
 
79 
 
 embarked again with the remains of this once pow- 
 erful fleet, and returned to Spain by Carthagena. 
 Such was the end of this expedition, from which 
 nothing less had been foreboded than the complete 
 annihilation of the states of Barbary, and which, in 
 fact, only served to increase their audacity. 
 
 It was reckoned that a hundred and fifty vessels 
 had been lost in these two storms. Three hundred 
 land and sea officers, eight thousand soldiers and 
 sailors were drowned, and all the artillery and mu- 
 nitions of war were left in the trenches before Algiers. 
 As to the prisoners made by the Algerians, the 
 number of them was so considerable that they were 
 sold publicly in the town at the rate of an onion per 
 head. 
 
 This easy victory increased the contempt that the 
 Algerians felt for the Christians, and encouraged 
 them to make further aggressions. Their habits of 
 rapine were carried on with greater insolence than 
 ever, and no flag whatever could find respect at 
 their hands. 
 
 In the next century, Louis XIV. commissioned 
 the celebrated Admiral Duquesne to chastise the 
 Algerian pirates, and the triumph he obtained over 
 them amply justified the expectations that had been 
 raised by his talent. Still it must be confessed 
 that he shared the glory of the victory with the in- 
 ventor of bomb-galleys, which were then used for 
 the first time. Algiers was bombarded twice, and a 
 peace concluded for a hundred years. The prin- 
 cipal result of this treaty was the liberation of the 
 Christian captives ; it was required that all should 
 immediately be set free ; and this stipulation was 
 
80 
 
 observed in regard to the slaves in the immediate 
 vicinity of the coast. But it was vain to attempt 
 to obtain the liberty of the Christians who had been 
 carried into the interior of the country, as the Moors 
 were but little inclined to part with the slaves, who 
 formed the greatest portion of their riches, though 
 the laws of war required their liberation as a tri- 
 bute. Still, the number of restored captives was con- 
 siderable ; they were led on board the admiral's 
 ship by the marabouts most respected for their age 
 and sanctity. These unfortunate Christians, over- 
 come with gratitude at thus recovering their liberty 
 in so unexpected a manner, knelt at the feet of Ad- 
 miral Duquesne as though he had been a protecting 
 divinity, to whom they owed their deliverance. 
 
 The treaty was not long kept. Frequent in- 
 fringements of it by the barbarians obliged the 
 French government again to take up arms. In 
 1687, a French squadron, under the command of 
 Marshal d'Estrees, appeared before Algiers, and 
 destroyed the port of the town and the fleet. From 
 this period no serious disturbance arose till 1775, 
 when the Spaniards resolved to avenge the defeat of 
 Charles V. However, this second expedition met 
 with no better fortune than the first. 
 
 In 1814, a plan was proposed to the Congress of 
 Vienna, to put an end to the robberies of the Alge- 
 rians, and to abolish the traffic in white slaves ; in 
 consequence of which Lord Exmouth appeared be- 
 fore Algiers in 1816, at the head of a formidable 
 fleet. After a cannonade which destroyed the ram- 
 parts of the city, the fleet of the Dey was burned, 
 
81 
 
 and he himself was compelled to agree to the con- 
 ditions of the English admiral. 
 
 This lesson, though the most terrible that had 
 ever been given to the Algerians, did not produce 
 any lasting effects. The fortifications were soon 
 rebuilt, and the usual cruelties were perpetrated 
 with fresh insolence. 
 
 Hussein Pacha was proclaimed Dey of Algiers in 
 1818. He had always shown hostile intentions to- 
 wards France, and annoyed with many vexations 
 all persons of that country residing in his states. 
 On the 30th of April, 1827, Mons. Deval having 
 gone to the palace of the Dey with the other Euro- 
 pean consuls to pay him the usual compliment on 
 the anniversary of the fetes of Bairam, a discussion 
 took place between them, and the Dey became ex- 
 cited to such a degree as to load Mons. Deval with 
 invectives, and even to strike him in the face with 
 the instrument he used to drive away the flies. So 
 coarse an insult, offered to the representative of 
 France, on a solemn occasion, in presence of the 
 consuls from all the other states of Europe, could 
 not pass with impunity. An immediate and ample 
 reparation was indispensable, and was instantly de- 
 manded. The King of France, Charles X., sent 
 orders to Mons. Deval to cease all communication 
 with the Dey of Algiers, and to hold himself in 
 readiness to depart. 
 
 On the 11th of June, 1827, a French division 
 arrived before Algiers, for the purpose of conveying 
 Mons. Deval and all the French residents from the 
 town. After the departure of the consul, the Dey 
 
82 
 
 sent orders to the governor of Bona to destroy all 
 the French establishments, which had existed in the 
 neighbourhood of that town for nearly three hun- 
 dred years, and above all, the fort of " La Palle," 
 which had been built to protect the coral fishery. 
 The Arabs and Kabyles, who were charged with 
 the execution of this decree, destroyed every thing 
 in these various establishments with fire and sword ; 
 and all Europeans found in them were either massa- 
 cred or reduced to slavery. 
 
 The French government had at first no intention 
 of bringing this affair to a summary conclusion by 
 taking possession of Algeria, but strictly blockaded 
 all the ports of the regency, in hopes of destroying 
 its foreign commerce. For the space of three years 
 our vessels were constantly watching the coast of 
 Algeria, to prevent all ships from entering or leav- 
 ing the ports ; but this measure was far from pro- 
 ducing the desired results ; the internal resources 
 of the country were sufficient to victual the maritime 
 towns of Algeria, and the only effect of the blockade 
 was to put France to an expense of 7,000,000 francs 
 a year, and to cause diseases of frightful mortality 
 on board the vessels employed in this fatiguing ser- 
 vice. After having spent 21,000,000 (francs) of 
 money, and lost a host of brave men, the French 
 government came to the conclusion that no harm 
 whatever had been done to the enemy, and that the 
 cause was not more advanced than it was the first 
 day. An envoy was therefore dispatched to Algiers, 
 to try to settle matters by negotiation ; but the Dey 
 met all advances with extreme haughtiness, and, 
 instead of any attempt at conciliation, proposed 
 
83 
 
 terms so exacting as to be quite inadmissible. The 
 French envoy immediately departed by the same 
 vessel that had brought him, " La Provence." At 
 the very moment the ship set sail, the batteries on 
 the mole discharged a volley against it, in direct 
 violation of the law of nations, as the ship bore 
 on its mainmast the flag of truce. The firing con- 
 tinued until the vessel had got out of reach of in- 
 jury. 
 
 The expedition against Algiers was then resolved 
 on. An imposing fleet cast anchor on the coast of 
 Africa on the 14th of June, 183Q. Algiers was 
 taken, and the Dey, deprived of his dignity, em- 
 barked with all his family, on the 10th of July, on 
 board a French frigate bound for Naples, which 
 place he had chosen for his residence. 
 
 Nine races of inhabitants are to be found in Al- 
 geria, which may thus be classed : 
 
 1 . The Berbers, or Kabaiiles ; also pronounced 
 Kabyles. 
 
 2. The Biskris, Mozabites, &c. 
 
 3. The Moors. 
 
 4. The Jews. 
 
 5. The Arabs. 
 
 6. The Turks. 
 
 7. The Koulouglis. 
 
 8. The Negroes. 
 
 9. The Europeans. 
 
 The Berbers, or Kabyles, are without contradic- 
 tion the most ancient inhabitants of the country ; 
 they are the descendants of the ancient Numidians, 
 Getulse, and Lybians, who never were subdued by 
 any of the conquerors of Africa, from the Cartha- 
 
84 
 
 ginians downward to the present time. They live 
 on the mountains, from the base to the highest 
 summit, and occupy all the branches of the Atlas, 
 from whose several names they derive their various 
 denominations, such as " Ouled-Amer, Ouled-Me- 
 nasser, Ouled-Zeroual," which means in their lan- 
 guage, children of Amer, of Menasser, of Zeroual. 
 They do not speak Arabic ; their language has no 
 resemblance to any other, hitherto known, and is 
 most likely the same that was spoken by the ancient 
 Numidians in the days of Massinissa and Jugurtha. 
 The Kabyles are of middle size, and dark com- 
 plexion, lean, but robust, and can endure fatigue 
 and privation with wonderful constancy and cou- 
 rage. Their faces are shorter than those of the 
 Arabs, and have a cruel and ferocious expression. 
 They are very industrious, and manufacture all 
 their own goods, even fire-arms and powder. This 
 class is the most numerous of the Algerian popu- 
 lation. 
 
 The Biskris, or Mozabites, came originally from 
 Arabia. They inhabit the southern declivity of the 
 Atlas. 
 
 The Moors rank next in point of antiquity to the 
 Kabyles among the nations of Northern Africa. 
 Their manners are more gentle than those of the 
 Numidians, and they manifest a greater disposition 
 to live in society and to enjoy the benefits of a more 
 advanced civilization. The stature of the men is 
 above middle height, their aspect grave and noble, 
 their hair black, their complexion rather sunburnt, 
 but more inclined to fairness than the contrary, and 
 their eyes large, but without much brilliancy. 
 
85 
 
 The Arabs live in the plains of Algeria. Those 
 who devote themselves to the cultivation of the soil 
 have fixed habitations ; the others live under tents, 
 and change the place of their residence according 
 to the time of year and the state of the pastures. 
 These are the Bedouin Arabs, whose language, 
 physical and moral character, manners and customs, 
 exactly correspond to those of their countrymen in 
 Asia. They are the descendants of the two con- 
 querors who, under the reign of the caliphs, took 
 possession of a great part of Africa and invaded 
 Spain. Their appearance in Algeria cannot be 
 traced farther back than the seventh century. The 
 Arabs are divided into tribes, each called after the 
 name of some ancient chieftain. These are distin- 
 guished from the names of the Kabyle tribes by the 
 latter people placing the word " Ouled" before the 
 name of the tribe, while the Arabs use that of " Beni" 
 (Ben in the singular), which has the same meaning. 
 
 The Jews. Almost all the towns of Algeria con- 
 tain a large number of these people. They inhabited 
 Africa before the arrival of the Arabs. The Jews 
 who first settled in Algeria seem to have taken re- 
 fuge there on the conquest of Judea by Vespasian ; 
 but the greater number of the present population 
 trace their origin to the Jews who were expelled 
 from Europe during the thirteenth century, and 
 from Spain in particular, at various periods. 
 
 The Moors, who were themselves driven from the 
 latter country, received the Jews with kindness, and 
 granted them all the privileges which they enjoyed 
 in Spain under the empire of the Arabs ; even to 
 the right of making liqueurs and wine. All the 
 
86 
 
 conditions of this treaty were inscribed on a parch- 
 ment, which the Algerian rabbis carefully preserve 
 among their archives. When the Turks took pos- 
 session of the town, their tyranny, though it ex- 
 tended to all the inhabitants, without regard to their 
 religious persuasion, fell with especial weight on the 
 Jews. These were not exactly reduced to slavery : 
 they even were allowed the free exercise of their 
 religion, and were subject in their worldly affairs to 
 the authority of a chief of their own nation, ap- 
 pointed by the Pacha. Such concessions were pro- 
 bably made for the encouragement of commerce, 
 which was practised solely by the Jews, who were 
 also the only bankers in Algiers. However, these 
 advantages were bought at the price of numberless 
 vexations ; a sort of capitation tax was laid on the 
 Jews, who were also obliged to pay a double tribute 
 on all the merchandize they imported, and besides 
 the legal qualifications of which they were deprived, 
 they had to endure a strange kind of oppression, in 
 being forbidden by law to offer any resistance when 
 they were ill treated by a Mussulman, however 
 cruelly. They were compelled to dress either in 
 black or white, and were even denied the small pri- 
 vilege of mounting on horseback, and bearing arms ; 
 not so much as a cane was allowed them. They 
 could not leave the town without permission, except 
 on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and were employed 
 in the most degrading and laborious work, accord- 
 ing to the caprice of the Pacha. Frequently, when 
 a revolt of the Janissaries took place, the Jews were 
 indiscriminately pillaged, and these unfortunate 
 
87 
 
 people lived in constant apprehension of the re- 
 newal of these scenes, so fatal to them. The very 
 children of the Mahometans pursued them in the 
 streets, and the whole course of their lives was a 
 distressing mixture of baseness, oppression and in- 
 sult. This state of things was changed only by the 
 arrival of the French, when the power of the Turks 
 was destroyed, and the chains of the Israelitish 
 population broken. In consequence of which, among 
 all the inhabitants of Algeria, the Jews were the 
 first to welcome with eagerness the dominion of the 
 new conquerors. 
 
 The Turks, who possessed Algeria for three cen- 
 turies, did not enter the country with the declared 
 intention of subduing it ; the Algerians had sum- 
 moned them to their aid to repel the tyranny of the 
 Spaniards ; but the Turks, commanded by the fa- 
 mous Barbarossa, took possession of the maritime 
 towns, as has been already mentioned, placing 
 themselves under the protection of the Ottoman 
 Porte, and offering the crown of Algeria to the 
 Sultan, as their liege lord. The Turkish monarch 
 eagerly accepted the proposal, sent money and arms 
 to the new colony, and organized the fearful band of 
 Janissaries, which in after times became as fatal to 
 the Deys of Algiers as to the sovereigns of Con- 
 stantinople. One singular law prevailed among 
 them. Many as were the privileges enjoyed by the 
 Janissaries, these were in a great measure forfeited 
 on a marriage between one of that body and a 
 Moorish woman. The children were incapable of 
 entering the service to which their fathers belonged, 
 
88 
 
 and were almost reduced to the level of the Moorish 
 class. From these the present Koulouglis derive 
 their origin. 
 
 In opposition to this harsh decree, the offspring 
 of a union between a Turk and a Christian slave, 
 were regarded as Turks, had the right of entering 
 the " Odjack" or militia, and of ascending to the 
 highest honours of the state, even to that of Dey, 
 which office was entirely dependent on the will of 
 the Janissaries, who disposed of it at their pleasure. 
 
 On the capture of Algiers by the French, all the 
 unmarried Janissaries who inhabited the barracks 
 of that capital, were shipped off to the number of 
 1500, in French vessels of war, and transported to 
 Vourla, near Smyrna. The same favour was 
 granted to the married Janissaries who claimed it 
 for themselves and for their families. Those who 
 chose to remain, were incorporated into the French 
 army. 
 
 The Koulouglis, as has been already said, are the 
 issue of marriages between Turks and Moorish wo- 
 men. 
 
 The Negroes were brought from the interior of 
 the country, and are slaves. The most handsome 
 come from Timbuctoo. The French having set the 
 numerous slaves of the last Dey at liberty, several 
 enfranchised families were formed, from which many 
 individuals go out as domestic servants. Servitude 
 is very easy in Algeria, and may rather be desig- 
 nated as an exchange of services and protection, 
 than by the cruel name of bondage. 
 
 The Europeans formed a very small class till 
 1830, since which period they have rapidly in- 
 
89 
 
 creased in number. The Maltese, the " Proven- 
 caux, ,, and above all, the Marseillais and the Tou- 
 lonnais form three-fourths of the European popu- 
 lation, and they derive the greatest share of profit 
 from the conquest of Algeria. With the exception 
 of the colonists sent from Paris, scarcely 2000 in- 
 habitants of the centre of France have settled in the 
 new establishment. 
 
 Dear and kind Miss Caroline. A thousand heart- 
 felt thanks for the tokens of sympathy that I owe to 
 your constant friendship ; the only consolation left 
 to me in my present isolation. During the life of 
 adventure and misfortune which has fallen to my 
 share, I have often had the opportunity of proving 
 the courage and energy that a woman possesses, 
 especially when exerted on behalf of the objects 
 most beloved by her. 
 
 Now that I am alone in the world, and advanced 
 in years, I have concentrated all the strength of my 
 feelings in the affection which I bear you, and 
 when I require courage for my own support, I am 
 frequently enabled to find it in the fervent emotion 
 of gratitude which I feel to Providence for giving 
 me friends who sympathize with my misfortunes, as 
 well as rejoice in my success. 
 
 After I had made up my mind to give up the 
 charms of " sweet home," many a hard conflict was 
 still necessary before I could subdue my repugnance 
 to the many annoyances and inconveniences attend- 
 ing the position to which I was destined. At last, 
 having gathered all my strength for the purpose, 
 and prayed for the assistance of God, I was able to 
 
90 
 
 face many troubles which had appeared insurmount- 
 able, and soon ceased to view exclusively the hideous 
 side of the picture spread out before me. All the 
 poetry of this African shore revealed itself by de- 
 grees to my mind. I then saw the Arab, repre- 
 sented as so cruel and treacherous, assume quite a 
 different nature under the influence of gentleness 
 and kindness. I became accustomed to this sky, so 
 inclement to strangers, I forgot the rigour of this 
 terrible climate, and became absorbed in the magic 
 of the glorious aspect of nature, which excited my 
 admiration if not my love. 
 
 Two evenings ago, about six o'clock, whilst I 
 was writing down a few notes, a brilliant light over- 
 spread the horizon, resembling a vast flash of light- 
 ning. Everybody rushed out of doors, but the ray 
 had disappeared. Various were the conjectures 
 made on the subject; some attributed the singular 
 spectacle to the burning of gunpowder without ex- 
 plosion, others, to a fire in the neighbourhood, but 
 the complete absence of either smoke or smell con- 
 tradicted both assertions. Yesterday morning, the 
 Arabs of the country declared that they had seen 
 the phenomenon descend from the sky on the plain ; 
 the Corsicans of the " Place de la Marine," and the 
 Maltese of the port saw it shine over the town, and 
 a commercial steam-boat, though more than forty 
 miles out at sea, observed it lighting up the Bougie 
 Mountains. 
 
 It appears most probable, that the heat being un- 
 usually great for the season of the year, a large 
 amount of electricity existed in the air, which dis- 
 charged itself in a column of flame. Some such 
 
91 
 
 solution must be adopted for the phenomenon, for 
 the sky was all the while of the most limpid blue, 
 not a cloud obscuring its transparency. I leave all 
 further explanation to the care of the learned. 
 
 The Corsicans, who are superstitious in the ex- 
 treme, attribute this appearance to the approaching 
 end of the world ; the Maltese, who are equally so, 
 trace its cause to the cholera ; the Jews to the 
 coming of the Messiah ; and we, less credulous, ea- 
 sily account for such a phenomenon in a country 
 that seems endowed with a sun peculiar to itself. 
 
 Nothing in fact can give an idea of the sun of 
 Africa ; not even the rising of this glorious orb on 
 the vast expanse of the ocean, nor its setting in 
 waves of fire on the Savannas of Guyana. The sun 
 of Africa appears gigantic, and in unison with the 
 whole aspect of nature in this terrible country. 
 The same character of arid grandeur pervades every- 
 thing, deserts, trees, rocks, mountains, plains. The 
 very men partake of the nature of the Lion. 
 
 When the wind of the desert rises, the sun is sur- 
 rounded by a sort of lurid glare, which is reflected 
 on the mountains and in the atmosphere. All is 
 overspread with a sickly hue ; the sky, the air, all 
 creation is in a state of suffering. Then a burning 
 wind rises from the sea of sand, and like an immense 
 cloud, crosses the space with inconceivable rapidity. 
 All that possesses life or feeling gives way before 
 its baneful influence : man, deprived of all strength, 
 remains panting and exhausted till the storm has 
 passed — the child, whose delicate lungs are unable 
 to breathe the suffocating air, utters plaintive cries, 
 and writhes in pain on the lap of its mother — the 
 
92 
 
 animals stretch themselves on the plain, struggling 
 and pining for relief. The rays of the sun are con- 
 cealed behind a veil of sand, and all nature is in 
 agony. 
 
 I remember that on the 15th October, when I 
 was much occupied with the establishment of my 
 abode in "la rue Damremont," I knew not to what 
 to attribute the painful oppression I felt, and the 
 perspiration that exhausted me. The Maltese por- 
 ters who carried my luggage were in the same state 
 of fatigue, though from obvious reasons. Still, I 
 could not understand the sentence that they conti- 
 nually repeated to me : " Madame, will you be 
 kind ? " A key belonging to my new lodging was 
 wanting, and I returned to my landlord's to fetch it. 
 On passing through the " Place d'Armes," I found 
 it deserted, except by a few negroes, who gazed upon 
 me with astonishment. I turned into the next 
 street, when a violent gust of wind made me whirl 
 round like a weathercock and pelted me with a 
 shower of small stones ; at the same time another 
 gust blew in my face with so hot a blast, that my 
 lips and eyelids were almost scorched. This lesson 
 was sufficient to show me the imprudence of remain- 
 ing out of doors, so I hastily returned home. My 
 very clothes were in a state of burning heat. Such 
 are the effects of the " Sirocco," so called by 
 Europeans, and by the Arabs " Simoum," or the 
 Poisoned. 
 
 A few days ago, I took my poor widow of Mon- 
 dovi to the place of embarkation for France. She 
 was dying, and I am convinced that at this moment 
 
93 
 
 she is no more. The wish to leave Algeria had 
 become fixed in her mind, . and she constantly ex- 
 claimed : " I will not die in this execrable country : 
 I will go : the passage may yet save me ! " Her 
 state of mental excitement supported her in spite of 
 her exceeding weakness. I helped her to get into 
 the boat, and when I embraced her on taking leave, 
 I saw that her eye was dim and that her face had 
 assumed a livid hue. In spite of her irritability of 
 temper, caused by illness, and which tried my pa- 
 tience to the utmost, I shall greatly regret the loss 
 of this good widow, my companion in misfortune. 
 
 I had adopted a young orphan at Mondovi. She 
 had lost her whole family by the fevers which de- 
 vastated that colony. Out of fourteen colonists who 
 took refuge under a tent on their arrival at that 
 fatal plain, she alone survived. My poor brother, 
 and the husband of the widow, my friend, were 
 among the dead. This girl is of a good, affectionate 
 disposition, she often tells me of the sufferings of my 
 unfortunate brother during the first days of his re- 
 sidence in the camp. The knowledge that thi3 
 child had shown him sympathy and soothed him in 
 his last moments, was my principal motive for 
 bringing her to my home. 
 
 The frenzy for colonization has not yet subsided. 
 More colonists have arrived ; and what is most ex- 
 traordinary, more than fifty have come over at their 
 own expense. The place of their destination is 
 Heliopolis, near Guelina ; at least they will go 
 there when the roads are more practicable. A de- 
 tachment of military convicts has been sent to mend 
 
94 
 
 them, but the prevalence of various epidemics leaves 
 no doubt as to the probable fate of the unhappy- 
 wretches thus employed. 
 
 The transport ship which brought the new co- 
 lonists was fifteen hours behind time, and much 
 serious anxiety began to be felt about her — the sea 
 being, as usual, very boisterous, which makes it 
 most difficult to double the Iron Cape. In such 
 cases, ships are often obliged to turn back, and put 
 themselves under shelter of the Genoese fortress, 
 three miles from Bona. 
 
 The other day, whilst I was watching the depar- 
 ture of the boat in which I had deposited my poor 
 invalid, I was shocked to see the wrecks of three 
 vessels cast on the sand at the mouth of the Sey- 
 bouse, and pitched to and fro by the waves ; they 
 had been destroyed in the last storm. Accidents 
 are too frequent to excite much attention ; but this 
 spectacle was most painful, as it brought to my 
 mind the agonies that must have been endured by 
 those whom it was impossible to save in that dread- 
 ful night. Above these melancholy relics were seen 
 the blue mountains of the now desolate Tunis ; on 
 the right the chain of the Edough, the fanciful 
 shape of which appears at a distance like the profile 
 of a colossal lion ; it is in this roadstead, moreover, 
 that all vessels cast anchor, whether homeward or 
 outward bound. In such situations melancholy is 
 found allied to poetry, for it is impossible to repress 
 a feeling of admiration, in the very presence of 
 ruin and misery. 
 
95 
 
 February 1st. 
 
 The last five days have brought the return of 
 spring, with its mild temperature and vivifying 
 warmth. This change of season took place sud- 
 denly. On the eve of the first fine day the weather 
 was cold, and the rain that has poured without in- 
 termission for the last three months penetrated every 
 house with its dampness. The next day the grey 
 clouds had vanished, and the azure vault appeared 
 in all its beauty ; the saturated earth began to dry, 
 and in a few hours we were enjoying the delicious 
 temperature of May. 
 
 It was fortunate for the edifices of Bona that the 
 rainy season had terminated, for the water had fil- 
 tered through the ground into the foundations, and 
 many of the houses threatened to fall. 
 
 The Judgment Hall is an ancient mosque ; the 
 office has been established in the middle of the court, 
 where formerly flourished a magnificent orange-tree, 
 laden with fruit. The clouds, so long accustomed to 
 water the tree of the garden of the Hesperides, con- 
 tinued in the same manner to rain on the officer of 
 justice ; and during the last session the nuisance 
 was so great that the proceedings were closed, and 
 the audience had to retire before the falling tor- 
 rents, which invaded every part of the hall, regard- 
 less of the sacredness of the place. 
 
 You may conceive with what joy I accepted the 
 offer made me this morning by the lady of the Tus- 
 can consul, to pay a visit with her to the ruins of 
 Hippona and the Roman cemetery, discovered two 
 or three years ago. We began with the latter place, 
 which is situated on the other shore of the Seybouse, 
 
96 
 
 which we passed in a ferry-boat. I descended into 
 the excavations which have been made, and brought 
 from thence a pretty specimen of mosaic work, and 
 a piece of marble off a tomb. I had preserved them 
 in hopes of sending them to you, but having been 
 told that they were the property of the owner of 
 the soil, I restored them. 
 
 These excavations have been made by a mason 
 contractor, to whom the ground belongs, and he 
 works it solely for purposes of profit. As barbarous 
 as the Vandals who formerly devastated Hippona, 
 he builds walls with blocks of marble taken from 
 this place. I have seen beautiful columns used as 
 supporters to the railing of a back yard, and basso- 
 relievos of the most finished execution built into the 
 kitchen of a ground-floor. 
 
 Vestiges of the splendour of the ancient posses- 
 sors of Numidia are so numerous here, that it is 
 impossible to go fifty paces, either in the town or 
 in the plain, without meeting with some specimens 
 of Roman workmanship — which is easily recognised 
 by the stamp of grandeur and simplicity impressed 
 on all constructions of these masters of the world. 
 It is quite certain that if these excavations were 
 carried on intelligently, if not scientifically, many 
 curious discoveries might be made ; but the work 
 is done, not only with the greatest carelessness, but 
 without even decent regard for the remains of hu- 
 man beings, which are thrown aside, unhallowed by 
 the slightest form of sepulture, — greatly to the scan- 
 dal of the Arabs, whose ideas on this subject are 
 infinitely more proper than those of our more civi- 
 lized nation. It is much to be desired that the au- 
 
97 
 
 thorities should be informed of this negligence, and 
 that they should give orders for its remedy. 
 
 I will now tell you of a visit from Abdallah, 
 which gave me great pleasure. Let us proceed 
 according to order. 
 
 One evening whilst I was writing to you, one of 
 my friends entered the room. This was the bro- 
 ther of the cadi, a young Moor, from whom I re- 
 ceive much of the information that I so much value. 
 Certainly of all the dandies of Bona, Azuli is the 
 most refined: his dress is in the best taste, — both 
 rich and elegant. He took a seat, and we began to 
 chat. A slight noise at the entrance made me raise 
 my eyes, when I perceived a tall white phantom. 
 A pair of brilliant eyes glanced at me through the 
 glass door, and two rows of beautiful teeth smiled 
 benignantly upon me. I rose ; the figure threw 
 back its hood, and I recognised Abdallah, who was 
 greatly delighted at seeing me. I joyfully wel- 
 comed him, but was much amused at the contrast 
 between my two visitors ; one the type of Moorish 
 civilization, covered with silk and gold, and the 
 other the true child of the desert, with his long 
 bare arms, and dressed in the costume worn by his 
 people ever since the times of Ishmael. Abdallah 
 had come to Bona on business; and when his duty 
 was fulfilled he tried to find my abode — which was no 
 difficult matter, owing to the smallness of the town. 
 
 There was but little sympathy between my two 
 friends. The dandy soon took leave, and the pea- 
 sant remained till I was obliged to remind him that 
 the hour had arrived when the Bedouins were ex- 
 pected to leave the town. The next day he was to 
 
 H 
 
98 
 
 return to his tribe. He shook me cordially by the 
 hand, kissing his own afterwards, according to cus- 
 tom, and promised to bring me a pot of butter on 
 his next visit to the town. Such a present is as 
 valuable at Bona in winter as a hamper of game is 
 in Europe during the shooting season, as no butter 
 can be obtained except that which is brought from 
 Malta and Provence, which is both dear and bad. 
 Even the butter sold in the Arab market is made 
 of goat's milk, and has a strong unpleasant taste ; 
 that made of cow's milk is somewhat better, but it 
 is most difficult to get it either fresh or clean. 
 
 Abdallah related an episode to me in his bad 
 French which much amused me, on account of the 
 11 naivete " of the expression, which might have 
 shocked anybody less familiar than I was with the 
 habits of this good Arab, who certainly did not 
 mean to offend me. I send it to you in its genuine 
 simplicity, and beg you to excuse me for reproduc- 
 ing his language. 
 
 " Apres que toi a quitte Mondovi, le docteur dit 
 a moi un jour : ' Viens a la chasse dans la mon- 
 tagne.' 
 
 " 'Bono,' que je dis, c Quand toi reviendras?' 
 
 " < Ce soir.' 
 
 " ' Bono ; alors donne moi du grand plomb.' 
 
 "Le docteur il rit de moi, et me donne du grand 
 plomb. 
 
 " < Tu as peur, Abdallah ? ' 
 
 " Moi ris et ne reponds pas. Le soir nous re- 
 venons, la nuit etait depuis trois heures. Sur le 
 bord de la Seybouse, dans le champ de ton frere, 
 
99 
 
 nous voyons une lionne et deux petits lions couches 
 sur la terre. Le docteur et son cheval Francais ils 
 se mettent a trembler tres beaucoup ; puis la mede- 
 cine il veut se sauver. Je passe devant lui : ' Reste,' 
 que je dis, ' si tu te sauves tu es mort ! ' La mede- 
 cine il tremble encore plus, le cheval il dansait 
 comme un petit chevre. 
 
 " Je charge mon fusil avec le grand plomb, et 
 descends ; j'avance vers la lionne en observant tous 
 ses mouvemens, pret a faire feu. La bete me re- 
 gardait sans bouger, car elle me connait, la lionne, 
 elle n'attaque pas l'Arabe qui a des troupeaux pour 
 la nourrir. La chair de l'Arabe est trop precieuse 
 pour la lionne. Je lui ai dit cela en arabe, bien 
 entendu. Puis elle s'est levee, et sans se presser, 
 elle a marche vers la montagne suivie de ses deux 
 lionceaux." (This latter part was almost unintelli- 
 gible from his bad French.) 
 
 " Je viens," continued Abdallah, " ou j'avais 
 laisse la medecine qui tremblait toujours, et pouvait 
 pas dire un mot a moi. ' Tu es Mte et cosson (co- 
 chon) comme une vieille femme,' lui dis je." These 
 two strong expressions in the mouth of Abdallah 
 signified the epithets of boaster and poltroon, which 
 he applied to the doctor, perhaps with some reason. 
 This doctor was a Corsican of colossal stature, but, 
 unfortunately, of doubtful courage. 
 
 " Le docteur, il claquait ses dents, et ses mem- 
 bres pouvaient pas s'arreter : ? Marse ! (marche), 
 que je lui dis. ' Si la lionne elle revient, Abdallah 
 te defendra.' 
 
 " Le docteur etait d une grande force, peut-etre 
 
100 
 
 Petait il aussi en medecine ; mais il faut l'etre beau- 
 coup pour lutter contre une lionne escortee de ses 
 lionceaux." 
 
 u The lioness knows thee, Abdallah, but if thou 
 wert to fall into her clutches, she would have less 
 regard for thee than thou wouldest have for her, 
 wert thou to kill her." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 " Because thou wouldst preserve her skin, and 
 she certainly would not preserve thine." The good 
 Arab laughed so heartily that it was long before he 
 recovered his composure. 
 
 " Abdallah, dost thou think the war will soon be 
 over ? " 
 
 " No," he replied. " If the French were to re- 
 main here fifty years longer the war would continue 
 as long." 
 
 " Still, in spite of our many reverses, the capture 
 of Zaatcha must have given a terrible warning to 
 the Arabs." 
 
 "Thank the cholera for that, which has deci- 
 mated the inhabitants of Kabylia. Had it been 
 otherwise, you would have had a mass of 400,000 
 Kabyles to fight against." 
 
 This, unfortunately, was but too true. 
 
 The next morning Abdallah returned to see me 
 before he left Bona, and related to me how Mon- 
 dovi had been actually converted into a royal hunt- 
 ing ground for the king of beasts, who had fixed 
 his habitation on my property in defiance of the 
 laws that should have protected it. In virtue of the 
 prerogatives attached to royalty, a nightly tax of 
 an ox or cow was raised by the strange visitor on 
 
101 
 
 the herds of the poor colonists. Greatly as this 
 loss afflicted them, they dared not venture to con- 
 test the legality of his claim with the kingly in- 
 truder. 
 
 I asked Abdallah what was the price of a live 
 lion. He answered : " I sold one two years ago to 
 the agent at Bona for 2000 francs." 
 
 " Is the one on my property as fine an animal ? " 
 
 " Yes ; it is a black lion of the Atlas, of the 
 largest size." 
 
 " Very well, Abdallah, I will sell thee this lion 
 for 500 francs. It is mine, since it is on my field." 
 
 " Macache (No, thank you). The French offi- 
 cers may amuse themselves by hunting it if they 
 like ; but I shall never disturb a lion, so long as it 
 leaves my tribe in peace." 
 
 " Dost thou think, Abdallah, that we shall have 
 the plague next summer ? " 
 
 " I fear we shall ; but if thou art afraid, thou 
 shalt come to my tribe." 
 
 " But, my dear Abdallah, what should I do at 
 thy tribe ? " 
 
 " Thou shouldest sleep, eat conscouss, and I 
 would buy mattresses that thou shouldst not have 
 to sleep on mats." 
 
 I thanked him for his kind proposal, but declined 
 the invitation, choosing rather to remain at Bona, 
 even should the plague break out, than put my 
 friend to the trouble and expense of my entertain- 
 ment. 
 
102 
 
 ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPONA. 
 
 ON leaving Bona by the " Porte Constantine " 
 the traveller finds a broad causeway, bounded 
 on the left side by the Mediterranean, and on the 
 right by a valley extending to the base of the 
 Edough. This road is of Roman origin, and led in 
 former times from Carthage to the Straits of Gib- 
 raltar. About a quarter of a league from the town 
 is a little river, whose Arab name, " Abou-gemma," 
 signifies "Father of the Church." An ancient 
 bridge, recently repaired by the French, is the 
 means of communication between the two shores. 
 There the soil becomes black and heavy, and the 
 road narrow, edged on both sides by a prickly 
 hedge of aloes, cactus, and jujube trees. Occasion- 
 ally a few branches of the acanthus are visible among 
 the thorny bushes ; the leaves of this graceful plant 
 are of an elegant shape, gathered together in the 
 form of a basket, and strongly remind one of the 
 Corinthian capitals so often found among ancient 
 ruins. Two wooded hills form the termination of 
 the route. Hail to the soil of Hippona ! Hail to 
 the sacred city, whose sumptuous edifices formerly 
 covered these twin mountains, that extend in an al- 
 most imperceptible slope to the brink of the Sey- 
 bouse. In front are seen the still imposing remains 
 of the Church of Peace, a primitive establishment 
 of which St. Augustine was the last pastor. Na- 
 ture still wears the same fresh and fertile aspect, 
 while man and his works have disappeared. Four- 
 
103 
 
 teen centuries have passed over this ancient struc- 
 ture, but have respected those massive pillars, whose 
 bases are formed of blocks of marble and granite, 
 four feet in thickness, and whose summits support a 
 vault of indestructible solidity. The cactus, with 
 large prickly leaves, has taken root in the joints of 
 the stone, or wherever it can find a little earth ; the 
 pomegranate displays its brilliant blossom hanging 
 gracefully over the archway or cornice where chance 
 has planted its vigorous germ. In the ruins, above 
 them and around them, a luxuriant vegetation la- 
 vishes its treasures to adorn the ancient and sacred 
 edifice which so often resounded to the voice of St. 
 Augustine. 
 
 In the year 430, Genseric at the head of his Van- 
 dals, invaded the Christian part of Africa and co- 
 vered it with ruins. St. Augustine died of grief 
 the very same year ; and his remains were deposited 
 in the upper part of the crypt in the church where 
 he had so long officiated. But when the Vandals 
 conquered Hippona, and had taken possession of 
 all the African provinces, the Church of Peace no 
 longer appeared to the faithful a safe asylum for 
 these precious relics. The neighbouring island of 
 Sardinia however offered a friendly refuge to the 
 confessors of the true faith, who were thus driven 
 from their country by the Arians. The African 
 Bishops were unable to avoid the persecution spe- 
 cially directed against the prelates; but the few 
 who escaped, carried off with them the beloved re- 
 mains which the unfortunate Hippona no longer 
 was worthy to possess, and the town of Cagliari in 
 Sardinia received the precious deposit in the basi- 
 
104 
 
 lica of St. Saturnine, where it remained 223 years. 
 
 In 753, Sardinia herself fell into the power of the 
 infidels who had conquered Africa. Less regardful 
 of the sanctity of the relics than their former pos- 
 sessors, they sold them for the price of sixty thou- 
 sand crowns of gold to the pious Luitprand, who 
 wore at Pavia the diadem of the Lombard kings. 
 This monarch built the magnificent basilica of St. 
 Peter, " au ciel d'or," for the reception of the sa- 
 cred shrine : " What ornaments can my church yet 
 require," the pious monarch loved to repeat, " now 
 that this treasure is laid within her vault?" 
 
 The relics of St. Augustine have been, since that 
 period, the object of uninterrupted religious venera- 
 tion. A number of lamps burn day and night near 
 " the Confession" as a symbol of unceasing prayer. 
 
 But the unfortunate Hippona, though restored in 
 our times to a Christian power, has long been de- 
 prived of her spiritual pastors, of the ceremonies of 
 divine service, and of the veneration attached to the 
 sacred places formerly inhabited by the illustrious 
 prelate, and for which the Arabs still manifest the 
 most deferential reverence. Parties of the fero- 
 cious Kabyles have often been observed to descend 
 from their mountains, and assemble every Friday in 
 the ruins of the ancient Basilica for the performance 
 of their religious rites. They consider this place 
 sacred, and unapproachable save to a pure heart. 
 Some of them mount on a part of the wall in the 
 corner of the building, though not without danger 
 and difficulty, and there, on a large slab supposed to 
 have been the tombstone of the holy bishop, they 
 burn incense and offer cocks in sacrifice, as was 
 
105 
 
 plainly proved to us by the feathers recently left 
 there. Others sacrifice a black calf. This cere- 
 mony frequently takes place in these ancient edi- 
 fices, which they regard as sacred. 
 
 When they are questioned on the motives of this 
 belief, they say that the place had formerly been the 
 residence of a great " Roumi," (or Roman, though 
 this name is also applied to the French,) that his 
 history had been written on a stone, which stone had 
 been carried away ; but that " the great Roumi" 
 sometimes returns, dressed in a bournou of dazzling 
 whiteness, to visit the spot once so dear to him. 
 
 The veneration they feel for these sacred places 
 leads them to express it in Arabic characters on 
 the walls. Those of the crypt are covered with 
 sentences, particularly at the spot where they prac- 
 tise their religious ceremonies. 
 
 It has not been the will of God that the memory 
 of the faithful pastor of Hippona should be forgotten 
 on the African shore, which his efforts made so il- 
 lustrious. Thus we perceive that during more than 
 fourteen centuries, the remembrance of his past 
 glory forms part of the wonderful tales of the Arabs, 
 and is even introduced into the superstitious rites 
 of their faith. 
 
 The present Bishop of Algiers, deeply impressed 
 with these remains of the influence formerly exer- 
 cised by St. Augustine, resolved to restore his relics 
 to their first resting place, as the remains of Napo- 
 leon were transferred from St. Helena to the city 
 of Paris. The good prelate spared neither expense 
 nor trouble to succeed in an object which he had 
 the pleasure to see crowned with success. 
 
106 
 
 The removal of the relics of St. Augustine from 
 Pavia to Toulon, and from Toulon to Bona, was a 
 memorable period for the crowds that assembled 
 from all parts of old Provence to be present at the 
 embarkation, and to receive the blessing that the 
 bishops who attended the sacred cortege dispensed 
 to the people, from the altar on which the shrine 
 was placed. 
 
 I borrow the following details from the pen of 
 M. l'Abbe Sybour, now Archbishop of Paris : — 
 
 " Yesterday the 30th of October 1842, at eight 
 o'clock in the morning, by the light of a radiant 
 sun, the ' Gassendi' and i Janaro' had put all their 
 boats out to sea. The rowers, with oars uplifted, 
 and eyes fixed on the chief who commanded them, 
 awaited the signal for departure. We had cast 
 anchor in the harbour of Bona, between the fortress 
 of ' la Cigogne" that protects it, and the mass of 
 rocks which, when seen from a distance, resembles 
 a colossal lion. The sea was as smooth and as 
 clear as crystal, and the landing of the object of our 
 holy and peaceful expedition was effected in the 
 most orderly manner. During this short passage, 
 our little fleet assumed the form of a procession on 
 the waves. It was a delightful * tableau' surrounded, 
 as by a frame, by this strange African coast, which, 
 however, excited thoughts and feelings of the most 
 tender recollection. The aspect of religious pomp 
 which pervaded the whole scene, was as solemn as 
 it was affecting. 
 
 " Our flotilla was composed of twelve boats. In 
 the principal one, attended solely by the Bishop of 
 Algiers, arrayed in his pontifical robes, was the 
 
107 
 
 corpse of St. Augustine, whose shrine of crystal and 
 silver reflected with unusual brilliancy the rays of 
 the African sun. Then followed the six other 
 Bishops, wearing the rochet and mitre, and after them 
 came several boats, with priests in full canonicals. 
 
 " One of these vessels conveyed a company of nuns 
 of the Christian faith, another a band of Hospitaller 
 brethren. From each vessel arose the sound of 
 chanting and psalmody. 
 
 " From all the shore, from all those hills where 
 the African church had so long lain dormant in her 
 winding sheet of sand and verdure, was heard a 
 chorus of joyful voices, exclaiming < Liberty and 
 mercy ! ' By this time we had approached the jetty, 
 which was occupied by a thronging multitude in a 
 variety of costumes. On the quay, a triumphal arch 
 had been raised, bearing this inscription : — 
 
 ' To Augustine, by restored Hippona.' 
 
 " When we arrived at the ' Place d'Armes' the 
 sacred procession stopped, the Bishop of Algiers 
 placed the revered relics on an altar erected for 
 the purpose, and mass was celebrated in view of the 
 numerous population present. 
 
 " The bishops of Bordeaux, Chalons, Marseille, 
 Digne, Valence, and Nevers stood in a semicircle 
 round the Metropolitan. The bishop of Algiers 
 then addressed the multitude that thronged the 
 streets and adjoining houses, and in an animated 
 manner reviewed the principal events of the life of 
 St. Augustine, his death, the long exile of his re- 
 mains, and their glorious return under the protec- 
 tion of the French banner. 
 
108 
 
 "The next day the procession pursued its march 
 towards Bona by the Roman causeway. When they 
 arrived at the ancient bridge, another triumphal 
 arch, raised by the joint exertions of enthusiasm and 
 piety, again arrested their progress. The civil and 
 military authorities of the town awaited them here, 
 and a * Te Deum' was chanted. The voices of 
 this immense crowd, all rising in unison, and the 
 inspiriting sounds of the military music that pre- 
 ceded the cortege, completed the imposing effect of 
 this solemn scene. 
 
 " The procession slowly ascended the hill, where 
 a tomb had temporarily been erected in the shape of 
 an altar. The shrine was then displayed, and mass 
 performed by the Bishop of Algiers, who preached 
 with all the solemnity, eloquence, and poetic fer- 
 vour, that the associations of the spot, the presence 
 of the sacred relics, and the enthusiastic yet reveren- 
 tial devotion of the crowd could not fail to awaken. 
 
 " People of all nations, French, Corsicans, Sar- 
 dinians, Spaniards, Italians and Maltese, all bowed 
 down in humble adoration of the Almighty, and 
 raised to heaven fervent prayers in their various 
 languages. Meanwhile from the summit of the hill 
 on which Hippona is built, the vast sheet of the 
 Mediterranean was discernible, reflecting the clear 
 blue sky of Africa, and bounded on one side by 
 high mountains, which are the natural ramparts of 
 Tunis, and which also protect the soil of ancient 
 Carthage. From the other side of the picture, the 
 cannons of the ' Cashba' resounded at stated inter- 
 vals from the commencement of the ceremony. 
 The military music formed a suitable accompani- 
 
109 
 
 ment to the inauguration of St. Augustine's statue, 
 which was placed on a pedestal of white marble. 
 This statue, executed in bronze, was turned with its 
 face towards France. The expenses of this monu- 
 ment were defrayed by the Bishop of Algiers, the 
 Bishops of France, and some voluntary contributors." 
 
 26th October. 
 
 My dear Caroline. In my anxiety to turn to 
 account every instant of my sojourn in Algeria, I 
 never cease using all my powers of observation, and 
 make no scruple of questioning all those who, from 
 their position or experience, are enabled to give me 
 information. Thus you may rely on the authenti- 
 city of the details I send you ; and the certainty of 
 this makes ample amends to me for the labour of col- 
 lecting them. When the usual means fail in procur- 
 ing me the knowledge I seek, I am obliged to resort 
 to my ingenuity, which has often stood me in good 
 stead, by obtaining admittance for me to the scenes 
 I most desire to witness. I trust that my friendly 
 feeling towards the Arabs, and my genuine admira- 
 tion of the good points in their character, will plead 
 my excuse for sometimes intruding among them, and 
 that my presence, though perhaps unexpected, is not 
 resented by them as one of those indignities, which 
 as a conquered people, they have to endure. 
 
 Yesterday at sunset, three cannon shots from the 
 Cashba announced the eve of the Mussulman festival 
 of " The Sheep." During the day, whole flocks 
 of the magnificent Barbary sheep, so much admired 
 in the " Jardin des Plantes" at Paris, had been 
 driven through the streets of Bona. These were 
 
110 
 
 sold to the Arabs, who seized and carried into the 
 interior of their dwellings the animals that they 
 chose. A sheep per head is the calculation for the 
 usual yearly supply of each family. 
 
 Killing the sheep is one of the annual rejoicings 
 in Africa, as killing the pig at Christmas time is in 
 some of the remote districts of France. 
 
 This morning, at six o'clock, three more cannon 
 shots announced the opening of the fete, and all the 
 Arabs, dressed in their best clothes, took the direc- 
 tion of the cemetery to begin the day with a pious 
 tribute of regret to their deceased friends. The 
 women, carefully enveloped in the " haik" or veil, 
 and their faces muffled up in such a way as to leave 
 nothing but the eyes visible, followed separately, 
 leading their children by the hand. The Arab ce- 
 metery is situated on the side of the hill crowned by 
 the Cashba; the principal tombs are designated 
 solely by small heaps of stones, whitewashed with 
 chalk. Some of these are surmounted by a cupola, 
 whitewashed in the same manner. Several groups 
 of Arabs, arriving from different directions, assem- 
 bled at this point; they all bowed down to the 
 ground, and severally addressed the departed in 
 words of affection and regret. Some brought pro- 
 visions, which they placed at the headpiece of the 
 tomb, in order that the soul of the deceased might 
 substantially partake of the pleasures vouchsafed 
 to his family. 
 
 When this duty was performed, all returned 
 home, to prepare for the business for which this fete 
 was instituted. 
 
 Seated on the terrace of my house, I had resolved 
 
Ill 
 
 to cast a curious glance into the courts of the houses 
 adjoining mine, when I witnessed certainly by far 
 the most unpleasing part of the ceremony. All the 
 members of the family were ranged in a circle round 
 the poor victim, dressed in their holiday attire, and 
 ready to assist in the sacrifice. The head, feet, and 
 tail of the animal were then washed, and before 
 killing it, a large handful of salt was forced down 
 its throat. The four wives of the master of the 
 house, who varied in complexion from the most de- 
 licate fairness to the deepest black ; each surrounded 
 by her respective offspring, busied themselves in 
 preparing, with the help of the servants, the jars 
 used for salting. 
 
 These four wives possess an equal share of 
 authority, although the first is regarded as mistress 
 of the house ; and on this occasion each endeavoured 
 to increase her own extent of power as much as pos- 
 sible, by enforcing her opinion in a tone of voice 
 and an accent of fury, which if heard in our markets, 
 would cause the stoutest of our viragos to quail. 
 However, the hands that were often thrust forward 
 in menacing gestures never actually touched their 
 antagonist, as any attack would have brought down 
 signal vengeance on the offender, the fear of which 
 put a stop to further violence. But the resentment, 
 thus diverted from its natural course, expended itself 
 in frantic self-mutilation, the women tearing their 
 necks and faces in the most frightful manner, and 
 vociferating with the whole strength of their lungs. 
 The parties engaged in these domestic bickerings 
 always shed their own blood, and never that of their 
 rivals. 
 
112 
 
 The question naturally occurs why the husband 
 of these four amazons did not interfere to restore 
 peace among them : he remained in a state of tran- 
 quil indifference, convinced that all was for the best, 
 smoking his pipe and quietly looking on, as if the 
 scene had been performed for his entertainment. 
 
 As soon as the details of the slaughter are com- 
 pleted, mats are laid down in the circular gallery 
 which surrounds the court, the musicians are intro- 
 duced, and a noise and clatter ensue of which no- 
 thing can give an idea but the sound of the engine 
 on board a steam-boat. The measure increases in 
 quickness as the dancers become more and more 
 animated, and when the excitement has attained 
 the highest pitch, all the company, musicians, 
 dancers and spectators, raise their voices in piercing 
 shrieks, as a sign of satisfaction. One of the four 
 wives, a negress, attired in a piece of silk of various 
 colours, yellow, violet, red, and blue, was the first 
 to dance. Her lord and master continued to smoke 
 as phlegmatically as ever, and gazed on, apparently 
 unconscious of what was passing around him, while 
 she danced with all her might, and certainly a con- 
 siderable degree of vigour was required for such 
 violent and protracted exertion. Exhausted at 
 length by the extreme of heat and fatigue, she sank 
 in an almost fainting state into the arms of one of 
 the other women, who charitably exhorted her to 
 take courage and to proceed. This advice she ac- 
 tually followed, till nature, unable to support such 
 excess of zeal, fairly gave way : the dancer fell to 
 the ground, and was carried away motionless, and 
 as stiff and as pale as death. She was laid down 
 
113 
 
 on a mat, while another took her place, and displayed 
 the same zeal and the same activity. When the 
 four wives had each danced separately, they joined 
 together in a sort of " corps de ballet," and executed 
 various figures, accompanying their movements with 
 cries impossible to describe. The musicians and 
 spectators all shared in this kind of delirium, and 
 shook their heads and screamed in time with the 
 music. This barbarous display of grace and har- 
 mony lasted four hours without interruption, and I 
 must confess that it requires African nerves to en- 
 joy it thoroughly. 
 
 When the repast was prepared, the master of the 
 house, who apparently considered himself of a su- 
 perior nature to his gentle helpmates, ate alone. 
 The ladies, each surrounded by her children, seated 
 themselves on mats after the oriental fashion, and 
 partook of " couscouss," also pronounced M cou- 
 scoussou." This is a sort of porridge, made of the 
 flour of Saracen wheat, cooked in steam and sea- 
 soned with butter. It is thick enough for a spoon 
 to stand upright in it, and these are generally stuck 
 round the inside of the vessel or dish in which it is 
 served. The same sweet concord prevailed during 
 the repast as during all the other acts performed in 
 common by the family. I never heard so abomi- 
 nable a din of angry voices. At last the hour of 
 rest arrived ; the mats were removed into the in- 
 terior of the house, and the members of this peace- 
 ful household fell asleep, stretched on the bare 
 ground, where from long habit, they most readily 
 found repose. 
 
 I often see an Arab of noble aspect pass before 
 
114 
 
 my door. He is of lofty stature and walks with 
 great dignity ; his countenance is strikingly hand- 
 some, and his long white beard adds greatly to the 
 venerable expression of his features. His costume 
 is that of a personage of distinction, and he always 
 has a chaplet in his hand, with which he seems en- 
 gaged in constant prayer. All who meet him ad- 
 dress him with the utmost respect, and kiss his 
 shoulder, those that are personally acquainted with 
 him, or rather, those whom he thus chooses to dis- 
 tinguish, kiss his hand. On inquiry I find he is a 
 holy Marabout, who has performed a pilgrimage to 
 Mecca, which accounts for the respect paid to him. 
 His manners are gentle and benevolent, his habits 
 austere and self-denying. When the poor Bedouins 
 of the country perceive him, they humbly approach, 
 touch his garment, and kiss the hand that has been 
 in contact with the sacred vesture. Their venera- 
 tion is increased by this man's reputation for learn- 
 ing, which is by no means ill founded, as the 
 experience of twenty years of French civilization 
 has greatly enlightened his mind. 
 
 It is more difficult to understand the deep respect 
 paid in this country to persons afflicted with in- 
 sanity. One of these unfortunate people lives op- 
 posite me ; but, although he is supposed to be 
 deprived of reason, the expression of his counte- 
 nance is most intelligent, and he has neither the 
 vacant stare of the idiot, nor the wild glance of the 
 madman ; a slight look of abstraction in the expres- 
 sion of the eye is the sole physical indication of the 
 malady he labours under. I once had the courage 
 to examine him, to form a satisfactory idea of his 
 
115 
 
 character. I say courage, for so revolting was this 
 man's want of cleanliness, as to oppose a strong bar 
 to my curiosity. The cynical manner in which he 
 delighted to exhibit his extreme state of misery, 
 might have passed for the result of some vow, had 
 not his reason been as wandering as it appeared. 
 A Moor of the town once gave him a new " bour- 
 nou" and a " gondora," or long calico shirt, the 
 only garments worn by the poorer classes. He was 
 not seen for a long time afterwards, but re -appeared 
 one day in the usual place, having employed the 
 time during his absence in reducing his new clothes 
 to the condition of the former ones. In spite of this 
 excessive loathsomeness, the people treat him with 
 the utmost reverence, even kiss his hand, and the 
 very children follow him in silence, refraining from 
 any sign or any act that might annoy him. A 
 sublime idea is the origin of this superstition : the 
 Arabs believe that the soul of persons thus afflicted 
 has left the body to rejoin the great prophet. For 
 this reason they never contradict them, and give up 
 to them whatever may strike their fancy. 
 
 One day I saw a crowd of people moving in the 
 direction of a neighbouring house ; at the head of 
 these was a young Moor fourteen years old, the son 
 of a public functionary : he bore a blue and yellow 
 banner, surmounted by the Algerian crescent. 
 Some slaves carried dishes full of fritters, couscouss 
 in earthen vessels, fruits, and peeled almonds ; a 
 negress was loaded with the little wax tapers gene- 
 rally used in family rejoicings, and about a dozen 
 musicians followed with their tambourines. 
 
 I was very curious to know the meaning of all 
 
116 
 
 this, and made inquiries of some Marseillese, who 
 had long been residents at Bona. They replied 
 most judiciously, " that it was an Arab ceremony, 
 but as they had nothing to do with it, they had no 
 desire for further information." I could not say so 
 much for myself, as I was always in search of some 
 novelty. I followed the procession, hoping that my 
 good fortune might enable me to discover the object 
 of this solemnity. 
 
 The young Moor, who had perceived me, guessed 
 my intention. When all had entered the house he 
 advanced towards me. 
 
 " Thou wishest to see what we are doing ?" 
 " Yes, Ali." 
 
 " Thou art good and kind, and lovest the Moors. 
 Wait for me." 
 
 He returned after a few minutes : 
 " Come, thou shalt be well received." 
 " Tell me, what is this ceremony ? " 
 " A poor woman is possessed with an evil spirit. 
 They are going to drive it away." 
 
 We entered. An Arab closed the door which 
 had remained half open, and leant against it. The 
 court was full of people. A woman was seated 
 under a gallery, on mats, in the eastern manner, 
 and a beautiful child lay sleeping at her feet. She 
 was surrounded by the vessels of couscouss and 
 dishes of fritters and fruits that I had seen carried 
 in the procession, and to which she appeared to be 
 doing ample justice. A number of tapers, fixed in 
 the centre of the dishes, seemed intended to light 
 the evil spirit in his passage, and to prevent it from 
 mistaking the way. 
 
117 
 
 Then began the usual noise of piercing cries, ac- 
 companied by the sound of tambourines, I was not 
 surprized that such means should be employed to 
 dislodge the spirit from the wretched tenement it 
 had chosen. All the obstinacy which the demon 
 might justly be supposed to possess, could not long 
 resist the distracting clamour raised for its expul- 
 sion. Convinced of the efficaciousness of the re- 
 medy, I made a sign to Ali that I was satisfied with 
 what I had seen, and wished to depart. He desired 
 the door to be opened. The Arab slightly altered 
 his position to enable me to pass, and then closed it 
 behind me, so as to preclude the possibility of any 
 intrusion. 
 
 I also witnessed another superstition, no less cu- 
 rious. Every day, morning and evening, I see a 
 Moor, richly dressed, pass along the street. All his 
 features beam with kindness and serenity, a sword, 
 or rather a long yataghan is slung in his girdle ; all 
 the Arabs salute him with respect, and press for- 
 ward to kiss his hand. 
 
 This man is a chaouch, or executioner ; an office 
 considered so honourable in this country, that the 
 person invested with it is regarded as a special fa- 
 vourite of heaven, entrusted with the care of facili- 
 tating the path of the " true believer" from this 
 lower world to the seventh heaven of Mahomet. 
 Such is the potency of this belief, that in no case is 
 the head of the victim entirely severed from the 
 trunk, that Mahomet may seize the deceased by 
 the tuft of hair that adorns his head, and convey 
 him straight to Paradise. For the same [reason, 
 the Arabs carefully preserve this tuft of hair dur- 
 
118 
 
 ing their lives, and never allow the razor to ap- 
 proach it. 
 
 This " chaouch" is employed in the Arab court 
 of justice, and performs the functions of assistant to 
 the chief of police. The penalty of death has be- 
 come much less frequent since the occupation of 
 the French than it was before the conquest. In the 
 present times, a jury is always summoned to decide 
 the fate of a Mussulman, the court of justice is com- 
 posed of Moors and Frenchmen, and when judg- 
 ment is given, the cadi, who is seated at the left of 
 the president, pronounces either the sentence or the 
 acquittal of the accused. 
 
 I intend shortly to make a tour of observation 
 through the principal towns of Algeria. I shall 
 first go to Guelma and Constantina, and from thence 
 proceed to Algiers. It would be a great satisfac- 
 tion to me to visit the Sahara, but this would be 
 most difficult, besides which that part of Africa is 
 much better known than that which I inhabit. 
 Bona the distant, the uncivilized, presented but few 
 attractions either to the learned philosopher, or the 
 traveller. The interest of all has ever been centred 
 in Algiers ; thither were dispatched the first speci- 
 mens of Parisian commerce, there the first French 
 settlers formed their establishment, and thanks to 
 twenty-one years of civil and military occupation, 
 this chief of Algerian cities has lost much of its 
 primitive character. 
 
 This district is most unfavourable for studying 
 the manners, customs, etc. of the Arab population ; 
 as their pristine simplicity has been amalgamated 
 with, if not superseded by, habits of a quite con- 
 
119 
 
 trary nature. The church at Bona is an ancient 
 mosque ; it belongs to the " cure," who bought it 
 at his own expense. Here I often observe a young 
 Moorish woman, dressed in the French manner, 
 who regularly comes to perform her devotions. An 
 anchor, the emblem of hope, is distinctly tattooed 
 on her forehead. This is her history : — 
 
 SPERANZA MARIA. 
 
 IT was the spring of 1815, and Ascension day. 
 The sun of Africa, brilliant and radiant as 
 usual, shed its purple beams over the Mediterranean, 
 whose waters, gleaming with the reflected rays, bore 
 on their smooth surface a little fleet of boats, in- 
 tended for the coral fishery. The sails were swelled 
 by the gentle breeze, and their dazzling whiteness 
 formed a striking relief to the deep, unbroken azure 
 of the sea and sky. 
 
 These fishing boats cast anchor near the shore of 
 " La Calle," where the best coral is found ; the 
 seamen, dressed in their holiday clothes, landed, 
 and took the direction of a chapel, from whence the 
 sound of a bell summoned the faithful to the vespers 
 of the day. 
 
 Groups of Arabs were assembled on the shore ; 
 and received the new visitors without giving signs 
 of any hostile intention. Two hundred Christians, 
 mostly French, Corsicans, Neapolitans, Sardinians 
 and Maltese, were collected near the little church, 
 which was too small however to contain the whole 
 number. The doors accordingly were opened to 
 
120 
 
 receive as many as could enter, and then, contrary 
 to custom, were suddenly closed. In a few minutes 
 dreadful cries were heard from within the sacred 
 place ; an awful massacre was being perpetrated 
 there, while troops of Kabyles, assembled for the 
 purpose in the vicinity, rushed upon the unfortunate 
 worshippers outside, who were murdered kneeling 
 on the ground, without either time or means to de- 
 fend themselves. 
 
 This plot had been contrived by the Algerians, 
 to revenge themselves for the severe lesson given to 
 them by the European powers, in hopes of putting 
 a stop to the continual acts of piracy that desolated 
 the Mediterranean. 
 
 Of the two hundred victims who fell under the 
 bullets or the yataghans of the Kabyles, the children 
 alone were saved from death, but only for the pur- 
 pose of being reduced to slavery. They were 
 dragged from the scene of this frightful butchery to 
 the slave market, where they were sold, and after- 
 wards dispatched to various parts of the province. 
 One of these, a child of French origin, hardly fifteen 
 years old, wounded and almost motionless, fell to 
 the share of an Arab called Achmet, who took him 
 to his dwelling and gave him all necessary care, 
 treating him as an animal, whose value depends on 
 its preservation. When he was restored to health, 
 all the household labour was allotted to him, to 
 which fate he courageously submitted, and by his 
 good conduct, first obtained better treatment from 
 his master, and afterwards the confidence of the 
 whole family. 
 
 The year following, the fleet commanded by Lord 
 
121 
 
 Exmouth appeared in view of the African coast, 
 coming to avenge the death of the unfortunate men 
 who were massacred during the vespers of Ascension 
 day. All Moors who were proprietors of Christian 
 slaves hastened to take refuge in the interior of the 
 country, Achmet among the rest, attended by his 
 family and slaves, and with camels laden with the 
 most valuable articles in his possession, withdrew 
 to Constantina, where he hoped to remain unmo- 
 lested. 
 
 Lord Exmouth destroyed all the habitations of 
 la Calle, the fortifications of Bona and Algiers, 
 sunk all the Algerian vessels he met with on the 
 expedition, and informed the government of the re- 
 gency that on the first complaint made to him 
 against any of the states of Barbary, he would re- 
 duce the shores of North Africa to the condition of 
 the Sahara, and make them unfit for the habitation 
 of any living creatures, save wild beasts and rep- 
 tiles. The effect of this menace was to repress for 
 a few years any acts of pillage by the tribes of 
 Algeria. 
 
 Achmet, satisfied with his young slave, treated 
 him with kindness. Pietro, (such was his name) 
 was active, industrious, intelligent, and of an excel- 
 lent disposition. He acquired the affection of the 
 whole family, and especially that of a little girl of 
 four years old, who soon became so far acquainted 
 with his language as to understand him, and ask 
 him questions in French, to the great amusement of 
 her parents. 
 
 The love of this child for Pietro, and her inno- 
 cent intervention between him and her parents, 
 
122 
 
 made the fate of the boy less deplorable. He be- 
 came accustomed to it, and though still attached as 
 much as ever to his native country, he bore with 
 cheerful resignation the lot assigned to him by Pro- 
 vidence. 
 
 Three years passed by without any further event. 
 Pietro had attained the age of eighteen — Fatima 
 that of eight. Her father viewed the increasing at- 
 tachment between the two children without displea- 
 sure, and even admitted in his mind the idea of the 
 possibility of their union, could Pietro be converted 
 to the Mussulman faith. He gave this subject se- 
 rious consideration ; and for its attainment resolved 
 to use the charms and gentle persuasions of Fatima. 
 He carefully instructed the child in her part, and 
 having assured her that she was acting for the 
 Christian s best interest, left her free to follow the 
 direction given. 
 
 Constantina is situated on the summit of a high 
 rock, and though this position ensures its safety, it 
 makes a residence in this town most inconvenient, 
 as the Europeans living there now, feel to their 
 cost. The number of edifices erected by the French 
 afford a partial remedy to the many discomforts of 
 the situation, but in 1819 the place more resembled 
 a nest of eagles or vultures, than a town fit for the 
 habitation of human beings. 
 
 Achmet's house was on the ramparts, and below 
 the terrace was a precipice of the depth of 600 
 feet. Fatima used to run about close to its very 
 edge, and laugh at the terror of Pietro, who watched 
 her movements with the greatest anxiety. One 
 day, unable to control his alarm, he detained the 
 
123 
 
 child from her accustomed sport, holding her in his 
 arms, and entreating her not to expose herself to 
 such peril. 
 
 " If I were to fall, Pietro," she said, " shouldst 
 thou be sorry ? " 
 
 " Do not ask me, Fatima. The very thought of 
 losing thee chills my heart. Art not thou my only 
 friend ? " 
 
 " My father loves thee, and if thou wert to be- 
 come a Mussulman, instead of being a slave, thou 
 wouldst be his son." 
 
 " Thy father is a kind master to me, dear Fati- 
 ma, but the God of the Christians is the only true 
 God. I cannot and will not forswear his worship, 
 even to become thy brother." 
 
 " But if my father were to force thee, Pietro, he 
 would make thee happy in spite of thyself." 
 
 " He could not do it, Fatima, for I should re- 
 main firm in my belief, and would rather suffer 
 martyrdom for the sake of my religion than enjoy 
 all the pleasures of life by adopting a false one. 
 
 " What is martyrdom, Pietro ?" 
 
 " Suffering torture and death rather than abjure 
 one's faith. The first martyr was the Saviour of the 
 world, who laid down his life for us, and purchased 
 our salvation with his sufferings on the cross." 
 
 Then, in reply to Fatima's questions, Pietro re- 
 lated to her the history of the Passion of our Lord. 
 
 " Has Jesus Christ done that, Pietro?" said the 
 child, clapping her little hands with admiration. 
 " Did He die on the cross for the sins of wicked 
 men? O Pietro, how good thy God is, and how 
 the Christians ought to love him. Thou art right 
 
124 
 
 to remain faithful to him, and I shall never again 
 ask thee to forsake thy religion." 
 
 Fatima returned home in a thoughtful mood, and 
 repeated to her father her conversation with Pietro. 
 Far from being discouraged with the ill success of 
 his project, Achmet hoped to obtain a better result 
 when his daughter should be old enough to be 
 married. 
 
 Fatima, at the age of thirteen, was in the full 
 splendour of her beauty ; which is much earlier de- 
 veloped in the East than in jEurope. Pietro re- 
 ceived the offer of her hand from her father, on 
 condition that he should become a convert to Islam. 
 He burst into tears at the prospect of a degree of 
 bliss which he had indeed contemplated as possible, 
 but refused the terms. All prayers, all threats 
 were useless — he remained unshaken in his pur- 
 pose. One night, his master had a suit of clothes, 
 such as are worn by Mahometans, put in the place 
 of those Pietro generally wore, hoping that by ap- 
 pearing in them, he would give a tacit consent to 
 the agreement. Pietro tore them, and trampled 
 under foot the turban, or symbol of the Mahometan 
 faith. 
 
 The case now assumed a serious aspect. Achmet 
 brought his slave before the cadi, who condemned 
 him to be bastinadoed. 
 
 On learning Pietro's sentence, Fatima gave her- 
 self up to violent despair. She accused herself as 
 the cause of the fanaticism of her family, and of the 
 persecution that had befallen her friend. The even- 
 ing before the sentence was to be executed, Achmet 
 was seated on the terrace before his house, and was 
 
125 
 
 meditating sadly on the fate of his favourite slave. 
 He regretted having acted so harshly towards him, 
 but saw no means of preventing the course of jus- 
 tice. Absorbed in these painful thoughts, he was 
 not aware of the presence of his daughter, till, look- 
 ing up, he saw her before him, pale and trembling. 
 
 " Father/' she said, " he whom you deemed 
 worthy to receive my hand, is to suffer the punish- 
 ment of a malefactor for remaining faithful to his 
 religion. What power must that religion have, 
 that Pietro should prefer it to me ! I will not for- 
 sake him who is going to be a martyr to his fidelity, 
 for Pietro will die under this torture. Rather than 
 be separated from him, I will follow him into the 
 paradise of the Christians. If you leave him to die, 
 I will abjure the creed of my childhood and throw 
 myself down this precipice, to seek the death from 
 which he has so often preserved me." 
 
 Achmet tried to console his daughter, but in 
 vain. Terrified lest some catastrophe should occur, 
 but not venturing to make her any promise, he 
 went to the mufti, the chief of the Mahometan 
 priesthood, and disclosed the facts to him. The 
 cadi was summoned, for the importance of the affair 
 gave weighty matter for consideration. 
 
 The torture of a Christian might produce a sen- 
 sation even as far as Europe. The visit of Lord 
 Exmouth had left too recent an impression to make 
 it safe again to call down the vengeance of the 
 Christian powers. In this case, a virtue was made 
 of necessity, and Pietro was released. 
 
 On his return to the house of Achmet, he was 
 united to Fatima. He was allowed the free exer- 
 
126 
 
 cise of his religion, these being the only terms sti- 
 pulated by him ; but in return for this he was bound 
 by the most solemn oaths to use no influence with 
 his young wife to turn her from the faith in which 
 she had been brought up. Pietro made the pro- 
 mise, and kept it faithfully. 
 
 This marriage was most happy. Fatima, ever 
 gentle and submissive, endeavoured to make amends 
 to her husband for all his sufferings by showing him 
 the most devoted affection. Pietro openly per- 
 formed his religious duties, even in the presence of 
 his young wife, who listened to the Christian prayers 
 with respectful attention, but refrained from giving 
 any sign that might betray her feelings. Faithful 
 to his word, Pietro did nothing, but also avoided 
 nothing that might raise in the heart of Fatima a 
 wish contrary to those of her parents ; a mutual in- 
 dependence subsisted between them, thus securing 
 the tranquillity of both. 
 
 In the course of a year their happiness was com- 
 pleted by the birth of a daughter. Pietro was the 
 first to receive the child in his arms. The simoom 
 was blowing furiously, and the young mother, lying 
 near a door opening into the circular gallery which 
 is always built round the court of an Arab house, 
 sought what slight relief could be obtained in 
 breathing the outward air. Her eyes followed 
 every movement of the happy father, with a glance 
 that told of inexpressible pleasure. He, loading 
 the child with caresses, carried it out of doors, and 
 approaching Fatima, asked her what name she 
 wished it to bear. " Speranza" she replied. Pietro 
 took a few more turns in the gallery, then, when he 
 
127 
 
 found himself alone, Fatima saw him approach the 
 fountain, take some water, and kneeling down, 
 sprinkle it over the child, saying : " Speranza, I 
 baptize thee in the name of the Father, Son, and 
 Holy Ghost." Fatima closed her eyes and crossed 
 her hands over her breast ; her husband looked at 
 her and thought she was asleep. 
 
 The child Speranza grew in stature and beauty, 
 and was the idol of the whole house. But the 
 young mother, whose constitution was weak and 
 delicate, was unfortunately attacked with consump- 
 tion, which soon became hopeless for want of en- 
 lightened assistance. 
 
 One day, Pietro found her busily engaged in 
 tattooing the figure of an anchor on her daughter's 
 forehead, which she endeavoured to make as clear 
 as ineffaceable. Displeased at first, but soothed by 
 the mild expression of her countenance, he inquired 
 the reason of this singular proceeding. " There is 
 nothing pagan in this practice," replied his gentle 
 wife. " It is the symbol of ' Speranza.' As my 
 child will most likely survive her mother, this sign 
 upon her forehead will remind her that she is a 
 Christian." 
 
 Pietro appeared surprised. " Is this a cause of 
 regret to thee, dearest Fatima ? " His young wife 
 smiled, and crossing her hands on her breast as she 
 had done during the baptism of her daughter, she 
 closed her eyes, then opened them to cast a look of 
 affection on her husband, and raised them to heaven 
 with an expression of ineffable peace and serenity. 
 
 "Fatima, dearest Fatima!" exclaimed Pietro, 
 " thou knowest how I am bound by my oath, I dare 
 
128 
 
 not ask thee a single question ; and yet — I think I 
 understand" — Fatima placed her finger on her lips, 
 and shewed Pietro an old slave who was watching 
 them. 
 
 A few days afterwards, Pietro missed a small 
 crucifix, that he had been accustomed to wear in 
 his childhood ; all enquiry, all search was fruitless, 
 the crucifix could not be found. 
 
 From this time Fatima' s health rapidly declined, 
 and it soon was evident that her last hour was not 
 far distant. Aware of the approach of death, she 
 bid a tender farewell to her father and family, and 
 begged to be left alone with her husband and child. 
 
 Pietro, kneeling beside his dying wife, tried with 
 difficulty to gather her words, which excessive 
 weakness rendered almost unintelligible : Speranza, 
 now eight years old, hid her face in her mother's 
 lap, to conceal the tears that flowed in torrents. 
 Fatima made a sign to request silence, then seizing 
 Pietro's hand, she placed it on her bosom. He 
 trembled with emotion on feeling his own crucifix, 
 the sign of redemption, laid on that heart, which he 
 had believed attached to a religion of error. 
 
 " I am a Christian, Pietro, " she said, " for no- 
 thing can withstand the divine will, and yet thou hast 
 faithfully kept the oath thou madest to my family. 
 I believe in thy God, and since thou hast told me 
 of the sufferings of Jesus Christ, I felt how I loved 
 that God of mercy who sacrificed himself to redeem 
 mankind from eternal condemnation. This is what 
 thou callest Grace, is it not ? The Holy Scriptures 
 have taught me this, since, thanks to thee, I have 
 been able to read. We shall meet in heaven, 
 
129 
 
 dearest Pietro, where we shall no more be sepa- 
 rated ; our child will follow us thither. Listen to 
 me, my beloved ones, listen to me, for I feel death 
 approach ; I have but few minutes to remain with 
 you. — Flee, Pietro, flee this very night with thy 
 daughter. To morrow thou wouldst have no power 
 over her. Go to Bona, bring up thy child as a 
 Christian, and let her heart be formed after the 
 model of thine." The young woman then drew her 
 child towards her, and blessed her with a fervent 
 prayer. " Speranza, thou hast borne from thy 
 childhood the sign of one of the three Christian 
 virtues. I have myself engraved it on thy fore- 
 head, as an authentic manifestation of my new be- 
 lief .... and to leave on thee .... the ineffaceable 
 mark .... of a religion .... in which, like thy 
 father .... thou shouldst live and die Fare- 
 well, Pietro. — Farewell, my Speranza. — Depart 
 speedily — this very night — make no delay — wait 
 not to see what will take place to-morrow .... at 
 my funeral." Fatima then laid her head on her 
 husband's shoulder, and expired, after softly mur- 
 muring " O God, receive my soul ! — defend Pietro 
 and my child ! " 
 
 At Bona in the " Rue des Pyramides," is a lone 
 and narrow building, formerly used as a mosque, 
 but now as a place of worship for the christian po- 
 pulation of the town. Too small to contain the 
 number of those who seek to enter its precincts, it 
 affords accommodation only to the first comers ; the 
 others stay without, and listen eagerly, to gather as 
 much of the divine service as circumstances will 
 permit. 
 
130 
 
 Every morning when the bell summons the faith- 
 ful to the first mass, a young girl is seen to enter 
 the sacred place. Her age is about twenty, she is 
 dressed in the European fashion, and bears on her 
 forehead the mark of an anchor. She is always 
 accompanied by a man, who though still young, 
 shows by an appearance of premature age, the 
 effects of this dreadful climate. My readers have 
 doubtless recognized Speranza and her father in 
 these two pious worshippers, who, kneeling on the 
 stone floor, before the altar, openly join in the ser- 
 vice of that religion which Pietro had so long been 
 obliged to observe alone and in secret. 
 
 According to the last wishes of his beloved Fati- 
 ma, Pietro tore himself away from her death-bed, 
 took the child, and left Constantina that same night. 
 They went to Bona, where Speranza was consigned 
 to the care of the nuns of that town, who completed 
 her religious education. Their worthy Superior 
 and the " cure " of Bona were her sponsors at the 
 baptismal rites, (the slight ceremony performed by 
 her father at her birth being deemed insufficient) 
 when she received the names of " Speranza Maria." 
 
 No attention has been spared to improve the 
 rare talents that she received from nature. She is 
 not only a well-informed, humble, and pious girl, 
 but a model of gentleness, virtue, and beauty. 
 
 A beautiful church was commenced three or four 
 years ago, on the outskirts of Bona, near the 
 " Porte Damremont." The want of funds, the 
 great obstacle to all undertakings of this nature, 
 prevents its further progress. The wits of the 
 
131 
 
 town compare the building of this edifice to that of 
 the triumphal arch at Paris, near the " Barriere 
 de l'Etoile." It would be unfortunate were the 
 same result to take place in both cases. 
 
 Whilst attending mass on Assumption-day, I 
 heard the " Salve Regina" sung to the air of "God 
 save the Queen." I tried to comprehend the cause 
 of this singular novelty, and was not long in disco- 
 vering it. 
 
 Of all the European population at Bona, the 
 Maltese form by far the largest majority. They 
 are the most assiduous in their devotions, and the 
 most liberal in their offerings of all the Roman Ca- 
 tholics. It was therefore quite natural that they 
 should pray, and have prayers said for the Queen 
 of England, their respected sovereign ; but as the 
 subjects of other nations, scattered on this soil of 
 Algeria do not share in this feeling, and have never 
 heard the air of " God save the Queen," the con- 
 sequence is, that with hearty good will, but in com- 
 plete ignorance of the trick played upon them, they 
 repeat in chorus the " Salve Regina" for the pros- 
 perity of Queen Victoria." There is no great 
 harm in this, so I was careful not to reveal my 
 discovery, which would have raised violent feelings 
 of indignation among the Marseillese and the Tou- 
 lonnese, who are the most obstinate of all casuists, 
 and the most irascible and turbulent members of 
 all the christian world here present. 
 
 I am preparing for our excursion, which will be 
 rather fatiguing. We shall go in the first place 
 to Guelma, which journey will be performed on the 
 backs of mules led by Arabs, who alone are per- 
 
132 
 
 fectly acquainted with the roads, and may be 
 treated with perfect confidence. I long for the 
 moment when I shall see Algiers, the city of the 
 Deys, or rather of the Corsairs ; but as my object 
 is to see and observe what is new, I shall not pay 
 much attention to what is so well known already. 
 
 I am going to leave Bona, the white city, a name 
 which equally applies to all the towns on the coast. 
 In all, I am told, are to be seen the same square 
 houses, with one large, heavy door at the entrance, 
 in which a small grating is made to recognize the 
 visitor. There are no windows opening to the 
 front of the houses, where the only ventilation is 
 afforded by a few small holes in the wall, like those 
 of our pigeon cotes. The houses are whitewashed 
 all over with chalk, which gives them a dazzling 
 appearance, most painful to the eyes. Within the 
 walls is a square court, in the midst of which is a 
 fountain. A circular gallery, supported by stone 
 or marble pillars, protects the apartments on the 
 ground floor from the sun. A flight of steps leads 
 to a second gallery, on which are situated the 
 rooms of the master of the house and those inha- 
 bited by his wives. The walls of these are also 
 whitewashed, or ornamented with squares of white 
 porcelain, and the ground within the court is co- 
 vered day and night with carpets, the value of which 
 varies according to the fortune of the proprietor. In 
 the principal houses there are two courts, one orna- 
 mented with a springing fountain, vases of flowers, 
 and cases containing orange trees, mimosas, &c. 
 The second, or inferior court is devoted to house- 
 hold purposes. In the houses of the poor the en- 
 
133 
 
 trances to the interior are covered with curtains of 
 printed cotton ; in those of the rich, with velvet, 
 damask, or fine tapestry. 
 
 The principal quarter of the Arabs is situated in 
 what is called the High Town at Bona. Several 
 Moors lodge together in a low, narrow room, fur- 
 nished all round with strong wooden shelves, sup- 
 ported by cramp irons. These shelves are sometimes 
 placed in two rows along the walls, one above the 
 other, and are covered with mats. They are no- 
 thing less than the beds of the Arabs, where they 
 retire to spend the night, or take shelter from the 
 rain. Except for these two reasons, they are hardly 
 ever under cover, but spend their whole time out of 
 doors, occasionally smoking a pipe in one of the 
 numerous coffee houses. They do not lead this life 
 from distress ; but many of them are bachelors, 
 who either have no house of their own, or wish to 
 have none. 
 
 I have just received an invitation that I have ac- 
 cepted with great delight. I have often met with 
 Karesi, the ca'id, or chief of all the Bedouins of the 
 district : he once told me it was a pity I did not 
 understand Arabic, as the ladies of his tribe would 
 have had great pleasure in seeing me. I am en- 
 gaged to accompany the wife of an officer, who is 
 perfectly well acquainted with the language, and 
 willing to act as my interpreter. In answer to a 
 civil note I received from this lady, to ask me to 
 settle the time for our expedition, I fixed on to-day. 
 
 I have just returned from my visit to Karesi, 
 whose own residence is generally on the sands near 
 the sea, with his tribe, which is called that of the 
 
134 
 
 Beni-Urgin; but his family live at Bona, and he 
 comes to see them twice a week. When we arrived 
 at his tent, he had just alighted from horseback, 
 and we were able to examine the beautiful animal he 
 had ridden. The high backed saddle and saddlecloth 
 were richly embroidered with gold and silver, and 
 the broad silver stirrups were of the shape of a slip- 
 per. Karesi's own costume was the usual white 
 bournou, over which was a brown one, made of 
 very fine cloth, and ornamented with gold. He 
 wore the high turban of the Bedouins, surrounded 
 with several cords of camel's hair. His counte- 
 nance is gentle and pleasing, but not dignified. As 
 we were expected, the tapestry before the doorway 
 was raised, and the ladies were surveying us, as we 
 were surveying the horse. We interchanged salu- 
 tations, after which we were introduced into the 
 best room. This was high and vaulted, longer than 
 it was broad, and whitewashed in the usual manner. 
 In it was a bed of walnut wood, made after the 
 French fashion, and piled up with twenty or thirty 
 mattresses and cushions, which were spread out at 
 night to form beds for the family. 
 
 Chairs were brought for us, and shortly afterwards 
 a small table, or stand, on which was placed a large 
 dish of " couscouss." Round this enormous vessel, 
 which was worthy of one of the feasts described by 
 Homer, were quarters of chicken, and pieces of 
 mutton and wild boar, all roasted in the flame, and 
 very much smoked. The dish was completed by 
 hard boiled eggs, cut in slices. We sat down on a 
 magnificent lion's skin, in the oriental manner, and 
 silver spoons, and a circular piece of cloth, intended 
 
135 
 
 to serve as napkins, were presented to us. We 
 dined alone, as a law of the Koran forbids Maho- 
 metans to partake the fare of a Christian, but the 
 ladies of the tribe, attended by their offspring, were 
 present all the time. When the first course was 
 finished, curdled milk and excellent butter were 
 served up, with dates, plums (the latter rather sour), 
 and water as clear as crystal, in glass vessels. 
 
 The Ca'id remained a few minutes with us ; then 
 his pipe was brought, and he went out to smoke. 
 When the repast was finished, the table was carried 
 away, and the ladies took their tambourines and 
 began to sing. 
 
 This concert I need not describe, having already 
 given you a sufficient idea of Arab music. They 
 next proceeded to dance, beginning by moving to a 
 slow measure, holding a silk scarf in their hands ; 
 on the music changing to a lively air, they became 
 more animated, and waved the scarfs above their 
 heads. The movements of this dance increase in 
 rapidity till the performers fall down, exhausted 
 with fatigue. The three wives of Karesi were 
 among the company ; the first seemed superior to 
 the others, and had a distinguished appearance. 
 She did not dance. These ladies were dressed in 
 a sort of gold and silk brocade, intermixed with 
 red, yellow, and green. Their head dress was 
 composed of a piece of white muslin, wound several 
 times round the head and chin, and fastened on the 
 forehead with chains of gold and precious stones. 
 Their arms were bare from the shoulder, as were 
 their legs and feet, but curiously tattooed and orna- 
 mented with gold and silver bracelets. On the 
 
136 
 
 whole I was disappointed with the specimens I saw 
 of African beauty. With the exception of a few 
 young girls, all appeared utterly devoid of the attrac- 
 tions that descriptions had led me to suppose they 
 possessed. 
 
 Coffee was served to us in golden cups. It was 
 not ground, as in Europe, but pounded in a mortar, 
 boiled, poured out before it has time to settle, and 
 drunk without sugar. They treat with scorn the 
 idea of filtering it, and declare that we have no no- 
 tion of making coffee. 
 
 We were seated on cushions in the upper gallery, 
 for the heat was suffocating. During the dance, I 
 had observed a large and strong cage, hung up in a 
 corner. In the plenitude of my sagacity, I supposed 
 that it was intended for some wild beast, knowing 
 that Karesi kept several both at home and among 
 his tribe ; fortunately I had the good sense to keep 
 my conjectures to myself. Unable at last to restrain 
 my curiosity, I inquired the use of this cage, and 
 Karesi's first wife answered that it was used as her 
 carriage when her husband brought her to the en- 
 campment. On these occasions, she seated herself 
 in this machine, which was then covered over with 
 a piece of tent cloth, and slung between two mules. 
 Thus she was conveyed unseen to the tent of her 
 lord and master. 
 
 We counted seventeen children, varying from the 
 age of infancy to that of nine or ten. We were 
 told that Karesi had twenty-nine children, but that 
 the rest were absent. The complexion of some was 
 as black as ebony, that of others of the most delicate 
 fairness. The number of wives allowed to Maho- 
 metans accounts for this difference. 
 
137 
 
 The only furniture in the rooms were some gilded 
 chests, painted in beautiful arabesque. These con- 
 tained the clothes of the family. Magnificent furs, 
 made of the skins of lions, tigers, panthers, &c. lay 
 scattered all over the floor, on which the little chil- 
 dren were rolling about. In the wall were small 
 niches, covered over with gauze curtains. In these 
 were placed censers for burning incense. 
 
 I must not forget to mention that Bona is more 
 backward in civilization than any other town occu- 
 pied by the French in this country. It is the farthest 
 from the shore, and its finest habitations, like that 
 of Karesi, offer a strange mixture of modern luxury 
 and ancient barbarism. 
 
 Setting aside all the superstition of their worship, 
 there is more true religion among the Arabs than 
 even among the Moors. I do not speak of the 
 ostentatious performance of those who go about the 
 streets telling their chaplet. In these demonstra- 
 tions there may be more or less sincerity ; but I have 
 often seen Arabs kneeling down and praying to 
 God in places where it was most unlikely for their 
 devotions to be witnessed ; in the desert, on the 
 seashore, in churchyards, &c. Nothing disturbs 
 them while they are thus engaged ; wholly absorbed 
 in their pious meditation, nothing can divert their 
 attention from it. The indiscreet curiosity of some 
 of our countrymen, who were rude enough to mock 
 at them, sometimes forced them to remove from the 
 spot they had chosen, which they did without giving 
 a sign of indignation or discontent. 
 
 On the occasion of the " Fete Dieu " all Bona is 
 in motion : the Maltese, more devout in their pro- 
 fession than other Europeans, and rich and zea- 
 
138 
 
 lous enough to be generous in their offerings, go to 
 great expense to render the procession as imposing 
 as possible by the pomp of the ceremony and the 
 splendour of the temporary altars. All the young 
 girls are dressed in white, covered with long veils, 
 and crowned with roses ; they precede the host, and 
 walk in two lines, in the midst of which is borne a 
 white banner. They strew the ground with flowers, 
 singing hymns. Boys of all the nations of Catholic 
 Europe follow in their train, dressed in their best 
 clothes, and holding a wax taper adorned with 
 flowers, which tapers are used in the church after the 
 ceremony. Then comes the canopy, which is car- 
 ried over the clergyman bearing the host ; and the 
 principal personages of the town, followed by the 
 whole population, close the procession. 
 
 I carefully examined the countenance of the Arabs 
 who came in crowds to see the cortege pass ; I even 
 used a spying glass, to have a better view of the 
 expression of their features, and observed that, with- 
 out exception, all evidenced deep respect ; and when 
 the priest ascended the steps of the altar, and the 
 harmony of the military music was blended with the 
 chaunting of the choir, all united in one act of ado- 
 ration, in which, doubtless, there were many points 
 of reserve : but the general intention seemed to be 
 to raise their hearts to God, independent of the laws 
 imposed by the differences of form in religious be- 
 lief. 
 
 I wish I could say as much for the conduct of our 
 countrymen towards them. Always sarcastic, always 
 frivolous, finding fault with all customs which are 
 not theirs, and regardless even of the weight of cir- 
 
139 
 
 cumstances, they lavish their silly jokes on all that 
 they do not, or will not understand, thus insulting 
 the most sacred feelings of the Arabs. This frivolity 
 and thoughtlessness has injured the French in the 
 opinion of the Algerian population more even than the 
 oppressive tyranny of the underlings in authority. 
 
 It is true that the government scrupulously per- 
 forms its promise of granting protection to each 
 individual professing the Mussulman creed. In a 
 court of justice, a Mahometan can be indemnified 
 for any insult or deceit practised upon him by a 
 Frenchman or other European ; but I often see the 
 poor Arabs who come to draw water from the well 
 opposite my window, brutally treated by those of 
 our nation, who often kick the pitcher of the poor 
 Mussulman to pieces, strike him, and push him 
 away, that they may get the water before their turn. 
 Sometimes the Arab calls for assistance, then the 
 police come and inquire into the case. But this is 
 of little benefit to the injured party, as twenty false 
 witnesses rise against him, and the cause of the 
 unfortunate generally proving the weakest, he is 
 obliged to leave the place without obtaining redress. 
 
 The want of proper persons to form a solid admi- 
 nistration has caused many individuals to be chosen 
 who had all to gain and nothing to lose. It is not 
 yet forgotten in this country that a seller of tickets 
 at the theatre of the Porte St. Martin at Paris was 
 appointed judge, with an extensive salary. The 
 other magistrates were, a former customhouse officer 
 and two merchants, who, after signally failing in 
 managing their own affairs, were called to the im- 
 portant office of judging those of others. 
 
140 
 
 Numerous as are the opportunities afforded by 
 this country, it is impossible to obtain a perfect 
 knowledge of all the varieties of Arabian life, as 
 what is peculiar to one tribe cannot be applied 
 equally to all, so many are the points of difference 
 among this people, though they preserve their re- 
 spective customs with the most scrupulous care. 
 
 The sons of the desert in the vicinity of Bona 
 have remained unchanged in their habits, leading 
 the same wandering life as their forefathers did be- 
 fore them ; while the tribes that inhabit the base of 
 the E dough and the neighbouring mountains have 
 made a considerable step towards civilization, though 
 they too faithfully adhere to their national manners 
 and customs. 
 
 One of my French friends, whose employment 
 gives him considerable authority over the Arabs in 
 the surrounding district, had so far gained their 
 affections by his gentle demeanour and the justice 
 with which he exercises his functions, that the Arabs 
 of a neighbouring tribe pressed him to pay them a 
 visit with his wife and children. I was included in 
 the invitation, and the ensuing Sunday was fixed 
 upon for our expedition. 
 
 At the time appointed, the tribe sent us some 
 mules and asses, each led by a guide, dressed in the 
 picturesque bournou. Handsome carpets were laid 
 folded on the backs of our steeds, on to which the 
 women and children were carefully lifted. We then 
 began our march, crossing the charming valley which 
 extends from the foot of the colossal Edough to 
 the sea. 
 
 We ascended the mountain, and as no care was 
 
141 
 
 required to guide our mules, which were led by our 
 attendants, we were able to contemplate at leisure 
 the wild scene before us, in which nature seemed to 
 have remained unchanged since the first days of 
 creation. The barren summit of the Edough was 
 concealed by white clouds, and though vegetation 
 was in full vigour at this season of the year, the 
 only shrubs to be seen were the dwarf palm tree, 
 the Barbary fig or African cactus, with its large 
 thorny leaves, the sharp-pointed aloe, the myrtle, 
 and rose-laurel. Occasionally, we saw a stork cross 
 the plain before us, holding in its beak a reptile or a 
 fish from the Seybouse, that it was carrying home 
 to its young. Then, taking wing, these birds alighted 
 on the terraces of Bona, whose walls almost enclose 
 the blue waters of the bay. In the distance, we 
 perceived the tents of the tribe of the Beni-Urgins, 
 which twenty years ago was composed of the fiercest 
 pirates of the African coast, but now has become a 
 faithful and submissive ally, and supplies with pro- 
 visions the town from which it receives protection. 
 
 The caravanserai is situated not far from the 
 " Porte Constantine," and the great fortress of the 
 Cashba on a high table-land, from whence its cannons 
 are pointed in all directions leading to the town. 
 At the foot of this citadel is the aqueduct, which 
 supplies water to 12,000 inhabitants. It was re- 
 paired a few years ago by the French, and is one 
 of the many traces of Roman dominion in ancient 
 Numidia. 
 
 Near the aqueduct is the botanical garden, and 
 further on, as a last farewell to life and activity, a 
 space enclosed by walls. This is the public cemetery, 
 
142 
 
 where are laid the bodies of many of our poor coun- 
 trymen, who had come to this ungenial clime in 
 hopes of improving their fortunes among the chances 
 of colonization. In spite of all the care lavished on 
 them at the hospital at Bona, they all died of the 
 African fever. 
 
 We advanced but slowly, for there was no road 
 in this part of the mountain, and soon perceived, 
 situated on a small eminence, a few miserable huts 
 built of clay and covered with reeds. This was the 
 end of our expedition. On seeing us arrive, the 
 women and children ran out to meet us, and gave 
 us a hearty welcome. 
 
 Madame A approached me, and expressed 
 
 her fears lest our pleasure should be disturbed by 
 the various insects of an offensive nature which we 
 might expect to find in the abodes of our new ac- 
 quaintances. 
 
 " Never mind," I replied, " in this good land of 
 Africa we must submit to these secondary evils, that 
 novelty may lose none of its charm." 
 
 We then alighted, and shook hands with our en- 
 tertainers after the English fashion. They expressed 
 great pleasure at seeing us, which was a sure proof 
 of the sincerity of their affection, and, according to 
 their custom, they raised the hand which had touched 
 ours to their lips, and kissed it : a simple and modest 
 token of respect. 
 
 The eldest of the tribe received us in his tent, 
 and, miserable as was the abode itself, handsome 
 carpets of bright colours were spread out for our re- 
 ception. The walls and ceiling were plastered over 
 with mortar and whitewashed ; indeed every thing 
 
143 
 
 seemed in admirable order. A table had been set 
 out, though these articles of furniture are never used 
 among the Arabs, and was covered with a white 
 linen cloth. Several large chests were placed round 
 the table, and were also covered with white linen. 
 The smoking " couscouss" was then brought, and 
 round the dish were spoons of box wood, the elegant 
 forms of which reminded us of the Roman spoons 
 preserved in our museums. Then followed roast 
 chickens, rather smoked it is true, hard boiled eggs, 
 dried and fresh fruits (apricots and plums being in 
 season), nuts, almonds, milk, lemonade, and freshly 
 made butter. 
 
 We dined alone, in spite of our solicitations to the 
 contrary, as their law prohibits them from sharing 
 the repast of a Christian. We respected their scru- 
 ples, but kept up a lively conversation all dinner 
 time, which was by no means difficult, our hosts be- 
 ing able to speak a little French. 
 
 When the repast was finished, all was quickly 
 cleared away by the women and children, and coffee 
 was served in elegant little china cups, of an antique 
 form, without handles. The cups were placed one 
 within another, instead of in saucers. 
 
 We then went to visit some of the other huts. 
 In each a collation had been prepared for us, and 
 was preserved from the dust and the flies by a gauze 
 covering. We were obliged to take a slight share 
 of each banquet, for to abstain altogether would 
 have been a serious offence. All the women were 
 more or less handsome ; they never speak to any 
 man, except their husband, father, or brothers. The 
 husbands are also obliged never to address any 
 
144 
 
 woman except their wife, mother, or sisters ; but I 
 believe that this law is not unfrequently violated. A 
 young girl of twelve years old particularly attracted 
 my attention ; she was thin and angular, but gave 
 promise of remarkable beauty. She was married, 
 but was not to join her husband for four months. 
 Poor child ! she will be a mother before she is 
 fifteen, and old at twenty-five. 
 
 A few days before, a birth had taken place in the 
 family, and I expressed my regret at not having 
 seen the fete. I was told, " There was none, for it 
 was not a child." We looked at each other in great 
 astonishment, wondering what was meant, when our 
 hosts explained to us that the new-born infant was 
 a girl, and that family rejoicings are only made on 
 the birth of a boy. The nullity of women among 
 this people renders their entrance into the world a 
 matter of very small importance : they are not even 
 considered as children. 
 
 I examined the texture of a bournou, and found 
 the wool remarkably fine and white. On my in- 
 quiring into the process of this manufacture, one of 
 the women brought a vessel of polished earthen- 
 ware, which she placed on the ground. She then 
 seated herself, and took from the vessel two cards, 
 precisely similar to those which are used in Europe 
 for combing wool. After showing us some wool of 
 the most perfect whiteness, which had been washed 
 in spring water without soap, she took a bobbin, or 
 winder, and a distaff covered with the fleecy mate- 
 rial. That which was placed between the cards be- 
 came as fine as cotton : the woman drew it out very 
 carefully, and twisted it most dexterously with one 
 
145 
 
 hand, while with the other she rapidly turned the 
 bobhin, which was soon covered with fine white 
 wool ready for weaving. A coarser thread was 
 made by means of the distaff, which is of the same 
 shape as the spindle used in the provincial districts 
 of France. A number of these bobbins, covered 
 with the two kinds of thread, are fastened on a beam 
 of proper length, fixed to the ceiling, and the women, 
 gathering the threads together, weave them with 
 their fingers with the most astonishing rapidity. 
 In the space of fifteen or eighteen days, they can 
 make a bournou of a single piece, more than six 
 yards in width, and of corresponding length. 
 
 The Arabs, who detest all innovation, have care- 
 fully preserved the biblical costume which we see 
 represented by the celebrated Italian painters. No- 
 thing has been changed. Though this people has 
 passed under the jurisdiction of many rulers, it 
 has adopted neither the tunic of the Roman nor 
 the garb of the Vandal. On the contrary, it was 
 the Arab who imposed his dress on the descendants 
 of Saladin, who, when they became Ottoman sol- 
 diers, altered the simplicity of their primitive cos- 
 tume. 
 
 The Arab of Bona, the part of Algeria most 
 backward in modern civilization, unprovided with 
 the many advantages enjoyed by Algiers, the town 
 of the Deys, the capital of the new conquest, is still 
 the living figure in the scenes of the sacred writings. 
 That venerable old man, the Sheik of his tribe, 
 sitting majestically in his tent, giving orders to his 
 nomadic followers, is Abraham, the noble patriarch, 
 whose history, independent of its higher sources of 
 
 L 
 
146 
 
 interest, gives the finest description of the half wan- 
 dering, half warlike mode of life pursued even to 
 this day by the valiant chiefs of the desert. That 
 young girl with bare legs, and skin tinged by the 
 sun, drawing water from the well and placing the 
 full vessel on her shoulder, is Rachel, going to pre- 
 sent to Jacob the amphora from which to quench 
 his thirst. The shape of the vessel, and the elegance 
 of the costume, have remained unaltered since the 
 times of the Israelitish ancestors of this singular 
 people, whose domestic customs have varied as little 
 as their dress. This chiefly consists of the bournou, 
 the gondorah, or linen tunic worn underneath, and 
 the strong leathern cap, surrounded by many rows 
 of cord made of camel's hair, which preserves their 
 head from the heat of the sun. 
 
 The Moorish denizens of the towns have alone 
 showed any desire of imitation. Their costume re- 
 sembles that of the Turks, and the interior arrange- 
 ment of their households has undergone a slight 
 change since the French invasion. Example has 
 been sufficient to produce this ; advice or persuasion 
 would have been of no avail. 
 
 To return from this long digression. On ex- 
 amining their habitations, I noticed some goatskins, 
 suspended like hammocks to beams in the ceiling. 
 I inquired their use ; upon which a woman began 
 shaking one of the skins, which was full of milk, 
 and continued doing so till some excellent butter 
 was produced, though it still tasted of the wild herbs 
 upon which the cows graze in the mountains. 
 
 In a corner of the poultry-yard, I saw a girl try- 
 ing to hold back an enormous Kabyle dog, which 
 
147 
 
 growled in the most threatening manner as we ap- 
 proached, and seemed ready to spring at us. 
 
 The nature of these animals is ferocious in the 
 extreme, and their bodily structure is well fitted to 
 the purposes for which they are employed. Their 
 head is like that of a bear, and all their strength 
 lies in their jaws and fore feet. Their aspect is 
 terrible ; their courage equals that of the English 
 bull-dog. They obey even their master with reluc- 
 tance, and seldom show much attachment to any- 
 body. 
 
 The creature I saw had attacked a hyena a few 
 days before ; the conflict had been short but violent, 
 and was brought to a close by the dog's master, who 
 killed the hyena with his yataghan. The skin of 
 the vanquished animal was laid out to dry on some 
 neighbouring aloes, and I could examine at leisure 
 its formidable jaws, furnished with canine teeth an 
 inch in thickness. The hair is rough, like that of 
 the wild boar, especially on the back, which is 
 always bristled up, owing to the savage nature of 
 this creature. They offered to sell me this skin for 
 one franc. 
 
 At the distance of about 200 feet, we saw another 
 tribe, and proposed to visit them. Upon this, our 
 hosts immediately prepared to leave us, saying : — 
 " We have no communication with those people, 
 they are Kabyles." Of course we proceeded no 
 further, as the Kabyles are not friends of ours, and 
 are in open hostility with the Arabs. 
 
 I had provided myself with a small telescope, 
 which was most useful to me on this expedition. 
 The women of the tribe examined it with astonish- 
 
148 
 
 ment, and not a little dismay ; but when they learned 
 its use, and found that they were able to distinguish 
 objects at the distance of four miles, they gave most 
 amusing signs of joy and wonder. I tried, by a 
 simple explanation, to make them understand how 
 it was so, but all my eloquence was of no avail, as 
 the practical application of the instrument far out- 
 weighed in the minds of my hearers the pleasure of 
 comprehending its scientific principle. 
 
 The road from Bona to Guelma is not practicable 
 for carriages of any kind, still less for the two ve- 
 hicles bearing that name, which are used as means 
 of communication between the two towns. These 
 are two little carts, covered with an awning, and 
 without springs, which causes the jolting to be in- 
 tolerable during a journey of eighteen leagues ; for 
 this reason our party determined to travel on mules. 
 The Bedouins, who often go from one town to the 
 other for commercial purposes, use these animals for 
 carrying their wares, after the disposal of which a 
 favourable opportunity is offered to the traveller to 
 avail himself of the use of the mules to convey him 
 to the town whither they return. This journey can 
 also be performed on camels, but the action of this 
 animal causes a sort of rocking motion backwards 
 and forwards which is extremely painful to those 
 who are not accustomed to it. Another excellent 
 reason for choosing the escort of the Arabs, was the 
 certainty of arriving safe at the place of our desti- 
 nation, without being molested by any encounter 
 with the tribes of the desert. The only inconveni- 
 ence to be feared was the chance of falls, or other 
 accidents of this nature, but, in justice to the pru- 
 
149 
 
 dence and obliging disposition of our guides, I must 
 say that they were careful to use all necessary means 
 for avoiding them. As I had a perfect recollection 
 of a certain excursion made by me from Mondovi to 
 Bona, described in a former letter, I protested against 
 the broad, flat saddles used by the natives ; and the 
 ladies of our caravan being of the same opinion, we 
 mounted our mules in the French fashion, and set 
 off in high spirits. Guelma was the object of our 
 expedition ; our party consisted of about twenty per- 
 sons, and camels, laden with our baggage, and other 
 articles necessary for our encampment, closed the 
 line of march. 
 
 Leaving Bona by the " Porte Constantine" we 
 pursued our route, having the Mediterranean on our 
 left, and on our right, the valley of the Edough, and 
 the Roman or perhaps Byzantine aqueduct, which 
 is raised on ten lofty arches of twenty-two " metres" 
 high, and connects the great chain of the Edough 
 with that of Gef-el-Nessour, about a mile and a half 
 from the ruins of Hippona. We crossed the ancient 
 bridge, under which flow the sluggish waters of the 
 Boudjimah, which formerly was the sole means 
 of communication between the town and the moun- 
 tains inland. The Seybouse heavily rolls its muddy 
 waves to the sea, at its junction with which it forms 
 a sandbank, most dangerous to ships. Along the 
 coast are fragments of wall, apparently scattered 
 about without purpose or design, but giving a good 
 idea of the vast extent of the town of Hippona. 
 Facing the river, vestiges of a theatre are to be 
 seen, and in one of the adjoining houses a Mosaic 
 pavement of coarse workmanship. On the other 
 
150 
 
 bank of the Seybouse, not far from the tribe of the 
 Beni-Urgins, are the excavations made in the Ro- 
 man cemetery. 
 
 The road we followed was the ancient Roman 
 causeway, which formerly led from Carthage to the 
 Straits of Gibraltar. At a place called Drean, near 
 the path pursued by the caravans, are the ruins of 
 an edifice of the lower empire, called by the inhabi- 
 tants the castle of Alkander. 
 
 About a league further on, where the road dis- 
 appears among the mountains, we observed a tu- 
 mulus of seven stones, erected to the memory of 
 thirteen persons, who were devoured in this place 
 by lions, which animals frequented these mountains 
 in great numbers before the occupation of the coun- 
 try by the French. Since that time, the constant 
 hunting parties, and the premium granted to the 
 Arabs on the skins of wild beasts, have greatly di- 
 minished the number of these terrible creatures. 
 
 We encamped for the night in a place chosen by 
 our guides, for you may suppose that all care was 
 taken to ensure us the repose that our fatiguing jour- 
 ney rendered so necessary. With the exception of 
 the cries of the jackals, to which we soon got accus- 
 tomed, our sleep was not interrupted by any noise, 
 and as the ladies had laid down on the mattresses 
 without undressing, no great preparations were re- 
 quired the next morning to complete our toilet when 
 the time arrived to resume our journey. Our next 
 halting place was Hamman Meskhoutin, which, for 
 my part, I was most anxious to visit, on account of 
 the thermal waters which attract all the good society 
 of Algiers, whether invalids or not, to the baths 
 
151 
 
 established there. Shortly after the occupation of 
 Guelma, at the distance of a few miles from Ham- 
 man Meskhoutin, the French found springs of warm 
 mineral waters, so beneficial in their effect, that a 
 bathing establishment was immediately resolved on. 
 After the discussion and rejection of several plans, 
 one was at last adopted, and the building com- 
 menced. 
 
 At the depth of about a yard, a Roman structure 
 was discovered. The excavations were carried on 
 with great activity, till several baths in a perfect 
 state of preservation were laid open, and prove to 
 the present age that civilization was as far advanced 
 among mankind, and especially among the Roman 
 people, fifteen centuries ago, as it is now. Since 
 this time, the waters of Meskhoutin have been fre- 
 quented for the cure of rheumatism, of pain caused 
 by old wounds, and of the ailments of the many vi- 
 sitors who seek relief through their means. 
 
 The Arabs ascribe a curious origin to the warm 
 springs of Meskhoutin. According to their legend 
 king Solomon, here called Soliman, had constructed 
 baths all over the world, and given them into the 
 charge of genii, who were blind, deaf, and dumb, 
 that they might neither see, hear, nor repeat what 
 took place in these wonderful edifices. 
 
 However, in the course of time, king Solomon 
 died, like all other mortals, but unfortunately with- 
 out providing any remedy for the inconvenience 
 which was caused by his decease in this instance. 
 Since that time, the genii, ignorant that their mas- 
 ter was dead, as nobody could make them under- 
 stand it in consequence of their threefold infirmity, 
 
152 
 
 have continued to heat the water as usual. For 
 this reason (say the Arabs) warm springs abound 
 all over the world. 
 
 This place has lately been the scene of a circum- 
 stance hitherto unexampled in the states of Barbary. 
 I will here give you an account of it. 
 
 FETE GIVEN BY THE ARABS TO THE FRENCH 
 LADIES OF GUELMA, 
 
 On the 28th of February and 2nd of March, 1850. 
 
 IN the course of the month of February, the Arab 
 chiefs of the circle of Guelma, communicated to 
 Mr. Tournier, the commander, their wish to give a 
 fete to the ladies of the town, and requested him to 
 act as interpreter in favour of their invitations. 
 The commander was most willing to undertake the 
 charge, and it is needless to say that all the ladies 
 agreed with joy to the proposal, and availed them- 
 selves of this opportunity to vie with each other in 
 grace, finery, and good taste. 
 
 The warm baths of Hamman Meskhoutin were 
 chosen as the scene of the festivity, and the day 
 fixed was the 28th of February, On that day, the 
 true sun of Africa shone forth in all its splendour 
 on the plain of Hamman Meskhoutin ; the warmth 
 was mild and genial, as it always is during spring 
 in Algeria, and the most luxuriant vegetation was 
 spread like a carpet over the sides of the mountains, 
 while its balmy exhalations were wafted on the 
 breeze. 
 
 The ladies of Guelma were ready at an early 
 
153 
 
 hour for their departure, all cheerfully resigned to 
 bear whatever little inconveniences they might meet 
 with, especially those arising from the rude means 
 of conveyance. The gentlemen mounted on horse- 
 back; but as the costume of the ladies was not 
 adapted to this mode of travelling, they took the 
 places prepared for them in the long, jolting vehi- 
 cles belonging to the train of military equipages. 
 These carriages are generally used for the transport 
 of forage and provisions. 
 
 They set off. Many accidents of a trifling nature 
 happened on the way, which rather promoted than 
 restrained the hilarity of the party. The only in- 
 cident that at all threw a damp on the general 
 cheerfulness was the fall of one of their number into 
 the Sey bouse, which river they were obliged to ford. 
 However, as no further consequences to the un- 
 lucky individual were to be apprehended, beyond 
 the mere inconvenience of being drenched to the 
 skin, the party continued their journey. 
 
 After two hours' march, they halted at Medjaz- 
 amar, where there is an establishment for native 
 orphans. Fifty or sixty children are here provided 
 for at the expense of the government, and this in- 
 stitution does as much credit to the benevolence of 
 those who erected, as to the kind solicitude of those 
 who manage it. 
 
 At last they arrived at HammanMeskhoutin. Two 
 tents had been prepared for the reception of the 
 European company ; and magnificent Turkey car- 
 pets were spread to preserve the garments of the 
 ladies from the contamination of the soil, while 
 wreaths of myrtle, rose-laurel, and flowering mimosa, 
 
154 
 
 or African acacia, adorned the interior. The Arab 
 chiefs were standing before the entrance, dressed in 
 their richest costume, or in the elegant drapery of 
 the mantle usually worn. They received the ladies 
 with the most polite and respectful welcome, and 
 placed them in a circle, round which stood all the 
 gentlemen of the company. When the introduc- 
 tions were over, the tricolour standard of France, 
 surmounted by the Algerian crescent, was raised 
 before the tents, and the sign was given for a fantasia, 
 or African rejoicing. This consisted of a rolling 
 fire of musketry that lasted a quarter of an hour. 
 
 The time for the banquet at last arrived : it had 
 long been expected with impatience, as the expe- 
 dition of the morning had greatly sharpened the 
 appetite of the guests. The commander was sought 
 for, that his orders might be taken, but he was not 
 to be found. No anxiety was experienced as to the 
 cause of this absence ; but such was the hunger of 
 the assembled company, that their regard for eti- 
 quette was put to a great trial, placed as it was in 
 opposition to the imperious demands of the stomach. 
 
 Two hours elapsed. The faces of the guests grew 
 longer every minute, when the firing of guns was 
 heard, first in the distance, then gradually nearer. 
 The company hastened to meet the truant and his 
 accomplices, who returned, bringing a magnificent 
 wild boar, which they had just killed. The com- 
 mander made a thousand apologies for having kept 
 the company so long waiting, and pleaded as an 
 excuse his wish to offer -the ladies a dish of venison. 
 
 Both French and Africans seated themselves at the 
 table, and the Arabian " cuisine" displayed its chef 
 
155 
 
 d'ceuvres ; beginning with sheep roasted whole, and 
 filled with pistachio nuts, afterwards the national 
 and traditional " couscouss," the dish both of rich 
 and poor, which was served up with roast chickens, 
 and ornamented with a wreath of hard boiled eggs 
 cut in slices. Then followed the " ehikouka," com- 
 posed of capsicums, tomatas, and eggs beaten up 
 with oil and lemon juice ; cakes spread with butter 
 and honey, artichokes dressed like Spanish car- 
 doons, but prepared with the pistils of bean flowers ; 
 cakes of semolina, kneaded with dates, and pastry 
 of all kinds, seasoned with sugar and the essence of 
 rose and jessamine. 
 
 The French " cuisine" had also been invited to 
 prove its skill on Algerian materials, which proposal 
 had been wisely accepted, to the great consolation 
 of the epicures, who were sadly disappointed with 
 these unknown viands, by no means agreeable to 
 their olfactory nerves. 
 
 The physician in chief to the hospital at Guelma 
 took his place as carver among the ladies. Drawing 
 from its sheath a magnificent eastern yataghan, he 
 began to use it on one of the principal joints. This 
 act of zeal excited a general burst of laughter, and 
 all the ladies pushed back the plates presented to 
 them. Greatly astonished, the doctor used all his 
 powers of argument to prove to them the goodness 
 of the roast, and the ease with which the blade of 
 the yataghan divided it into slices ; the laughter still 
 continued, and the portions were still refused. He 
 met with no better success in showing them seven 
 notches in the thickness of the blade, an undeniable 
 evidence of its having been used in the decapitation 
 
156 
 
 of seven heads. The obstinacy of his fair acquaint- 
 ances was proof against all these grounds of con- 
 viction, and the pieces remained untouched upon 
 the plates. 
 
 The French wines circulated freely, and had 
 Mahomet been present, he would have had to shut 
 his eyes to the performances of his votaries. The 
 repast was most cheerful, as those of country parties 
 usually are. One of the ladies made an observation 
 which excited general hilarity : " When in former 
 days the Romans gave an entertainment to the 
 Sabines, the Sabine men returned — alone." 
 
 " This proves, madame," said an Arab chief, 
 " that the Romans of that time were not worth the 
 Arabs of this." The reply was just. 
 
 The conversation was carried on in tolerable 
 French, quite good enough to be understood, proving 
 how greatly this people has been civilized by con- 
 tact with our nation, though they have had this 
 advantage hardly twenty years. The chiefs are in 
 almost constant communication with the authorities, 
 and have easily acquired the new habits introduced 
 among them. The inferior classes would do the 
 same, if proper indulgence and kindness were shown 
 to them, which, however, they seldom experience 
 from the lower orders of our countrymen. 
 
 The Europeans complain, that although they ad- 
 mit the Moors to their society, and make them, as 
 far as possible, partakers of the benefits of our civil- 
 ization and the refinement of our manners, not one 
 of them ever expresses a desire that his wife should 
 enjoy the same advantages ; whereas the Jews of 
 
157 
 
 the higher classes introduce their wives into all the 
 houses to which they are themselves invited. 
 
 The reason is that the thing is impossible, with- 
 out transgressing the laws of the Koran, which no 
 Mussulman would venture to do openly. Mahomet, 
 whose object was to form an entirely credulous 
 people, fanatically submissive to his will, succeeded 
 in withdrawing man from the influence of domestic 
 affections, in making woman an humble slave, of an 
 essence inferior to his, destined solely to be the 
 mother of his children, dying the death of all human 
 creatures, but deprived afterwards of the joys of 
 Paradise, her soul being a mere breath, which be- 
 comes extinct when life has departed. 
 
 On taking leave of their guests, the French ladies 
 gracefully returned their thanks for the marks of 
 attention so profusely lavished on them. Their 
 hosts replied that they sincerely regretted not being 
 able to complete the fete with a ball, as they under- 
 stood that the gauze dresses of the ladies would be 
 spoiled by the journey ; but that, with the consent of 
 their fair guests, they would effect their purpose at 
 Guelma. The invitation was gladly accepted, and 
 the ball fixed for the second of March. 
 
 The preparations for the fete were carried on with 
 the greatest zeal. The Arab chiefs entrusted Mr. 
 Vallette, the commander of engineers at Guelma, 
 with the care of all the arrangements, particularly 
 requesting that no expense might be spared on the 
 occasion. The ball room was ornamented with the 
 most perfect taste, in such a manner as to please all 
 parties. 
 
158 
 
 Long before the appointed hour, the chiefs arrived 
 in their graceful costume, and " gantes" as fashion- 
 ably as any dandy at the opera at Paris. It was 
 probably the first time in their lives that these sons 
 of the desert were attired in such luxurious articles 
 of dress, to them so useless. The ladies arrived in 
 due time, the African dandies received them with 
 the greatest politeness, and taking them by the hand, 
 led them into the rooms prepared for their recep- 
 tion, where they waited upon them with all the ease 
 of manner and " bon ton" belonging to the best 
 society. 
 
 The orchestra soon gave the signal for dancing 
 to begin. To the astonishment of all the European 
 guests, the Arab chiefs came forward and engaged 
 the ladies for the quadrilles, in the performance of 
 which they displayed considerable skill, but went 
 through the figures with a degree of attention and 
 gravity that testified a recent study of this accom- 
 plishment. It was evident that some goodnatured 
 Frenchman had instructed them in this feat, which 
 seemed to afford them great satisfaction ; but the 
 circumstance produced so much natural mirth, and 
 such a kindly feeling of mutual good will, that it 
 gave a real charm to all the amusements of the 
 evening. 
 
 The chiefs of Bona had sent their deputies to this 
 family fete, and their contributions to the refresh- 
 ments and supper. At one o'clock in the morning 
 a plentiful and elegant collation was served up : — 
 in short, nothing was wanting to the general satis- 
 faction, which easily accounts for the regret with 
 
159 
 
 which the party broke up between six and seven 
 o'clock. 
 
 We arrived at Guelma, which town is situated 
 on the summit of the mountain Serdj-el-Aouda, and 
 must have been a place of considerable extent and 
 importance in the times of the Romans. The thir- 
 teen towers still existing in the circumference of the 
 walls, and the divers inscriptions found on the mo- 
 numents, seem to indicate the sixth century of our 
 era as the period of its construction. This town 
 abounds in antiquities, for the examination and cor- 
 rect valuation of which a scientific commission has 
 just been appointed by the government. 
 
 All the towns in Algeria resemble each other. 
 The houses are square, whitewashed with chalk, 
 surmounted with a terrace, and the walls deprived 
 of all ornament in the shape of windows, and only 
 provided with small apertures to admit the air. 
 
 Guelma must have been very difficult of access 
 in times of siege ; defended on one side by the steep 
 mountain on which it is situated, and on the other 
 by a lake formed by continual showers on the marshy 
 plain, it afforded but little chance of success to a 
 besieging army. The Seybouse, in its frequent in- 
 undations, overflows the road, which prevents all 
 communication ; thus, during six months out of the 
 twelve, it is necessary to use horses, mules, or camels 
 to go the short distance between Guelma and the 
 neighbouring towns. 
 
 This was the ancient Calama of the Romans. 
 
 Two days after our arrival at Guelma, we set out 
 
160 
 
 for Constantina. The heat was excessive, and we 
 suffered much in crossing the ravines, where the 
 air has little room for circulation, and the rays of 
 the sun descend perpendicularly. We all wore 
 large pieces of flannel folded on our heads in imi- 
 tation of the Arabs, to save us from a " ctfup de 
 soleiV the effect of which is sudden and dangerous. 
 Umbrellas and parasols were here of no use, besides 
 which, the brown colour, like the black, increases 
 the action of the solar rays. 
 
 When we arrived at the top of the hill u El-Sou- 
 mah," we obtained the first view of Constantina, 
 which has been justly compared to -an eagle's nest 
 built on a lofty rock. 
 
 In order to enable you to form a correct idea of 
 this town, I will give as succinct a description as 
 possible of the two memorable sieges that took place 
 during the late war. 
 
 THE FIRST EXPEDITION AGAINST 
 CONSTANTINA. 
 
 IN the month of November, 1836, Marshal Clau- 
 sel attempted to seize Constantina. Unhap- 
 pily, the season was ill chosen for such an en- 
 terprize, and his forces were insufficient. On the 
 thirteenth of the month he left Bona, with only 7000 
 men, variously armed. The Duke of Nemours ac- 
 companied the expedition. No serious obstacle 
 arrested the progress of this little army until it 
 arrived before Constantina, but there a frightful 
 tempest, a cold rain, and afterwards a heavy fall of 
 
161 
 
 snow, caused great inconvenience to the troops. 
 The roads became impassable, and the artillery and 
 baggage waggons could not be drawn out of the 
 quagmires in which they were sunk. With this 
 small number of soldiers, harassed with fatigue, 
 Marshal Clausel made ineffectual efforts against the 
 gate of El-Cantarah, Both the means and the time 
 were wanting for success : a long continuance of 
 the effort would have compromised the army, and 
 the Marshal was therefore compelled to order a re- 
 treat. This was effected in good order. General 
 Changarnier signalized himself on this occasion by 
 the bravery and coolness he displayed at the head 
 of a battalion of the second regiment of light in- 
 fantry, which was formed into a square to protect 
 the retreat before a multitude of Arabs who had 
 assembled from all directions to protect the town. 
 Under a drenching rain, and during a dark night, 
 this brave regiment marched on, presenting on all 
 sides a forest of bayonets, and filling up its ranks as 
 fast as the men fell under the fire of the enemy. 
 The worst evil, however, which they had to endure 
 was the horror of witnessing the decapitation of 
 those whom they were thus compelled to abandon. 
 The convoys of sick and wounded marched in the 
 interior of the square. Thus was effected this diffi- 
 cult retreat, but, honourable as it was to the army 
 which manifested such devotedness and courage ; it 
 nevertheless was a check which augured ill for our 
 success, and which diminished the influence of Mar- 
 shal Clausel. In the following year, the command 
 of the second expedition was confided to General 
 Denis Damrement, who had been appointed go- 
 al 
 
162 
 
 vernor of Algeria in the place of Marshal Clausel. 
 The Duke of Nemours accompanied him on this 
 expedition, in which he displayed great intrepidity. 
 To give a description of these events, I borrow the 
 pen of a person present at the engagement. 
 
 SECOND EXPEDITION AGAINST CON- 
 ST ANTIN A. 
 
 "AT break of day, on the sixth of October, 1 837, 
 JTV. the rain fell in torrents. Every body was 
 on the alert. At six o'clock in the morning we 
 ascended the slope of the platform called the terrace 
 of El-Mansourah, and a little before eight the com- 
 mander-in-chief, Count Damrement, the Duke of 
 Nemours, and the officers of their staff took up their 
 position in front of the town, on the border of the 
 ravines and precipices which divide it from the 
 platform, that is elevated about 600 feet above the 
 Rummel. This river is hardly discernible among 
 the steep declivities, about the base of which it forms 
 its way till it surrounds the city. 
 
 " As soon as we were perceived stationed on this 
 commanding point, a volley of bomb-shells was 
 poured from the Cashba, and the batteries near the 
 gate of El-Cantarah discharged all their guns at us, 
 but fortunately they did not take effect. The dif- 
 ferent brigades occupied the heights above-men- 
 tioned, and in a few hours the town was invested 
 on all sides. The rain increased in the afternoon, 
 and continued without interruption till the morning 
 of the eleventh of October. As early as the seventh, 
 
163 
 
 the operations of the engineers had become more 
 difficult and more fatiguing; the adhesive clayey 
 soil stuck to the feet of the men and horses, greatly 
 impeding the progress of the cannons, and it was 
 necessary to attach ten, sometimes twelve pair of 
 horses to each piece of artillery, to enable them to 
 drag it up the hill. 
 
 " On the platform of El-Mansourah were stationed 
 the baggage-waggons, stores of ammunition, and 
 parks of artillery. This table-land was separated 
 from the opposite heights by ravines froni 400 to 
 500 feet in depth. In vain did the sappers and 
 miners use their utmost efforts to make a road fit for 
 carriages, it was no sooner traced out than it was 
 swept away by the torrents of rain. Large stones, 
 collected for the formation of the road, rolled down 
 the ravines, causing our men the labour of carrying 
 them up again, which labour, however, was under- 
 taken with great zeal by the ' zouaves,' or natives 
 in the French service. Such was the ardour dis- 
 played by our troops, that nothing seemed impossible 
 to them ; generals, officers, and soldiers were as 
 assiduous in the works of the siege as they were 
 valiant in the fight. 
 
 " Five days and five nights were spent in this 
 laborious work, during which the soldiers, up to 
 their knees in mud, exposed to the constant rain, 
 without even a bivouac fire to dry their clothes or 
 warm their limbs, stiffened with cold, first received 
 the germ of those diseases which were so rapidly 
 developed after the taking of the town, and caused 
 our army a greater loss than that sustained from the 
 assault. 
 
164 
 
 " As soon as the town had been invested, the 
 different batteries, in spite of the hindrance caused 
 by the weather, directed their attack on the Cashba, 
 which fortress was soon prevented from returning 
 the fire, being entirely dismantled on one side. Our 
 artillery was then removed with infinite trouble to 
 the opposite heights, from whence they performed 
 the same execution. The Duke of Nemours, nomi- 
 nally the commander of the siege, but in reality 
 under the orders of the general in chief, exerted 
 himself day and night with the utmost diligence, 
 sharing the privations and fatigue of the common 
 soldiers, without even allowing himself time for re- 
 pose. 
 
 " On the afternoon of the tenth, the cannons on 
 the walls ceased to return our fire. General Dam- 
 rement sent a messenger to the besieged, to propose 
 terms of capitulation. The emissary returned the 
 following morning with this sarcastic reply : ' That 
 the inhabitants of Constantina never would submit, 
 and that if the French wanted bread for themselves, 
 or barley for their horses, they should be provided 
 with both/ 
 
 " The breach was commenced, and the morrow 
 was fixed for the assault. During the night, the 
 besieged attempted a few sallies, but were driven 
 back at the point of the bayonet. On the morning 
 of the twelfth, the commander-in-chief, accompanied 
 by the Duke of Nemours and all his staff, arrived 
 in front of the breach, which had been greatly en- 
 larged since daybreak by the besieging batteries. 
 They had left their horses behind the hill where the 
 battery of mortars was placed, and took the road 
 
165 
 
 downwards, towards the trenches, when General 
 Damremont stopped for a moment to observe the 
 place with his telescope. 
 
 " The officers of his suite besought him not to 
 remain on this spot, where the ground was still 
 occasionally ploughed up by the balls of the enemy ; 
 he took no notice of their repeated warnings, and, 
 unfortunately, this adventurous group, foremost in 
 every danger, was too conspicuous to pass unob- 
 served. A bullet from an opening in the wall be- 
 tween Bab-el-Ouad (gate of the river) and Bab-el- 
 Djedid (gate of the reservoir) struck the general 
 full in the breast. He fell, exclaiming, ■ O my 
 God ! ' His intimate friend, General Peregaux, 
 hastened to his assistance, and leaning over him to 
 see the extent of his wound, received another bullet 
 in his face. This afterwards caused his death, the 
 ball having lodged in the roof of his mouth, from 
 whence it could not be extracted. The two generals 
 were carried out of reach of the firing; Count Damre- 
 mont, dead already, was laid on an ancient tumu- 
 lus, raised to the memory of a young girl, twelve 
 years old. This stone for a long time afterwards 
 was stained with the blood of the brave but unfor- 
 tunate general, and with that of his best friend. 
 
 " In less than ten minutes, the cannon had de- 
 molished the part of the wall from which the fatal 
 bullet had been sent, and General Valee, who suc- 
 ceeded to the command of the army, carried on the 
 operations of the siege with the greatest vigour. 
 During the whole night our guns continued to play 
 upon the breach, to prevent the besieged from re- 
 pairing it, but at four o'clock in the morning of the 
 
166 
 
 thirteenth of October the firing ceased. Then the 
 new general, aided by the Duke of Nemours, or- 
 ganized the columns destined for the attack. 
 
 " It was a little past seven in the morning when 
 the commander of the battery sent to inform the 
 general in chief that he had only one charge of 
 ammunition left for each piece, The chiefs con- 
 sulted together for a few minutes in private, after 
 which the Duke of Nemours, turning to General 
 Lamoriciere, said, ' General, are you ready ? ' * Come 
 on, my brave Zouaves ! ' was the answer ; and at 
 the same moment all bounded over the parapet of 
 the trench, and rushed on to the assault ; the beat- 
 ing of the drum and the military music mingling 
 with the cries of the besiegers. A few minutes 
 afterwards the tricolour flag waved from the top of 
 the rampart. 
 
 " Meanwhile the combat proceeded with the 
 greatest energy ; when one detachment had mounted 
 the breach, it was immediately followed by another, 
 while, in the town, our troops were engaged hand 
 to hand with their adversaries, the field of battle be- 
 ing for the most part streets of the width of six to 
 eight feet, encumbered with the ruins of the shattered 
 houses. 
 
 " The resistance was most obstinate ; every piece 
 of wall, every aperture, was occupied either by 
 Turks or Kabyles, who succeeded in throwing down 
 part of a fortification, which crushed several of our 
 soldiers to death, but this very act gave us access to 
 a much more favourable position, which we instantly 
 occupied, though a continued volley was kept up 
 against us from the tops of the minarets, the terraces of 
 
167 
 
 the houses, and the portholes of the barracks. Our 
 troops continued advancing till they reached a large 
 marble gateway, closing a street, where they came 
 to a stand, till, after an hour of painful exertion and 
 bloodshed, the sappers and * zouaves ' brought sacks 
 of gunpowder to remove the obstacle by explosion. 
 The besieged had a depot of artillery stores near 
 the gate, to which they set fire when forced to with- 
 draw from the place, and the flames, reaching the 
 gunpowder brought by our zouaves, caused a fright- 
 ful devastation. An immense column of smoke and 
 dust rose to the height of several feet, remaining for 
 a long time immoveable, vividly glowing in the calm 
 air, and concealing from view its immediate effects, 
 which, however, were but too soon visible. Imagina- 
 tion can hardly form an idea of the disasters caused 
 by this catastrophe : many lives were lost, but the 
 number of the dead fell far short of that of the 
 wounded, who were cruelly injured by the fire. Our 
 enemies suffered as much as ourselves. The Arabs 
 had assembled in great force on the other side of 
 the gate and near the adjacent walls, to witness the 
 effect of their own explosion, in the hopes of rushing 
 upon the besiegers and throwing them from the top 
 of the breach, but not having sufficiently calculated 
 the chances and consequences of this fatal attempt, 
 they were buried under the ruins of the very walls 
 that sheltered them. 
 
 " The fate of the town being thus decided, only a 
 few partial skirmishes took place in the streets, till 
 the Turks, repulsed from point to point, were obliged 
 to take refuge in the Cashba. 
 
 M It was at this moment that the brave Colonel 
 
168 
 
 Combes, though mortally wounded, mastered his 
 pain so far as to descend alone from the breach, to 
 give an account of his proceedings to the com- 
 mander-in-chief. He spoke with such composure 
 and firmness that his wounds remained unnoticed. 
 ' Those who will outlive this day,' he said in unal- 
 tered accents, ' may rejoice in so glorious a success. 
 As for me, I am happy to have been able to be of 
 some use to my King and my country.' He then 
 tried to walk to the quarters assigned him, but after 
 going a few steps he fell down, and expired on the 
 spot. 
 
 " At half past ten, the last of the red flags had 
 vanished from the fortifications, and the French 
 banner waved on the Cashba. The inhabitants 
 could not at first put faith in the assurance given 
 that their lives and properties should be spared ; but 
 imagined that our sole object in recalling the fugi- 
 tives was to bring the whole population together, 
 for the greater facility of destroying them at a blow. 
 When, however, at the end of a few days they found 
 we kept our engagement, their confidence returned, 
 and insolence and scornful conduct towards the 
 Christians soon replaced the abject humility they 
 had at first assumed. " 
 
 AN ARABIAN LAW. 
 
 ON the upper verge of the heights of El- Man - 
 sourah, and opposite the town of Constantina 
 and the summit of Koudiet Aty, is a fine Moorish 
 edifice, which alone was not abandoned during the 
 
169 
 
 siege. Two ladies and a few servants occupied this 
 house, the habitation of which would have been most 
 dangerous, had not General Damremont provided 
 a safeguard in consideration of the ladies, which, 
 though unsolicited on their part, preserved them 
 from all insult, and their dwelling was left uninjured 
 by the besieging troops. 
 
 As related in the foregoing narrative, the assault 
 was terrible. Constantina, the town of the Numidian 
 monarchs, beheld her ramparts shattered to pieces 
 by the French cannons, and the tricolour flag wave 
 triumphantly on the principal edifices of this ancient 
 capital of the land of Jugurtha and Massinissa. 
 All this was the work of one day. In the evening 
 the moon shed her pale light on the bloody scene of 
 combat, while both Moors and Christians were en- 
 gaged in removing the wounded and burying the 
 dead. 
 
 A litter was slowly carried up the side of the 
 hill on which was situated the Moorish habitation, 
 the door of which was opened to admit the mourn- 
 ful group. For a few moments cries and groans 
 were heard from the interior of the house, then all 
 returned to profound silence. 
 
 Agib and Mahomet were brothers, and dearly 
 attached to each other. Both married at the same 
 time, and to avoid a separation, they had a spacious 
 dwelling built on the heights of El Mansourah. In 
 the course of time, Agib became the father of a 
 son, and Mahomet of a daughter, which served still 
 more to strengthen the bonds of their mutual affec- 
 tion, the children being affianced to each other from 
 their earliest infancy. But this happiness was of 
 
170 
 
 short duration : Mahomet died, and his widow, over- 
 whelmed with grief at his loss, soon followed him to 
 the grave. Their daughter, Aurida, was brought 
 up with her cousin, whom she was accustomed to 
 regard as her future spouse. Agib, a zealous Mus- 
 sulman, was one of the first to march against the 
 French, when the appeal to join in the holy war was 
 made to the faithful from all the mosques in Algeria. 
 He fell in one of the first engagements, and his son 
 Ali, who accompanied him, seized the yataghan from 
 the hands of his dying father, and vowed an eternal 
 hatred to the invaders of his country. 
 
 From this time the young man never laid down 
 his arms ; he came at long intervals to visit his 
 mother and his bride, and when Constantina was 
 threatened by our forces he returned to his paternal 
 home to join the defenders of the besieged city. 
 Desperately wounded during the assault, he was 
 left among the smoking ruins of the fortifications, 
 from whence he was afterwards rescued and con- 
 veyed to his mother. 
 
 A fortnight afterwards, two women were kneeling 
 beside a young Moor, anxiously watching his coun- 
 tenance, the excessive paleness of which betokened 
 much recent suffering. The couch on which he was 
 laid was placed between two trees in the court of 
 the Arab house beforementioned, which was sur- 
 rounded by a circular gallery supported by marble 
 columns, to shelter the apartments on the ground 
 floor from the rays of a brazen sun. The water of 
 a fountain fell in liquid masses into a richly sculp- 
 tured basin. Clusters of brilliant flowers were 
 mingled with the graceful tracery of the Moorish 
 
171 
 
 architecture, and orange trees and mimosas threw 
 a cool shade and a delightful fragrance over this 
 charming retreat, where a number of rare birds, 
 confined to the space by a net extended over it from 
 the top of the house, had built their nests, and filled 
 the air with their sweet notes. 
 
 Ali, for it was he, opened his eyes, and cast a 
 languid glance at the two women beside him ; then, 
 returning to entire consciousness, he exclaimed, 
 " My mother ! my Aurida !" The former tenderly 
 embraced him, and his bride pressed his hand with 
 a gentle smile, while both urged on him the silence 
 so necessary for his recovery. 
 
 His strong constitution soon got the better of the 
 weakness caused by his wounds. He was restored 
 to health ; but a profound melancholy seemed to 
 weigh upon the spirits of the young Moor. His 
 mother tried in vain to rouse him from this deep 
 depression ; neither her attempts at consolation, nor 
 those of his affianced wife had any effect on the un- 
 happy Ali. 
 
 In consequence of our victory, heavy taxes were 
 imposed on the vanquished tribes. Ali, as the chief 
 of his family, and the mortal enemy of the French, 
 refused to contribute his share of the burden, mean- 
 ing to show energy, but in reality giving another 
 proof of his inveterate obstinacy, and by this useless 
 resistance he drew on himself the suspicion of the 
 French authorities. He then again left his home, 
 and, at the head of a few ferocious Hadjoutes, with- 
 drew to the mountain passes of Mouzaia, from 
 whence he frequently issued to attack our troops on 
 their occasional expeditions. He seldom, however, 
 
172 
 
 succeeded in gaining any advantage over them, as 
 their close lines could not be broken by his straggling 
 band of followers, but he annoyed them sufficiently 
 to be designated by our generals as a dangerous 
 enemy, against whom precautions should be taken. 
 
 Two years passed away, and no tidings of the 
 young enthusiast reached his unhappy family. The 
 only comfort that his mother and Aurida received 
 in their loneliness and affliction proceeded from the 
 friendship of an old man, a friend of A gib, who had 
 lived with him from his childhood, and after his 
 death devoted himself to the care of his widow and 
 of the two young betrothed. Sidi-ben-Omar was a 
 Marabout, justly respected for his profound wisdom 
 and austere virtue, and it was to his deep knowledge 
 of the art of healing that Ali owed his restoration to 
 health after his dangerous illness. He also in vain 
 endeavoured to persuade him to withdraw from so 
 unequal a contest, and accomplish the last wishes of 
 his father and uncle in giving his hand to his young 
 cousin, and become a happy husband and the 
 peaceful inhabitant of his fair home. All the efforts 
 of the venerable man were to no purpose. 
 
 One night, on the eve of a projected attack 
 against the French, in which he and his band were 
 to join the Kabyles, Ali entered his long forsaken 
 home. His object was to see his family, perhaps 
 for the last time, and to ensure the safety of his be- 
 loved bride by an act, which on any other occasion, 
 would have been one of heroic self-denial, but in 
 this instance, was the mere impulse of his blind fa- 
 naticism. 
 
 Foreseeing that his desperate mode of life might 
 
173 
 
 endanger the fate of those most nearly connected with 
 him, and wearied by their constant entreaties, he 
 resolved to break the only bond which could form 
 an obstacle to his adventurous career, and to resign 
 the possession of Aurida to the only man whose 
 character could ensure perfect security to his family. 
 This sacrifice was most painful to him, as he dearly 
 loved his cousin, but he felt it impossible to associate 
 her with him in the perilous course he had adopted, 
 which however he would not abandon, even for her 
 sake. 
 
 Time being precious, he sent for Sidi-ben-Omar, 
 who arrived in haste, anxious to know the result of 
 the message. He found Ali in the arms of his mo- 
 ther, who earnestly besought him to give up war- 
 fare, and share their peaceful life by fulfilling his 
 engagement to Aurida. The young man, touched 
 in the tenderest point, almost failed in his fatal re- 
 solution ; but at the sight of Sidi-ben-Omar, he re- 
 covered the desperate courage he so much required, 
 and taking the hand of his cousin, he solemnly 
 placed it in that of the Marabout, as a sign that he 
 was the spouse he had chosen for her, having inhe- 
 rited from his father the right of guardianship, which 
 empowered him to dispose of her according to his 
 will. 
 
 Mute with despair, the young girl looked to her 
 aunt for assistance ; the wife of Agib, pale with in- 
 dignation, had turned away from the imprudent 
 youth who thus annihilated a whole future of hap- 
 piness, and renounced for ever all domestic joys, to 
 seek afar the realization of an insensate dream, the 
 only result of which to himself could be exile or 
 
174 
 
 death. She stood aloof, pressing Aurida to her 
 heart, and bathing her with her tears. 
 
 Ali then approached Ben Omar, who stood in si- 
 lent consternation : " Thou hast restored me to life," 
 he said : " I repay thee with a gift more precious 
 still, for Aurida is dearer to me than life itself, — 
 but I love my country even more than her. Fare- 
 well, Ben Omar. Make her happy, and that she 
 may for ever forget me as her affianced husband, re- 
 mind her that it is from me thou hast received her." 
 Then turning to the whole group : " Farewell. You 
 will not see me again till the last of the infidel in- 
 vaders has left the soil of our country. Seek not 
 to prevent me. Ben Omar, to thee I consign my 
 mother." 
 
 He turned towards the door. His mother stretched 
 out her arms to detain him, but in vain : he rushed 
 from the house. She then drew herself up, placed 
 herself on the threshold he had just crossed, and ex- 
 tending her hand in the direction he had taken, she 
 exclaimed with a cold and severe aspect : 
 
 " Ali, unnatural and ungrateful son, may est thou 
 live to regret the shelter of this house, into which 
 thou hast brought sorrow and despair. Undutiful 
 to me, disobedient to the wishes of thy father, mayest 
 thou never, when wandering and wretched, find a 
 friend to console thee, or a drop of water to quench 
 thy thirst! — On thee I call down the wrath of Al- 
 lah. May he avenge us for all we have suffered !" 
 
 Aurida uttered a scream of horror : " O mother," 
 she said, " May Allah not hear this impious prayer, 
 still less grant it, for were He to do so, it is thou 
 who wouldest suffer. Think of the anguish that 
 
175 
 
 awaits thee, were aught to befall him. Let the sa- 
 crifice of me suffice to appease thine anger. Ali 
 was my master, he had the right to dispose of my 
 hand, and I will obey his will," she added sobbing. 
 Then addressing Ben Omar, " Be not offended at 
 my tears : but — Ali was very dear, to me." 
 
 " Aurida," replied Ben Omar, " I cannot regard 
 thee as engaged to me by this rash deed of Ali. 
 Remain at liberty, and some day perhaps, Ali will 
 repent, and return to entreat thy forgiveness and 
 claim thee as his wife. I cannot accept the sacri- 
 fice so recklessly imposed on thee, which, were it 
 consummated, could produce nothing but eternal 
 regret." 
 
 Unfortunately, this noble refusal was not accepted. 
 The widow of Agib, seizing the hand of her niece, 
 placed it in that of the old man, and said : " I, my- 
 self, give her to thee, Ben Omar. My son shall 
 see her no more, for I feel that I shall not survive 
 this cruel neglect, and my last days shall not be 
 poisoned by the thoughts of Aurida remaining un- 
 protected. I must leave her to the care of a hus- 
 band, and have chosen thee, Ben Omar. In three 
 days this child shall be thy wife." 
 
 The unfortunate girl bowed her head in token of 
 submission, and did not withdraw her hand. The 
 preparations for this melancholy wedding were soon 
 made, but the ceremony was performed without any 
 of the usual rejoicings. The large fortune of Ben 
 Omar being sufficient for the two, he, with singular 
 disinterestedness refused to accept any dowry with 
 his wife, but, either from religious feeling or com- 
 pliance with the customs of the country, he desig- 
 
176 
 
 nated as the only objects he would consent to re- 
 ceive, the dowry given by the Prophet Mahomet to 
 his daughter ; viz. a camel, two sofa cushions, a 
 leathern bucket, and 400 talents. 
 
 Sidi-ben-Omar treated his young wife with all the 
 regard and attention that she had a right to expect 
 from him ; he sincerely loved her, and it grieved 
 him to see that all his affectionate care was unable 
 to remove the* weight of sorrow that deemed to op- 
 press her. Without demanding her love, or even 
 venturing to hope for it, his whole endeavour was 
 to cheer and console her, while he trusted that in 
 the course of time his efforts would meet with suc- 
 cess, and the unfortunate young woman be restored 
 to serenity, if not to happiness. The counsel of 
 Airs mother, as the surest means for attaining this 
 object, was to remove Aurida from the scene of such 
 bitter recollections ; and although she deeply felt 
 parting with the child from whom she had never 
 before been separated, she desired Ben Omar to 
 take his wife to visit his family. 
 
 The Marabout had a brother, who was chief of 
 the powerful tribe of the Garracah, and resided in 
 the upper valleys of the Atlas. He resolved to take 
 Aurida thither-, surrounding her with all the com- 
 forts and luxuries that could diminish the hardships 
 of so fatiguing a journey. 
 
 After travelling several days, they arrived in 
 sight of the tents of the tribe. Sidi-ben-Omar, who 
 was as much respected in his family as he was every 
 where else, was received with marks of deep reve- 
 rence and affection. His young wife was immedi- 
 
177 
 
 ately surrounded by all the women of the tribe, and 
 it was not without difficulty that her husband ob- 
 tained for her the solitude she so much required. 
 Accustomed from her childhood to the superfluities 
 enjoyed by the wealthy of her nation, she was un- 
 able to endure the rustic simplicity of an Arab 
 " Douar," and the habits of the rude children of 
 Kabylia. The coarse manners of this people were 
 so repugnant to the delicacy of her taste, that she 
 could not sufficiently conceal it from her husband's 
 relations, and thus excited their aversion. Dis- 
 pleased at the minute care and attention that Ben 
 Omar lavished on his youthful helpmate, so contrary 
 to the general custom of the Arabs, who show but 
 little consideration to their wives, the members of 
 the family made no scruple of openly showing their 
 dislike to the woman so recently introduced among 
 them ; which treatment so greatly increased her na- 
 tural timidity, that she never would raise her veil in 
 their presence. 
 
 A few months elapsed in this manner. News was 
 brought that the rebel band commanded by Ali had 
 been entirely defeated, that the young chief had taken 
 flight, and that a reward was offered for his capture. 
 
 Aurida wept freely before her husband. Ali was 
 her nearest relation and the friend of her childhood, 
 and the grief of the young woman appeared but na- 
 tural. 
 
 The tribe received information that Ali had taken 
 the direction of that part of the Atlas where they 
 were encamped. They had great reason to believe 
 that he would seek refuge with Ben Omar, and re- 
 
 N 
 
178 
 
 solved to seize this opportunity of laying hands 
 upon him. 
 
 One night the moon was shedding her beams in 
 the midst of the starry vault, thus giving the hea- 
 vens that limpid appearance peculiar to the beauti- 
 ful nights of Africa, which is unequalled in every 
 other clime. Aurida, leaning her head on her hus- 
 band's shoulder, was listening with gentle confidence 
 to the assurances of Ben Omar, who attempted to 
 persuade her that Ali would escape from pursuit, 
 and most probably withdraw towards Mascara to 
 join the Emir Abd-el-Kader, and thus avoid the 
 certain peril of tempting the avarice of the Garra- 
 cah, when a Kabyle interrupted them, to summon 
 Ben Omar to the tent of his brother. He had 
 scarcely gone, accompanied by the messenger, when 
 an Arab, carefully wrapped in his bournou, entered 
 the tent with extreme precaution. Aurida, alarmed 
 at the occurrence, hastily rose, and on the stranger 
 throwing back his hood, she recognized Ali. Over- 
 come with joy, surprize, and conflicting emotions, 
 she uttered an exclamation of delight and rushed into 
 his arms ; then, ashamed at the expression of her 
 feelings, she covered herself with her veil and burst 
 into tears. 
 
 " Aurida, I am a hunted outlaw, dying of hunger 
 and fatigue. I come to beg for a night's refuge and 
 a few dates." ... At this moment, Ben Omar re- 
 turned. He started at the sight of Ali, then looked 
 at his wife, and noticed her tears and embarrassment. 
 " Thou art outlawed," he said to Ali, " and hast 
 a claim on my compassion. Remain here to-night, 
 and to-morrow I will provide for thy safety ; but 
 
179 
 
 further than this, my power to serve thee ceases. 
 The sight of this young woman is of course forbid- 
 den to thee, but only for the sake of her reputation do 
 I insist on thy withdrawal, as I know her too well to 
 injure her even by a suspicion. Here are refresh- 
 ments," he added, " haste to conceal thyself behind 
 this tapestry, for they lie in wait for thee in this 
 neighbourhood.'' 
 
 He then arranged some carpets, which are usually 
 found rolled up in the tents of the rich Bedouins. 
 Ali had scarcely obeyed his injunction, when the 
 same Arab who had intruded on them before, again 
 appeared. Ben Omar left the tent with him, the 
 Arab speaking in a low voice. The Marabout de- 
 sired him, at the peril of his life, to be silent, but on 
 the bedouin persisting in his importunity, he made 
 a threatening gesture, which forced the unwelcome 
 visitor to depart ; while Ben Omar followed with 
 evident signs of anxiety. A few minutes afterwards, 
 a noise was heard, like that of a struggle, then a 
 piercing shriek, and the venerable Marabout stag- 
 gered back to his tent, wounded to death. Ali and 
 Aurida received him in their arms, where he sank 
 exhausted, and in broken accents thus addressed 
 the fugitive : — 
 
 " Save thyself, unhappy man ! Haste with all thy 
 speed to gain the confines of the desert. A few 
 minutes more, and it will be too late." 
 
 Ali attempted in vain to render him the assistance 
 his state required. 
 
 " Depart immediately ! " said the noble old man, 
 " I desire it." 
 
 The young man rushed from the tent and soon 
 
180 
 
 disappeared among the ravines. In the mean time 
 the cries of the young wife had alarmed the whole 
 tribe, who crowded round the dying man. He 
 having exhausted all his strength in the effort to 
 save Ali, fixed his eyes on Aurida with a last look 
 of affection, and expired. 
 
 At the close of this eventful day, the corpse of 
 Ben Omar was laid out in his tent, and surrounded 
 by his family, who poured forth a continued strain 
 of lamentation and regret. His brother, the chief, 
 immediately undertook the investigation of the case, 
 and it was discovered that Ali had been seen enter- 
 ing the tent of the Marabout, where his wife had 
 remained alone. A general cry of indignation arose 
 from the relations of the deceased, and the young 
 widow was violently seized in her tent and led to 
 that of her brother-in-law, where the whole tribe 
 was assembled in council, ready to put the worst 
 construction on every act of the unfortunate Aurida. 
 Appearances were strongly against her, and this 
 alone was sufficient to rouse to action the hatred 
 borne her by her husband's kindred. She was con- 
 demned to death by her brother-in-law, as chief of 
 the tribe, and the following day was fixed upon for 
 the execution of the dreadful sentence. She was to 
 be stoned, and her body left to the birds of prey. 
 
 Ali was unanimously regarded as the murderer 
 of Ben Omar. The next morning, the corpse of the 
 Marabout was carefully washed and perfumed, and 
 brazen vessels, in which incense, lentisk seeds, and 
 rosemary were burning, were placed round the bier. 
 Aurida, with her hands bound, was brought before 
 the body of her husband. At the sight of the good 
 
181 
 
 old man, whose whole care had been devoted to her 
 happiness, and whose death she was besides accused 
 of having instigated, she bowed her head with a 
 look of mournful reverence, and said fervently, 
 though in a low tone : " O my beloved Lord ! leave 
 me not to be thus unjustly condemned !" 
 
 According to the usual custom at the funerals of 
 the Marabouts of the Mountain, each man of the 
 tribe was to kneel beside the corpse of the departed, 
 and respectfully kiss his hand. The execution of 
 Aurida was to conclude the ceremony. 
 
 One by one the Kabyles approached the vene- 
 rated remains of Sidi-ben-Omar, to offer him this 
 last tribute of respect ; then took their places behind 
 the unhappy widow, whose cruel death they so soon 
 were to witness. When it came to the turn of the 
 young man who had twice entered Ben Omar's tent 
 the preceding evening, he started from his knees in 
 horror, declaring that the hand he had just pressed 
 to his lips had repelled him. An old man, whose 
 great age made him the object of general confidence, 
 slowly stepped forth from the crowd, and placed 
 himself in front of the young Kabyle. 
 
 " Sidi-ben-Omar," he said, " was the pride of his 
 family, and an honour to our religion. With his 
 gentle nature, and his spirit of justice and piety, it 
 is impossible that he should reject thine homage 
 without cause. Cast away these fears, my son, 
 which proceed only from weakness ; come near, and 
 swear by the corpse of this holy man that he never 
 had reason to complain of thee." 
 
 The Arab again approached the body, and tried 
 in vain to raise his hand in token of innocence. 
 
182 
 
 He trembled, turned deadly pale, his knees sank 
 under him, and his hand fell motionless to his side. 
 " Pardon !" he exclaimed at last ; u I am the mur- 
 derer of Sidi-ben-Omar. I saw the traitor Ali 
 lurking in the neighbourhood, and informed our 
 chief, who, foreseeing that he would seek refuge 
 with one who was so near of kin, sent for his bro- 
 ther that he might detain him in his own tent till 
 Ali was gone. Meanwhile I had lost all trace of 
 the fugitive, and was spying about the tent of the 
 Marabout, when I perceived Ali enter it in his ab- 
 sence. When Ben Omar returned, I hastened to 
 warn him of what had happened. He commanded 
 me to be silent ; I told him I intended to gain the 
 reward promised for the head of the outlaw. Sidi- 
 ben-Omar threatened me . . I struck him .... 
 
 The assassin was punished with death, but the 
 crime of which Aurida was accused, receiving no 
 extenuation from his confession, she was condemned 
 to be mutilated, that the infamous mark might be a 
 life long proof of her shame. # 
 
 In spite of her protestations of innocence, her 
 tears and cries, this iniquitous sentence was carried 
 into effect, and a few days afterwards Aurida was 
 clothed in rags, placed on a camel, and sent back to 
 her family, after having been ignominiously expelled 
 from the tribe. 
 
 Alone in her misery, under the safeguard of a 
 
 * The custom among the Arabs in cases of the crime here men- 
 tioned, is that the guilty woman should lose her nose. Since the 
 French occupation it has been attempted to abolish all practices op- 
 posed to the wisdom of our laws, but among the distant and un- 
 conquered tribes, these habits remain unaltered. 
 
183 
 
 single slave who was devoted to her, the unfortunate 
 young woman crossed the vast tract of country over 
 which she had travelled but a few months before, 
 surrounded by all the comforts that the affection of 
 her husband, and the respect of her numerous suite, 
 could devise. The anguish of misfortune, the most 
 severe fatigue, and above all, the scorn that her hor- 
 rible mutilation excited, had taken the place of the 
 luxuries and the delicate marks of attention so pro- 
 fusely lavished upon her. This toilsome journey 
 lasted eight days, during which Aurida and her 
 guide lived on alms, given with disdain and received 
 with humility; but the courage of the young wo- 
 man, derived as it was from the consciousness of in- 
 nocence, rose superior to her adversity, and her 
 example often served to raise the spirits of the poor 
 slave who was her sole protector, and who ceased 
 not to show her the most profound respect. Once 
 only she had said to him, " Arbah, do not forsake 
 me. Allah is great, and He knows that 1 am in- 
 nocent." The poor negro kissed her feet and wept; 
 and from that moment he served her with the same 
 reverence that he had formerly shown to the vir- 
 tuous Ben Omar. 
 
 At last the summits of Koudiet Aty rose above 
 the horizon, and the end of their journey appeared 
 in view. That same evening, they ascended the 
 heights of Mansourah, and Aurida knocked with a 
 trembling hand at the door of her former home. When 
 she entered the presence of her kinswoman, the un- 
 happy girl raised her veil without uttering a word. 
 But the mother of Ali did not recognize her, and 
 was unable to conceive the audacity of such a visit. 
 
184 
 
 11 Mother, behold your Aurida. Do you not re- 
 member her?" 
 
 " Aurida ! " replied the elder woman, with an ex- 
 clamation of horror : " thou Aurida, the child of 
 my love, whom I brought up pure and chaste ! O 
 the shame that has befallen my house ! — Woe to 
 thee, wretched woman, who hast brought on me this 
 dishonour ! " 
 
 " Yes, I am Aurida," answered the poor girl, 
 " but I am innocent, and worthy as ever of your af- 
 fection. Now I also claim your pity." 
 
 She then related to her all the events we have de- 
 scribed, after which the widow of Agib assembled 
 her household, and repeated to them the history 
 of her unfortunate niece. The slaves burst into 
 wild expressions of grief, for all loved Aurida whom 
 they had known from her birth, and who then was 
 hardly eighteen years old, and none ventured to 
 doubt the virtue of one so pure, and whom the 
 sensible mother of Ali upheld with her protection. 
 This latter bestowed on the unhappy woman the 
 tenderest care and attention, and even affected to 
 treat her niece with a sort of marked deference, as 
 if to restore to her in consideration what she had 
 lost in happiness. 
 
 At the end of three years, Aurida lost her kind 
 benefactress, who, since the day that Ali had left 
 the home of his youth, with the curse of his mother, 
 had not ceased to deplore his loss. Sad by day 
 and sleepless by night, worn out with constant sor- 
 row, she fell into a lingering illness, and died after 
 having forgiven Ali, in compliance with the inter- 
 cession of his gentle cousin. Still the existence of 
 
185 
 
 the young man remained a mystery. For years no 
 tidings had been heard of him. 
 
 Unable to remain in the place which was the 
 scene to her of such painful association, the widow 
 of Ben Omar changed her abode to the environs of 
 Bona, where she bought a small property. She 
 went to the town every day to bathe, according to 
 the practice of Arabian women, followed by a fa- 
 vourite slave whom she had married to the faithful 
 Arbah. She never raised her veil, but lived in the 
 most complete retirement, never receiving a visit 
 under any pretext. 
 
 But Ali was still alive. Tracked for a long time 
 like a wild beast among the mountain fastnesses 
 where he had taken refuge, he at last forswore his 
 mode of life, dismissed his followers, and even re- 
 fused to take advantage of any unexpected chance 
 in his favour. His whole energy was now employed 
 in pacifying the same tribes whom he had formerly 
 incited to rebellion, and having no present field in 
 which to display his courage, he exercised it in keep- 
 ing up an exterminating war against the lions of 
 the Atlas, who often descended to the plain, to the 
 dismay of the peaceful inhabitants. The bullet 
 fired from the gun of Ali never missed its aim, and 
 if the enormous brute offered any resistance after 
 the first shock, the young Arab chief rushed towards 
 it, and put an end to the suffering of the wounded 
 animal with his yataghan. It was easy to perceive 
 that in these exploits he ventured his life with a de- 
 gree of indifference which proved how burdensome 
 it had become to him, and the contempt in which 
 he held it. 
 
186 
 
 At this time the Duke of Aumale arrived at 
 Bona. His first act was to proclaim a general am- 
 nesty, hoping by this means to reclaim the rebel 
 chiefs, who waited but for this opportunity to give 
 in their submission, and this proclamation, pub- 
 lished in the language of the country and posted up 
 all over the town and neighbourhood, produced the 
 most salutary effect. The brave Gerard, surnamed 
 the " Lion-killer," was then residing at Bona. 
 Having often heard of Ali, his competitor in this 
 particular kind of combat, and his rival in courage 
 and intrepidity, he made his acquaintance, and soon 
 became attached to the young Arab, whose noble 
 qualities, no longer held in check by the bitter 
 hatred which had so long obscured them, appeared 
 in all their grandeur. Gerard himself presented 
 the brave Ali to the Duke of Aumale, who granted 
 him pardon, and named him to a high command in 
 a regiment of Spahis. 
 
 It was in August, the most sultry month in Al- 
 geria. The Rhamadan was over, and was suc- 
 ceeded by the brilliant festival of the Bairam, such 
 a favourite with the Arab population. An immense 
 space was devoted to the customary amusements, 
 extending from the base of the Edough to the sea 
 side, and from the caravanserai to the fortifications 
 of the town. Hither the Moorish horsemen arrived 
 in hosts, to gratify their national pride, and gain the 
 admiration of the stranger, by displaying the rare 
 intelligence of their Arab steeds, and their own 
 feats of strength and agility. 
 
 The fete began by a military " fantasia," or mock 
 battle. Two troops, representing two hostile parties, 
 
187 
 
 made an impetuous onset, and when they arrived 
 within gun-shot, discharged their fire-arms ; then 
 wheeling rapidly round in a semicircle, they re- 
 gained the point from whence they had started, and 
 charged afresh. The musket and pistol were almost 
 the only weapons used by these horsemen, as they 
 are in general entirely ignorant of the use of steel ; 
 the sole arm of this kind with which they are ac- 
 quainted being the yataghan, which cuts with the 
 edge only, and serves to no further purpose than to 
 strike off the head of a fallen enemy. 
 
 When the " fantasia" drew to a close, the horse- 
 men rushed one by one at full gallop towards the 
 chief who commanded them, or the person in whose 
 honour the fete was given, then stopped suddenly, 
 and fired off their guns between the legs of their 
 horses, who stood motionless till it was over ; then 
 gallopped off again to make room for the next. 
 Great danger often results from this practice, as 
 the Arabs are by no means careful in loading their 
 guns, often inserting the bullet with the cartouche ; 
 nay, they even sometimes make use of this oppor- 
 tunity to satisfy their private revenge. 
 
 On that day Aurida was returning from the bath, 
 accompanied by her favourite attendant, who used 
 all her powers of persuasion to induce her to witness 
 the performance. Overcome at last by her en- 
 treaties, she crossed the " Champ de Mars," pro- 
 tected by a group of Arab women, and took shelter 
 under the walls of the caravanserai, from whence 
 she silently viewed the proceedings. The folds of 
 her " haik" concealed her form, while a gauze veil, 
 thrown over her head, left no feature visible, with the 
 
188 
 
 exception of her soft, lustrous eyes, which beamed 
 forth through the transparent texture, apparently in 
 indication of her matchless beauty. 
 
 The games were performed to the admiration of 
 the multitude, whose hopes and good opinions were 
 severally bestowed first on one then on the other 
 horseman, while bets were made, not so heavy per- 
 haps as those at Tattersall's, but as serious in their 
 consequences. 
 
 At last, a unanimous burst of applause crowned 
 the exploits of a young man, who, when his part 
 was over, alighted from his horse, and was warmly 
 greeted by a French officer, who cordially pressed 
 his hand, saying, " Bravo, Ali, this is a complete 
 triumph. I hope now you are satisfied.'' 
 
 " My horse is such a good one," replied the young 
 Arab. 
 
 " As for your horse, allow me to say that mine is 
 just as good ; and if you have any doubts on the 
 subject, we will compare their merits to-morrow.' ' 
 
 " To-morrow I mean to go to Constantina, as I 
 now can do so without endangering my family by 
 the presence of an outlaw. I must go and see my 
 mother ; she has suffered so much on my account." 
 
 " And a pretty bride too, doubtless," rejoined the 
 French officer. " Defer this pleasure, Ali, for one 
 single day, and I will accompany you as far as 
 Guelma." 
 
 " A bride !" exclaimed Ali, " No, Gerard, I no 
 longer have a bride to await my return. My mother 
 is widowed and lonely. I must set off to-morrow." 
 
 The sound of this voice, its tender, melancholy 
 
189 
 
 tone in pronouncing these last words, struck the 
 slave of Aurida, who placed her hand on the arm of 
 her mistress to arouse her attention. But this was 
 unnecessary, for Aurida had recognized the voice 
 so dear to her, and pressed both hands to her heart 
 to still its beatings, while she strove to restrain an 
 exclamation of joy. 
 
 Bitter then were her feelings as she thought of 
 her revolting aspect, and, for the first time, she 
 regretted her beauty for its own sake. Conscious 
 as she was of her present desolation, and void of 
 hope for the future, she could not repress the in- 
 tensity of her emotion, which found expression in 
 her eyes, to such a degree that the two officers on 
 turning round, observed their lustre. She looked 
 on Ali with a sorrowful glance, as if to entreat him 
 not to depart ; he stopped, wishing to guess her 
 meaning ; but a few tears were the sole, but touch- 
 ing answer. Ali then glanced at the slave, who 
 sadly bowed her head. 
 
 " Thou knowest me, young girl ; and it seems I 
 am also known to thy mistress. Lest I should be 
 mistaken, I entreat thee to obtain for me at least a 
 word from her." 
 
 " My lord Ali," replied the slave, " seek not to 
 return to Constantina. This is all, and even more, 
 than I can venture to tell thee." 
 
 " This is not sufficient," said Ali ; " I must have 
 a word from thy mistress ; and I must warn her 
 also that I have little regard for a mere capricious 
 whim. I have left my mother at Constantina, and 
 she alone can give me news of all I love most in the 
 
190 
 
 world. Thou mayest therefore imagine whether 
 thy beautiful mistress can expect me so easily to 
 relinquish my intention." 
 
 The slave looked at her mistress. Aurida, her 
 voice, trembling with emotion, scarcely found strength 
 to utter these words : " Ali, go not to Constantina. 
 The house at Mansourah is desolate." 
 
 The spahi stood as if thunderstruck. He also 
 thought he recognized the well known accents. " By 
 the name of the Prophet ! " he exclaimed, " for the 
 sake of all that thou most lovest, if thou hast ever 
 loved, tell me who thou art ! " 
 
 " A most unhappy woman." 
 
 " What can I do for thee ? Speak, O speak once 
 more ! I must hear thy voice." 
 
 " Come, Zulma," said Aurida, taking the arm of 
 her companion, " Come, that I may at least remain 
 in uncertainty, for I should die of grief were my fears 
 fulfilled." 
 
 The two women then left the spot : Ali, deter- 
 mined to find out their dwelling-place, hastened to 
 follow them. When they reached their home, he 
 stopped at some distance from them, and saw Zulma 
 evidently entreating the consent of her mistress to 
 some project, which the latter at last gave by a 
 sign, then disappeared under the portico. 
 
 Zulma turned round with a sad look to the officer 
 of spahi's, who advanced rapidly, trembling with 
 hope and anxiety, and accosted her, saying, " This 
 woman ! this woman ! O for the name of this wo- 
 man ! " 
 
 " Aurida," gravely replied Zulma. 
 
191 
 
 " Aurida! " replied Ali, " here, at Bona ! She 
 whom I left in the tribe of the Garracah ? " 
 
 " Yes, it is herself. Now a widow, and at liberty." 
 
 " A widow, and at liberty ! " exclaimed Ali, in a 
 transport of joy impossible to describe. " What ! 
 Aurida is free ? " 
 
 " Yes," coldly replied Zulma, " she is free, but — 
 dishonoured ! " — 
 
 The young Moor drew back in horror. " Woman, 
 thou liest ! It cannot be, for Aurida was virtue 
 itself. She was the purest of virgins, and the holiest 
 of women." 
 
 " Yes, Sidi Ali," Zulma slowly continued, mark- 
 ing her words with strong emphasis. " She is dis- 
 honoured, for your sake ; and though innocent, she 
 bears the reproach of the worst of crimes." She 
 then related to him all that had happened. 
 
 Ali, overwhelmed with despair and remorse, cried 
 aloud, striking his breast, " Aurida dishonoured for 
 my sake ! " 
 
 This thought seemed to drive him to madness ; 
 his limbs refused their support, he raised his eyes to 
 the house where dwelt the betrothed of his child- 
 hood, and called her in tones of agony. Then 
 rushing towards the door, he threw himself on his 
 knees, and kissed the threshold. 
 
 The door opened, and the unhappy Aurida ap- 
 peared, covered with her veil. She stretched out her 
 arms to receive him. Summoning all his resolution, 
 he tore the veil from her face, gazed at her for a few 
 minutes with a look of mournful tenderness, then 
 pressed her to his heart. 
 
192 
 
 " Aurida," he said, in the harsh tone peculiar to 
 the Arab when his whole heart is in his words, " I 
 have sacrificed thee to false ideas of glory and am- 
 bition. I have renounced, of my own accord, all the 
 happiness that our union would have afforded ; I 
 have been the cause of my mother's sorrow, and 
 doubtless of her death also. Forgive me, for the 
 sake of all I have suffered. May thy mutilation be 
 my punishment, may thy love soothe my remorse, 
 and henceforward I promise to live for thee alone, 
 and assuage, as far as possible, the bitterness of thy 
 misfortune by my life long esteem and love." 
 
 The very same day, Ali went to the cadi of Bona, 
 to whom he revealed his involuntary share in the 
 events that had occurred in the tribe of Ben Omar, 
 and loudly proclaimed Aurida's innocence. He 
 then swore to espouse in public her whom an ini- 
 quitous sentence had so unjustly deprived of fame. 
 
 On the following morning he led his cousin into 
 the presence of the cadi, where the mufti performed 
 the ceremony of their marriage. Such was the earn- 
 est and respectful attention he paid her, that every 
 body present congratulated the bride on having in- 
 spired so ardent and sincere an attachment. 
 
 Ali faithfully kept his promise. He devoted him- 
 self entirely to the happiness of his wife, who on her 
 side so deeply valued this felicity that she considered 
 it not too dearly bought, even at the expense of so 
 much misfortune and the loss of her beauty. 
 
 Constantina was the ancient Cirta. This town 
 is situated on a high mountain level, surrounded on 
 three sides by the Oued-el Rummel, a deep ravine 
 
193 
 
 with precipitous banks. To the south, this plain 
 joins the hills on the left of the Rummel by the 
 isthmus of Coudiat Aty, while at its north eastern 
 angle a gigantic bridge is thrown over the ravine, 
 consisting of two rows of arches, one above the 
 other. This bridge was constructed by the Romans, 
 and restored by the Spanish engineers, and serves 
 as a means of communication between the town and 
 the table-land of Mansourah, over which lay the 
 route of the French army before it arrived at the 
 fortifications of Constantina. This town has four 
 gates ; that of Bab-el- Gantarah opens on to the 
 bridge, which is called by the same name. On the 
 western side of the bridge is a basso relievo, repre- 
 senting a woman standing on two elephants. 
 
 On the right bank of the Ouad-el-Rummel, are 
 six arches, — all that remains of an ancient Roman 
 aqueduct. They are built of blocks of calcareous 
 stone, the largest pillar being upwards of sixty-five 
 feet high. Among the principal ruins is an old 
 Roman causeway, vestiges of which are found in 
 several places. This road is paved with lozenge- 
 shaped stones of various dimensions, but most of 
 them are about a "metre" in length, sixty " centi- 
 metres" in width, and twelve in thickness. It is 
 bordered by a little parapet of about forty " centi- 
 metres" from the pavement. 
 
 A volume would scarcely be sufficient to describe 
 all the antiquities daily to be found in this remark- 
 able city ; but as the object of this work is not to 
 display my knowledge of archaiological science, I 
 pass over these details to resume the story of my 
 peregrinations ; particularly mentioning only one 
 
 o 
 
194 
 
 singular edifice, which ought perhaps to be the first 
 on my list of the wonders of Constantina. 
 
 Within the walls of the Cashba, or citadel belong- 
 ing to most Algerian towns, is an ancient church 
 of Byzantine architecture. Several of the columns 
 have fallen down, but a portico is still standing, 
 which however seems to have been built on the site, 
 and with the materials of an edifice of anterior date. 
 It is a matter of strong conjecture that this former 
 building was the ancient palace of the kings of 
 Numidia, and the portico, that under which Sopho- 
 nisba, the wife of Syphax, the daughter of Asdrubal, 
 a princess of tender age and rare beauty, threw 
 herself at the feet of Massinissa to implore his pro- 
 tection against the brutality of the Roman con- 
 querors. 
 
 Several houses in Constantina have tiled roofs, 
 instead of terraces ; the interior arrangement is 
 generally the same as at Bona, and the other towns 
 of Algeria. The aspect of the town is gloomy, and 
 the streets are narrow and dirty in the extreme, 
 although the greater number of them have been re- 
 cently paved. 
 
 I shall now relate a fact, to prove the lengths to 
 which some people are driven by the spirit of gain. 
 This reproach applies especially to the Marseillese, 
 who assume to be more French even than the Pari- 
 sians themselves. 
 
 During the siege of Constantina, it was generally 
 believed that the provisions of war with which the 
 town was abundantly provided, were supplied by 
 the English, and sent thither by way of Tunis. 
 When the town was captured, great was the astonish- 
 
195 
 
 ment of the conquerors to find a number of powder 
 barrels thus ticketed, " Royal Powder Magazine of 
 St.Chamas, at six francs the kilogramme. Marseille. " 
 Enquiries were made at Tunis, and it was discovered 
 that out of fifteen vessels, loaded with powder, which 
 had arrived there, one came from Leghorn, one 
 from Trieste, one from Malta, and twelve from 
 Marseilles; and that shortly before the taking of 
 Constantina, a ship from the latter town had landed 
 at Tunis a cargo consisting of six large chests full 
 of arms, intended for the use of the besieged. But 
 the person entrusted to receive them, having heard 
 of the success of the expedition against the city, had 
 immediately sent them again on board the vessel, 
 which had returned to Marseilles. As powder is 
 prohibited at Tunis, it is most likely that it was 
 smuggled to Constantina. 
 
 We have decided to complete our excursion by a 
 visit to Algiers. It would indeed be a pity to un- 
 dergo the trouble and fatigue of such a journey only 
 to examine a few second rate towns ; and although 
 the heat is most intense at this season, we endure it 
 courageously, knowing that the city of the Deys 
 will afford us ample compensation, by satisfying 
 both our interest and our curiosity. The journey 
 by land being too long and fatiguing, we shall im- 
 mediately set off to Philippeville, from whence we 
 shall proceed to Algiers in a government vessel. 
 
 I need not again describe Philippeville, having 
 already mentioned it on my melancholy journey to 
 Mondovi ; nor Stora, the ancient Roman port, now 
 serving as an entrance to the ancient "Rusicada;" 
 suffice it to say, that all large vessels carefully avoid 
 
196 
 
 the town, the approach to which is most danger- 
 ous. 
 
 Collo is a small and ill frequented harbour, situ- 
 ated on a bay near the coast of Kabylia. The 
 natives of the place were considered the most fero- 
 cious of all the inhabitants of this part of Africa. 
 It is celebrated as the place of captivity of Made- 
 moiselle de Bourk, a child ten years old, whose his- 
 tory I here relate, borrowing my narrative from an 
 account published by the Trinitarian Monks, an 
 order instituted, like that of the Fathers of Mercy, 
 for the liberation of captives. 
 
 MADEMOISELLE DE BOURK. 
 
 THE Algerine pirates were carrying on their 
 devastations in every part of the wide sea, 
 which was their field of war. Their hand was 
 against every man's, and every man's hand against 
 theirs ; they regarded neither the rights of nations, 
 nor the claims of their fellow-creatures in their 
 rapacious desire for gain. Nor did their violence 
 cease with the immediate gratification of their fa- 
 vourite passion, but with a refinement of cruelty, 
 they led into slavery the victims they had pillaged, 
 in the hopes of obtaining a ransom. In vain did 
 noble defenders arise, who sometimes by their vigor- 
 ous efforts succeeded in averting the rapine that 
 menaced Christians sailing on those seas ; in vain 
 did the Knights of Rhodes, of Malta, and of Jeru- 
 salem devote their utmost bravery in waging war 
 against the infidels, they had no power to prevent the 
 
197 
 
 horrors of the captivity imposed on the wretched 
 victims. This nobler work was reserved for a small 
 band of pious and humble men, — the Trinitarian 
 Brothers and the Fathers of Mercy, — whose orders 
 were established for no other object. These cha- 
 ritable individuals used to wander over all the 
 Catholic countries of Europe, purse in hand, begging 
 for alms to assist them in their undertaking. When 
 this work was accomplished, they freighted vessels 
 to convey them to Algiers, Tunis, and Morocco, 
 where they landed without any other protection 
 than the respect their holy mission inspired. The 
 Moors always received them with marks of the 
 greatest consideration, assigned them a suitable 
 dwelling-place, and it often occurred that in conten- 
 tions arising on fixing the amount of ransoms, they 
 granted to the persuasive gentleness of the good 
 fathers what they inevitably would have refused to 
 demands backed with the power of compulsion. 
 
 Among the many narratives published by these 
 pious travellers, one of the most interesting is that 
 written by Francis Comelin, Philemon de la Motte, 
 and Joseph Bernard, of the order of the Holy Trinity. 
 It is from this work that we have extracted the 
 following episode. 
 
 In the year 1719, these three fathers accompanied 
 M. Dessault, the French plenipotentiary, to Algiers. 
 The latter personage was entrusted with the nego- 
 tiation of a treaty of peace with the Dey, on new 
 conditions. At this time occurred the deliverance 
 from captivity of Mademoiselle de Bourk, which ex- 
 cited great general interest. 
 
 " The Countess of Bourk, daughter of the Marquis 
 
198 
 
 of Varennes, who was lieutenant-general of the royal 
 armies and governor of Bouchain, was on her way 
 to Madrid, where she was to join her husband, and 
 afterwards accompany him on an embassy to Swe- 
 den, to which he had been appointed by the King of 
 Spain. On arriving at Montpellier, she relinquished 
 her plan of continuing her route by land, as the 
 country was occupied by the French and Spanish 
 armies. The Duke of Berwick, who commanded 
 the troops of his Catholic Majesty, offered her an 
 escort as far as Gerona, which however she refused, 
 and having engaged a Genoese vessel, called a tar- 
 tane, which was ready to sail for Barcelona, she 
 embarked with her son, of eight years old, her 
 daughter of ten, her relation the Abbe of Bourk, a 
 governess, lady's maid, steward, and several ser- 
 vants ; the whole party consisting of eleven persons. 
 The Countess took all her plate and jewels, the 
 ornaments of a rich chapel, and several other articles 
 of great value. 
 
 The tartane left the port of Celta on the 22nd 
 of October, 1719- On the 25th, when they arrived 
 in view of the island of Palamos, an Algerian cor- 
 sair of fifteen guns, commanded by a Dutch rene- 
 gade, was espied two leagues off. A boat was soon 
 lowered from the pirate ship and sent in pursuit of 
 the tartane, manned with Turks armed to the teeth, 
 who easily mastered the crew of the Genoese vessel, 
 and sacked her throughout ; then the corsair, taking 
 her in tow, immediately set sail for Algiers. 
 
 Three days afterwards a furious storm arose ; the 
 cable which joined the two ships was broken, and 
 the unfortunate tartane, separated from her guide 
 
199 
 
 and deprived of her compass, became the sport of 
 the waves, and at last was driven by the gale on 
 to the coast of Barbary, in the gulf of Collo, near 
 Bougie, where she cast anchor. 
 
 The captain wished to put out to sea again in 
 spite of the weather, in order to reach Algiers, but 
 they had scarcely left the gulf when another gust of 
 wind threw the vessel back on the coast, where she 
 struck against a rock. All the passengers who 
 happened to be on deck either cast themselves into 
 the sea, or were thrown overboard by the violence 
 of the shock. Madame de Bourk was at the time 
 engaged in prayer in her cabin, with her son and 
 attendant ; they were swallowed up by the waves. 
 
 Those who clung to the floating remains of the 
 unfortunate tartane managed to land on the rock, 
 and were thus wonderfully preserved. All who were 
 unable to do this were drowned. 
 
 One of the passengers having observed Mademoi- 
 selle de Bourk struggling with the waves, swam 
 towards her, seized hold of her at the moment she 
 was about to disappear, and carried her to the rock, 
 where he left her in safety ; but trying afterwards 
 to reach the coast, his strength failed, and he sank. 
 
 The natives of the country were the most fero- 
 cious of all Kabylia, and they bear that character to 
 this day. They rushed upon the unhappy sufferers, 
 stripped them of their clothes, and treated them in 
 the most barbarous manner. The steward had suc- 
 ceeded in carrying Mademoiselle de Bourk to the 
 coast, where they had to endure the same fate as 
 their unfortunate companions. 
 
 In this miserable condition they were led to the 
 
200 
 
 next village, which they reached with bleeding feet, 
 the roads being covered with stones and brambles. 
 Here they halted, and were received with the hoot- 
 ings of the women, the screamings of the children, 
 and the barking of the dogs that were set at them. 
 They were each supplied with a wretched bournou, 
 and a piece of bread, made without leaven and 
 baked on the ashes. By dint of entreaties they 
 were permitted the use of a fire to dry Mademoi- 
 selle de Bourk's wet clothes. 
 
 The day following, people came in crowds from 
 the neighbouring encampments, and joined their 
 companions in treating the unfortunate victims with 
 the utmost cruelty. Some lighted large fires, inti- 
 mating to the captives that they were to be burnt 
 alive ; others drew their yataghans, and seizing one 
 of the prisoners by the hair, passed the edge over 
 his neck, pretending to behead him. Others again 
 loaded their guns with bullets, and took aim at 
 them ; all seemed to make sport of their terror and 
 distress. 
 
 Mademoiselle de Bourk had a little silver cross, 
 which she wore round her neck. As it had belonged 
 to her mother, the poor child looked on it as a pre- 
 cious relic. One of the Kabyles tore it from her 
 hands, and throwing it on the ground, desired her 
 to trample on it. 
 
 The noble girl, fearless of the terrible threats with 
 which this order was accompanied, picked up her 
 little cross and pressed it fervently to her lips. The 
 villain then seized her by the hair, and would have 
 murdered her had not the chief of the tribe pre- 
 vented it. 
 
201 
 
 Mademoiselle de Bourk, though scarcely ten years 
 old, displayed in these dreadful circumstances, a 
 degree of courage and firmness hardly to be expected 
 in one of such tender age, and her example of re- 
 signation more than once revived the energy of her 
 companions in misfortune, who were almost over- 
 whelmed with despair. 
 
 " I am not afraid that these people should kill 
 me," she used to say, " for that I am prepared ; 
 but my dread is that they may attempt to force me 
 to change my religion, and I had rather die than 
 consent to such a deed." 
 
 A few days afterwards the Kabyles descended to 
 the sea beach, taking with them the steward and one 
 of the other servants, whom they employed in col- 
 lecting the chests and bales of goods, which had been 
 washed ashore from the wreck. All the dead bodies 
 found on the sands were stripped of everything 
 that still remained upon them, after which, the na- 
 tives amused themselves by pelting them with stones. 
 One of these barbarians took a sharp pebble and 
 cut off the fingers of Madame de Bourk for the 
 purpose of taking her rings, saying that he would 
 not profane his knife by the contamination of the 
 flesh of a Christian. The faithful steward wished 
 to inter the corpse of his mistress, but the Kabyles 
 prevented him, saying that dogs required no burial. 
 
 When their search was concluded they seized all 
 the valuable part of the plunder, and allowed the 
 steward to take a few books and an inkstand, of the 
 use of which they were ignorant. 
 
 Mademoiselle de Bourk on examining the books, 
 found some blank pages at the beginning and end, 
 
202 
 
 which she preserved with the most scrupulous care. 
 On one of these she wrote a letter to the French 
 consul at Algiers, and observing that one of the 
 Kabyles appeared to have compassion on her fate, 
 she implored him to convey it to its destination. It 
 appears however that he either shrunk from so pe- 
 rilous a commission, or that the letter was lost or 
 destroyed, for no news arrived from Algiers. Seve- 
 ral others had not any better luck, and the unfortu- 
 nate captives almost gave up all hope of recovering 
 their liberty. 
 
 The steward, who understood a little of the lan- 
 guage of the country, neglected no opportunity of 
 improving their condition, and kept up a constant 
 watch on the movements of their persecutors. One 
 day, as he was standing near the tent of the 
 Sheik, where the tribe was sitting in council, he 
 accidentally heard it mentioned, that they had re- 
 solved on leaving the spot in a few days, and pro- 
 ceeding southwards. This news struck the unfor- 
 tunate shipwrecked people with the deepest conster- 
 nation ; in their present resting place they at least 
 had the comfort of being in view of the sea, and of 
 being able to discern any vessel which might chance 
 to come to their relief; but once that they were 
 removed to the mountainous tracts in the interior 
 of the country, and surrounded on all sides by 
 hordes of barbarians, their situation would become 
 hopeless, and nothing would await them but the 
 most frightful misery. All gave way to profound 
 discouragement, except Mademoiselle de Bourk, 
 who alone preserved her energy, and blamed her 
 companions for doubting divine providence. " Your 
 
203 
 
 distrust of God" she said " is nothing less than 
 blasphemy. God never forsakes those who trust in 
 Him. Have confidence, take courage, and we shall 
 soon see the end of our trials." 
 
 It soon appeared, by an undoubted proof, how 
 right the pious child was in relying on the care of 
 the Creator. Her infantine grace, her gentleness 
 and resignation had gained the heart of the Sheik's 
 son, who pretended to treat her with coolness in the 
 presence of the men of the tribe, to avoid exciting 
 their suspicion, but when alone with her, paid her 
 the greatest attention and respect. Every day he 
 brought her cakes and milk and other such luxuries 
 in secret ; gathered fresh grass for her to lie upon, 
 and endeavoured by all possible means to elude the 
 vigilance of his companion to obtain a few minutes' 
 conversation with her. The steward, who was pre- 
 sent at these interviews served as interpreter, and 
 translated to his young mistress the Arab's ingenu- 
 ous expressions of regard. 
 
 One evening at sunset a white sail was perceived 
 above the horizon. A unanimous shout of joy burst 
 from the captives : " Surely," they exclaimed, " this 
 is the vessel sent to set us free!" The young Ka- 
 byle came to Mademoiselle de Bourk, and offered 
 to take charge of a letter. He informed her that 
 the vessel in sight was on its way to Algiers, and 
 that he had determined to escape at night from the 
 encampment to carry her missive on board. I 
 leave you to imagine with what gratitude his offer 
 was accepted. 
 
 The son of the Sheik accomplished his generous 
 project. He disappeared from the camp that very 
 
204 
 
 night, and swam to the ship, where he took his pas- 
 sage for a few douros which he happened to possess. 
 
 The next morning before the absence of the young 
 Kabyle was discovered, the prisoners were led, 
 under a strong escort, to the mountains inland. 
 During a whole month they dragged on a miserable 
 existence, from the persecution of the tribes through 
 which they had to pass. Though exhausted by 
 the fatigue imposed on them, they were subjected 
 to the most cruel privations, and as scarcely any 
 nourishment was provided for them, they must have 
 starved, had not some children, more compassionate 
 than their elders, given them food by stealth. Made- 
 moiselle de Bourk, in spite of her tender age, was 
 not spared more than the rest, and often was the 
 victim of great cruelty. 
 
 The steward having once taken a bundle of straw 
 from the " gourbi" or stable, to make a bed for his 
 mistress, was seized by one of their tormentors who 
 commanded him to lay his head on a block, then 
 raising his axe, he was on the point of striking it off, 
 when fortunately he was prevented by one of his 
 less barbarous companions. The poor prisoners 
 had by this time fallen into a state of hopeless des- 
 pondency ; Mademoiselle de Bourk, on the contrary, 
 continued to show them an example of courage and 
 submission. With her usual gentleness of manner, 
 she urged them to prayer, as the only source of 
 consolation, and every evening all five knelt down 
 to offer up their humble and heart- felt supplications 
 to the Almighty Being who watches over the af- 
 flicted and oppressed. 
 
 Meanwhile the son of the Sheik had arrived at 
 
205 
 
 Algiers, and lost no time in conveying Mademoi- 
 selle de Bourk's letter to the French consul, who 
 immediately communicated the intelligence to Mr. 
 Dussault, the French ambassador. Deeply touched 
 by the recital of so much misery, Mr. Dussault 
 made no delay in fitting out a French tartane, then 
 in the harbour. He wrote to Mademoiselle de 
 Bourk, and obtained from the Dey a letter of re- 
 commendation to a Marabout of Bougie, who exer- 
 cised great influence over his countrymen in all 
 that district. The tartane set sail that same even- 
 ing, and on arriving at Bougie, the native messenger 
 dispatched by Mr. Dussault, delivered to the Mara- 
 bout both the Dey's letter and one from the ambas- 
 sador of France. Though ill in bed, the holy man 
 instantly rose, got on horseback, and, accompanied 
 by the Marabout of Gigelly, joined the little band, 
 which took the direction of the southern mountains, 
 where the prisoners were detained. After five or 
 six days' journey from Bougie, and a great deal of 
 ineffectual search, they at last succeeded in finding 
 them. 
 
 The Kabyles came to meet the two venerable 
 men, and kissed their hands and garments. They 
 immediately began on both sides to negotiate the 
 terms of the ransom : but the Kabyles seemed but 
 little inclined to let their prisoners go. 
 
 The Marabout of Bougie observed to them that 
 France was at peace with the states of Barbary, 
 and that consequently they had no right to detain 
 French subjects, contrary to the conditions stipu- 
 lated in the treaty. Still the Kabyles were either 
 unable or unwilling to understand these reasons, 
 
206 
 
 and an appeal made to their good feeling, in which 
 the Marabouts represented in touching terms the 
 misery undergone by the captives, had no better 
 result. 
 
 Mademoiselle de Bourk was present at this alter- 
 cation. She trembled with anxiety lest the endea- 
 vours of the good Marabouts should prove ineffectual. 
 The Sheik at last, losing all patience at their im- 
 portunity, consented to give up the servants, but 
 declared his intention of keeping Mademoiselle de 
 Bourk, that she might become a convert to his reli- 
 gion and the wife of his son. " Never !" exclaimed 
 the heroic girl. li I had rather die a thousand 
 times!" 
 
 The Marabouts had exhausted all their powers of 
 persuasion, and still were unable to gain their object. 
 At last one of them ventured to slip a few pieces of 
 gold into the hand of the Sheik, upon which he 
 immediately changed his mind, and gave up his 
 matrimonial project. This difficulty settled, they 
 easily agreed on the amount of the ransom, which 
 was fixed at 900 piastres, including all the captives. 
 The Marabouts left hostages with the tribe as a se- 
 curity for the payment of the sum, then presented 
 all the prisoners with the clothes provided for them, 
 and brought them to Bougie, from whence Made- 
 moiselle de Bourk and her suite immediately em- 
 barked for Algiers. 
 
 As soon as the tartane that conveyed her appeared 
 in sight of that city, a boat was sent to bring the 
 young lady and her servants to land. The Consul, 
 accompanied by the principal French residents went 
 to meet her, and escorted her to the dwelling of 
 
207 
 
 the former, where a number of Christians, Turks, 
 and even Jews had assembled, attracted thither by 
 the hopes of seeing the courageous girl. The Am- 
 bassador, M. Dussault, received Mademoiselle de 
 Bourk at the entrance of the court, and led her to 
 the chapel, where mass was performed, followed by 
 a Te Deum, to render thanks for the fortunate 
 event. 
 
 The 900 piastres were punctually dispatched to 
 the Kabyles by way of Collo. Some of the Fathers 
 of Mercy undertook to remit the money to them. 
 
 The son of the Sheik, who had rendered Made- 
 moiselle de Bourk so important a service, received 
 her grateful acknowledgments, as well as those of 
 the French authorities. The ambassador presented 
 him to the Dey, who gave him the most gracious 
 reception, took him into his palace, called Djeninah, 
 and shortly afterwards named him to a post of high 
 authority in the army. 
 
 Mademoiselle de Bourk returned to her family, 
 and proceeded to Sweden to rejoin her father, who, 
 as we have already mentioned, was Spanish ambas- 
 sador at that court. There she received the edu- 
 cation suitable to her birth, and which had been so 
 unfortunately interrupted. In the course of time 
 she married, and the virtues of the woman amply 
 fulfilled the expectations raised by the noble quali- 
 ties of the child. 
 
 To continue my observations on the coast of Al- 
 geria : Bougie, situated on a gulf of the same name, 
 lies close to the sea side, on the southern declivity 
 of Mount Gouraya. Properly speaking, this town 
 
208 
 
 has no port, and the deep ocean that bathes its shore 
 affords no refuge to vessels during the stormy 
 winter months ; consequently it is only during fine 
 weather that the coast is accessible by sea. Like 
 most Algerian towns, Bougie is built in the form of 
 an amphitheatre, and is surrounded by gardens of 
 orange trees, pomegranates, and Barbary figs, or 
 great cactus. Not far from Bougie rise the moun- 
 tains of Kabylia, and beyond these, the icy summits 
 of the Atlas. 
 
 From Bougie to Algiers the stations are but of 
 little importance, and some even have no name. As 
 the vicinity of the coast of Africa is most dangerous, 
 especially with so variable a sea as the Mediterra- 
 nean, ships always keep at a careful distance from 
 land, not sufficient however to prevent the motion 
 of the vessel being intensely disagreeable to all who, 
 like me, suffer extremely from the effects of a sea 
 voyage. 
 
 ALGIERS. 
 
 WHEN viewed from the sea, this town presents 
 the appearance of a vast stone quarry, with 
 huge blocks of white marble piled one above the 
 other in the form of an amphitheatre, on the shore 
 of the Mediterranean. At a distance its aspect is 
 desolate and melancholy, but on a nearer approach, 
 the simple but picturesque style of the buildings 
 offers a most pleasing spectacle, and recalls to mind 
 the well known descriptions in the Arabian Nights. 
 Lofty domes and graceful minarets rise from the 
 confused mass of humbler edifices, thus varying the 
 
209 
 
 monotony of the general plan. The streets are so 
 narrow that the projecting upper stories of the 
 houses on each side almost meet, while a tolerably 
 laden mule occupies all the width. In the higher 
 part of the town the streets ascend, and are gene- 
 rally so steep that it was found necessary to place 
 the pavement in the form of steps, to enable both 
 men and horses to accomplish the feat of climbing 
 them. This however is still a most difficult enter- 
 prize, especially in the streets that lead from the 
 lower town to the Cashba. 
 
 In all the cities of Algeria, not only the houses, 
 but also the public edifices are constructed accord- 
 ing to the same architectural plan, and have the 
 same interior arrangement. It is only in the larger 
 towns that luxury and the fine arts display their 
 wonders for the convenience and ornament of the 
 buildings ; thus in Algiers, the white cupola of the 
 mosque appears in strong contrast to the lowly ha- 
 bitations at its base, and many a beauteous structure 
 attests the former splendour of this capital of the 
 Deys. The minaret of Bab-azoun is one of the 
 most elegant of these specimens of Moorish art. 
 The lower division is whitewashed, but the upper 
 part is covered with tilework of \arious colours, 
 forming a graceful pattern. From the upper plat- 
 forms of these minarets, five times a day the Muez- 
 zin calls the people to prayers, with " a living, ani- 
 mated voice," as writes Mr. de Lamartine, " con- 
 scious of what he repeats, understanding the import 
 of what he proclaims. How far superior to the 
 dead, unmeaning sounds of the bells in our cathe- 
 drals!" 
 
210 
 
 Speaking of the ordinary dwelling houses, I of 
 course except those inhabited by great personages 
 of state, and wealthy private individuals. These 
 buildings are on a larger scale than the rest, and 
 are laid out in splendid suites of apartments and 
 rich marble galleries, that are decorated with the 
 well known Moorish sculpture, so scrupulously cor- 
 rect in its least detail. The projecting parts of 
 this elegant tracery are tastefully painted in bril- 
 liant colours, arranged in harmonious contrast, and 
 surrounded with gilding, thus producing the effect 
 of gems set in gold ; while the light, falling ob- 
 liquely on several of these ornaments, enhances their 
 beauty by forming a mixture of tints like the vary- 
 ing hues of the rainbow. None of the furniture so 
 profusely scattered about Parisian saloons is to be 
 found here ; pictures, engravings and tapestry are 
 alike unknown, and even mirrors are but just 
 coming into notice. But to compensate for this 
 deficiency, each apartment is bordered all round 
 with a wide divan, covered with rich silk brocade, 
 and serving the purpose of a seat by day, and of a 
 couch by night. Soft carpets are laid on the floor 
 during the wet season, to preserve the feet of the 
 luxurious inmates from the cold arising from the por- 
 celain mosaic work with which it is ornamented, but 
 which, during summer, yields a delightful coolness. 
 
 Not far from the sea, on the heights overlooking 
 the town, is the fort of the Emperor, a building 
 commenced by Charles V. during his unfortunate 
 expedition against Algiers, and finished by the na- 
 tives a few years afterwards. The principal mosques 
 
211 
 
 are distinguished by their several minarets, each 
 surmounted with a gibbet shaped flagstaff, on which 
 occasionally the banner of the faithful is displayed. 
 
 Algiers appears still more picturesque when ap- 
 proached by land. Then the traveller, standing in 
 an immense plain, resembling a vast carpet of ver- 
 dure strewn over with groups of the brilliant cactus 
 and sombre tinted aloe, beholds afar a bright appa- 
 rition as of a fairy city, the walls of which are 
 bathed by the Mediterranean, whose clear depths 
 reflect their glittering whiteness ; while the battle- 
 men ted fortifications and splendid edifices cast a 
 wide, extensive shade on the ground, thus affording 
 a grateful relief to the eye, oppressed with the 
 brilliancy of a sky of dark azure, and of a sea so 
 intensely blue, that at the horizon its colour amounts 
 almost to blackness. 
 
 Towards the north Mount Boudjareah forms a 
 background to the town, rising to the height of 
 500 " metres" above the level of the sea. Pretty 
 country houses are built on its slopes, separated 
 from each other by deep ravines planted with trees 
 and shrubs of rapid vegetation, whose green luxu- 
 riance presents a pleasing contrast to the dazzling 
 whiteness of the town below. 
 
 With the exception of a few marshy places, 
 sufficient of themselves to be noxious in any lati- 
 tude, the climate of Algiers is healthy and tempe- 
 rate. Further inland the heat varies according to 
 the elevation of the soil above the level of the sea. 
 The heavy dews, so plentiful in this country, partly 
 supply the want of rain, which often fails for several 
 
212 
 
 months ; and the vegetation of Africa, less sensitive 
 to the effects of drought than that of Europe, clothes 
 the hills round Algiers with sombre tinted verdure, 
 and flowers of brilliant bloom. 
 
 Inhabitants of colder climes can form no concep- 
 tion of the charm attending the close of a warm 
 summer evening in these latitudes. The setting 
 sun leaves the western sky in a glow of brilliant 
 purple, and the silvery rays of the moon softly 
 blend with the last departing gleams of daylight, 
 while the vault of heaven is tinged with a thousand 
 changing hues, which reflected in the sea seem to 
 combine both elements. The fresh breeze that 
 rises at this time endows exhausted nature with re- 
 newed life and vigour, and everything seems to 
 unite to infuse into the soul a kind of gentle serenity 
 and delightful calm, which leads it to abstraction 
 from the world and communion with itself, while 
 the emotions are purified, and the heart inspired 
 with fervent gratitude to the Almighty Creator. 
 
 After a day's rest we made our first excursion 
 into the town, beginning with the Cashba. This 
 fortress, formerly the residence of the Deys, is 
 situated above the town, which is shaped like a tri- 
 angle, the Cashba forming the upper extremity. A 
 street, or rather alley leads up the steep ascent, and 
 a large folding gate, painted with various colours 
 and bearing an Arab inscription, forms the entrance 
 into the ancient palace. At the left of this gate, 
 before the French conquest, was an aviary filled 
 with white pigeons, turtle doves and other kinds of 
 birds, while close by was an enormous gun, the 
 mouth of which was above a foot in diameter. Se- 
 
213 
 
 veral fancy articles, such as little ships, paper lan- 
 terns, &c. were hung up at the top of the gate; and 
 inside the aviary, a strange mixture of objects, in- 
 dicative of the simple tastes of the people, and of 
 their consciousness of the danger that at any time 
 might befall their chief.* 
 
 The gate admitted us into a dark vault, in the 
 middle of which a fountain was playing, the water 
 falling into an elegant marble basin. We then 
 proceeded along an open gallery to the palace 
 of the Dey and the batteries of the fortress. The 
 powder magazine is situated in a pretty garden, 
 and farther off we noticed some beautiful Turkish 
 pavilions ; all still bears an aspect of defence, and 
 the powder magazine, though vaulted underneath 
 is covered with bales of wool. 
 
 We soon came to a door of beautiful architectural 
 design opening into a long corridor, which led into 
 a large court, forming the centre of the building. 
 On one side of this, and surrounded by a richly 
 sculptured arcade, is a square tower containing 
 two sets of apartments. A lemon tree in full bloom 
 and a magnificent fountain are the principal orna- 
 ments of the court. 
 
 * To give these details I have been obliged to consult the de- 
 scriptions of the Cashba, written at the time it was taken, for at 
 the present day the fortress is converted into barracks. Happy 
 are we to possess these descriptions, made by a few lovers of sci- 
 ence, who have thus preserved the remembrance of Algiers in its 
 original state. This town of the Pachas is gradually losing its 
 national stamp, and assuming a French character, and probably in 
 the course of a few years its appearance before the foreign occupa- 
 tion will be quite forgotten. 
 
214 
 
 The opposite side of the gallery consists of a 
 double row of columns, and formerly used to be the 
 Dey's hall of audience. The ground here is over- 
 spread with rich carpets, and cushions of silk and 
 Lyons velvet, embroidered with gold; while gothic 
 mirrors and clocks of English manufacture ornament 
 the walls. In a sort of niche, to the right of this 
 gallery, is the door of the treasury, and a mosque is 
 contiguous to the apartments of the Dey, a white 
 marble stair case connecting the two buildings. Be- 
 tween the northern front of the palace, and the wall 
 surrounding the citadel, there used to be a garden 
 of rectangular shape, carefully cultivated and filled 
 with rare flowers. This garden was surrounded by 
 a gallery, where the Dey used often to come with 
 his family to spend the evening and enjoy the cool- 
 ness of the air. The ceiling is adorned with deli- 
 cate sculpture and the walls with porcelain mosaic ; 
 on which the rays of the sun, glancing obliquely 
 through the upper windows, produce the most bril- 
 liant effect. A fine banana tree still mingles its 
 long, ribbon-shaped leaves with the brighter verdure 
 of the myrtle and orange, and the dusky foliage of 
 a magnificent cypress still forms a striking contrast 
 to the white walls of the Palace. An aviary, filled 
 with the rarest birds, was formerly attached to this 
 gallery ; but all was destroyed at the time of the in- 
 vasion, and the sight of these deserted spots raises a 
 deep feeling of compassion for the misfortunes of 
 which they have been the witness. 
 
 In 1830, the narrow, winding streets of the town 
 underwent a rapid change under the management 
 of the conquerors. The greater part of them had 
 
215 
 
 no written name, and none of the houses were num- 
 bered, which rendered it impossible to make out any 
 given direction, without having a sort of general 
 plan of the distances between the principal objects 
 in the city. It was found necessary to widen these 
 streets, to adapt them- to the convenience of their 
 European inhabitants, and to give them that straight 
 form, so necessary to all who consider the value of 
 time. The speculators who travelled in the rear of 
 the army lost no time in erecting houses five stories 
 high, which certainly have a very fine effect ; several 
 streets with arcades have been built, and in short, 
 all has been done to constrain the natural oriental- 
 ism of Algiers into a Parisian shape. A rich Moor, 
 a man of great experience and good sense, said to 
 me the other day, shaking his head sadly at the 
 sight of one of these lofty habitations, the numerous 
 apartments of which accommodated a host of lodg- 
 ers : " They seem little aware, that this is a country 
 subject to earthquakes, for here they are, building 
 away as they might do in France with all possible 
 security, while at no great distance from hence, the 
 ruins of Oran and Bleida are evident proofs of the 
 danger they incur. Let them look at our Moorish 
 houses, and observe how low they are built, and with 
 what care they are propped up on beams, and made 
 so as to support each other, even on opposite sides 
 of the street. Then let them ask : ( Why have the 
 natives fixed on this mode of construction ? ' and I 
 will answer them that in 17 17 an earthquake was 
 felt for nine months, and threw down three quar- 
 ters of the town, while the population lay encamped 
 in the fields, and only returned when all symptoms 
 
216 
 
 of the calamity were over. In 1825, another con- 
 vulsion threw down the walls of Oran and Bleida, 
 and crushed many of the inhabitants under the 
 ruins. Algiers, at the same epoch, felt fifty-three 
 shocks in a fortnight. Another took place in 1839, 
 and even worse consequences might have ensued, 
 but for the manner of building adopted since 1717." 
 
 Before this precaution was used, no other remedy 
 against the disaster was known, but that of stran- 
 gling the reigning Dey. Though European science 
 does not admit of such violent measures, it would 
 at least be wise of our countrymen if they were to 
 conform to the custom resulting from such dear 
 bought experience, and sacrifice elegance to se- 
 curity. 
 
 The bazaars are constructed in the Moorish style, 
 and in general are most curious. That in the 
 " Rue du Divan" is mostly occupied by Moors em- 
 ployed in the various embroideries on leather and 
 silk for which the town is famous, such for instance, 
 as ladies* slippers, purses, portfolios, etc. Further 
 on are vendors of essence of roses, jasmine, and 
 other perfumes, and in the shops are displayed 
 " chachias" or leathern caps such as are made at 
 Tunis, silk scarfs, or " fotas," and many articles of 
 the same description. The " della," or auctioneer, 
 walks about laden with bournous, " djabadolis," or 
 men's vests, " rhlilahs," or women's tunics, and 
 " frimlahs,'' a sort of spencer worn by ladies. 
 His fingers glitter with diamonds, and his hands 
 are hardly able to grasp all the " insaias" (ank- 
 lets) " rdites," bracelets, " sarmas" (ornaments 
 worn by married women) and other articles of 
 
217 
 
 value, which he is employed to dispose of for the 
 benefit of Moorish ladies pressed for want of 
 money. 
 
 ZAIDA. 
 
 Historical Legend of the Family of Hudleston, 
 of Milloum. 
 
 RICHARD I. reigned in England, and Philip 
 Augustus in France, at the time when the de- 
 struction of the Christian kingdom of Jerusalem, 
 by Saladin, gave rise to the third crusade. The 
 two monarchs, sharing alike in the religious en- 
 thusiasm and chivalrous ardour which the sacred 
 cause excited throughout Europe, were among the 
 first who expressed their readiness to deliver the 
 holy city from the power of the infidel ; and the no- 
 bility of both kingdoms, incited by the example of 
 their sovereigns, placed themselves at the head of 
 their vassals and ranged themselves under the sa- 
 cred standard. 
 
 At the time of this memorable expedition, six 
 great castles existed in Cumberland, the Lords of 
 which all joined the great cause. One of these do- 
 mains, that of Milloum, belonged to an old Saxon 
 family of the name of Hudleston, supposed to be 
 derived from Athelstan, the ancient Saxon king 
 from whom the family in question was descended. 
 The Lord of Milloum w r ent with the English army 
 to the Holy Land, leaving his possessions to the 
 care of his brother, during* his absence. 
 
 Great were the risks encountered by the Chris- 
 tian host on its long and arduous journey. Constant 
 
218 
 
 epidemics, and the opposition of foes, impeded the 
 progress and reduced the numbers of the army, 
 while the fleet was beset on all sides by the pirates 
 who infested the Mediterranean. The storms so 
 prevalent on the coast of Africa destroyed or dis- 
 persed several of the ships, and the unfortunate ves- 
 sels, unable to resist the violence of the sea and the 
 attacks of the Algerine corsairs, easily became the 
 prey of the latter. 
 
 One of the fiercest of these engagements took 
 place between the ship on which the Lord of Milloum 
 had embarked, and a tartane from the coast of Bar- 
 bary ; but in spite of the most strenuous resistance, 
 the ship was captured, and all that remained of its 
 crew were made prisoners. The commander of the 
 corsair sailed back triumphantly with his prize to the 
 port of Algiers, and, after securing the vessel, he 
 landed the captives, and brought them to the market, 
 to be publicly sold as slaves. Each was valued ac- 
 cording to his age, strength, health, and the station 
 he filled in his own country. 
 
 The young English chief was of dignified appear- 
 ance and gentle bearing. His features were mild 
 and regular, and masses of splendid auburn hair 
 waved gracefully over his forehead. His manly 
 beauty and noble aspect soon attracted the attention 
 of one of the emissaries of the Dey, who purchased 
 him for his sovereign. A Franciscan monk, and a 
 young English woman whose husband had been 
 killed in the fight, were bought at a much lower 
 price, and destined to share his captivity. The 
 Kodja, or royal treasurer, led the three prisoners to 
 the Cashba, which served the double purpose of a 
 
219 
 
 place of defence and a residence for the Dey, who 
 at that time governed the province of Algiers for 
 the Caliph, his Sovereign. The high embattled 
 walls, which effectually preserved the place from 
 all intrusion, contained in their inclosure scenes 
 worthy of the descriptions given by the Arabian 
 poets of the splendid mysteries of oriental life. 
 Built at first as a refuge for the family of the Dey 
 in case of any sudden emergency, this fortress pre- 
 sented the singular spectacle of the perfumed luxury 
 of the harem combined with the warlike turbulence 
 of the citadel. Aviaries filled with birds of sweet 
 song and gorgeous plumage, menageries, from 
 whence gazelles and other tame animals were al- 
 lowed to roam at liberty about the courts of the pa- 
 lace, — the odour of perfumes, which, proceeding 
 from elegant bathing apartments and magnificent 
 halls, diffused their fragrance over the surrounding 
 space, gave an idea of tranquil enjoyment, quickly 
 however and strangely dispelled by the ferocious 
 appearance of the Janissaries, who guarded all the 
 entrances to the palace, wielding the formidable 
 scimitar, while two black slaves constantly stood at 
 the door of the women's apartments, to prevent all 
 admittance and all egress. 
 
 The officer, followed by an interpreter, numbers 
 of whom were in the service of the Dey, for the 
 better valuation of captives of different languages, 
 led the Lord of Milloum into the presence of that 
 Prince, who was seated, in the eastern fashion, on a 
 divan, near a terrace overlooking the sea, smoking 
 his chibouque, and gazing abstractedly at the waves, 
 which, unconfined by any artificial restraint, the 
 
220 
 
 mole not having yet been built, dashed their white 
 surf on the masses of rock that formed a natural 
 barrier to the coast, and made the approach dan- 
 gerous to all vessels driven towards the shore by the 
 waves. 
 
 A young girl, of singular beauty, was seated at 
 his feet, gracefully reclining on cushions, and en- 
 gaged, in innocent childish gaiety, in making a 
 wreath of jasmine flowers to entwine in her hair. 
 This lovely creature was scarcely twelve years old, 
 but her slight elastic figure and delicate features 
 gave promise of more than common beauty. Her 
 hair, which was of the darkest and richest auburn, 
 slightly tinged with henna, escaped in a profusion 
 of silken masses from her "ehachia" of blue velvet 
 spangled with sequins, then waved gracefully about 
 her, entwined with blue and gold ribbons. The 
 beauty of her white shoulders and sculptured arms 
 was visible through the transparency of a muslin un- 
 der garment, embroidered at the neck and wrists, 
 and the vest of blue velvet was enclosed at the waist 
 by the u fouta" or cross-striped scarf, which fell in 
 folds over the wide trousers. Her legs were bare, 
 according to the custom of the country, and like her 
 hands, were ingeniously tattooed; her nails were 
 dyed with henna, and several gold ornaments, worn 
 round the ankle, completed her attire. 
 
 This was the Princess Zai'da, the only daughter 
 of the Dey, in whom was vested all his pride and 
 happiness. She alone had the power of restoring 
 serenity to the stern brow of her father, and of 
 forcing a smile from his lips. In her presence he 
 was enabled to forget for a time the heavy cares and 
 
221 
 
 anxieties incidental to his position ; for well he knew 
 that his power depended solely on the arbitrary ca- 
 price of the wild host of Janissaries, who often, after 
 raising to the throne the sovereign of their choice, 
 revolted from him, broke through their new allegi- 
 ance, and deprived their late favourite both of his 
 crown and life. 
 
 The Kodja and his prisoner stood near the heavy 
 tapestry that fell over the entrance to the room, 
 waiting in respectful silence till the Dey should 
 have finished smoking his chibouque, and be pleased 
 to address them. Nor were these few moments lost 
 to the young English chief, who stood amazed at 
 the lovely vision before him, and could hardly trust 
 the evidence of his senses (as his imagination had 
 never pictured charms so fascinating.) The laws 
 of the harem did not as yet require that the princess 
 should conceal her beauty under a veil. Her ten- 
 der age exempted her from this observance, and 
 another year was to elapse before she was to be sub- 
 jected to the stricter formalities that custom imposed 
 upon women. 
 
 The Dey at last turned towards them and desired 
 them by a sign to advance. The Kodja bowed 
 down to the ground and presented the prisoner, 
 whom the Dey contemplated for a few minutes in 
 silence. Satisfied apparently by this examination, 
 he asked him a few questions, which the interpreter 
 translated to the prisoner, and returned his answers 
 to the prince. 
 
 " From what country dost thou come ? Who art 
 thou ? and what is thy fortune ? " 
 
 " I am a Christian ; England is my country, and 
 
222 
 
 my ancestors have worn her crown. My position 
 is that of a nobleman, and my fortune perhaps is 
 equal to thine." 
 
 This declaration sounded most agreeably to the 
 ears of the Dey : 
 
 " Then," he rejoined, " as thou valuest thy li- 
 berty, thou wilt be willing to pay nobly for it?" 
 
 " Give me the means of writing to my family," 
 replied Hudleston, " fix the price of my ransom, 
 and it shall be given." 
 
 " Ten thousand pieces of gold are but a small 
 sum to demand from a prisoner of thy condition." 
 
 " It shall be paid in due time." 
 
 The Dey then regretted that he had not doubled 
 the price, but made a mental reservation in his own 
 favour. 
 
 " Let this Christian be treated with regard," he 
 said to the Kodja; " I give him the charge of the 
 flowers on the terraces and on the gallery of the 
 baths, but desire that no other work should be im- 
 posed on him." 
 
 He then dismissed them with a sign, turned round 
 to the terrace, and asked for another chibouque. 
 
 Two slaves entered the room, carrying a little 
 table one foot high, beautifully inlaid with gold and 
 mother of pearl, on which was a chibouque ready 
 prepared, and a cup of silver filigree containing 
 another of costly porcelain, into which they poured 
 some coffee. 
 
 Za'ida approached her father, and, putting one 
 arm round his neck, she breathed into his ear an 
 entreaty that the captive should be allowed his li- 
 berty on his promise that the sum should be paid, 
 
223 
 
 suggesting the impossibility of failure in one whose 
 high birth and noble bearing seemed to give suffi- 
 cient security. But the Dey, unwilling to forego 
 present possession for distant, and as appeared to 
 him, doubtful benefit, refused her request, deter- 
 mined at all events, to avail himself of the services 
 of his prisoner, should the ransom stipulated not be 
 forthcoming. 
 
 " But suppose that distance or circumstances 
 should delay its arrival ? " anxiously pleaded Za'ida. 
 
 " Then I should increase his labour in proportion 
 to the time deferred," replied her father ; " for if he 
 declared his birth and parentage to the chief of the 
 slave market with the same pride as he did in my 
 presence, the price demanded for him must have been 
 high, and his services must repay me for the value 
 expended on his purchase. Should the ransom al- 
 together fail, he must live and die a slave." 
 
 Za'ida retired to a distant part of the hall to con- 
 ceal her tears. She threw a few lentisk seeds on a 
 brazier, then took up a lute and carelessly passed 
 her hand over the strings. But the music failed to 
 cheer her, though it lulled the attention of the Dey; 
 she remained in a sort of dreary abstraction, till the 
 voice of the Muzzin from the top of the minaret 
 summoned the faithful to prayer. Then the Dey, 
 roused from his meditations, went to the adjoining 
 mosque, and Za'ida returned to the apartments of 
 the harem. 
 
 Months passed away, but not a day elapsed that 
 the young princess did not use her privilege of ex- 
 emption from the stricter rules of the harem to enter 
 the hall of audience. Was it that the spacious ter- 
 
224 
 
 race before its windows afforded a more cheerful 
 view than that seen through the narrow grating in 
 the women's apartments, or that a young Christian 
 slave, daily in attendance upon the flowers, and 
 whose gentle aspect distinguished him from his fel- 
 lows, excited her interest and her pity ? 
 
 One day, the simoom was blowing with more than 
 usual violence. All living creatures were panting 
 under the noxious influence of the poisoned air, and 
 all sought a spot of shade in which they could find 
 shelter and relief. Even the laws of slavery were 
 relaxed in this instance. The Moors, incapacitated 
 themselves from exertion, ceased to extort it from 
 their dependants. Zai'da protected from the sun by 
 the thick lattice work, was looking out into the gar- 
 den, when she perceived a slave, apparently regard- 
 less of the burning atmosphere, occupied in watering 
 some of her favourite plants, which seemed almost 
 parched with heat. This was the Lord of Milloum, 
 who instead of seeking repose, like the other slaves, 
 did not allow even the fiery wind of the desert to 
 prevent him from giving this slight proof of grati- 
 tude to the only person who had shown him com- 
 passion in his misfortune. * 
 
 " Go," she said, " thou art not aware of the 
 danger to which thou art exposed ; for in thy gen- 
 tler climate this plague is unknown." 
 
 " These flowers are yours, lady, and I should re- 
 proach myself were I to neglect them at a time when 
 they more than ever require my care." 
 
 "But," replied Za'ida, trembling with emotion, 
 " I would rather lose them all than see thee ex- 
 posed to the least risk. Alas ! that I could relieve 
 
225 
 
 the hardship of thy fate, unhappy stranger ! Allah 
 is my witness that this day would be the last of thy 
 captivity. But stay not here, — and if her com- 
 mands are not sufficient, Zai'da entreats thee ! " 
 
 Hudleston obeyed. The kind expressions of the 
 young princess, and her earnest desire for his wel- 
 fare had sunk into his heart. He loved her, and 
 far from wishing to suppress this feeling, he almost 
 dreaded the moment when his ransom, delivered 
 into the hands of the Dey, should release him from 
 chains which he would gladly have worn for ever 
 for the sole felicity of living near the fair in- 
 fidel. At the beginning of his captivity when the 
 labours of the day were over and he was extended 
 on his couch, he used to pass in review before his 
 mind his mode of life in merry England, and com- 
 pare his past happiness with his present misfortune. 
 He then thought of himself as returning from a long 
 day's chase, to the home of his fathers, surrounded 
 by his friends and retainers. He almost saw the 
 large feudal hall, where all the household were as- 
 sembled, with its vast fire place, in which whole 
 trunks of trees were burning. His faithful vassals 
 appeared to greet him with respect and affection, 
 and even his hounds, stretched before the fire, 
 seemed to watch his every look and gesture, as if 
 imploring his notice. But by degrees, all painful 
 reminiscence, all withering regret, faded away, to 
 give place to one image, which now entirely filled 
 his heart, and to one apprehension, of all the most 
 terrible : — the thought of Zai'da, and the dread of 
 lo:ing her. 
 
 Every morning he came regularly to the terrace, 
 
 Q 
 
226 
 
 to devote all his care to the cultivation of the shrubs 
 that adorned it, and an almost imperceptible motion 
 of the blind never failed to assure him how highly 
 his attention was valued. Even the presence of the 
 Dey in the interior of the apartment could not with- 
 hold Zaida from giving Hudleston this slight mark 
 of sympathy and regard, in spite of her fears of 
 arousing suspicion. 
 
 As we have already said, a Franciscan monk and 
 a young Englishwoman were brought into the Dey's 
 service at the same time as the Lord of Milloum. 
 The monk, called Father Mathias, being found ex- 
 pert in gardening, was appointed to the general su- 
 perintendence of the parterres, and Venifrede, the 
 young woman, was attached to the special service 
 of the princess, who treated her kindly, and regard- 
 ed her with esteem and affection. 
 
 Two years had elapsed, and still no tidings were 
 heard from England. The Dey forbore as yet, to 
 express too loudly how great was his disappointment 
 at the delay of the promised ransom. The difficulty 
 of communication between the North of Africa and 
 the North of England, gave too probable a reason 
 for this delay to justify him in imputing any blame 
 to his noble captive ; besides, he had every reason 
 to be satisfied with him as a slave, and these consi- 
 derations, and the lingering hope of still obtaining 
 the sum agreed upon, urged him to await the issue 
 of events with patience. 
 
 Perhaps on the whole, the condition of slaves in 
 the Dey's service, was not much worse than that of 
 servants in the great families of Europe at that pe- 
 riod, especially if the head of the household was of 
 
227 
 
 a tolerably kind disposition, and had no particular 
 hatred of the Christians. Even among the lower 
 classes, slavery would be better defined as an inter- 
 change of services and acts of friendship, than by 
 the idea attached to the word, and in general the 
 laws of humanity were strictly observed. In excep- 
 tional cases, however, which occurred but too fre- 
 quently, the captive not only had to endure the loss 
 of freedom, but all the annoyances that hatred could 
 devise, and unrestrained authority could execute, 
 which daily and hourly vexations were alone quite 
 sufficient to make his existence a torment. Still, 
 captivity is in itself so great a misfortune, that those 
 subject to it are in general too absorbed in its bitter- 
 ness, not to regard all other evils as but secondary. 
 Such was the case with most of the Christian slaves. 
 
 By means of Venifrede, her constant and favour- 
 ite attendant, the young princess learnt enough of 
 English to be understood herself, and to comprehend 
 the meaning of others. A great relief it was to both 
 to be able to converse without restraint and free 
 from the prying curiosity of the black slaves and 
 the Keeper of the Harem. Whenever they hap- 
 pened to meet the Lord of Milloum, Za'ida used to 
 address him in a few words of his own language, 
 which never failed to inspire him with fresh hopes 
 and renewed courage. 
 
 Once, as she was walking in the garden, accom- 
 panied as usual by Venifrede, a poor negro slave 
 threw himself at her feet, and implored her protec- 
 tion. He had neglected the menagerie entrusted to 
 his charge, and a lioness had escaped during the 
 night, making immense havoc among the birds and 
 
228 
 
 tame animals, and destroying several of Zaida's fa- 
 vourite gazelles. The negro had succeeded, at the 
 peril of his own life, in forcing the ferocious animal 
 back to its cage, but notwithstanding this, was to 
 suffer the cruel punishment due to his offence. 
 
 The Bostangi came up at the same moment, and 
 desired the slave to follow him. Za'ida, whose sym- 
 pathies for the unfortunate had of late been so 
 strongly exercised, and whose compassion extended 
 from the Lord of Milloum to his fellow slaves, raised 
 her hand above the head of the negro who was still 
 kneeling at her feet, and pleaded earnestly in his 
 favour. " The Dey's anger will fall on me," replied 
 the officer, " but how could I refuse aught to thee, 
 pearl of the Harem ! I only entreat thee to stand 
 between my master and myself, that thy influence 
 may avert his displeasure. As for me, I am re- 
 solved to obey thee at all hazards, too happy to be 
 allowed to kiss the dust below thy feet." He then 
 desired the negro to take charge of the slave's prison, 
 an office more suited to his powers, and appointed 
 another slave to fill his post at the menagerie. 
 
 The poor black wept with joy and gratitude : he 
 seized the border of the veil that concealed the fea- 
 tures of his fair protectress, and pressed it to his 
 lips ; a mute expression of feeling too strong to find 
 utterance in words. 
 
 Hudleston had witnessed this scene from a dis- 
 tance, and his admiration of the fair young creature, 
 of whose noble disposition this was but an additional 
 proof, reached the highest point. The prudent Ve- 
 nifrede, who had long observed the growing attach- 
 ment between her mistress and the young English- 
 
229 
 
 man, perceived with sorrow that it had attained a 
 degree fatal to the peace of both. Devotedly fond 
 of the young princess, she, in return for the kindness 
 bestowed on her, assisted with her affectionate coun- 
 sel and sage advice the ardent girl, whose tender 
 feelings and quick intelligence required a wiser and 
 safer guide than her mindless companions of the 
 harem. She now urged upon her the necessity of 
 subduing an emotion so destructive to her present 
 tranquillity, and so ominous of danger for the fu- 
 ture. Za'ida at first opposed this reasoning with the 
 assurance that the prudence of the young English- 
 man and her own principles of virtue were sufficient 
 to guard them from all peril, but Venifrede, persist- 
 ing in her remonstrance, spoke of the tortures to 
 which the Lord of Milloum would be subjected 
 should the slightest rumour of his love to her reach 
 the ears of the Dey. " Lady," she said, M a prompt 
 separation is the only chance of safety. Stay not 
 to indulge your own feelings, at the expense perhaps 
 of his life. Find means to obtain the ransom of the 
 Lord of Milloum, and have it conveyed to the Dey, 
 that the noble captive, restored to liberty, may re- 
 turn to his own country, and there occupy the posi- 
 tion to which he was born. To shrink from this 
 sacrifice were to give way to mere selfishness." 
 
 Za'ida, at last, terrified at the danger she could 
 not but foresee, and perceiving that this act of ge- 
 nerosity and self denial would be the greatest proof 
 she could give of her love, answered weeping : 
 
 " I myself will pay his ransom, and thou, if thou 
 art willing, shalt return with him. Only let him 
 not forget Za'ida." 
 
230 
 
 " I have lost all that attached me to England in 
 the combat in which I was made prisoner," replied 
 the faithful attendant. " Your benefits have made 
 me forget my captivity, and henceforward my life 
 shall be devoted to you." 
 
 " Stay then with me," said the unhappy girl, 
 " and may thy friendship and affection afford me 
 the comfort I so much require." 
 
 The next day the princess sent for one of the 
 Jews who deal in precious stones, and laying all her 
 jewels before him, desired him to select among them 
 to the value of 10,000 crowns, which sum he was to 
 bring without fail the next day. In thus hastening 
 the term of payment, she hoped to anticipate all 
 suspicion in the execution of her design ; but the 
 Jew had no sooner left her presence than he began 
 to reflect on the consequences of the affair. The 
 singularity of Zaida's request made him dread lest 
 he himself should be involved in some danger ; he 
 waited therefore till the prince returned from the 
 mosque, and then related to him the whole transac- 
 tion. The Dey commended his discretion, and de- 
 sired him to keep his money, ensuring him against 
 all loss. 
 
 On returning to the palace, the Dey summoned 
 the slave who had charge of the harem, and desired 
 him to keep strict watch over every movement of 
 his daughter, and to render him an account of her 
 least proceedings. 
 
 Towards evening, Zaida, accompanied by Veni- 
 frede, and covered with her veil, issued from the 
 palace, and took the direction of the gardens before 
 the bathing apartments of the Dey. Here they 
 
231 
 
 met the Lord of Milloum, who advanced respect- 
 fully towards them. 
 
 " Noble captive/' said the princess, in a voice al- 
 most choked with emotion, " the term of your sla- 
 very is over. Your ransom is paid, and you are 
 free to return to your country and friends. Go, 
 and rejoice in your liberty, but should your thoughts 
 ever wander back to Algiers, remember that you 
 have left one there, who valued your safety above 
 her own happiness." 
 
 Hudleston's countenance changed; — the news 
 which formerly would have filled him with joy, now 
 raised the bitterest feelings of grief and disappoint- 
 ment. At last he replied : 
 
 " So little do I regret my captivity, that I have 
 no desire for liberty. It is enough for me to live in 
 thy presence and have some share in thine interest. 
 Ask me not to accept a gift which I no longer am 
 able to appreciate, and leave me in my present con- 
 dition, which, though in itself deplorable, thou hast 
 made but too dear to me." 
 
 Za'ida, now fully assured of the love she had long 
 suspected, burst into tears. Hudleston renewed his 
 entreaties, and it was not until Za'ida had repre- 
 sented to him in lively colours the dangers she her- 
 self would incur were the Dey to hear of their at- 
 tachment, that he reluctantly accepted her generous 
 offer. Then, hearing a slight rustling in the neigh- 
 bouring foliage, he hastily retired. 
 
 It were needless to explain the cause of this noise. 
 The keeper of the harem had but too well fulfilled 
 the task imposed on him. Concealed among some 
 shrubs, he had overheard every word of the preced- 
 
232 
 
 ing dialogue. Venifrede, who had drawn aside out 
 of respect for the feelings of the two lovers, fortu- 
 nately escaped his notice, but the secret of the prin- 
 cess w T as betrayed. The spy watched her till she 
 had returned to her apartments, then went to reveal 
 to the Dey all that had taken place. 
 
 The next morning the prince refused to see his 
 daughter, under the pretext of affairs, and she was 
 prevented entering the hall on the terrace. The 
 whole day passed, and in vain did the unhappy girl 
 look from her windows over the garden, the Lord 
 of Milloum was nowhere to be seen. She had as 
 yet no suspicion that her project was discovered, 
 and ascribed the failure of the Jew's engagement to 
 some necessary delay ; — still a kind of vague terror 
 had taken possession of her mind, which her lover's 
 absence served but to increase. 
 
 No longer able to endure this anxiety, she at last 
 sent Venifrede to seek for the captive in every part 
 of the garden. The young woman wandered about 
 for a long time, but without success, till at last, on 
 approaching the slave's prison, she heard a low 
 voice call her by name. She turned round, and 
 perceived Ali, who after casting a rapid glance all 
 around, cautiously whispered to her : 
 
 " Go tell the princess that the fair haired lord 
 is there," pointing to the prison. Perchance she 
 may obtain his pardon from the Dey. But no time 
 is to be lost, for the Christian is condemned to be 
 suspended every night by his hair, for two hours, to 
 the beam in his dungeon. Such is the will of the 
 Prince." 
 
 Venifrede shrunk back in horror. " Haste to 
 
233 
 
 tell thy mistress, " added the negro, " but above all, 
 entreat her not to name Ali." He then disappeared, 
 gliding like a snake through the bushes. 
 
 When she learned the fate of her lover, the un- 
 happy Za'ida gave way to the most violent despair. 
 Regardless of all consequences to herself, she was 
 on the point of braving her father's anger, and de- 
 claring that she would deprive herself of life if the 
 Lord of Milloum were not immediately released. 
 The sage counsels of Venifrede deterred her from 
 running so useless a risk, but she felt that the time 
 was come, and that she must act with promptitude 
 and energy. The news of the cruelty exercised by 
 her father on the unfortunate captive had extin- 
 guished in her heart the feelings of reverence and 
 affection that she had always entertained towards 
 him, while her love for the Christian, increased by 
 the recital of his sufferings, burned with double in- 
 tensity. Reflecting that this very love had been 
 the cause of his present misfortune, she resolved to 
 brave all consequences, and to frustrate her father's 
 cruel intentions, by releasing her lover and sharing 
 his flight. 
 
 Her first care was to desire Venifrede to intro- 
 duce the slave Ali into a part of the palace where 
 they could speak to him without being suspected. 
 She then questioned the negro to prove his fidelity, 
 and finding him resolved to serve her at all hazards, 
 even at the expense of his life, she desired him to 
 admit her and her attendant into the prison that 
 same evening. 
 
 Ali exercised all his influence over the two ne- 
 groes who guarded one of the doors of the palace, 
 
234 
 
 and prevailed upon them, by holding forth the pros- 
 pect of liberty and independence in case of success, 
 to assist in the evasion of the fugitives, and open 
 the door at the time required. 
 
 Father Mathias made his escape as soon as pru- 
 dence would permit, and hastened down to the coast, 
 where he made an agreement with the captain of a 
 Neapolitan felucca, who consented, in return for a 
 large sum, to receive on board the persons mentioned 
 to him. The monk remained in the neighbourhood, 
 to be ready to lead the fugitives to the place of em- 
 barkation. 
 
 All these preliminaries accomplished, Za'ida wait- 
 ed with feverish impatience till time and opportunity 
 should aid her purpose. The last summons to 
 prayer had been heard from the neighbouring mi- 
 naret, and another tedious hour was to elapse before 
 the Dey should return from the mosque and retire 
 to his own apartments. Long did she watch, till all 
 sound and motion had subsided, and the whole pa- 
 lace was in profound stillness. Then, followed by 
 Venifrede, she left her room, glided noiselessly 
 through the midst of the black slaves sleeping in the 
 gallery, reached the garden, and in a few moments 
 arrived at the prison. There they were met by 
 Ali, who informed them that before the Dey had 
 retired to sleep, he had had the dreadful sentence 
 pronounced on Hudleston executed in his own pre- 
 sence. Struck with horror and dismay, Za'ida 
 rushed into the dungeon. 
 
 On beholding the agonizing spectacle, she hastily 
 drew her dagger, in the hope of severing the cap- 
 tive's hair, by which he was attached to the beam ; 
 
235 
 
 and thus putting an end to so frightful a torture ; 
 but her overwrought feelings had made her hand 
 unsteady ; she missed her aim, and the dagger made 
 a gash across the forehead of the victim, who fell to 
 the ground borne down by his own weight, the 
 bleeding scalp remaining suspended. 
 
 A slight groan was the only sign of weakness that 
 suffering extorted from the courageous young man. 
 Za'ida suppressed her own grief, seized the hand of 
 Hudleston, and they left the prison without further 
 impediment. They were soon joined by Father 
 Mathias, who led them to a part of the coast where 
 the ship was lying at anchor. 
 
 As soon as they arrived on board the good father 
 used all his knowledge and skill to heal the wound 
 caused by Zaida's haste and agitation, but in spite 
 of his efforts an ineffaceable scar still remained, 
 destroying the beauty of the Lord of Milloum. He, 
 restored to the possession of Za'ida and of his liberty, 
 now doubly valued both for her sake and his own, 
 little regarded this disfigurement, but she was not 
 to be comforted for having been the cause of it. 
 Thinking of all he had suffered on her account, she 
 felt that the devotion of her whole life would not 
 suffice to pay her debt of gratitude, and throughout 
 all the illness that followed the wound she tended 
 him with the affectionate earnestness of a wife, and 
 the respectful humility of a slave. 
 
 When the cure of the Lord of Milloum was de- 
 clared complete, Za'ida announced her intention of 
 becoming a Christian. Hudleston and Father Ma- 
 thias felt infinite joy at this proposal, as they had 
 always carefully avoided so delicate a subject as her 
 
236 
 
 conversion, fearing to obtain, too easily perhaps, 
 from an earthly feeling, what should be the issue of 
 a higher and purer sentiment. The good monk 
 therefore urged her to examine her own heart, and 
 consider whether her desire to embrace the Chris- 
 tian religion proceeded entirely from conviction of 
 its truth, and was unmingled with any other motive. 
 On Zaida assuring him that this was the case, and 
 that although her love for Hudleston had been the 
 first means to draw her mind to his faith, yet that 
 she now wished to adopt it for its own sake, he 
 consented to admit her into the church by the rite 
 of baptism as soon as they should arrive in England. 
 A few days afterwards they arrived at Marseilles, 
 from whence they travelled through France, and 
 set sail again on board a vessel bound for the north 
 of England. 
 
 Conclusion. 
 
 All was astir at Milloum Castle. The spacious 
 apartments were filled with guests, the woods woke 
 every day to the sound of the joyous chase, the 
 stately tournament assembled all the brave and fair 
 of the surrounding country, and the banquet, the 
 dance and the song concluded the day's revels, in 
 which the temporary Lord of Milloum strove to 
 hush the voice of conscience, and stifle the pangs of 
 remorse. He, the faithless depositary of his bro- 
 ther's possessions, had appropriated them to his 
 own benefit. The long absence of the Lord of 
 Milloum, the uncertainty of his fate, and the want 
 of all tidings concerning him, afforded apparently 
 
237 
 
 plausible pretexts for his brother's acts of usurpation 
 till at last, either really believing him dead, or 
 thinking himself sufficiently secure, he assumed the 
 nominal title, as well as the actual possession, of all 
 the estates of Milloum. This, though reluctantly 
 conceded by all, could be opposed by none, as an 
 impenetrable mystery rested on the fate of the 
 former lord, and though the wishes of many still 
 clung to the hopes of his being in existence, none 
 ventured to assert, or even suggest its possibility. 
 Still, the uncertainty alone was sufficient to mar the 
 happiness of the usurper, who, in the midst of con- 
 stant occupation, in the whirl of a continual round of 
 pleasure, was pursued by the thoughts of his crime; 
 and the image of his brother, appearing to claim 
 the deposit he had confided to his care, haunted his 
 sleeping as well as his waking hours. Embittered 
 in feeling and soured in temper by this constant 
 anguish, and jealous of the affection that the country 
 people still bore to his brother, whom they persisted 
 in believing alive, he became violent and tyrannical 
 in his conduct, and the vassals hated, though they 
 groaned under # his dominion. Their muttered ex- 
 pressions of discontent, and their ill-suppressed 
 glances of scorn and aversion, made him feel the 
 insecurity of his present position, and the light in 
 which he was regarded. Such was the unenviable, 
 but well deserved situation of the pretended lord. 
 
 It had just struck ten o'clock. The steward, 
 wand in hand, had summoned the numerous guests 
 to the banquet, and all took their places in the large 
 baronial hall, the lord of the castle and his friends 
 at the upper end of the table, the retainers below 
 
238 
 
 the salt. Huge joints of venison, wild boar, and 
 other trophies of the chase formed an ample feast, 
 while ale, mead, &c. were abundantly supplied in 
 large tankards. The merry jest, the joyous laugh, 
 bespoke the general conviviality, and all but the 
 false lord shared in its enlivening influence. He, 
 immersed in gloomy thought, sat darkly brooding 
 at the head of the table ; his profound abstraction, 
 redeemed occasionally by short snatches of rapid 
 conversation, the settled frown on his countenance, 
 and his wandering, restless eye, now fixed on the 
 ground, now directed round the hall with a glance 
 of suspicion, were sufficient indications of his men- 
 tal disquietude. 
 
 In vain he endeavoured, in fits of sudden recol- 
 lection, to join the general hilarity and conceal his 
 inward anxiety by forced attempts at mirth ; the 
 constrained, unnatural effort was but too visible. 
 The cup dropped from his hand, the half-uttered 
 sentence died ere it passed his lips, and the unhappy 
 man relapsed into his painful reverie. 
 
 Suddenly the sound of a horn was heard three 
 times at the gate of the castle, as a sign to lower the 
 drawbridge, which was always raised during dinner 
 time. This sound was neither singular nor unusual, 
 as it merely announced some traveller or pilgrim in 
 search of hospitality ; but the Lord of Milloum, 
 struck as it were instinctively by the realization of 
 his worst fears, rose from table, stiff and pale as a 
 statue, and exclaimed, " O God ! That is my bro- 
 ther's blast!" Such in fact was the case. The 
 door slowly opened, and the rightful owner of Mil- 
 loum entered the hall, leading by the hand his 
 
239 
 
 Moorish bride, and accompanied by the faithful 
 companions of their misfortune. Loud exclama- 
 tions of joy greeted their arrival; the vassals and 
 retainers, delighted at the termination of the usurp- 
 er's rule, crowded round their real lord, and wel- 
 comed him with the most lively expressions of re- 
 spectful pleasure. 
 
 His first deed was an act of mercy. He freely 
 forgave his brother, and promised him an ample 
 share of his possessions, a promise he afterwards 
 strictly fulfilled. He then resumed his position in 
 the home of his fathers. 
 
 The baptism of Za'ida was celebrated previous to 
 her marriage ; she assumed the name of Anna. A 
 few days afterwards the Lord of Milloum led the 
 new convert to the Altar, where their nuptials were 
 solemnized with all due splendour, after which they 
 returned to the castle, amid the joyful acclamations 
 of the crowd of dependants, who were delighted with 
 the sweet countenance and winning grace of the 
 lovely Moor. 
 
 Such was the respect evinced to her, that the 
 little seaport town where they had landed was called 
 after her, " Anna's Ease," and to this day it retains 
 the name of " Aneys." From this town several of 
 the family formerly derived their title, being known 
 as Lords Hudleston of Aneys. 
 
 It were needless to say that the Lord and Lady 
 of Milloum lived beloved and respected, happy in 
 each other's affection, and that a whole future of 
 happiness crowned an attachment begun under such 
 singular circumstances. 
 
 Shortly after her marriage, the Lady of the Castle 
 
240 
 
 desired that the mass of hair that she had carefully 
 preserved as a relic of the past, should be introduced 
 into the arms of the family. Her wish was granted, 
 and a bloody scalp, raised aloft by two white arms, 
 still forms the crest of the house of Hudleston. 
 
 The Moorish baths are for the use of both sexes, 
 but they are provided with different entrances, to 
 prevent the men and women from meeting. As the 
 customs are the same for both, I shall speak of the 
 Moorish bath, properly so called. 
 
 One first enters a hall in the midst of which is a 
 large reservoir. Cords, on which towels are hung, 
 are stretched between the columns that surround the 
 hall, which is kept at a high temperature. Under 
 this circular gallery, and skirting the wall, is a sort 
 of raised platform, on which straw mats are laid. 
 The visitor takes his place on one of these mats, 
 then places his clothes on boards attached to the 
 wall, and he need have no scruple in trusting his 
 watch, purse, or any object of value he may have 
 about him to the care of the master of the place, 
 who, after having examined them generally puts 
 them into an open case. No instance has ever been 
 heard of in which anything was purloined. 
 
 The master of the bath and his servants use these 
 mats as beds during the night; their night dress 
 consists merely of a white bournou with a hood, 
 thrown over their other clothes, which they never 
 take off. Thus they are always ready at command, 
 and at whatever hour of the day or night one may 
 go, the door is opened, the bath is prepared, the at- 
 tendants are ready, and not an instant need be lost. 
 
241 
 
 These attendants are generally young Moors of 
 sixteen or eighteen years of age to wait on men, 
 and Negresses for women. As soon as the person 
 is undressed, a bather covers him with a blue linen 
 robe, gives him a pair of high wooden slippers, and 
 leads him through a still warmer gallery to a vault, 
 heated to the temperature of thirty or thirty-five 
 degrees Reaumur. In the midst of this is a marble 
 reservoir ; round the room are alcoves raised above 
 the ground for the sake of coolness, and along the 
 wall several small fountains. 
 
 The visitor seats himself on the brink of the re- 
 servoir, and remains there some time. The bather 
 then places a piece of linen on the ground, on which 
 the person lays himself, while the attendant rubs 
 him, covers him with a lather of soap, and even 
 brushes the skin with an instrument resembling a 
 currycomb. These operations though not pleasant 
 at the time, produce an agreeable effect afterwards. 
 There are private vaults for those who wish to be 
 alone. 
 
 The next proceeding is to wash off the soap with 
 tepid water ; then follows a gentle walk about the 
 room, after which the attendant brings a basket full 
 of warm linen, some of which he first winds round 
 the visitor's head in the shape of a turban, and, 
 after drying him carefully, wraps him in three or 
 four soft sheets. In this state the latter returns to 
 the place where he left his clothes, where, instead of 
 the straw mat, he finds a mattress, with good cotton 
 pillows, ready prepared for him. On this he lies 
 down, and rests as long as he likes, with the young 
 man who waited on him lying at his feet, watching 
 
 R 
 
242 
 
 his least movements, supplying him from time to 
 time with pipes and coffee, and occasionally cover- 
 ing him over to preserve him from cold. 
 
 The same process is applied to women by Ne- 
 gresses. A bath of this description costs a stranger 
 the moderate sum of one frank, twenty-five centimes; 
 and the natives pay only fifty centimes. 
 
 As I have mentioned before, the manners and 
 customs of the inhabitants vary considerably in dif- 
 ferent parts of Algeria. I have already described 
 a wedding at Bona; I now give one at Algiers, to 
 show how entirely there ceremonies differ. 
 
 Women, in general, are little considered in Al- 
 geria, as is the case in all Mahometan countries, 
 and their whole employment is attending to the 
 affairs of the household. When the husband is rich 
 enough to keep servants, the wife is the superin- 
 tendent over them, but is regarded by her husband 
 merely as a slave of rather superior degree, bound 
 to obey his every look and sign. A few exceptions 
 to this rule may be found at the present day, owing 
 to the beginning of civilization which their recent 
 connection with European society has introduced 
 among the Arabs, and which cannot fail to produce 
 good effects. 
 
 The Arabs marry very young. Before the French 
 invasion marriages have even been known to take 
 place between children of ten and twelve years of 
 age ; this perhaps may still occur among the lower 
 classes of the natives, who have not yet benefited 
 by the good example set them by the more advanced 
 of their own nation, and who scrupulously adhere 
 to the customs of their forefathers. The conse- 
 
243 
 
 quences are that the women are old at twenty, and 
 that the men, thus precociously placed at the head 
 of a family, soon become tired of domestic joys, ut- 
 terly excuse themselves from all home duties, and 
 forsake their wives to find in others the charms 
 which the first have lost. 
 
 Marriages are often made by an agreement be- 
 tween the two families, which, however must be 
 ratified by the consent of the parties immediately 
 concerned. Sometimes, instead of the parents, a 
 representative invested with their powers, named a 
 " wali," fixes the conditions of the marriage. It is 
 not allowed to force the will of a girl who has at- 
 tained her majority, but the slightest sign from her, 
 a tear, a smile, or even silence is always interpreted 
 as a token of consent. In cases where the parties 
 have been married under age by means of a repre- 
 sentative, they may demand the annulling of their 
 marriage when they attain their majority. 
 
 When a young man wishes to be married, he en- 
 quires whether the object of his choice is handsome, 
 industrious, etc. When he is satisfied on these 
 points, the terms are discussed between the two fa- 
 milies, after which the ceremony takes place before 
 the cadi or mufti : sometimes even, in imitation of 
 the French, it is performed in the presence of both, 
 as the representatives of civil and religious autho- 
 rity. A few days before the wedding, the father of 
 the bride gives the whole or part of the promised 
 dowry, and the bridegroom sends the sum agreed 
 upon for the purpose of adorning his young wife. 
 Her trousseau consists of clothes, linen, and wool 
 for mattresses. On the day appointed for the cere- 
 
244 
 
 mcmy, musicians assemble in the court within the 
 house of the bride, and perform a concert in her 
 honour. When the marriage is completed, refresh- 
 ments are served to the whole company, of which, 
 however, the bride does not partake, but remains in 
 her own apartments, attended by her women. In 
 the evening all the guests go to the bath, and it is 
 considered a polite attention on the part of the 
 bride's father to engage the whole of the nearest es- 
 tablishment, for so many hours, as in France one 
 would take so many boxes at a theatre. They re- 
 turn to the bride's house at seven o'clock, where they 
 remain about an hour longer, then they all go home. 
 
 At about eight o'clock, a mule, more or less rich- 
 ly caparisoned, is brought to the door. A sort of 
 palanquin, with curtains hermetically closed, is 
 placed on its back. Two of the nearest relations of 
 the bride lead her from her room, and bring her to 
 the door, accompanied by the cries of the women, 
 meant as a kind of salutation, but most offensive 
 to the ear. When the bride is placed in the palan- 
 quin, one of her relations walks before her, carrying 
 a golden candelabrum with a number of wax lights, 
 while all the rest follow in her train, each carrying 
 a lighted candle, the length of which denotes the 
 degree of kindred of the bearer. During the time 
 the procession lasts, the bride is expected to make 
 a curious noise by striking her hand upon her chin, 
 which, mixed with the cries of the women, produces 
 anything but a harmonious effect. 
 
 When the procession arrives at the house of the 
 bridegroom, the young woman is introduced into 
 her husband's chamber. He rises, takes her by the 
 
245 
 
 hand, and seats her beside him at his left hand. 
 Then is the most critical moment of all, for he has 
 never yet seen her, having taken her on the word 
 of others. All the better for her if her chance is a 
 good one ; if not, alas ! 
 
 They are left alone. * The young man raises the 
 veil, and resolves the terrible question : " Shall I, 
 or shall I not love her ? " If she does not suit him, 
 he retires, and she returns to her parents. (This, 
 however, seldom takes place among the better sort 
 of people ; if the husband is pleased with his wife, 
 he receives her with delight ; if not, he treats her 
 with respect, and keeps her, unless she be afflicted 
 with great infirmities, or revolting ugliness.) 
 
 Then, on a sign from the husband, a woman 
 called a " machsta," who attends to the bride's toi- 
 lette, approaches, and offers them a few drops of 
 water poured into the hollow of her hand. The 
 new married couple then offer the same to each 
 other, and the ceremony is declared complete. 
 
 The funeral ceremony is here conducted much in 
 the same way as at Bona. Here I noticed the same 
 formal expressions of despair, which is roused, gra- 
 duated, and dispelled at will; also the same self- 
 mutilation, and all the adjuncts of this distressing 
 pantomime. There is even less appearance of gra- 
 vity in the march of the procession here than at the 
 latter mentioned town. I have seen people bear 
 their relatives to the grave, not with the sober de- 
 portment befitting the occasion, but with a sort of 
 jaunty air and gymnastic step, occasionally stopping 
 at a mosque, to entreat the prayers of the congre- 
 gation for the deceased, and to give all faithful mus- 
 
246 
 
 sulmen passing by the opportunity of relieving them 
 in carrying the bier, which is considered a pious 
 duty. 
 
 The custom of burying in coffins has been intro- 
 duced since the French conquest, and even now is 
 observed only by a few rich. Moors. The corpse is 
 generally laid in the grave, dressed in the usual ha- 
 biliments, and the grave is defended from the at- 
 tacks of the jackals by the manner in which it is 
 formed. It is divided into two parts ; the lower one 
 is narrower than the other, and furnished with a 
 sort of ledge, or shelf, to admit of its being covered 
 with large stones. The corpse is placed in the low- 
 er vault, which is filled with leaves, an " oulemah" 
 or priest, reads a few prayers over it, after which 
 those who attend the funeral cover the grave with 
 earth and stones, and go away thinking no more of 
 the deceased than if he had been dead a hundred 
 years. No one remains in the cemetery, except 
 perhaps a few beggars, to whom bread and fruit are 
 distributed by way of alms. 
 
 I once asked a Moor the reason of this haste, 
 which would shock the feelings of any European. 
 He answered that it proceeded from the desire felt 
 by the relations to see the deceased established in 
 his tomb, where, as they believe, the angel Azrael 
 awaits him to question him over his past life, and 
 send him to Paradise or Hell according to his an- 
 swers. 
 
 If the family is wealthy, monuments of slate or 
 marble are erected to the memory of the deceased. 
 These monuments are composed of two stones, 
 placed vertically, on each of which an inscription is 
 
247 
 
 written ; the profession of Mahometan faith on the 
 head-piece, and on the other the name of the de- 
 parted, with invocations addressed on his behalf to 
 divine Providence. 
 
 I never saw any tombs of this description in the 
 cemetery at Bona, which is situated on the slope of 
 the hill near the Cashba. All there were of about 
 the same shape, three or four feet long, with a stone 
 at the head, to indicate the face of the departed 
 turned towards Mecca. These tombs were made of 
 brick, covered over with mortar, and whitewashed, 
 like all the other buildings ; many were surmounted 
 with little domes, in imitation of the monuments of 
 the Marabouts. These and other great personages 
 have tombs of large dimensions, generally a square 
 edifice with a cupola, surrounded by sombre tinted 
 trees. 
 
 THE WIDOW OF ACHMET-DEY. 
 
 I HAVE lately made acquaintance with a lady 
 who is on the point of leaving Algeria to return 
 to France ; the physicians having recommended en- 
 tire change of climate as the only remedy for the 
 ophthalmia that distressed her. Unable to endure 
 the rays of an African sun, she was obliged to live 
 secluded in a dark room, and thus, in spite of the 
 exalted position she held, and her perfect knowledge 
 of Arabic, which would have enabled her to become 
 acquainted with every object of interest in this sin- 
 gular country, she was to leave Algeria with the 
 disappointment of not having been able to gratify 
 
248 
 
 her curiosity. I therefore took advantage of rather 
 a cloudy day to endeavour to induce her to come 
 with me to see a mosque ; she consented, and we set 
 off for one of the handsomest and most celebrated of 
 these edifices, called the mosque of Sidi-Abd-el- 
 Kakman, and situated outside the gate of " Bab-el- 
 Oued." — A stony path, skirting the Cashba, led us 
 to the object of our research. 
 
 This mosque is smaller than that inside the town, 
 and is surrounded by a cemetery, where are interred 
 all the descendants of the Marabout from whom the 
 building derives its name, and whose tomb is erected 
 within its walls. A hollow tree grows in the midst 
 of this cemetery, and is carefully watered by the 
 pious believers, who put linen cloths within the hol- 
 low, from whence they are supposed to derive the 
 virtue of healing all diseases. 
 
 Arabian History, like that of all other nations, 
 has chiefly been preserved by religious tradition. 
 Every mosque affords ample materials for interest- 
 ing study, as all of them contain the tomb of some 
 venerated saint or personage of celebrity, to whom is 
 attached some legend, which, whether true or false, 
 dreadful or marvellous, abounds in the profuse ima- 
 gery and brilliant colouring that give " the Arabian 
 nights" their peculiar charm. 
 
 The Deys of Algiers, as the Pashas before them, 
 were continually exposed to the revolts of the pow- 
 erful and insubordinate band of Janissaries, and to 
 the attempts of every assassin, and in consequence 
 seldom enjoyed either a long or a peaceful reign. 
 The fate of the last few princes affords abundant in- 
 stances in point j the Dey Mustapha was murdered 
 
249 
 
 by his black cook in 1814 ; the two who afterwards 
 successively filled his place died in the space of a 
 fortnight ; after their death, Omar, a skilful warrior 
 and the conqueror of the Bey of Oran, was elected 
 by the Janissaries, but only to perish by their hands 
 in 1815. Achmet, who succeeded him, met with 
 the same fate, being strangled in the gallery of the 
 baths. Then followed Aly-socco, who died of the 
 plague a few days after his ascension to the throne^ 
 and was succeeded by Hussein, the last of the Deys. 
 He was dethroned by the French shortly after the 
 capture of Algiers, and begged leave to retire to 
 Naples, where he died shortly afterwards. 
 
 Leaving our shoes in an outer hall covered with 
 matting, we entered the interior of the building. 
 The marble pavement was covered with a rich car- 
 pet, on which several Moors were kneeling, for it 
 was the hour of prayer. All were telling the beads 
 of a chaplet and repeating litanies somewhat similar 
 to ours, while they bowed their heads to the ground, 
 looking towards the niche that indicated the direc- 
 tion of Mecca, and where they believed the Prophet 
 was actually present to hear them. Then rising, 
 they continued their monotonous chaunt, that min- 
 gled with the sound of the stream which supplied 
 the tank for ablutions. 
 
 JTarious as are the different forms of adoration, 
 the feeling that raises the mind of man to the Su- 
 preme Being is the same every where. The fervent 
 devotion of these Arabs could not but excite our re- 
 spect, and we also were ready to kneel down and 
 pray to the Creator of all to enlighten the minds of 
 those who worship Him in ignorance, and who only 
 
250 
 
 require guidance and instruction to lead them in 
 the way of truth. 
 
 Rows of ostrich eggs, strung on wires, and a 
 number of small flags adorned the walls of the dome, 
 in the centre of which was suspended a large lustre 
 of Italian crystal. The symbols of Mahometanism, 
 the raised hand and the crescent, were visible every 
 where. The raised hand bears a mysterious signi- 
 fication, and is supposed to possess the power of 
 counteracting the evil eye. 
 
 In the midst of the edifice is the tomb of the Ma- 
 rabout, distinguished by a cenotaph of carved wood, 
 and protected by a gilded iron palisade, while large 
 flags, tokens of some victory, deck the four cor- 
 ners. 
 
 While we were examining the building, the Moors 
 took their departure in silence, and we were pre- 
 paring to follow their example, when the sound of 
 an angry colloquy attracted our attention. Look- 
 ing round, we saw the Mufti, or priest, in strong 
 altercation with a poor woman, who was kneeling 
 beside a marble tomb in a corner of the building, 
 under the only window. " Away I" he said, " nor 
 venture to show thyself in this sacred place. Doth 
 not thy Lord curse thee from Heaven, thee and thy 
 son, who blush not to serve the infidel ? — Get thee 
 hence, or I drive thee away." « 
 
 " Ja Sidi Macha Allah." (May Heaven protect 
 me) she replied ; " knowest thou not that if I come 
 here to pray, it is because I have bought the right 
 to do so. My lord rests here, and here I will re- 
 main ; if I am insulted, the French will protect me : 
 
251 
 
 they know who I am, which thou ought'st not to 
 forget." 
 
 The Mufti went away, muttering curses against 
 her. We approached, and a few words in Arabic 
 soon established us in the good graces of the Moor- 
 ish woman. She appeared about sixty years old, 
 her figure was bent and her complexion faded, but 
 the dignified motion of her head, and the traces still 
 visible of extreme beauty, seemed to belie her 
 wretched condition. This is her history, as she re- 
 lated it to us. 
 
 Next Ba'iram it will be thirty years ago, since 
 I was a happy child of twelve years old. My skin, 
 now pallid and shrivelled, was then soft and white 
 as the petal of the lily ; my eyes were so brilliant, 
 that it was needless to mark them with the black 
 line under the lashes ; my eyebrows joined in one 
 graceful curve, and my black hair waved round me 
 like a flowing veil, when the long curls escaped 
 from the hands of my mother, who dyed them with 
 henna. Yes, I was beautiful, so beautiful, that 
 among the women, by whom alone I was seen, no- 
 thing was spoken of but the Pearl of Hassan- ben 
 Omar. 
 
 No one told me so, except my little Venetian 
 mirror. I lived happily in that house which you 
 see in the town below ; my mother had taught me 
 to embroider in gold, and not the most skilful Jew 
 in the whole bazaar could vie with me in taste and 
 dexterity ; the slaves brought me baskets of roses, 
 of which I made conserves and pastilles, or wreathed 
 
252 
 
 them into garlands for my hair. I tended the flow- 
 ers on the terrace, preserving them from the sun 
 and wind, and I tamed the pigeons, till they flew to- 
 wards me whenever I appeared. But my happiest 
 hours were those I spent in leaning on my iron 
 grated window, watching the clouds fleet over the 
 sky, and the white sea-birds hover above the waves, 
 looking like daisies in a green meadow. Sometimes 
 I saw a ship rise gradually above the horizon, when 
 the sky was glowing red, and the sun was setting 
 in a golden halo ; sometimes a bark filled with fish- 
 ermen glided past the rock on which our house was 
 built. They heard my voice as I sang, and looked 
 to see whence it came, but I kept myself concealed, 
 and laughed at their disappointment. Thus did my 
 young life pass like a tranquil dream ; I had no de- 
 sire or thought beyond my home, and no rumour 
 from without ever ruffled the calm tide of my exis- 
 tence. I seldom even was admitted into the inner 
 court, except when my father, then chief of the Ja- 
 nissaries, returned from some distant expedition. 
 I then was always the first to kiss his hand, for to 
 please him was my sole desire ; in him was centred 
 all my affection — he was the universe to me. 
 
 One evening, when I was going as usual to meet 
 my father, my mother entered my room, and desired 
 me to dress myself. I put on my gold embroidered 
 robe, my vest of richest brocade, tied my fota round 
 my waist, and followed my mother to the large hall, 
 where all my family was assembled. 
 
 There, in the midst of a table covered with re- 
 freshments, was a large open basket, filled with 
 magnificent tissues of gold and silver, flowers made 
 
253 
 
 of diamonds that glittered like drops of dew, eme- 
 ralds and rubies set in a thousand fanciful shapes, 
 and in the midst of all, the golden " Sarma" or ma- 
 tron's cap, which I once found so heavy when I 
 tried on that of my mother. A thick film seemed 
 to shroud my eyes ; I understood that I was to be 
 married and to leave my home, and I fell almost 
 senseless at the feet of my father. He seemed 
 moved, but his countenance was radiant with joy as 
 he announced to me that the envoys from my des- 
 tined lord were waiting for me. They concealed 
 my hair under a black silk handkerchief covered 
 with jewels, they threw over me the ha'ik, which 
 scarcely allowed my eyes to be seen, and led me to 
 the door of the house, from whence I was conveyed 
 in a litter carried by four strong negroes into the 
 centre of the town. 
 
 The house of my father, which I had always 
 considered as so vast and spacious, was nothing in 
 comparison to the splendid building to which I was 
 brought. The court paved with white marble and 
 surrounded by a gilded colonnade ; the galleries 
 were carved in open work, like the shrine of a Ma- 
 rabout, and the finest sculpture and painting was 
 lavished on the decoration of this enchanted place. 
 But if I was struck with admiration at the gorgeous 
 scene, what was my amazement when the Janis- 
 saries whom I met on my way bowed down before 
 me, and a strain of music, mingled with the voices 
 of the women who viewed me from the terrace, was 
 poured forth to greet me as I ascended a staircase 
 strewed with flowers. 
 
 Some slaves introduced me into a hall resplen- 
 
254 
 
 dent with light. The ceiling of painted wood was 
 carved into the shape of fruit and flowers, so true to 
 nature that I almost wished to gather them, while 
 at the end of the room, seated on a throne under a 
 canopy, was a noble warrior of commanding aspect. 
 How did my heart bound within me, when, by the 
 crescent of diamonds on his turban, I recognized 
 Achmet the Dey ! 
 
 The Iman of the grand mosque stood beside 
 him. The Dey descended the steps of his throne, 
 took the Sarma froui the hands of a slave, and placed 
 it on my head. He then poured some orange flower 
 water into the hollow of my two hands, which I 
 raised to his lips, and out of which he drank with 
 eagerness. Trembling, almost motionless, I waited 
 till he should raise my veil, for he yet might dis- 
 card me, if I did not please him ; but his admiration 
 soon dispelled my fears. He seated me beside him 
 on his throne; the officers of the household ap- 
 proached one by one to make their obeisance and 
 kiss his hand, after which they all withdrew. 
 
 When we were left alone, my lord opened a 
 little door concealed behind the drapery, and we 
 went out upon the terrace. The town below us ap- 
 peared one dazzling mass of light, the last gun fired 
 in honour of the Ba'iram, lamps of various hues 
 shone from the spire of each minaret, the very ves- 
 sels in the harbour seemed wrapt in a luminous 
 haze, and all around looked calm and beautiful. A 
 feeling of dizziness came over me, such as those feel 
 who are suddenly raised to a height to which they 
 are not accustomed, and from which their senses al- 
 most recoil in terror. After a few moments of si- 
 
255 
 
 lence, the Dey said to me, " Nedjoumah, all thou 
 beholdest is thine. Command as a queen, and thou 
 shalt be obeyed, for — I love thee !" 
 
 Ask me not whether I loved him ! The delight 
 of that moment was sufficient for a whole lifetime. 
 My father had always described Achmet as brave 
 and generous, and I was proud and happy to be his 
 wife. 
 
 It were impossible to describe the felicity I en- 
 joyed for two years; I loved my husband, and my 
 reverence was equal to my love. His will was my 
 only law ; had he even commanded me to leave him, 
 or condemned me to death, I should willingly have 
 submitted for his sake. He, the greatest in the 
 kingdom, scorned not to consult me on the most im- 
 portant matters, and used to declare that the young 
 and simple girl often gave him wiser counsel than 
 his oldest and most experienced ministers. Achmet 
 used often to absent himself to fight against the re- 
 bellious tribes ; but when the time drew near that 
 he expected an heir from me, he feared to leave me 
 in reach of any danger. By his orders, the Janis- 
 saries removed the treasure, arms, furniture, etc. 
 from the house we inhabited to the Cashba. All 
 this was done in the course of one night, without 
 the knowledge of anybody. 
 
 My husband had bestowed the greatest care in 
 making this fortress as pleasing a residence as it 
 was a secure refuge, but still I found a great differ- 
 ence between it and the home I had left. Hence- 
 forward my only walk was to be a terrace, exposed 
 all day to the heat of the sun, which was scarcely 
 tempered even by the evening breeze ; while in my 
 
256 
 
 former abode I could breathe the air at midday 
 among groves of orange, lemon, and pomegranate 
 trees always in fruit and flower, beneath whose shade 
 the myrtle and rhododendron grew luxuriantly, 
 and birds of all kinds warbled among the roses and 
 jessamine that were trained on espaliers to the roof 
 of the house. At one end of this garden was an 
 arbour, with a table and seats of marble and vases 
 of alabaster, w r hile a constant stream was poured 
 from a jet d'eau into a basin, filled with the rarest 
 water plants. Here I used often to come to refresh 
 myself in the cool shade, and bathe my feet in the 
 fountain, regardless of the little harmless snakes 
 whose heads appeared above the level of the water. 
 
 When my child was born, my joy was equalled 
 only by that of my husband, whom one of my ne- 
 gresses led to my bed side. This bed was as large 
 as one of your rooms in Europe ; at each corner 
 were gilded palm trees, on the branches of which 
 were peacocks and birds of Paradise, with plumage 
 of precious stones and eyes of diamonds ; curtains 
 of blue and gold brocade fell in heavy folds from 
 the sculptured canopy over a coverlet of the same, 
 and beside me lay my beautiful child. Such was 
 the pleasure of the Dey, that all shared in it ; the 
 very Jews were less persecuted than usual, and the 
 sword of the Chaouch rested in its sheath, for my 
 lord had resolved that all the world should be happy. 
 
 Often used I to hang the little cradle on the 
 branches of the banana trees, and watch my babe 
 while I sang him to sleep, or await the arrival of 
 my husband with all the eagerness of love, listening 
 for his very step, or trying to catch the tone of his 
 
257 
 
 voice. But this blissful time was short ; though safe 
 in our retreat from outward foes, we had no defence 
 against treachery from within ; some of the chiefs, 
 jealous of the Dey's power, and fearing lest he might 
 overcome them more easily from the castle, raised a 
 horrible conspiracy within its very walls. One night, 
 having murdered my father and his Janissaries in 
 the outer courts, they rushed into our apartments. 
 Achmet fought like a lion, but one of the assassins 
 threw a scarf round his neck and strangled him ; 
 after which, proud of their deed of crime, they left 
 the palace, and proclaimed AlyDey in the room of 
 Achmet. 
 
 Aroused by the noise, I hastened to the spot. I 
 untied the fatal knot, but my lord was no more. I 
 should have died also, had not the danger that 
 threatened my son inspired me with fresh courage. 
 I took him in my arms, rushed from the scene of 
 horror, followed the first path that lay before me, 
 and arrived here, where I sank down, exhausted 
 with terror and fatigue. When the muezzin came 
 the next morning to call the faithful to prayer, he 
 led me and my child to a place of refuge. This 
 tomb, by which I was praying, is that of my hus- 
 band, whom I hope soon to rejoin in death. 
 
 My son has grown up strong and handsome. He 
 is a ulema (wise man). The French have given him 
 a place in their tribunal, consult him on all affairs 
 of moment, and follow his advice. When he has 
 fulfilled the duties of the day, he comes here to re- 
 pose himself and comfort me. Sometimes he re- 
 peats a few verses from the Koran, sometimes we 
 look afar over this wide land which was governed by 
 
258 
 
 his father, and while our eyes wander from the 
 Point of Pescada to Cape Matifoux, from the Eng- 
 lish fort to the hospital and garden of the Dey, and 
 we view this fair country, the scene of our former 
 splendour, we reflect on the vicissitude of earthly 
 things. 
 
 I can hardly imagine that I am that same Ned- 
 joumah, whose mind was once filled with thoughts 
 of grandeur and glory — that I am she for whom the 
 Bedouin used to traverse the desert and range the 
 Atlas, to supply her with gazelles and fresh dates ; 
 whose sole word would have sufficed to strike off the 
 head of that mufti, who now insults me ! but gladly 
 would I again live over these thirty years of grief 
 and humiliation, could that short time be restored 
 to me, when the happiness of a great and brave man 
 was dependent on every tear and smile of mine, for 
 that man was the Dey Achmet ! My own affliction 
 I can bear, but to see my son, unknown, forgotten 
 in this very town, over which he should have 
 reigned, and where his name is scarcely mentioned, 
 this it is that breaks my heart ! He, greater than 
 I, stoops not to complain, but merely repeats, when 
 I weep for him, ' Allah Kebir,' God is great." 
 
 One of the finest tombs of this description is that 
 of the Marabout Sidi Ferruch. It is situated on a 
 peninsula of the same name, at about seven leagues 
 from Algiers, which spot was chosen for the landing 
 of the French army, and the commander-in-chief 
 fixed his head- quarters in the very building. This 
 tomb is without exception the most beautiful in the 
 whole country. After crossing a court surrounded 
 
259 
 
 by walls, you enter a large square hall, communi- 
 cating with another of smaller dimensions, and 
 lighted by an octagonal dome. Under this cupola 
 is the monument of Sidi-el-Ferruch ; the shrine is 
 composed of pieces of wood, inlaid like a work in 
 marquetry, and is ornamented with a variety of 
 amulets of gold, coral, and glass. Three large flags 
 were placed round the cenotaph, and a number of 
 banners, lances, and other trophies decorated the 
 walls. All these objects were carefully respected 
 by order of the general. 
 
 After the conquest, we learnt that Sidi-el-Ferruch 
 was held in great veneration among the Arabs, and 
 that when it was known that the French army was 
 to land near his tomb, a long procession of them 
 went to offer up their prayers to the saint for the 
 utter extermination of the invaders, and to propitiate 
 him by offerings which they left in the sacred place. 
 When the town was taken, Sidi-el-Ferruch not only 
 fell in the esteem of his votaries, but was accused of 
 treachery. In consequence of this, the building in 
 question no longer bears his name, but is known as 
 M La torre chica." 
 
 I was told that a revolt of a singular kind broke 
 out at Algiers a few years ago. The Moorish wo- 
 men, seeing the liberty enjoyed by their European 
 sisters, took it into their heads to imitate them, and 
 to cast off the yoke of conventional dependence. A 
 club was formed with a female president and female 
 orators, the most eloquent, or at least the most auda- 
 cious, of whom moved, that for the future woman's 
 servitude to her husband should cease, and that she 
 should no longer be compelled to wear a veil. This 
 
260 
 
 plan was unanimously agreed to, and carried into 
 effect the same day. The men, alarmed at the 
 consequences of this act of rebellion, assembled in 
 council at the mufti's, who advised them to take no 
 notice of their wives' misdemeanour. These oriental 
 asserters of the " Rights of Women" were therefore 
 left in full possession of their liberty ; but the taste 
 for it soon waned away, for want of opposition, and 
 the fair delinquents gladly returned to their conjugal 
 duties. 
 
 There is no difference between the Arab quarters 
 in Algiers and those in the other towns I have 
 seen. All the houses are low, square, and ventilated 
 with narrow gratings, just sufficient to admit air and 
 light. Here are the same rooms surrounded with 
 shelves, where the inhabitants sleep at night, and 
 smoke their pipes by day, when rain or extreme heat 
 force them to seek some shelter. This wretched ac- 
 commodation is entirely unprotected, and the en- 
 trance is merely covered by a piece of net work, 
 which gives free admission to the outward air. 
 
 As at Bona, there are several coffee-houses here, 
 where negroes are constantly employed in preparing 
 coffee on stoves as black as dirt can make them. 
 The amateurs of this beverage drink it very hot, 
 and without sugar, and instead of liking it brown 
 and clear, as we Europeans do, they never allow it 
 to settle. The Arab coffee is not so strong as ours, 
 and the difference of taste between them is most 
 perceptible, owing most likely to the mode of pre- 
 paration, the former being pounded in a mortar till 
 reduced to a sort of coarse powder. This coffee is 
 
261 
 
 brought from the interior of the country, where the 
 real Mocha is cultivated, which possesses far differ- 
 ent qualities from those of its counterfeit in America. 
 The small spot of ground on which the real plant is 
 grown could not produce the hundredth part of the 
 immense demand, consequently the Isle of Bourbon 
 supplies some portion of the quantity required, while 
 the rest is made up by various ingenious devices in 
 the substitution of spurious articles for the genuine, 
 by which all purposes are answered. 
 
 The same traffic is carried on with the wines of 
 Madeira and Champagne, which are exported in 
 large quantities to the four quarters of the world. 
 In the case of the latter production, the whole pro- 
 vince in which it grows, including the land used for 
 building, would not suffice to furnish wine enough 
 for one day's consumption throughout the world. 
 The same may be said of the little island of Madeira, 
 the wine of which is held in such repute. It is for- 
 tunate that chemistry provides means as effectual as 
 harmless, by which this deficiency can be remedied, 
 and the amateurs of the beverage supplied, no less 
 to their own satisfaction than to the benefit of all 
 concerned in this branch of commerce. 
 
 I shall now give an account of slavery in Algeria. 
 Several authors contradict each other on this subject, 
 but the details I now propose giving are as correct 
 as any that can be procured. 
 
 Several captives of note have pined in the bagnios 
 of Algiers, but as I have neither time nor space to 
 dilate on this subject, I shall only mention the cases 
 of Miguel Cervantes, the immortal author of Don 
 
262 
 
 Quixote ; of St. Vincent de Paule, that sublime 
 pattern of virtuous self-denial and christian charity, 
 and of Regnard, the celebrated comic poet. 
 
 Miguel Cervantes was present at the battle of 
 Lepanto, in 1575, and lost his left hand in the en- 
 gagement. He was left at Messina to be cured of 
 his wound, after which he proceeded to Naples, in 
 hopes of setting sail for his native country in the 
 royal galley called " The Sun." This vessel, how- 
 ever, was captured on its passage by the famous 
 Arnaut Mami, the most formidable corsair of that 
 period. Although captivity in Algiers was regarded 
 by the Spaniards as the worst of misfortunes, the 
 evils of it were mitigated to those who chanced to 
 fall into the hands of masters possessed of a tolerable 
 share of humanity, or sufficiently alive to their own 
 interest to spare their slaves in hopes of obtaining 
 their ransom. Fortune, however, denied this favour 
 to the unfortunate Cervantes ; he was claimed by 
 the redoubtable Mami himself, who some years 
 afterwards succeeded Hassan the Venetian as Pasha 
 of Algiers. He was an Albanian renegade, the 
 deadly enemy of all Christians, and, more especially, 
 of Spaniards. By so many acts of atrocity had he 
 distinguished himself, that even among his country- 
 men he passed for a harsh and pitiless master. 
 Still, the courage of Cervantes remained unbroken, 
 his undaunted spirit supplied him with strength to 
 undertake his own deliverance, which, in spite of 
 all obstacles, he resolved to effect. 
 
 The corsair, after having disarmed his prisoners, 
 had them searched, and on Cervantes was found a 
 letter from Don John of Austria to his brother 
 
263 
 
 Philip the Second, strongly recommending Miguel 
 Cervantes, who had honourably distinguished him- 
 self at the battle of Lepanto. The brother of 
 Miguel, Rodrigo, was taken prisoner at the same 
 time, and both were bound with the same chain, 
 and reserved for the same purpose, this high testi- 
 monial having given Mami hopes that every thing 
 would be done to release the two captives. 
 
 A Greek renegade had a garden three miles from 
 the coast, and employed his slave, a Navarrese, to 
 cultivate it. After several years of labour, this 
 slave at last succeeded in making a subterranean 
 passage between the least frequented part of the 
 garden and the sea. He and Cervantes agreed on 
 a plan of escape, and the latter, having contrived 
 to leave his master's house, went to the spot pointed 
 out by the Navarrese, accompanied by several of 
 his companions in misfortune. They were fifteen 
 in number, and all men of honour and resolution. 
 Cervantes was entrusted with the command of the 
 little troop, and of the direction of the requisite 
 measures : the gardener kept watch outside ; and an- 
 other slave, called " the gilder, 1 ' from his profession, 
 and whose employment gave him free entrance into 
 the town, undertook to supply them with provisions. 
 They remained immured in their retreat the whole 
 day, and only ventured to leave it for a few hours 
 in the night, when all suspicion was lulled. 
 
 Cervantes made an agreement with a Majorcan 
 slave, named Viano, who had purchased his own 
 freedom and was on the point of returning to his 
 country. It was settled that he should come back 
 to Algiers in a small vessel, and take the fugitives 
 
264 
 
 on board. Viano kept his word, he returned home, 
 freighted a ship, cautiously approached the coast 
 of Algiers, and was going to leap on shore, full of 
 ardour and delight, when he was discovered by 
 some Moors, who gave the alarm and called the 
 guard. He immediately re-embarked and put out 
 to sea, so that the fugitives were not discovered. 
 But the fear of evil is often worse than the evil 
 itself; " the gilder," who at first was so earnestly 
 devoted to the interest of his companions, now terri- 
 fied at the danger that threatened both himself and 
 them, resolved to ensure his own safety by an act of 
 baseness. He went to the Pacha of Algiers, an- 
 nounced his intention of embracing the Mussulman 
 faith, and to prove the sincerity of his convictions, 
 betrayed the unfortunate captives, who were imme- 
 diately brought back to the palace, and Cervantes, 
 their chief, put in chains by order of the Pacha. 
 The heroic Spaniard, dreading for his companions 
 the effects of Hassan's wrath, determined to avert it 
 from them at his own peril, and said with noble 
 pride, when brought before the Sultan's representa- 
 tive : " If having endeavoured to regain our liberty 
 be a crime in thy sight, I alone am to blame. Spare 
 my brothers, who are guiltless in this affair, for it 
 was I who induced them to quit their bonds, and 
 who gave them into the power of the villain who 
 has deceived us." Struck by these expressions, and 
 by Cervantes' courageous self-devotion, Hassan Pa- 
 cha bought him from the corsair Mami, and detained 
 him in the palace, where he was treated with kind- 
 ness and consideration. 
 
 Eodrigo Cervantes, though somewhat older than 
 
265 
 
 his brother, was his inferior in many respects. He 
 had given ample proofs of bravery, when fighting 
 by his side at the battle of Lepanto, but heaven had 
 denied him the gifts of genius, so profusely lavished 
 on the younger of the two, and the unflinching 
 strength of mind, which enabled Miguel to endure 
 all adversities without being overpowered by them. 
 Rodrigo also suffered without complaint, but the 
 sadness and depression visible in his countenance 
 showed the grief which consumed him. Mami had 
 provided them the means of writing to their family, 
 and Miguel had made a free statement of the mise- 
 ries of their captivity, convinced that his friends, in 
 spite of their poverty, would make no delay in send- 
 ing the sum required for their liberation. 
 
 In the course of time the ransom was sent, as 
 usual, through the means of the Fathers of Mercy ; 
 but Hassan thought it insufficient to purchase the 
 freedom of both brothers, and consented only to 
 part with Rodrigo, who owed this favour less to the 
 compassion or regard of his master, than to the 
 contempt in which he held his merits. Before they 
 separated, the two brothers held a long consultation, 
 in which it was agreed that when Rodrigo arrived 
 in Spain, he should present a letter from his brother 
 to the king, requesting that an armed frigate might 
 be sent to a certain part of the coast of Algiers, to 
 receive Miguel on board, with as many others whose 
 escape he could contrive to effect. 
 
 Days and months passed away, and no news from 
 Rodrigo reached his brother, who at first accounted 
 for this delay by the many obstacles that might 
 prevent the execution of their design ; but at last, 
 
266 
 
 losing all hope of success through this means, he 
 resolved to depend on his own courage, and applied 
 himself to organize some other scheme by which to 
 regain his freedom. 
 
 The windows of a neighbouring house opened on 
 the terrace of the bagnio, if the name of windows 
 may be given to a few wretched apertures made in 
 the wall, and protected by an iron grating. One 
 evening, when Cervantes and two of his companions 
 were on the terrace, they chanced to look in the 
 direction of these windows, and saw a long reed 
 issuing from one of them, and swaying backwards 
 and forwards, as if for some purpose. One of the 
 three captives, Blanco de Paz, advanced to the 
 spot, but the reed was withdrawn ; Captain Vedma 
 followed his example, but with no better success. 
 Cervantes approached at last, and a small packet 
 was let down to him, fastened to the end of the 
 reed, and containing a few gold pieces, and a letter 
 written in Arabic. Blanco de Paz was the only 
 one of the three prisoners who was capable of un- 
 derstanding it, and although Cervantes had not a 
 good opinion of this man, he was forced to yield to 
 circumstances, and to let him read the letter, of 
 which this was the meaning: — " When I was a 
 child, my father had a Christian slave, who used often 
 to tell me about Lela Marien (the Virgin Mary). 
 She died, and since then I have often seen her at 
 night. — She tells me to go to the land of the Chris- 
 tians, and that there I shall find Lela Marien. 
 Gladly would I obey her, but I know not the way. 
 I have seen many Christians through the window, 
 but thou alone art he whom I can trust, if thy 
 
267 
 
 countenance deceives me not. I am young, I am 
 rich, and if thou art willing, we will go to thy 
 country, where I will become thy wife. Trust to 
 no Moor, for were my father to know of this letter, 
 he would throw me into a well, and cover it over 
 with stones. Come here again to-morrow, fasten 
 thy answer to the end of this reed, and if thou canst 
 not write in Arabic, explain thy meaning by signs. 
 Lela Marien will teach me to understand them." 
 
 Blanco de Paz appeared much agitated on reading 
 this letter, but he wrote the answer in Arabic, at 
 the dictation of Miguel Cervantes, who sent it to 
 the young girl in the manner agreed upon, inform- 
 ing her of the means to be taken to facilitate their 
 evasion, and that of the other Christian slaves, 
 without whom Cervantes would not consent to leave 
 the country. Blanco was acquainted with a Valen- 
 cian merchant, whom he commissioned to purchase 
 a skiff, which was to convey the fugitives to the 
 Spanish coast. 
 
 A few days afterwards, all concerned in the plot 
 met at Cape Pescada ; the young Moorish girl ar- 
 rived at the place of rendezvous at about twelve 
 o'clock at night, followed by a female slave, who 
 was to accompany her. Cervantes was the last, and 
 his countenance told the dreadful tidings before his 
 lips could utter the words. Blanco de Paz had 
 revealed their secret. Jealous of the favour shown 
 to Cervantes by the young Mussulman convert, he 
 had pretended to serve him as the surer means of 
 betraying him. The lady had gone on board the 
 vessel with ten of the party, the rest dispersed, for 
 fear of being captured at sea. The vessel set 
 
268 
 
 sail, and Miguel Cervantes returned to the town, 
 where he concealed himself in the house of a Moor 
 named A'ica, on whose good faith he could depend. 
 The skiff was seized by a vessel sent in pursuit 
 of it, the Moorish girl was brought back to her 
 father, who fortunately for her, gave credit to the 
 reasons she assigned for the event ; and all the other 
 captives were shut up in the dungeons of the bagnio. 
 One man was already bent on the discovery of 
 Miguel Cervantes. The Valencian merchant, who 
 had furnished the sum necessary for the purchase 
 of the skiff, hearing of the unfortunate result of the 
 scheme, feared lest Cervantes should be put to the 
 torture by the merciless Hassan, and that pain would 
 extort from him the names of his accomplices, which 
 Blanco de Paz, either from prudence or selfishness, 
 had forborne to mention. He soon discovered his 
 place of concealment, and used all his powers of 
 persuasion to induce him to set sail at once, in the 
 first ship that could be found, offering himself to 
 defray the expenses of the journey, or even to pay 
 his ransom to the Dey, on condition that nothing 
 more should be heard of him. On Cervantes in- 
 quiring the motive of such unwonted generosity, 
 the Valencian confessed his fear lest a confession 
 forced from him by torture should compromise him- 
 self, and cause not only the loss of his fortune, but of 
 his life also. " Rather than consent to thy proposal, 
 base villain," replied the noble Cervantes, " I would 
 myself denounce thee to the Dey. Thinkest thou 
 that I could abandon my companions to the peril into 
 which I have led them ? the adventure of the sub- 
 terraneous passage might have taught thee that such 
 
269 
 
 is not my practice. Know, that I value every hair of 
 their heads above thee and all thy riches, and am 
 resolved that not even thou shouldst have cause to 
 accuse me of meanness towards them." 
 
 At this moment the voice of the public crier was 
 heard, announcing that a slave of greater importance 
 than " the cripple," as Cervantes was called, had 
 escaped, and that the penalty of death was decreed 
 against any person who gave him shelter. 
 
 On hearing this news, Cervantes was struck with 
 alarm, not on his own account, but on that of the 
 friend whose life was in danger, and whom he be- 
 lieved to have escaped for the purpose of diverting 
 the current of the Dey's anger from Cervantes to 
 himself. He rushed out into the street, regardless 
 of the entreaties of the Valencian merchant, who 
 selfishly reminded him that he also would be in- 
 volved in the ruin that would fall upon him. 
 
 Cervantes, disgusted at last with his importuni- 
 ties, told him that he meant to give himself up to 
 the Dey, in order to insure the present safety of all 
 his companions, then went to the palace, leaving the 
 poor merchant tranquillized on his own account, but 
 in a state of utter amazement at a degree of generosity 
 which he could not comprehend. 
 
 On the evening of that same day, Cervantes was 
 led before the Pacha, with his hands bound and a 
 rope round his neck. The examination was severe, 
 and the fury of the prince at the highest point, but 
 Cervantes' calmness and self-possession remained 
 unmoved. When asked the names of his accom- 
 plices, he replied, " I should not thus have stood 
 before thee, Hassan, had it not been for the villany 
 
270 
 
 of a traitor. Blanco de Paz had promised to share 
 our fate, whether for good or evil. He was the 
 most ardent and zealous of all in carrying my plans 
 into effect : he was my accomplice, and he it is 
 whom thou shouldst punish." 
 
 The Dey, to intimidate the prisoner, inquired 
 indignantly why he had endeavoured by his flight 
 to deprive him of the ransom due to him. 
 
 " When I was bought by thee for 500 crowns," 
 he answered, " thy avarice speculated on receiving 
 1000 as the price of my freedom, which I should 
 have been content to wait for, had I thought of my- 
 self only. But I know that there are 25,000 Chris- 
 tians in this infamous town, who have no hope of 
 ever returning to their native land, and my principal 
 motive for escaping was, that I might return with a 
 fleet to set them at liberty." 
 
 The Dey burst into a scornful laugh on hearing 
 these words, which, however, coming from the lips 
 of Cervantes, were not without meaning. Was he 
 not a Spaniard, one of the heroes of Lepanto, and 
 protected by Don John of Austria ? Such were the 
 thoughts that crowded into the Dey's mind, and 
 made him pause ere he gave a rash order. " Let 
 King Philip come with as large an army as he 
 pleases," he said as a kind of bravado, " as his father 
 Charles V. came here before him ! " and he laughed 
 again. 
 
 "It is to efface the stain of that defeat," re- 
 plied Cervantes, " that the king is preparing an 
 expedition against thee. Do not deceive thyself, 
 Hassan. Thy subjects hate thee, and would be 
 too glad to join the Christians, were they to come 
 
271 
 
 over. Then what refuge would be left thee, when 
 pressed on all sides by the hosts of the king my 
 master, and thy own rebellious subjects ?" 
 
 All who were present at this interview, had re- 
 garded Cervantes as already condemned to death. 
 What then was their surprise when the Dey sud- 
 denly rose from his seat, and ordered the prisoner 
 to be taken, not to the slaves' department, but to 
 the Moorish prison adjoining the palace. There 
 he was detained five months, loaded with chains, 
 and treated with the utmost rigour. 
 
 One morning, at break of day, a flag was per- 
 ceived just above the horizon, and recognized as 
 that of the Order of Mercy. Shouts of joy were 
 heard from all parts of the town of Algiers, and the 
 multitude of Christians of every nation, who so long 
 had borne the yoke of slavery, saluted the banner 
 with all the enthusiasm of hope realized. The vessel 
 of deliverance soon entered the harbour, and the 
 good fathers were seen standing on deck, dressed in 
 their long white robes, while the flag, significant of 
 their mission, floated from the prow. 
 
 This was what usually happened when a ship of 
 this kind entered the port of Algiers. 
 
 The fathers first received a visit from the Turkish 
 functionaries, who enquired the amount of the sum 
 they brought, which was divided into equal parts, 
 and put in coffers on the deck. The consuls of 
 France or Spain met the holy men at the landing- 
 place, and accompanied them to the palace of the 
 Dey, the coffers of money being carried before 
 them by their Moorish attendants. In this first in- 
 terview, the fathers kissed the hand and robe of the 
 
272 
 
 Dey, and answered his questions by means of an in- 
 terpreter. They afterwards went to the lodging 
 assigned to them. 
 
 The various sums collected by the Fathers of 
 Mercy* were devoted to separate purposes; the 
 money raised in France served for the purchase of 
 French captives, and the contributions of all coun- 
 tries had each their appointed use. 
 
 Great inconvenience was often caused by the in- 
 terference of the great functionaries, who arrogated 
 to themselves the right of enforcing diverse pur- 
 chases, but the fathers in general firmly withstood 
 their unlawful pretensions. 
 
 When the ransom of a slave was to be paid, the 
 master of the person in question used first to pay a 
 visit to the fathers. Negotiations were carried on 
 with great deliberation in the East, and whole hours 
 were often spent in coming to an agreement on the 
 price, which was generally at last decided by the 
 tears and entreaties of the captive. The acts of 
 purchase were drawn up at the office of the consul 
 either of France or Spain, and all preliminaries 
 being thus adjusted, the fathers opened the coffers 
 containing the money, which was counted over by 
 an interpreter, and distributed among the several 
 claimants according to the terms agreed on. The 
 new made freemen then kissed the hands of their 
 former masters and of their deliverers, and the bar- 
 
 * This order was founded in the thirteenth century, by Pierre 
 de Nolasque, a gentleman from Languedoc, and Raimond de 
 Penaford, a Spaniard. The Fathers of Mercy were clothed in 
 white, and wore the arms of Aragon on their scapularies, the order 
 having been first patronized by James King of Aragon. 
 
273 
 
 gain was concluded. This, with few exceptions, 
 was the rule of proceeding adopted for the libe- 
 ration of slaves of all nations, either through the 
 means of the Fathers of Mercy or of the Trinitarian 
 Brothers. 
 
 While Cervantes was enduring the horrors of 
 the strictest captivity, the Dey Hassan was de- 
 nounced to the Sultan by some of his numerous 
 enemies. He immediately received orders to go to 
 Constantinople, and Jaffir Pacha was sent out to 
 succeed him. The day of the good monks' arrival 
 was the last of Hassan's power. When the former 
 were acquainted with the position of Cervantes, 
 they proposed the subject of his ransom to the 
 Dey, who demanded a thousand crowns, which was 
 double the price he had paid to the corsair Mami. 
 This sum was too large for the finances of the good 
 fathers ; they were obliged to refuse giving it, and 
 the next day Hassan embarked for Constantinople, 
 taking with him all his slaves and his treasures, 
 Cervantes among the rest. One day, one hour 
 more, and the genius of the illustrious poet would 
 have remained unknown, buried in a Turkish prison. 
 On further consideration, the worthy monks resolved 
 to make another effort in his favour. They went 
 on board the vessel, and by the force of their argu- 
 ments and entreaties at last prevailed on the ex-Dey 
 to accept the half of the sum specified, on condition 
 that it should be paid immediately. They returned 
 to Algiers, and with great difficulty made up the 
 ransom, which was still far deficient of the amount 
 required, as the mother and sister of the poet had 
 only been able to raise 350 ducats, even by the sale 
 
 T 
 
274 
 
 of their little property. The sum was duly paid to 
 Hassan, who delivered the captive into the hands 
 of his deliverers. 
 
 On the 19th of September, 1580, Miguel Cer- 
 vantes returned to his country, after five years of 
 slavery. Free he was indeed, but he lived poor 
 and despised, even in his native land, where the 
 fruits of his genius were not appreciated till long 
 after his death. His was the fate of many men of 
 talent, who enjoy their fame in anticipation merely, 
 and whose merit is acknowledged only by future 
 generations, capable of understanding its greatness. 
 
 St. Vincent de Paule was captured on his way to 
 Narbonne by three Turkish brigantines, who coasted 
 the gulf of Lyons, on the look out for any vessel 
 that left the port of Beaucaire. He was brought to 
 Algiers, where he was purchased by a fisherman, 
 who afterwards resold him to an old man who was 
 a practitioner of medicine. After the death of his 
 master, St. Vincent fell to the share of his successor, 
 who again sold him to a renegade from Nice in 
 Savoy. This man had three wives, one of whom 
 was a Greek Christian. She, curious to know the 
 manners and customs of the French, used often to 
 question the new slave on the subject, and watch 
 him at his work. One day, she desired him to sing 
 the praises of God. Struck with the remembrance 
 of the " Quomodo cantabimus in terra aliena" of 
 the children of Israel, he sang the psalm " Super 
 flumina Babylonis" with great fervour and expres- 
 sion, and afterwards the " Salve Regina," with 
 which his mistress was charmed. She reproached 
 
275 
 
 her husband for having forsaken a religion, the 
 beauties of which were made more apparent to her 
 by the song of praise she had just heard, and her 
 arguments had such an effect, that a feeling of re- 
 morse for his apostacy arose in the mind of her 
 spouse ; who shortly afterwards left the states of 
 Barbary, taking with him his Christian wife and 
 St. Vincent de Paule. They landed at Aigues- 
 Mortes, and proceeded to Avignon, where, on the 
 26th of June, 1 607, the repentant sinner was again 
 received into the bosom of the church, the ceremony 
 being performed in due form by the vice legate. 
 
 Deeply sympathizing with the sufferings of the 
 Christian slaves in Algiers, from his own seven 
 years' experience of captivity, St. Vincent de Paule 
 used his utmost endeavours to interest the King, 
 Louis XIII., in the fate of the 20,000 victims in 
 whose misfortune he had shared, and to induce him 
 to devise some means of affording them the comforts 
 of religion. Accordingly, that monarch gave him 
 the sum of 10,000 francs for the purpose, and the 
 venerable priest immediately sent four lazarists to 
 Algiers, who built a hospital there, with a small 
 chapel adjoining, for the use of the Catholics. This 
 hospital was still in existence in 1830, when the 
 French took possession of the city. 
 
 Regnard, one of our best comic poets, was also 
 taken by a pirate on his way from Italy to Toulon. 
 His condition was bad enough during two years, 
 but being gifted with the power of accommodating 
 himself to circumstances, he made the best of his, 
 and displayed a talent for cookery, which gained 
 
276 
 
 him the favour of his master, who at last unwillingly 
 parted with him for the sum of 12,000 francs, sent 
 by his family to pay his ransom. Regnard brought 
 with him to Paris the chain he had worn in Algiers, 
 and carefully preserved it as a " souvenir" of his 
 captivity. 
 
 Although the occupation of Algiers by the French 
 has not yet produced all the good results expected, 
 one great advantage has nevertheless been obtained 
 by releasing the states of Europe from the ignomi- 
 nious tribute which they paid to this horde of pirates. 
 The following is a list of these several sums. 
 
 The kingdom of the Two Sicilies paid an annual 
 tribute of 24,000 piastres, besides furnishing pre- 
 sents to the value of 20,000 piastres. 
 
 Sardinia paid no direct tribute, being freed from 
 the charge by England ; but at every change of 
 consuls, a considerable sum was expected from her. 
 
 The States of the Church were under the pro- 
 tection of France, and paid neither tribute nor any 
 other imposition. 
 
 Portugal had concluded a treaty with Algiers on 
 the same conditions as the Two Sicilies. 
 
 Spain was subject to no tribute, but made large 
 donations at the appointment of every new consul. 
 
 Austria was freed from all tribute and consular 
 presents by the intervention of the Porte. 
 
 England sent a donation of £600 sterling at every 
 change of consul, in spite of the conditions laid 
 down in 1816, under the cannon of Lord Exmouth. 
 
 Holland lent her assistance to bombard Algiers 
 in 1816, and was included in the terms of the treaty. 
 
277 
 
 She paid no tribute in consequence, and the Dey 
 spared no means to molest her in every possible 
 manner. 
 
 The United States concluded a treaty with the 
 Dey on the same terms as that made with England, 
 and adopted the same plan concerning the consular 
 presents. 
 
 Hanover and Bremen did the same. 
 
 Sweden and Denmark paid an annual tribute 
 consisting of sea-stores and munitions of war, to the 
 value of 4000 piastres. Besides which, these king- 
 doms made a present of 1000 piastres at each re- 
 newal of the treaty, that is to say, every ten years. 
 
 The consuls also made presents to the Dey on 
 entering into office. We must observe likewise, 
 that the Algerian government, to make up for the 
 indulgence granted to some of the smaller states, 
 used occasionally to raise questions and discussions 
 which caused a change of consuls, and brought in 
 the presents due on the occasion. Although France 
 paid nothing, according to agreement, the custom 
 of making presents at the nomination of each consul 
 was kept up till her final rupture with the states of 
 Barbary. 
 
 There are several useful institutions at Algiers, as 
 well as in all the other Algerian towns, established 
 by the conquerors for the benefit of the native popu- 
 lation. One of the most remarkable of these is a 
 school for boys — the laws of the Koran not permit- 
 ting girls to be taken from the superintendence of 
 their mothers. 
 
 This school is held in a house overlooking the 
 street, and is fitted up like the shop of a merchant. 
 
278 
 
 About twenty boys are seated on mats, each holding 
 a board, on which a few words from the Koran are 
 written in Arabic letters. The master, an old man 
 with a long white beard, reads the passage from the 
 book of Mahomet, and all the children repeat it 
 after him, producing a noise enough to deafen all by- 
 standers. None of the pupils is allowed to withdraw 
 his attention or speak to his neighbour, all are obliged 
 to say, or rather to sing, the same lesson. 
 
 What appears strange at first sight is to see this 
 number of small heads, covered with red caps, bow- 
 ing simultaneously and rising again, as if set in mo- 
 tion by an invisible piece of machinery. 
 
 In the habitations opening into the street, it is not 
 unusual to see Arabs seated opposite each other on 
 the boards where they sleep at night, with a chess- 
 board between them. This game has long been a 
 favourite with this people, but I observed that fewer 
 pawns are used than among us in Europe. " Tric- 
 trac" is also very common here; and I have even 
 seen cards, such as are called in France " Tarrots," 
 covered with oriental signs, in the hands of the 
 children, who play at the game which we call "La 
 bataille." 
 
 An ^Antiquarian Museum has also been established 
 at Algeria, which contains several specimens of na- 
 tural history ; but among the principal curiosities 
 are some mosaics brought from Carthage. 
 
 Until very lately, Rome's mighty rival was doomed 
 to perpetual oblivion, because the surface of the soil 
 showed no vestige of her venerable remains ; but a 
 scientific commission, sent by the government, made 
 excavations on the site of the town, which proved as 
 
279 
 
 successful in bringing ancient Carthage to light, as 
 those which restored Herculaneum and Pompeii to 
 the admiration of the world. The news was heard 
 in Europe with lively interest, that the streets of 
 Carthage would soon be laid open, and that the dis- 
 coveries, already so interesting, would be carried on 
 to the fullest extent. Sir Granville Temple was one 
 of the members of the commission, and has most 
 likely published the result of their labours. 
 
 The ninth month of the year, called the Rhama- 
 dan, is a sort of Lent to the Mussulmans, and is 
 spent in fasting and prayer. 
 
 This period of repentance and meditation never 
 returns at the same time of the year, but sometimes 
 falls in one season, sometimes in another. The fast 
 is observed from two hours before sunrise to a quar- 
 ter of an hour after sunset. During this interval 
 the Moors neither eat, drink, nor smoke. They are 
 likewise prohibited from embracing any person, or 
 using any perfume. 
 
 The conclusion of the day's fast is announced by 
 a cannon shot from the Cashba to the inhabitants of 
 the country, and by the voice of the muezzins to the 
 townspeople. All good Mussulmans then go to 
 prayer, after which they have their only repast for 
 the day. When this is finished, they are at liberty 
 to attend to their business, but the greater number of 
 them go to the coffee-houses, where they spend the 
 night in smoking, drinking coffee, and playing at 
 chess. The more devout employ their time in works 
 of piety and charity, and the mosques are illumi- 
 nated and kept open during the thirty nights of the 
 month. 
 
280 
 
 Yesterday was the last of the Rhamadan. Three 
 cannon shots proclaimed the solemnity of the mor- 
 row, and this morning at three o'clock all the ne- 
 groes of the town were rushing about, striking their 
 tambourines with an iron hook in their right hand, 
 and with the fingers of the left. This instrument 
 was the " tympanon" of the ancients. Others 
 played on large castanets about a foot in length, 
 and made of iron or copper. The object of all this 
 din was to awaken the sleepers, which object was 
 most effectually obtained. Such is the beginning 
 of the feast of the Bairam, a religious and national 
 festival, which none fail to attend. Slaves and 
 free men, all join in groups of ten to fifty, and after 
 proceeding through the streets and singing at the 
 doors of their masters or patrons, they all assemble 
 in the principal square of the city. There they 
 again divide into several parties, with a tambourine 
 player at the head of each, every negro holding his 
 large castanets in both hands. Some are armed 
 with short sticks, and these latter groups are by far 
 the most curious, as there is more character in their 
 performance and variety in their attitudes. The 
 musician stands in the middle, and the dancers 
 form a moving circle round him, executing their 
 wild measure with the greatest skill and dexterity, 
 and striking their sticks against those of their neigh- 
 bours to the right and left, before and behind, in 
 such good time and with such precision, as to give 
 the effect of one single sound. They sometimes 
 even strike over their shoulder, without turning 
 round, but never miss their aim. Some occasion- 
 ally stop, and walk a few steps in the gravest man- 
 
281 
 
 ner, moving their heads and arms in time to the 
 music, while others again leave their places, rush 
 into the midst of the circle, and perform a sort of 
 pirouette ending with a how down to the ground. 
 
 The Arabian violin has only two strings. "The 
 instrument used in Europe is also known here, hut 
 serves only as a bass to the other. The musicians 
 play on the Italian mandoline without either taste 
 or method, and on a reed pipe pierced with eight 
 holes. 
 
 The Mussulmans in general have little feeling for 
 the beauties of harmony, which few of them can un- 
 derstand. One day, after hearing the overture to 
 William Tell played by the forty-third regiment of 
 the line, with real talent and execution, I hoped that 
 my enthusiasm was in some degree shared by a Moor 
 who had seemed to be listening with great attention. 
 I asked him his opinion, with all the conceit of a per- 
 son who expects a compliment, but what was my 
 mortification when the barbarian shook his head, say- 
 ing with the tone of the most learned connoisseur : 
 " I can discover no sense in this music. There are 
 so many instruments that they spoil each other." 
 
 I seldom have felt more foolish or more disap- 
 pointed, and could my companion have guessed my 
 thoughts, he would not have thanked me for my ci- 
 vility, for I was almost on the point of saying to him 
 that their detestable Arab music was well suited to 
 such ears as his. 
 
 The three days of the Ba'iram are spent in a round 
 of amusement, consisting chiefly of the " Fantasias" 
 already described in the story of " an Arab Law." 
 The Moors are excellent horsemen, and never fail 
 
282 
 
 to show themselves off to the best advantage, dressed 
 in their richest costume, and mounted on their best 
 steeds. 
 
 None can form an idea of the beauty and grace 
 of the Arabian horse who has not seen it in its na- 
 tural state, untrammelled by bit or bridle, ranging 
 in freedom over the plains of Africa, from whence 
 it returns at night, of its own accord, to the tent of 
 its master. Possessed of singular intelligence, it 
 seems to understand every intonation of the human 
 voice, and to reply, by shaking back the mane that 
 waves over its small, well shaped head, or by a bound, 
 significative of hesitation or dislike. But when once 
 mounted, the sagacious animal is obedient to every 
 word and sign from its rider, and exhibits itself in 
 the field on its own account, going through the va- 
 rious exercises with evident pride, as if conscious of 
 its own merits, and receiving applause as justly due 
 to them. It evidences its delight by a thousand 
 coquettish signs, which seem to call for renewed ac- 
 clamations. The feats of these horses are however 
 not more wonderful than those performed in the cir- 
 cusses of London or Paris, though I have seen an 
 Arabian walk the distance of a quarter of a mile on 
 its hind legs. One knows not which performance 
 most to admire ; that of the horseman, who, urging 
 his steed to a full gallop, stoops and picks a wand 
 from the ground, or that of the horse, which stops 
 in a moment when going at its fastest pace, and 
 stands as still as a statue, not a single motion giving 
 sign of the course so suddenly interrupted. In all 
 military exercises, the horse and man seem to form 
 
283 
 
 but one individual, like the centaurs of old. The 
 horse never flinches when the gun is fired off be- 
 tween its ears, and seems to require no guidance 
 from the rider. 
 
 The celebration of the fetes of the Bairam also 
 give the best opportunity of examining the richness 
 of the Moorish costume, as the women parade all 
 about the streets, holding their children by the 
 hand. The " haik," or veil, covers their whole 
 persons, with the exception of the eyes, which eyes 
 are in general so beautiful, that I can quite under- 
 stand the jealousy of the husbands. But in spite 
 of this veil, which however they sometimes raise, as 
 if on purpose to display their charms, you can see 
 their trousers of silken muslin, their robes of silk 
 embroidered with gold or silver, or worked in va- 
 riegated colours. Their bare feet are enclosed in 
 slippers of red, blue, or yellow morocco, likewise 
 embroidered in gold or silver. The children are 
 dressed in velvet or embroidered silk, and wear the 
 " chachia" or Tunisian cap, made of the same co- 
 lour as the vest, covered with sequins, and orna- 
 mented with a golden tassel. Some are attired in 
 a parti-coloured garment of blue and yellow, like the 
 costumes worn in Europe at the time of the middle 
 ages. Their exclamations of joy, added to those of 
 the negroes, produce the most discordant clamour 
 ever heard. The " Bairam" is to the inhabitants 
 of this part of Africa, what " les trois finesgras" are 
 to the Parisian population. The latter festival is 
 also observed in Algeria, and though the poor ne- 
 groes have no knowledge of its meaning, they are 
 
284 
 
 too glad to have a pretext for dressing themselves 
 up in colours and tinsel, hats with feathers, paper 
 flowers, etc. etc. 
 
 The carnival was instituted in this country by the 
 Provencaux and Maltese, shortly after their arrival. 
 The latter in particular, made it a kind of satur- 
 nalia, revelling in all the luxury of dirt and drunk- 
 enness. In this however, they are not imitated by 
 the negroes, who faithful to their customs, make as 
 much noise as possible, but proceed no further, and 
 their innocent enjoyment never excites the abhor- 
 rence and loathing caused by the disgusting excesses 
 of those, who, being placed, as we believe, on a 
 higher scale of humanity, ought to set a better ex- 
 ample to their less favoured brethren. 
 
 Seventy days after the Bairam, a great festival, 
 called " Aid el Kebir" takes place, in which as 
 many sheep are killed as there are persons in each 
 family. The victim is cut up in three parts, one of 
 which is salted and set aside for the use of the 
 household, the second is distributed among the poor, 
 and the third is made a present of to the friends and 
 acquaintance of the donor. The " Aid el Kebir" 
 is the festival commemorative of the Hegira. 
 
 The twentieth day after the " Aid el Kebir," is 
 the first day of the Mahometan year. It answers 
 to the Lady-day of the English in one particular, as 
 it is the time chosen for all changes of residence. 
 Ten days afterwards is the feast of the Achoura, in 
 which all true believers are supposed to give the 
 tithe of their possessions to God, in the shape of a 
 generous donation in money, corn, oil, etc. to the 
 poor. 
 
285 
 
 The next fete is that of " Muloud," which lasts 
 seven days. This is the anniversary of the birth of 
 the Prophet. On the evening before, all the houses, 
 shops, bazaars, etc. are lighted up with wax candles, 
 and all the mosques are splendidly illuminated. 
 The schools also are proclaimed in vacation, and 
 ornamented with flags, of the colours of the cele- 
 brated marabouts. 
 
 The " Adhra" is an entertainment given by the 
 Moors to their friends, or what in France would be 
 called a " soiree." The principal amusement con- 
 sists of the performance of the " Mechdoubins" or 
 dancers, who execute wonderful feats of strength 
 and agility, till, thrown by the excitement of the 
 measure into a sort of nervous delirium, they be- 
 come almost frantic in their movements, and finally 
 drop down, completely overwhelmed by the exer- 
 tion. The spectators, seated on the divans, lei- 
 surely smoke their pipes and drink their coffee, 
 smiling at the efforts of the performers. 
 
 Women also give " Adhras," and the female 
 dancers are called " Medahols." I have described 
 one of these spectacles in a former part of this 
 book, and will only add here, that in spite of the 
 zeal displayed by the " danseuses" to give the best 
 idea of their talent, they only inspired me with the 
 profoundest feeling of compassion, and a strong de- 
 sire to quit the scene, which however, civility for- 
 bade me from doing. I made a firm resolution 
 never to be present again at such proceedings. 
 
 There are negro performers of the same kind, 
 who even out-do the Moors in the extravagance of 
 their antics. They grind their teeth and wring their 
 
286 
 
 hands, as though in violent convulsions ; and as the 
 paroxysm increases, they give way to the most 
 frightful demonstrations of frenzy and violence, eat- 
 ing glass, raw meat, and the leaves of the thorny 
 cactus, which they tear with their teeth ; — swallow- 
 ing fire, serpents, scorpions, etc., and when their 
 strength is fairly exhausted, they fall into a state of 
 torpor and complete prostration, from which how- 
 ever they no sooner recover than they begin again. 
 They are supposed to be gifted with magical power, 
 and charge very dear for their performance. 
 
 No other music is used in these fetes but an 
 earthen vessel covered with a piece of parchment, 
 on which the musicians strike with their fingers or 
 an iron hook, in time to the measure. 
 
 After the capture of Constantina, and the resto- 
 ration of peace, Europeans of all nations went to 
 establish themselves there, as in all the other towns 
 of the settlement. The consequence was that Con- 
 stantina, as well as Algiers, lost its pristine charac- 
 ter, and became a mart for all trades that could 
 possibly be turned to account. With the exception 
 of the stamp of antiquity that rests on this town, as 
 testified by its venerable ruins, Constantina in 1850 
 no longer bears the appearance of a Mahometan 
 city, and still cannot properly be called a French 
 town. It is, in short, difficult to distinguish her by 
 any characteristic whatever, and the diverse ele- 
 ments of which her present aspect is composed, good 
 as they are of their kind, make one regret still more 
 the loss of that originality which was the principal 
 charm of the place. 
 
287 
 
 The Bishop of Algiers, feeling the necessity of 
 establishing the religion of the state as soon as pos- 
 sible in his new diocese, explained his views to the 
 Governor General, who put the large and handsome 
 mosque of Achmet-bey at Constantina at his dis- 
 posal. On the 3rd of March, 1839, it was conse- 
 crated as a church. 
 
 The Arabs came in crowds to witness the cere- 
 monies of the Catholic Faith, and appeared amazed 
 and almost stupefied with all they heard and saw. 
 Convinced that our God is the same as theirs, and 
 that we only differ in the manner of worshipping 
 Him, they behave in church with all the respect 
 due to the place and occasion. They kneel as we 
 do, and pray in their language when they are unable 
 to understand the words spoken in ours by the offi- 
 ciating priest, and when the service is over, they 
 eagerly seek to satisfy their curiosity by asking for 
 an explanation of all that took place. 
 
 On Easter Sunday, most of the great personages 
 of the country, and the chiefs of the Desert, agreed 
 to meet in the church at Constantina, to celebrate the 
 offices for the day. The latter were struck almost 
 motionless with astonishment when they beheld the 
 magnificence with which all was conducted ; the 
 soldiers standing under arms, the priests arrayed in 
 their richest pontifical robes, the music sounding at 
 the elevation of the Host, and the respectful de- 
 meanour of the generals of the army, seemed to 
 impress them with awe and reverence. When the 
 priest, ascending the pulpit, addressed an eloquent 
 discourse to the faithful of all nations, the interpret- 
 ers explained to the chiefs whatever had reference to 
 
288 
 
 the Arab population, the Europeans being exhorted 
 to live with them on the most peaceful terms, and 
 to treat them with gentleness and friendship. 
 
 When the service was concluded, the native chiefs 
 surrounded the Abbe Suchet, who had officiated at 
 the mass. They kissed his hand with the deepest 
 veneration, and enquired the meaning of the great 
 cross of " Sid na Issa" (Jesus Christ), of the little 
 statue of " LelaMarien," of the confessional, of the 
 baptismal font, of the altar, etc. ; and when each 
 was explained to them, they replied, " Melih Bez- 
 zef" — it is well. " Allah Iazekoum" — God loves 
 you. 
 
 On the 21st of May, a great solemnity took place 
 on the banks of the Rummel, in honour of the king 
 Louis Philippe. The scene of this ceremony was a 
 large plain surrounded by hills, which were covered 
 with Arabs, and appeared at a distance like the 
 waves of a sea white with foam. All the inhabi- 
 tants of the town were present, and the provinces 
 and the great desert were represented by the chiefs 
 of each tribe, and by the principal persons of each 
 family. A more numerous or a more singular as- 
 sembly never met in any part of Africa. In the 
 midst of the enormous square formed by the French 
 troops, an altar of turf was erected, ornamented with 
 wreaths of flowers. Upon this altar was a magnifi- 
 cent trophy of various arms, over which waved the 
 great standard of Mahomet, joined with the colours 
 of the province and the French flag. 
 
 All the great Arabian dignitaries, the chiefs of 
 tribes and heads of families, expressed their wish to 
 accompany the general and his staff into the square 
 
289 
 
 formed by the French troops round the altar, and 
 attend the celebration of the mass, which they did 
 with an appearance of astonishment mixed with ad- 
 miration. At the elevation of the host, they knelt 
 down, in imitation of the Christian part of the con- 
 gregation, and the crowds which covered the hills 
 followed their example. 
 
 Such a spectacle as this was never witnessed, even 
 at the time when the Christian Church celebrated 
 the mysteries of our religion in this remote district, 
 for the worship of the Redeemer was limited to those 
 only who professed the Faith He taught, the other 
 nations, indigenous to the country, never bowed the 
 knee before Him. 
 
 After divine service, the fantasias and martial 
 games began. The governor had instituted prizes 
 for the victors, and tents had been erected, that the 
 officers of the staff might witness the national sports. 
 One tent, in particular, was raised for the accom- 
 modation of Archbishop Suchet and the Sisters 
 of Charity, who were appointed to distribute the 
 prizes and to crown the victors. It was a strange, 
 but touching sight : — these swarthy Africans, these 
 fierce children of the desert, kneeling down before 
 the pious and humble women whom they had learnt 
 to venerate, and receiving the crowns, the reward 
 of their merits, from the pure and trembling hands 
 of the modest Sisters of Charity. 
 
 I made acquaintance at Bona with Sister Aglae, 
 a nun of the Christian doctrine at Nancy. Anxious 
 to find a wider field for the exercise of her ardent 
 charity, she had come over to Algeria at her own 
 expense, and her first care after her arrival was to 
 
 u 
 
290 
 
 learn the vulgar Arabic, the only dialect in general 
 use here. As soon as she was able to express her- 
 self in this language, she carefully enquired into, 
 and sought for, every case of suffering, grief, or 
 misery, where her assistance might be useful or ne- 
 cessary. The poorer Mussulmans were the prin- 
 cipal objects of her solicitude ; she attended their 
 wives and children in illness ; their customs forbid- 
 ding the former to receive any assistance from a 
 man, even in cases of extreme danger. The phar- 
 macopoeia of the hospital was placed at her disposal, 
 and there she supplied herself with the medicines 
 she required. To her skill in the art of healing, she 
 joined the greatest delicacy of tact, and a degree of 
 singular intelligence, which enabled her to meet the 
 difficulties of all cases, mental and bodily, that fell 
 under her observation ; and when unable to restore 
 a patient to life, she used to soothe his agony by the 
 kindest expressions of comfort, without ever allow- 
 ing an inadvertent word to escape, which might 
 hurt the religious feelings of the person on whom 
 she bestowed her sympathy. But when the soul was 
 about to take flight, she would kneel down and pray 
 earnestly that that soul, blind in belief, though per- 
 haps right in action, might be admitted to the fa- 
 vour of God. 
 
 The good nun and I were great friends. I used 
 often to accompany her in her visits, which perhaps 
 more than any thing, opened the way to my personal 
 observations of Arab domestic life, and enabled me 
 to study their private habits. It was touching to 
 see these poor people, when they perceived their 
 
291 
 
 kind benefactress, crowd round her, jostling against 
 all who stood in their way. One said, " Thou 
 hast saved my mother. May God protect thee, 
 and lead thy heart aright!" Another, " My fa- 
 ther has been almost blinded by the last simoom; 
 wilt thou come to see him ? " A third : " The child 
 of.Mysoub has hurt himself, and Mysoub asks for 
 the saint" (that was the name given to her). " Wilt 
 thou not come ? " "In an hour," replied Sister 
 Aglae, " I shall have seen them all :" and the Arabs 
 would depart, kissing the hand that had touched 
 her veil, and blessing her. 
 
 One day, when going her round of visits, Sister 
 Aglae saw a poor negro child, sitting on a stone in 
 the corner of a street, " What art thou doing there, 
 Ali, sitting in the sun ? " she said to him. " Go home 
 to thy father." 
 
 " Ali has no home," replied the child, " and the 
 cholera has taken his father." (It was at the time 
 when Bona was suffering cruelly from the ravages 
 of this epidemic.) 
 
 " But where dost thou sleep ? " asked the good 
 sister. 
 
 " Here, on this stone. I wish to go and join my 
 father." 
 
 " Why wish for death, my poor child? It is 
 wrong to do so." 
 
 " Because I am hungry, and have nothing to eat ; 
 and when I am hungry I am very ill." 
 
 " Come with me, then," said Sister Aglae, taking 
 him by the hand, but the poor child was unable to 
 walk. She took him in her arms, carried him to 
 
292 
 
 the room in the hospital that was especially under 
 her care, put him in a little bed, and rendered him 
 all possible attention. 
 
 Shortly afterwards, I was myself attacked with 
 typhus fever, and the physician who attended me 
 strongly advised that I should be conveyed to 
 Sister Aglae's ward, where she would take care of 
 me, and where he would be able to visit me several 
 times a day, he being the principal physician of the 
 hospital. This was one of the most difficult matters 
 that I ever had to settle, but the case was urgent. 
 I was placed on a litter, and taken to the hospital, 
 where Sister Aglae gave me a bed next to her own, 
 a screen only dividing them. That of Ali was op- 
 posite. 
 
 During the first few nights, when my brain was 
 disturbed by the excitement of fever, I was almost 
 alarmed at the fixed expression of the eyes of the 
 poor little negro. Frightfully deformed through 
 the ill treatment of his mother-in-law, who also had 
 died of the cholera, and emaciated to a skeleton, this 
 poor, fragile creature was truly an object of compas- 
 sion. When the height of my delirium was past, I 
 used often to distinguish his little black face, as he 
 sat on a chair close to my bed, watching me. I was 
 once surprized to see him come near me in the mid- 
 dle of the night. 
 
 " What dost thou want, Ali ? " I asked. 
 
 " It is a long time since thou hast eaten," he re- 
 plied, putting a pear into my hand, " eat this, for I 
 am sure thou art hungry, and Ali will always keep 
 his pears and grapes for thee.' , 
 
 " I must not eat, Ali, the doctor has forbidden me." 
 
293 
 
 " But if thou dost not eat, thou wilt die," he an- 
 swered weeping. 
 
 Sister Aglae, who watched this little scene, rose, 
 kissed him, and put him back into his little bed, 
 telling him that he would be the cause of my death 
 were I to give way to his entreaties. 
 
 Ali was hardly eight years old. I never saw a 
 negro countenance with so much sweetness and ex- 
 pression, but his deformity prevented his limbs from 
 growing to the natural size. He was afflicted also 
 with extreme difficulty of breathing, proceeding 
 from an advanced state of asthma, which was be- 
 yond all cure. 
 
 Every morning and evening, Sister Aglae read 
 prayers. Little Ali was not able to kneel, but lay 
 on the bed with his arms extended, which was the 
 only posture he could assume without pain. At 
 first I thought he was a Christian, and was rather 
 surprized at this deviation from Sister Aglae's rules. 
 I once asked her to whom Ali prayed. 
 
 " He prays to Allah," she replied. " When he feels 
 inclined to become a Christian, he himself will tell 
 me. I act by example, and should be unwilling to 
 force him to a conversion of which his youth pre- 
 vents him feeling the importance. In the mean 
 time M. le Cure has sprinkled him." (This, as my 
 readers know, is a ceremony in the Catholic church 
 previous to baptism, generally performed on in- 
 fants.) 
 
 That same day, Ali was very ill, and got up but 
 for a short time. Sister Aglae was much with 
 him, but shook her head to my anxious looks of 
 enquiry. The doctor visited him whilst going 
 
294 
 
 his rounds, examined him, prescribed nothing, and 
 passed on. 
 
 On the following night, it was I who sat up in 
 my bed, watching his every movement. He once 
 stretched out his arm for the drink beside him, but 
 could not reach it. I immediately got up, raised 
 his poor head on my left arm, and tried to make 
 him swallow a few drops. He was dead ! 
 
 I called Sister Aglae, but all help was in vain. 
 We knelt down and repeated the prayers for the 
 dead before the corpse of the sweet and gentle child, 
 who was so generally beloved for his kind feeling 
 for others, his intelligence, and the courage with 
 which he bore his constant suffering. 
 
 The servant of the infirmary who took away the 
 body, though accustomed to this kind of service, 
 could not help saying : 
 
 " What a pity he was a negro, for such a one as 
 he was fit to go to Paradise." 
 
 " But negroes are men as well as we," replied 
 Sister Aglae, " and God judges us by our actions, 
 not by our colour. Ali is at this moment perhaps 
 an angel in Heaven, as well as your own child." 
 
 For a long time, we greatly missed the poor boy, 
 but the increasing horrors of the cholera forcibly 
 withdrew our minds from the regret we felt for his 
 loss, to the contemplation of more painful scenes. 
 The ward in which I lay was filled with invalids 
 suffering from this dreadful malady, who died off in 
 rapid succession, as if to make way for others like- 
 wise afflicted. The sublime courage and self-devo- 
 tion of Sister Aglae* seemed to rise to the occasion. 
 Intent wholly on the relief of those entrusted to her 
 
295 
 
 care, she hardly allowed herself time for rest. I 
 once entreated her to spare herself a little, but to 
 no purpose, she merely answered, " Fear nothing 
 on my account. As my need, so shall my strength 
 be. Does not God temper the wind to the shorn 
 lamb?" 
 
 It must be said for Abd-el-Kader, that he did his 
 utmost to deprive Arabian warfare of the stamp of 
 ferocity imprinted on it by the immemorial, but 
 barbarous custom of refusing all demands for quar- 
 ter. His orders always were, to make as many pri- 
 soners as possible, and only to kill those whose 
 obstinate resistance rendered it necessary to do so. 
 This command was obeyed so far as his own autho- 
 rity could enforce it, but still, the fanatical hatred of 
 the Arab gave him opportunities of following the 
 old custom, and his own inclination. 
 
 In the beginning of the year 1841, the Bishop of 
 Algiers, at the request of the Governor-general, 
 wrote to the Emir to propose an exchange of the 
 French prisoners who had fallen into his hands, 
 with the Arabs who at that time were in our power. 
 Abd-el-Kader accepted the offer of the prelate, and 
 charged his kalifat (lieutenant) Sidi Mahomet-ben- 
 Allah, to appoint the time and place for the ex- 
 change. The latter wrote to the Bishop, requesting 
 him to go to the farm of Mouzaia on the 18th of 
 May, with all the Arab captives, and offering to 
 meet him there with all the French prisoners he 
 could gather together, to effect the exchange agreed 
 on. 
 
 On the day appointed, forty-three men, forty-eight 
 
296 
 
 women, and thirty-nine children were assembled in 
 the " Place d'Armes." The women were occupied 
 in milking the goats with which we supplied them 
 for the nourishment of their little ones. The Bishop 
 had hired twelve large carriages to convey the wo- 
 men and children to the place of rendezvous, and the 
 men were to follow on foot. Each person was pro- 
 vided with a bournou, two foulards, bread, and other 
 provisions, and the little caravan, preceded by the 
 Bishop's carriage, set off, unescorted by any troops. 
 The first halting place was Bouffarick, a village 
 about seven leagues from Algiers. 
 
 An unforeseen circumstance almost caused the 
 project to fail, at the very moment when those con- 
 cerned in it were most sure of its accomplishment. 
 •A French column, commanded by General Baraguay 
 d'Hilliers, had that very morning taken possession 
 of the farm of Mouzaia. The kalifat, on seeing the 
 place he had designated seized by the enemy, thought 
 that he was betrayed, and retreated, carrying with 
 him the French prisoners. The news of this unfor- 
 tunate event soon reached the Bishop, who never- 
 theless was determined to set all matters right, and 
 clear his countrymen from the suspicion attached 
 to them. 
 
 He dispatched the Abbe Suchet, Mr. Berbrugger, 
 the librarian of Algiers, andToustain the interpreter, 
 to explain the mistake to Mahomet- ben- Allah ; but 
 it was not without some difficulty that the messengers 
 of the Bishop contrived to fix new terms for the 
 treaty, and to appoint the time and place where the 
 exchange of prisoners was to be effected. 
 
 At last it was agreed that the parties should meet 
 
297 
 
 at Bouffarick, but beyond reach of the French 
 camp there established ; — that the Bishop should be 
 unattended by any military escort, and that during 
 the interview, no French soldier should appear be- 
 yond the limits of the camp ; — that notice should be 
 given to the commander of Blidah to make no hos- 
 tile demonstration, should Arab horsemen be seen 
 in the plain near the town ; — that the Abbe Suchet 
 and his three companions were to remain as hos- 
 tages in the hands of the Arabs, till the exchange 
 was made ; (the next day being appointed for the 
 purpose) and lastly, that the kalifat himself was to 
 lead the French prisoners to the place designated, 
 he also not being allowed the privilege of an escort. 
 All took place according to the rules laid down. 
 Nevertheless, the four French hostages who re- 
 mained in the Arab camp after the departure of the 
 kalifat suffered much from being obliged to pass a few 
 moments in a state of intense and well grounded 
 apprehension. The ferocious aspect of the crowd 
 of enemies with whom they were surrounded was 
 enough in the first place to strike them with fear and 
 misgiving, besides which, it was not long before they 
 heard the sound of the French cannon actively 
 firing upon the Arabs in the " Col de Mouzaia," 
 where a sharp engagement was taking place. The 
 chiefs seemed to tremble with fury as they sat on their 
 horses, and cast fierce glances of indignation at the 
 hostages, who, having alighted, waited the issue of 
 events with all the calmness and tranquillity they 
 could muster. Still further signs of displeasure and 
 suspicion began to manifest themselves among the 
 Arabs, and a general commotion seemed ready to 
 
298 
 
 break out in the camp, when the Abbe Suchet, who 
 stood observing every symptom of danger, knelt 
 down and began to pray. The Arabs, respecting 
 as usual all devotional exercises, refrained from any 
 annoyance or molestation. 
 
 This state of anxiety, however, did not last long. 
 An Arab horseman soon came from the kalifat, to 
 request the Abbe to conduct the Arab prisoners to 
 the spot where he and the Bishop were engaged in 
 deep conference. The good ecclesiastic immediately 
 mounted on horseback, and hastened to fulfil the 
 mission assigned him. A few minutes afterwards 
 he was at the place appointed, with the prison- 
 ers. The latter walked in a line before the kali- 
 fat, who was seated in the Bishop's carriage, and 
 signed to them, as they passed, to take their places 
 behind him. There also were assembled a number 
 of Arabs, who had come with horses, mules, asses, 
 etc. to carry home their wives and children. In a 
 moment the carriages which had brought them to 
 the spot were empty ; — husbands, fathers, and bro- 
 thers rushed almost mad with joy, into the arms of 
 their wives, children, sisters, friends, etc. But these 
 expressions of delight were mingled with cries, 
 groans, and shrieks of despair, for many a widow 
 and orphan had come on their long errand in vain, 
 and could not find the object of their search among 
 the rejoicing multitude, who, intent on their own 
 pleasure, seemed little to regard the grief of those 
 who were thus disappointed. The agony of these 
 unhappy creatures knew no bounds ; some rolled in 
 the dust, others tore their faces, in a sort of deli- 
 
299 
 
 rium, while their children clung to them, holding 
 them in a close embrace. 
 
 Meantime the French captives were approaching. 
 The kalifat shook hands with the Bishop for the last 
 time, and went to meet the Abbe Suchet, whom he 
 greeted most cordially, both reciprocally wishing 
 each other all happiness. Mahomet got upon his 
 splendid courser, and watched the French prison- 
 ers as they entered the carriages which had con- 
 veyed the Arabian women; then, making his horse 
 prance, he brought around him a swarm of Arabs, 
 who had kept themselves concealed till the exchange 
 had taken place. With a motion of his hand, he 
 directed them towards the west, and placing himself 
 at their head, led the way to the hills. 
 
 The hostages were restored, and the cortege re- 
 turned to the French camp, the prisoners singing a 
 hymn in honour of their liberation, expressive also 
 of their gratitude to the good Bishop who had saved 
 them from the horrors of captivity. To give an 
 idea of what these horrors were, a slight sketch must 
 be made of the^ exterminating system of warfare 
 carried on for some time after the French conquest. 
 I will therefore relate a few episodes taken from the 
 accounts published at the time. 
 
 The Bey of Litteria had entered into a treaty of 
 alliance with the French, but, forgetting his pro- 
 mise, soon afterwards joined the Kabyles against 
 them. Marshal Clausel, indignant at this breach 
 of faith, determined to march against Medeah, the 
 capital of his dominions, and take vengeance on him 
 for his treachery ; but having unluckily been misin- 
 
300 
 
 formed as to the preparations necessary for such an 
 enterprize, he committed several errors, and seriously 
 endangered the safety of his troops by crossing the 
 pass of Mouzaia. However, he was extricated from 
 danger by the valour and intrepidity of the soldiers, 
 who, knowing with what barbarity the Kabyles 
 murdered the wounded, were inspired with a sort of 
 fierce courage, which made up for their own infe- 
 riority of number, and enabled them even to over- 
 come the difficulties of their position, which were 
 such as to render it almost impossible to engage with 
 their subtle and well practised enemies on fair terms. 
 The road they were pursuing was but a narrow path- 
 way, giving admittance to only one at a time, and 
 the heights above were occupied by crowds of Ka- 
 byles, who encompassed them on all sides. 
 
 With the resolution of despair, they climbed up 
 the steep face of the rock, in hopes of driving away 
 the enemies, who stood on every ledge where the 
 foot of man could find a resting-place, and from 
 thence showering their musketry on the French be- 
 low, and causing horrible devastation among them. 
 
 Such was the disadvantage at which our troops 
 were engaged : a small band, strange to the country 
 and ignorant of the way, had to make head against 
 a host of warriors, whose well chosen situation almost 
 ensured them from peril. The Arabs at last ceased 
 to fire on the French, but, seizing them by their lea- 
 thern belts as they ascended the rock, threw them 
 into the abyss below, where the unfortunate victims 
 died ere they reached the bottom. 
 
 At last, by dint of unflinching perseverance and 
 dauntless courage, our soldiers reached the top of 
 
301 
 
 the hills, where no rocks offered a friendly shelter to 
 their enemies. The first seven men who ascended 
 to the summit fell under the swords of the Arahs, 
 who immediately decapitated them, and afterwards 
 took flight, maliciously showing our men the bloody 
 heads of their companions. 
 
 After passing through the narrow defile, the 
 French army perceived in the distance a high 
 mountain, on which was situated Medeah, the chief 
 town of Litteria. This town contains about 6000 
 inhabitants, and is far superior to Algiers in point 
 of construction. The country around is of so sin- 
 gular an aspect, and so utterly different to the usual 
 character of the scenery in those regions, that it 
 reminds one of the plains of Burgundy, between 
 Beaune and Chalons. 
 
 Most of the houses in Medeah have tiled roofs, 
 as is generally the case in towns situated among the 
 mountains, where the climate does not admit of the 
 flat terraces that form the principal characteristic of 
 Moorish cities. Some of these houses, however, 
 have terraces built in a sloping form, to let off the 
 rain. In this district, the cactus, the palm tree and 
 the orange cease to exist, and the country is divided 
 into cultivated fields and vineyards, surrounded by 
 hedgerows. 
 
 A deputation of the inhabitants of the town, pre- 
 ceded by a white flag, came to meet our army, and 
 proposed terms of surrender. In spite of the vici- 
 nity of an innumerable host of armed Kabyles, who 
 covered the neighbouring hills, our troops easily 
 took possession of Medeah. The Bey offered to 
 give himself and his son as prisoners, on the sole 
 
302 
 
 condition that their lives should be spared. Mar- 
 shal Clausel readily consented, and the prince im- 
 mediately placed himself in our power with all his 
 family and 150 Janissaries, all unarmed. On being 
 asked what had become of their weapons, they re- 
 plied that they had been deprived of them by the 
 Kabyles, a sufficient proof how little they under- 
 stood their use. 
 
 The day after the capture of Medeah it was dis- 
 covered that there was hardly any ammunition left 
 in the town, the want of which material would have 
 been greatly felt, in the case of any sudden attack. 
 The Marshal (General Clausel) ordered the com- 
 mander of horse artillery to send fifty men in search 
 of some, adding that a troop of infantry should escort 
 them beyond Bleida. The commander informed 
 him that, for want of knowledge of the country, the 
 men would be exposed to certain death. However, 
 Clausel insisted, and the troop set out on the expe- 
 dition. 
 
 On the day following, the weather changed for 
 the worse, and provisions soon began to fail. In 
 consequence of this state of things, the Marshal re- 
 solved on leaving Medeah and returning to Algiers, 
 after appointing 600 men, under the command of a 
 colonel, to serve as garrison to the conquered city. 
 This officer however represented to the Marshal how 
 impossible it would be for so small a force to occupy 
 a post so dangerous as that of Medeah, the town 
 being ill fortified, and the neighbouring hills afford- 
 ing refuge to numbers of Kabyles, whose thirst for 
 blood was equal to their love for pillage, and who, 
 by descending from their mountain fastnesses, could 
 
303 S 
 
 so encompass the city as to prevent any of the gar- 
 rison setting foot beyond the walls, by which means 
 the town would be at their mercy, and might easily 
 be destroyed by a mortar and a few cannons. 
 
 By dint of entreaties, the Colonel at last obtained 
 the reinforcement of another troop, which was to 
 remain at Medeah till the return of the regiment 
 sent out on search of ammunition. The whole 
 number of the garrison amounted to 1200, and 
 among other necessities attending their position, 
 there was a great scarcity of forage and victuals, 
 and even of straw for the horses. But this was a 
 circumstance that the Marshal had neglected to take 
 into account. Thus a double error was committed. 
 A garrison was left without either food or ammuni- 
 tion, in a dangerous country, where every moment 
 might bring the chance of an attack, and an army 
 was sent out on their march, each man provided 
 with only twenty cartouches, and having to pass 
 through narrow defiles, where a thousand of the 
 enemy, occupying the heights above, could impede 
 their progress and reduce their numbers by hurling 
 stones down upon them, if not destroy them entirely. 
 These contingencies, however, were apparently not 
 foreseen by Marshal Clausel, commander-in-chief 
 of the French army. 
 
 The condition of the soldiers engaged on this ex- 
 pedition was wretched, owing to the bad lodging 
 and worse food they had had since their arrival at 
 Medeah. They however, began their march in to- 
 lerable order, carrying the few provisions they had 
 been able to obtain. Fortunately, they met with 
 few obstacles in crossing the plain of Mouzaia, the 
 
304 
 
 scene of their former difficulties, and with the ex- 
 ception of a few slight skirmishes, no serious en- 
 counter took place. 
 
 On arriving in the neighbourhood of Bleida, they 
 heard that the detachment of infantry which had 
 escorted the artillerymen, had taken up their quar- 
 ters at the place appointed as the termination of their 
 journey, but that numbers of Kabyles had been seen 
 hovering about in the distance, which gave but too 
 good reason to fear that the troop that had pro- 
 ceeded farther had been murdered by them. 
 
 Neither was the least doubt entertained that 
 Bleida itself had been attacked by the savage mul- 
 titude, and was at that very moment in their power. 
 The army bent their steps thither in the greatest 
 haste and anxiety, but on entering the town, the 
 most horrible spectacle met their eyes. The streams 
 were tinged with blood, heaps of dead bodies choked 
 up the way, and traces of bullets on the walls and 
 gates showed that the fight had been carried on 
 from street to street. Near the gate opening on the 
 road to Algiers, lay a promiscuous mass of dead 
 bodies, the corpses of the French soldiers covering 
 those of the Kabyles and Arabs, their enemies, 
 proving that they had remained victors in the death 
 struggle. The shattered houses and deserted habi- 
 tations completed the dismal scene. 
 
 Bleida was under the dominion of the French, 
 which was the cause of her ruin, her submission to 
 us having excited the fury of the Kabyles. The 
 garrison, too weak to resist the number of the enemy, 
 was murdered, as well as all the inhabitants who had 
 been unable to flee from the town soon enough to 
 avoid the slaughter. 
 
305 
 
 The first care of our troops was to bury the dead 
 that lay scattered about everywhere. In a short 
 time the few people who had escaped from the mas- 
 sacre, returned to the town, encouraged by the sight 
 of an army capable of protecting them. Then en- 
 sued a scene of distress difficult to describe ; old 
 men, women and children wandered about, examin- 
 ing the corpses as they were carried to the grave, 
 in the dread of recognizing in each, a son, a father, 
 or a brother, while our soldiers stood by, with their 
 arms folded, and their countenances expressing the 
 sympathy they felt for the wretched beings around 
 them. 
 
 The departure of the army was fixed for the 
 morrow, and it was determined that not a single 
 person should be left at Bleida. In consequence of 
 this resolution, the inhabitants of that unfortunate 
 city set out in the morning, leading mules laden 
 with their scanty baggage to the place appointed, 
 where they were to join the army and march in its 
 rear towards Algiers. Four hundred people, Jews 
 and Moors, women and children, had to perform 
 this painful journey of fifteen leagues, most of the 
 women carrying infants in their arms, or dragging 
 three or four children after them, the little ones 
 clinging to the clothes of their mother, and weeping 
 bitterly, while boys and girls of eight and ten years 
 old carried burdens nearly as large as themselves, 
 under the weight of which they almost sank. Some 
 led their blind and aged relations by the hand, 
 others carried children unable to walk. But in 
 spite of all efforts, these unhappy creatures found it 
 impossible to keep pace with the army, encumbered 
 
 x 
 
306 
 
 as they were with burdens, both dead and living. 
 Some threw away the slight remains of their worldly 
 goods ; others, exhausted, sank down upon the 
 ground, and implored the pity of the mounted 
 troops. One poor little girl of about ten years old, 
 who carried her baby brother, found herself unable, 
 thus laden, to proceed any farther ; but, unwilling 
 to leave the child to its fate, she lay down and 
 clasped it in her arms, weeping in the most heart- 
 rending manner. One of the officers, moved with 
 compassion, placed the child before him on horse- 
 back, another took care of the little girl, and their ex- 
 ample was followed by several others, to the infinite 
 relief of numbers of unhappy parents, who over- 
 whelmed them with thanks and blessings. The 
 soldiers also joined in the act of mercy, and shared 
 their allowance with the fugitives, while several of 
 the officers of the staff gave up their horses for the 
 use of the distressed women and children. The 
 baggage waggons were crowded with these poor crea- 
 tures, and every means was used for their safe con- 
 veyance, that the warmest sympathy could devise. 
 The conduct of our soldiers in this instance did 
 them credit, as a proof of their kindly feeling to- 
 wards suffering humanity, and of their promptitude 
 to assist when succour is required. 
 
 The army was compelled to march at a slower 
 pace than usual, on account of the encumbrance 
 caused by this long train of fugitives, but at last 
 they arrived in sight of Bouffarick, where a scene 
 of still more appalling horror met their eyes. The 
 ground was strewed with dead bodies, despoiled of 
 their clothes and horribly mutilated, while human 
 
307 
 
 limbs, palpitating as if life were hardly extinct, were 
 suspended on the branches of three palm and two 
 olive trees that overshadowed some Moorish tombs 
 close by. The corpse of an unfortunate sutler wo- 
 man, who had followed the troops in search of pro- 
 visions, was hanging by the feet, in a state that 
 showed the tortures that had been inflicted on her, 
 and two or three men were found buried alive, up 
 to the neck. They were speedily released from this 
 dreadful situation, but assistance had come too late. 
 They expired a few minutes afterwards. 
 
 At this agonizing spectacle, a cry of revenge and 
 horror was heard throughout the whole army. The 
 men had recognized the bodies of their companions, 
 those unfortunate artillerymen, for whose safety they 
 until that moment had still ventured to entertain a 
 gleam of hope. Alas ! that was gone. All had 
 been murdered, and their mangled remains were 
 found scattered over the country as far as Sidi Hai't, 
 a village not far from Algiers. The jackals had 
 already commenced their work of destruction, and 
 of some of the unhappy victims nothing but the 
 skeleton was left. 
 
 The brave artillerymen seemed to have defended 
 themselves to the utmost, and a number of graves 
 newly dug, in which the Arabs had buried their 
 dead, proved the loss the enemy had sustained. 
 
 After the arrival of the troops at Algiers, no time 
 was lost by the government in sending to Medeah 
 the ammunition so much required. A singular 
 means was devised for carrying this plan into exe- 
 cution, more creditable to the ingenuity than to the 
 prudence of those who contrived it. The powder 
 
308 
 
 and cartridges were packed up in bales of a dif- 
 ferent shape from that generally used, and consigned 
 to the care of the Arabs, who, being well paid for 
 the carriage, conveyed them as merchandize to the 
 place of their destination, ignorant of their contents. 
 The success which it met with, hardly justifies the 
 boldness of this experiment, for had the dangerous 
 materials fallen into the hands of the enemy, they 
 would have served to destroy the very people for 
 whose assistance they were originally intended. 
 
 Such was the fury with which the war was waged 
 during the first few years of the invasion, and this 
 instance is but one among many. It may be ad- 
 duced, as a slight palliation of the cruelties ascribed 
 to us, that the Arabs were always prone to impute 
 to fear, the moderation exercised towards them by 
 their conquerors, and that therefore it was necessary 
 to pursue the course of severity which alone could 
 reduce them to submission. 
 
 The actual war ceased three or four years ago, 
 but parties are still annually sent out against those 
 districts, the inhabitants of which refuse to pay their 
 share of the contributions levied throughout the 
 country. In 1849 a rebellion took place at Zaatcha, 
 of sufficient importance to cause the apprehension 
 of a general rising among the Kabyles ; but after 
 the capture of that town, the tribes of the interior 
 returned to submission, and now seem to have given 
 up all hopes of the successful issue of a struggle, 
 which already has proved to them so unfortu- 
 nate. 
 
 At the present time (1850) Medeah and Bleida 
 are restored in some degree from ruin, and keep up 
 
309 
 
 an active correspondence with Algiers. This com- 
 mercial intercourse is conducted by means of car- 
 riages, which perform the journey between one town 
 and the other, twice a day, thus securing a great 
 advantage to the inhabitants of both. 
 
 The remembrance of Abd-el-Kader is still rife in 
 Algeria, and his great name, joined to his misfor- 
 tunes, has numbered even his enemies among his 
 admirers. A slight notice of this celebrated person 
 will not be out of place here. 
 
 His father, the Marabout Mahiddin, or to write 
 it more correctly after the Arabian style of ortho- 
 graphy, Mahi-el-Dinn, belonged to the powerful 
 tribe of the Hachem, who live by the cultivation of 
 the plain of Egres, to the south of Mascara, where 
 his family enjoyed great religious celebrity, which 
 extended over the greater part of the Mussulman 
 world. One of the ancestors of Abd-el-Kader, of the 
 same name as himself, was revered as a saint in the 
 neighbourhood of Damascus, where several chapels, 
 erected to his memory, still exist. In virtue of his 
 reputation for piety, Mahi-el-Dinn was endowed 
 with the privilege of making his house an asylum 
 for debtors and criminals, where they were secure 
 from the terrors of the law. His profound erudition, 
 the popular favour he enjoyed and the influence 
 which he exercised over the masses of his country- 
 men, in right of his own personal reputation and il- 
 lustrious descent, roused the apprehensions of the 
 Bey of Oran, who soon penetrated into the designs 
 of the ambitious Marabout, which tended to nothing 
 less than the subversion of the Turkish dominion in 
 Algeria, and the establishment of a constitution, 
 
310 
 
 which should unite all the Arab tribes under one 
 government, the principal place in which he re- 
 served for himself. 
 
 To avert the storm impending over him in con- 
 sequence of this discovery, the Marabout set off on 
 a journey, accompanied by his second son, Abd-el- 
 Kader, who had been initiated from his earliest 
 youth in the vast designs and ambitious projects of 
 his father. After travelling over Asia Minor and 
 visiting the tomb of the Prophet, they returned to 
 their native country, their minds enriched with the 
 knowledge of various kinds which they had gathered 
 on their pilgrimage, and their views extended and 
 enlightened with further acquaintance with men and 
 manners. After his return, Mahi-el-Dinn was ap- 
 pointed by the Arabs Bey of Mascara ; but his term 
 of office proved but a short one. He died soon after 
 his installation, poisoned by the orders of Ben- 
 Moussa, the chief of the Moors of Tlemcen, whom he 
 had endeavoured to deprive of his command. 
 
 Abd-el-Kader had an elder brother, who, in an 
 engagement with the Christians, in which both 
 headed the tribes that yielded them allegiance, 
 sealed with his blood the love he bore to the religion 
 of his fathers and the independence of his country. 
 Warned by the prospect of their common danger, 
 the Arabs saw the necessity of appointing one com- 
 mander in chief, endued with supreme authority, 
 and none appeared more fit to exercise this office 
 than the son of the illustrious Marabout, and the 
 brother of the dead hero. Accordingly, on the 
 14th of December, 1832, a general meeting of the 
 tribes was held, in which Abd-el-Kader, then hardly 
 
311 
 
 twenty-eight years of age, was proclaimed prince 
 and chieftain of all true believers. 
 
 His first expedition was successful, and he re- 
 turned to Mascara in triumph. Shortly afterwards, 
 he took possession of Tlemcen, and seized upon the 
 person of Ben Moussa, whom he compelled to take 
 poison, in vengeance of his father's death. 
 
 During his residence in Egypt, the young chief- 
 tain had become deeply imbued with the principles 
 of Mehemet Ali, whose creative genius and practi- 
 cal wisdom he greatly admired. Gifted with won- 
 derful intelligence and a degree of instruction rarely 
 met with among Arabs, his experience proved use- 
 ful to him, and all his knowledge turned to good 
 account. Active, ambitious in project, cautious 
 and circumspect in execution, he affected a rigor- 
 ous austerity of manners, and simplicity of habits, 
 which, while it adorned his private life, gained him 
 that prodigious influence over the Arabian multi- 
 tude, who, from the time of his advancement, re- 
 garded him as a special favourite of heaven. 
 
 When the treaty of peace was proposed to Abd-el- 
 Kader, he refused but one of the conditions annexed 
 to it. Perhaps if some middle course could have 
 been adopted, a general pacification might have 
 been the result, and torrents of human blood might 
 have been spared, since at the mere announcement 
 of a cessation of hostilities, a renewed impulse was 
 given to all the commercial relations of the country, 
 and all the elements of discord seemed on the point 
 of subsiding into quiescence. 
 
 The terms of the agreement gave Abd-el-Kader 
 all the rights of a sovereign, and every liberty was 
 
312 
 
 granted him consistent with the interests of France. 
 This prince invited all the officers of the French 
 army to Mascara his capital, and during their jour- 
 ney thither and their residence in the town, treated 
 them with a degree of courteous regard and consi- 
 deration which seemed a fair promise of his inten- 
 tion to keep up a good understanding with the 
 invaders. On their return to their former canton- 
 ments, they found the neighbourhood of Oran, which 
 they had left entirely deserted, peopled by numerous 
 tribes, whom the tidings of the intended pacification 
 had brought back to their original places of resort. 
 Such was the general confidence, that the sea-ports 
 were crowded with merchant vessels, the friends and 
 relations of Abd-el-Kader came in numbers to in- 
 habit the towns occupied by the French, and the 
 Emir himself offered to confer with the French ge- 
 neral on some points which still remained to be 
 settled. 
 
 This important interview did not take place. 
 
 Abd-el-Kader, having been recognized as a sove- 
 reign, refused to appear before the foreign com- 
 mander on a footing of equality, which was the only 
 condition on which the latter could agree to meet 
 him. The Emir then broke ofF all negociation with 
 the French, and taking advantage of the truce, 
 marched into the valley of the Chetif, the inhabi- 
 tants of which he soon reduced to obedience. Ge- 
 neral Trezel, at this time, succeeded General 
 Desmichels in the command of our army, and, 
 thinking that his predecessor had gone too far in 
 his concessions, put a stop to them entirely, and in- 
 timated to the Emir that he was no longer to exercise 
 
313 
 
 any authority over the tribes who inhabited the 
 country conquered by France ; to which arbitrary 
 mandate Abd-el-Kader replied that he would ad- 
 vance to the very walls of Oran to deliver the 
 Mussulmans from the Christian yoke. 
 
 War was in consequence again declared between 
 us and the Algerians, and from that moment it was 
 evident that a skilful hand directed all its operations. 
 Abd-el-Kader introduced a new system of warfare, 
 teaching his followers to use the bayonet and to close 
 with the enemy hand to hand, which, combined with 
 their numbers, gave them an advantage over us, 
 which was neutralized only by our superior tactics, 
 and the strict discipline maintained in our army. 
 
 An attempt was once made to persuade the Emir 
 to submission, by urging upon him his critical and 
 almost desperate situation, and the hopelessness of 
 his cause. Abd-el-Kader s witty reply is well known. 
 " When standing on the shore," he said, " you 
 watch the fish swimming in the sea, it appears that 
 nothing is required but to stretch out your hand to 
 seize them. But in spite of this, the fisherman must 
 use all his nets and put forth all his skill before he 
 can get them into his power. The same is the case 
 with the Arabs.'' He was right, for all our efforts 
 were long ineffectual against an enemy, who, though 
 constantly defeated, ever seemed to elude our grasp. 
 
 I have lately met with a family of travellers newly 
 arrived from Spain, and visiting the north of Africa. 
 They were at Pau during the latter part of the Emir's 
 residence in the castle of that town, where he was 
 long kept prisoner, and they had solicited and ob- 
 tained permission to pay the prince a visit, the de- 
 
314 
 
 tails of which they were kind enough to give me, 
 and which I here subjoin. 
 
 " On entering the Emir's room, we found him 
 seated on his bed. He rose to meet us, and shook 
 hands with us cordially but with dignity. His sta- 
 ture is above the middle height, his head beautifully 
 shaped, and his black beard and hair form a striking 
 contrast to his garments of white wool. His hands, 
 delicate as those of any lady, are of the most perfect 
 form, and his whole aspect is one of grace and ma- 
 jesty combined. Though surrounded by every 
 luxury that humanity could suggest or art could 
 devise, he seemed ill at ease in his new abode, and 
 restless, as though he were longing for the sandy 
 wastes of his desert home. 
 
 " ' Since I have trusted to the good faith of my 
 enemies,' he said, ' I have never had cause to repent 
 having done so. I quite understand that reasons 
 may exist which prevent the fulfilment of my greatest 
 wish — to go to Mecca, there to live and die. I am 
 contented to wait.' A lady of our party then ad- 
 dressed him : ' Prince, you possess the admiration 
 of the whole world, for you are magnanimous and 
 noble in misfortune as you were brave and generous 
 in prosperity. ' A gleam of pride and satisfaction 
 gleamed from the Emir's dark, soft, melancholy eye, 
 and a sweet smile played round his lips. He seemed 
 on the point of replying to the compliment, but 
 suddenly resuming his customary grave expression 
 of countenance, he changed the subject by speaking 
 of the health of his family, whom he invited the 
 strangers to visit. 
 
 " The ladies of whom it was composed were 
 
\ 
 
 315 
 
 lodged in three rooms, contiguous to the Emir's 
 private suite of apartments. His mother occupies 
 the farthest. Her age is about seventy, an expres- 
 sion of deep sadness and dejection is visible in her 
 countenance ; but her eyes have the same look of 
 bright intelligence which animate those of her son. 
 In constant ill health, she spent her time extended 
 on a sofa, before a large fire, and surrounded by a 
 number of female attendants, both white and of co- 
 lour, who all appeared to serve her with the greatest 
 respect and affection. 
 
 " In the second room were three negresses, wives 
 of Abd-el Kader ; they sat in groups on the mat- 
 tresses which formed their bed, while their several 
 children lay rolling about the carpet and climbing 
 upon the tables. The faces of some of these chil- 
 dren were extremely pretty ; the boys had their 
 heads shaved close all round, with the exception of 
 one lock, which was carefully curled, and the little 
 girls wore their hair long, intertwined with ribbons. 
 All were dressed in their native costume, but with 
 great simplicity. Their manners were gentle and 
 pleasing, and they smiled most graciously as they 
 wished us good morning, and offered to give us their 
 hands. 
 
 " The rooms were furnished in the same style as 
 the apartments of persons of high rank in Algeria, 
 with a mixture of European luxury. Instead of 
 doors, * portieres,' or curtains of rich tapestry, were 
 hung over every entrance, and carpets were spread 
 over the floors to preserve the feet of the inhabitants 
 from the cold and dampness of the stone pavement 
 underneath. Cushions were scattered about in every 
 
316 
 
 part of these large rooms, the walls were furnished 
 with mirrors, ornamental time-pieces, etc. and a 
 profusion of flowers kept up a grateful fragrance. 
 Nothing seemed wanting to the convenience of the 
 sad inmates of the castle, who however regarded 
 everything with perfect indifference, and appeared 
 absorbed in melancholy. Warm as is the climate 
 of Navarre, the temperature was far below that to 
 which this family had been accustomed, and which 
 they endeavoured to produce by means of the enor- 
 mous fires which we saw burning in every grate. 
 But were even the deficiency of nature in this respect 
 supplied, what could make up to the poor exiles for 
 the loss of the sky of their native land ? 
 
 " The women of Abd-el-Kader's family were 
 dressed in long white robes, with double tunics made 
 of the same material, which style of attire differs 
 but little from that in general use in Algeria. The 
 hair was entirely concealed by the head-dress, which 
 consisted of a piece of silk, fastened on by a sort of 
 tulle scarf, which was wound several times round the 
 head and under the chin. Chains of gold and sil- 
 ver, and rings of enormous size, adorned their necks 
 and ears ; their legs and arms were tattooed, and 
 ornamented with rings of gold and silver. These 
 women were handsome, and appeared resigned to 
 their fate. 
 
 " The third room, adjoining that of Abd-el-Ka- 
 der, was a large saloon, where the half closed shut- 
 ters admitted but a dim light, while a glowing fire 
 made up for the partial obscurity. This was the 
 apartment of the principal wife of the Emir, whom 
 we found seated on a sofa, looking at her children 
 
317 
 
 grouped on the carpet at her feet. She appeared 
 about forty years of age, her countenance was se- 
 verely beautiful, but goodness was the prevailing 
 expression. Her white dress was made of finer 
 material than that of the other women. The younger 
 children were climbing up and down her knees, and 
 her melancholy glance, as it fell upon them, seemed 
 to betray her anxiety for the future prospects of 
 these unconscious little ones. She had two daugh- 
 ters, one of whom was admirably beautiful, such a 
 creature as painters love to dream of, but whose 
 charms baffle their art to imitate. 
 
 " The household of the Emir amounted to the sin- 
 gular number of thirty-two men, thirty- two women, 
 and thirty-two children." 
 
 A member of the Chamber of Deputies once pro- 
 posed, as an additional mortification to Abd-el-Ka- 
 der, to appoint him Governor General of Algeria. 
 Had this point been carried, the great chief would 
 most likely have proved more efficient, or at least 
 more fortunate, than the number of our countrymen 
 who so rapidly succeeded each other in this difficult 
 situation. This question was once discussed in my 
 presence between one of the principal officers, and 
 a merchant from Paris, who had come on an ama- 
 teur expedition to Bona. 
 
 " Marshal Clausel," observed the former, " as- 
 serts that Algeria is a sort of Elysian Paradise. 
 General Berthezene, on the contrary, maintains that 
 it's a cursed place of which we can't get rid fast 
 enough." 
 
 " Both may be mistaken," replied the merchant, 
 
318 
 
 " I know but of one person who could set matters 
 right, and reconcile all your conflicting theories, 
 and that person is Abd-el-Kader." 
 
 " He certainly seems the man most likely to suit 
 us in this affair," said the officer, " but then what 
 should we do with this host of Europeans settled 
 here in Algeria ? " 
 
 " Make them all turn Mahometans. If their in- 
 terest depended on it, few of them would object, and 
 the rest would follow as a matter of course." 
 
 This assertion is not unlikely, particularly when 
 one considers that the first emigrants to a new colony 
 are generally of the refuse of society. As the gain- 
 ing of money is their first object, they are seldom 
 scrupulous in the means of pursuing it. This spe- 
 culative principle is moreover the same as that, 
 which, on a larger scale, actuated the pirates on the 
 Algerian coast. 
 
 I have recently had an opportunity of seeing the 
 famous Youssouf, one of the most celebrated per- 
 sonages that figured in the late war. 
 
 Gifted with great personal beauty, and as brave 
 as he was handsome, this singular adventurer was 
 ignorant of the land of his birth, though both his 
 complexion and features bespoke an Italian origin. 
 His earliest reminiscences were those of a shipwreck, 
 in which all his companions had perished. He owed 
 his safety to being cast ashore on the coast of Tunis, 
 the Bey of which town adopted him, and brought 
 him up at court till he attained the age of eighteen, 
 when, having gained the affections of the sovereign's 
 daughter, he responded to her feelings with the most 
 ardent devotion. 
 
 They contrived several secret interviews, but in 
 
319 
 
 one of these, were discovered by a slave, who thus 
 became possessed of the secret of their attachment. 
 The danger to the princess was imminent, as her 
 father's unrelenting disposition could ill brook the 
 violation of the strict laws of the harem, and would 
 make no allowance for the temptation offered by the 
 charms of his young protege, while the best fate 
 that Youssouf could expect was immediate death. 
 
 Roused to action by the prospect of the danger 
 that awaited them, Youssouf entreated the lady to 
 withdraw to her apartments, while he detained the 
 slave who was longing for an opportunity to reveal 
 the tale to the Dey. Left alone with this man, the 
 desperate lover stabbed him to the heart, as the 
 shortest means of disposing of the difficulty, and 
 concealed the body in his room, that, by gaining 
 time, the lady might provide for her security, and 
 he might take measures for his own speedy flight. 
 
 Youssouf escaped from Tunis and offered to serve 
 as a volunteer in the French army, then newly ar- 
 rived in Africa. Our chiefs were but too happy to 
 receive him, and his intelligence, courage, and in- 
 trepidity carried him through the subordinate ranks 
 till he attained that of general. His devotion and 
 fidelity in that capacity proved equal to his other 
 fine qualities, and he now is one of our most distin- 
 guished officers. After the flight of Youssouf from 
 Tunis, the body of the slave gave rise to various 
 suspicions as to the motive of so speedy a retreat, 
 but the Dey apprehending part of the truth, thought 
 that the reputation of his daughter depended on 
 the suppression of the rest, and consequently what- 
 ever conjectures were made in private, nothing was 
 uttered on the subject. 
 
320 
 
 The brave Gerard* is a hero of equal valour, 
 though of less notoriety, than the one last mentioned. 
 He has lately been laid up with a bad fever in the 
 hospital at Guelma, in despair at having missed a 
 magnificent lioness that he had chased during a 
 whole night, and was almost sure to have found on 
 the ensuing evening, had he not been suddenly 
 seized with such an attack of illness as forced him 
 to go to the hospital, much against his will, as he is 
 not a man to be alarmed by indisposition, how- 
 ever severe. In this case, however, his superiors 
 used their authority to compel him to self-preserva- 
 tion. 
 
 Gerard is of middle size, and nothing in his out- 
 ward appearance indicates remarkable strength or 
 vigour ; — but no man ever displayed courage or 
 presence of mind superior to his. 
 
 OEAN. 
 
 THIS town is situated eighty leagues to the west 
 of Algiers, on the sea shore, in the curve of a 
 bay, and is one of the most important cities of the 
 coast of Africa. This is owing to its maritime si- 
 tuation, to its strong fortifications, and to the mag- 
 nificent harbour of Mers-el-Kebir, in which the 
 largest vessels are able to take refuge. Like 
 Gibraltar, Oran may be reckoned one of the keys 
 of the Mediterranean, as it entirely commands the 
 entrance into that sea. The town is built on two 
 
 * Called " the Lion-killer." 
 
321 
 
 long platforms, separated by a deep ravine formed 
 by a river large enough to turn several mills, to 
 supply the town with water, and to irrigate the 
 gardens. 
 
 Oran was built by the Moors after their expulsion 
 from Spain, besieged and captured by the Spaniards 
 in 1509, and retaken by its original possessors in 
 1708. Subsequently the town again fell into the 
 power of Spain, who, after the earthquake of 1790, 
 restored it to the Dey of Algiers. 
 
 The buildings were almost entirely destroyed by 
 the calamity, but the fortifications, originally con- 
 structed by the Spaniards, were so strong that they 
 resisted the shock. They are still in a state of to- 
 lerable preservation, though they were terribly neg- 
 lected by the Algerian government. At the base 
 of the mountain, close to the sea, is the fortress of 
 Mouna, which is well supplied with artillery, and 
 defends the harbours of Oran and Mers-el-Kebir. 
 In the western part of the town is the old Cashba, 
 the fortifications of which, though in ruins, are still 
 capable of use. The interior of the building is 
 large, and consists of numerous apartments which 
 have lately been put in repair and used as barracks. 
 On the hillock overlooking the sea are the fine ram- 
 parts of the new Cashba. 
 
 The old and new towns are separated by the deep 
 ravine before-mentioned. This is laid out in beau- 
 tiful gardens, watered by a number of springs, which, 
 after forming cascades and various other ornaments, 
 are still further useful in turning the mills which 
 supply the town. The eye loves to linger in this 
 delightful spot. 
 
322 
 
 When, after landing on the beach, you cross the 
 " Quartier de la Marine" and arrive at the gate of 
 the town, you are struck with the feeling of disap- 
 pointment generally caused by the sight of most 
 Algerian cities, the near survey of which seldom 
 realizes one's expectations. A pretty minaret, the 
 sole remains of Moorish architecture at Oran, partly 
 makes up for the general deficiency ; the streets are 
 wider and better constructed than those of Algiers, 
 and there are several squares and public places. 
 At the time of the French invasion the town was 
 inhabited by Moors, Arabs, Negroes and Jews. 
 
 In 1850, the number of new edifices, built at Oran, 
 had completely altered the general appearance of 
 the place. Elegant warehouses now occupy the site 
 of the wretched huts where the Jews formerly dis- 
 played their goods for sale, and fine buildings, se- 
 veral stories high, have taken the place of the 
 humbler dwellings. But the experienced prophesy 
 that these splendid edifices will not long remain 
 standing, and that a catastrophe, as terrible as the 
 former one, will renew the scene of devastation. 
 The traces of that fearful earthquake are still but 
 too visible at Oran. 
 
 The internal arrangement of the houses is the 
 same here as in other parts of the country. The 
 rooms are furnished with carpets, mattresses, and 
 cushions, in the Moorish style. Sometimes a bed 
 may be seen, raised on a platform, but these articles 
 of domestic convenience are still extremely scarce. 
 Curtains are hung across the door-ways, and the 
 walls are supplied with shelves cut out in various 
 shapes, on which the inmates of the dwelling lay 
 
J 
 
 323 
 
 their pipes, turbans, coffee-cups, etc. Low tables, 
 more or less richly ornamented, and a few large 
 chests, form all the rest of the furniture. The for- 
 mer are used at meals, and the latter contain the 
 money and valuables of the family. 
 
 In one of these houses I noticed an opened hand, 
 sculptured over every door-way. The superstition 
 of the Evil eye is as prevalent here as in the south- 
 ern countries of Europe, and the same means are 
 resorted to for averting it. 
 
 Another custom, no less strangely superstitious, 
 is that of putting pieces of paper, marked with ca- 
 balistic signs, between the beams of the ceiling and 
 the flooring above. These are supposed to be be- 
 neficial in ridding the house of serpents, scorpions, 
 and other venomous reptiles. 
 
 A poor shoemaker has established himself in the 
 new quarter of the town, and his shop is guarded by 
 a hyena called Fanchette. This animal is of the 
 most gentle disposition, perfectly tame, and greatly 
 attached to her master, who reared her from a cub. 
 The only thing that can rouse her to fury is to see 
 the shop entrusted to her care, invaded by a dog in 
 the absence of its owner. When any creature ven- 
 tures to take such a liberty, Fanchette springs upon 
 the only chair, and protests against the desecration 
 of her master's home by opening her jaws and dis- 
 playing two rows of teeth, the efficacy of which is 
 unquestionable. During the night, when the door 
 is left open, as the only means of admitting air into 
 the wretched tenement, Fanchette watches over the 
 good tradesman and his property, with the fidelity 
 and intelligence of the best mastiff. 
 
324 
 
 I cannot say how far it is prudent to trust to the 
 apparent gentleness of a tamed wild beast, but this 
 instance proves at least what may be achieved by 
 education. Here is another case in point. 
 
 " Monsieur Antoine" was a young wild boar ten 
 months old, belonging to one of our officers, and had 
 been brought up by the soldiers of his regiment. 
 He slept with the corporal, had his trough in the 
 mess-room, eat anything the soldiers pleased to give 
 him, and grunted most imperiously if he were left 
 unnoticed. When the drum beat, for any cause 
 whatever, Mr. Antoine rushed forward eagerly, to 
 obey the summons. If there was a gathering of 
 the troops, he took up his position to the right, 
 where he remained till the men had left the place. 
 He thus took part in all the inspections and re- 
 views. When the soldiers went to bathe, headed 
 by a drummer, or a detachment was sent out to 
 escort a convoy, the wild boar regularly attended 
 them. In the latter expeditions he always used to 
 accompany the advanced guard, lie down during 
 the halts, and never leave his place in the line of 
 march. 
 
 One day, that, as usual, he was advancing in 
 front of the army, the soldiers prepared to cross a 
 deep ravine. This being contrary to the inclination 
 of Mr. Antoine, he protested against it by the most 
 significant grunting, and watched the soldiers with 
 the greatest attention as they penetrated deeper and 
 deeper into the ravine. At last, with all the courage 
 of despair, he darted across the rocks, and reached 
 the other side at the same time as the last man of 
 the detachment. After a forced march he sup- 
 
325 
 
 pressed all indications of his craving appetite till 
 the soup was prepared, and his usual ration was 
 given him. When sound asleep, if he heard the 
 sound of a drum, he used to wake up suddenly, 
 and rush in the direction from whence the summons 
 proceeded. 
 
 This accomplished individual was favoured with 
 the friendship of the whole garrison. In conse- 
 quence of his extraordinary docility, he had ac- 
 quired habits of cleanliness foreign to his nature, 
 which quite exempted him from the application of 
 the proverb concerning his race. The end of his 
 career, however, was a melancholy one : the batta- 
 lion to which he belonged being ordered home, he 
 was taken on board the " Victory" frigate, which 
 was to convey them back to France. During the 
 passage he had the misfortune to excite the aversion 
 of the captain, who compelled his master to have 
 him destroyed. 
 
 The commander of the fortress had brought up a 
 young cormorant, which became as tame as either 
 of the animals before mentioned. It used to go 
 about at perfect liberty, generally taking its flight 
 to the sea, where it subsisted on what fish it could 
 find. Whenever it heard the voice of its master, 
 the bird never failed to fly straight to the boat in 
 which he was sailing, and would come from any 
 distance at the sound of its name, " Mr. Baptiste." 
 Before I drop the subject of animals, it may be 
 worth mentioning that the soldiers of the garrison, 
 put to their wit's end to discover some means of 
 whiling away the time in the dull seclusion to which 
 they were necessarily condemned, hit on the expe- 
 
326 
 
 dient of drilling dogs and monkeys, in which at- 
 tempt they perfectly succeeded. 
 
 I have lately seen a copy of a newspaper, pub- 
 lished at the time when the towns on the sea-coast 
 were governed by Arabs, appointed, according to 
 their abilities, by the Governor General. One of 
 these " Beys" was put over the town of Bleida, but 
 his conduct having excited considerable disgust 
 among the people under his administration, they 
 rose against him and drove him from the town. At 
 the same time they sent a deputation to the com- 
 mander-in-chief with the following petition : — 
 
 " We inform you that the Governor whom you 
 placed over us has been the cause of the revolution 
 at Bleida. He took a sheep from the tribe of the 
 Beni-Sala, and refused to pay for it. He wished, 
 moreover, to have it shorn for nothing, and thus gave 
 rise to a dispute between him and the Sheik of the 
 Beni-Sala. He also gave a banquet, to which none 
 were admitted but those who paid him with money. 
 All who had none, were thrown into prison, where 
 they remained as long as the fete lasted. He op- 
 pressed our people in every manner, and extorted 
 from them all he required, while he gave nothing 
 in return. 
 
 " We have heard that you love tranquillity, ex- 
 ercise justice, and wish that all should be happy. 
 We therefore entreat you to send a just man to rule 
 over us, for he and his sheep have been the only 
 cause of the rebellion. " 
 
 This literal translation was published in the 
 newspaper of the province, and caused great amuse- 
 ment by its originality. 
 
327 
 
 It produced however, a good result. The next 
 Governor took the petition in the light of a warn- 
 ing, and carefully avoided all interference with the 
 property of his subjects, sheep in particular. 
 
 Long after the capture of Oran, the Arabs, or 
 rather the Kabyles of the surrounding country, kept 
 up a sort of guerrilla warfare with our troops, and 
 never failed to attack them when they fell in their 
 way. In consequence of this, the commander-in- 
 chief used to send out detachments of Voltigeurs to 
 beat about the woods in search of foes in ambush. 
 But though formidable at first, the Kabyles gene- 
 rally flinched before the superior bravery of our 
 countrymen; as is proved by the following in- 
 stance. 
 
 A corporal, happening to be separated from his 
 troop, was attacked by a Kabyle, whose fire had 
 just missed him. A desperate struggle ensued. 
 The corporal cast aside his gun and grappled with 
 his adversary, whom he at last threw to the ground. 
 The Kabyle, finding himself overpowered, took the 
 shawl which he wore round his waist, gave it to the 
 corporal in token of submission, and made signs to 
 him to tie his hands behind his back. The latter 
 consented, and led his prisoner back to the town, 
 the Kabyle walking before him, as unconcernedly 
 as if nothing had happened. 
 
 My peregrinations now drew to a close. We 
 decided on returning to Bona, and after hastily 
 gathering my notes together, I embarked with my 
 companions on board the vessel which was to con- 
 vey us back to ancient Hippona. Our passage was 
 long and tiresome, owing to the necessity of keep- 
 
328 
 
 in£ at a distance from the coast, in order to avoid 
 the rocks and reefs, which render a nearer approach 
 perilous in the extreme. 
 
 As we sailed in a merchant ship, many delays 
 took place. We were obliged to stop both at Al- 
 giers and Philippeville. At last, after a tedious 
 journey of five days, we landed. But alas ! what 
 were the news that greeted our arrival ! The typhus 
 fever was raging at Bona in all its malignity, and a 
 few days afterwards the town was put in quaran- 
 tine. 
 
 It was at this time that I was attacked by the 
 fearful malady, and that Doctor R — , finding it im- 
 possible to get me an intelligent nurse, had me taken 
 to the hospital, and placed in a ward for women, 
 under the superintendence of Sister Aglae. I have 
 already given an account of my residence there. 
 
 The military hospital is the only one at present 
 existing at Bona, the building used as a general hos- 
 pital having fallen down last winter. Fortunately, 
 sufficient indications were given of the catastrophe 
 to enable the authorities to have the patients con- 
 veyed to the military hospital, so that all fatal con- 
 sequences were averted. 
 
 Many are the inconveniences which women are 
 obliged to endure in an establishment of this kind, 
 intended for the use of men, and conducted on mili- 
 tary principles. Judging from my own feelings on 
 the subject, I often thought how unbearable these 
 discomforts would be to an English woman, unac- 
 customed to " rough it" as I was obliged to do. A 
 military attendant came at four o'clock every morn- 
 ing to open the windows, which looked towards the 
 
329 
 
 country, the food was distributed among the patients 
 by soldiers, headed by a corporal ; and at three o' 
 clock in the afternoon, the same attendant returned, 
 to shut the windows, and open another which looked 
 towards the sea. In short, every thing was subject 
 to military rule, and in spite of our repugnance we 
 were forced to submit to it. My only resource then 
 was to make the best of my situation, carefully to 
 follow the regimen prescribed, and to take the re- 
 medies ordered. In time I succeeded in bearing all 
 annoyances, and I even became blunted in a certain 
 degree to the painful scenes which were renewed 
 every day. Prayer for the dying was my principal 
 occupation, and during my convalescence, I was al- 
 lowed the privilege of spending much of my time in 
 Sister Aglae's oratory. But this very convalescence 
 being nothing less than the continuation of an ob- 
 stinate fever, I was advised to return to my native 
 country as soon as possible, the doctor assuring me 
 that the fever would sensibly diminish when I should 
 be ten leagues out at sea, and would entirely disap- 
 pear on my arrival in Europe; — which prediction 
 was verified. 
 
 In consequence of the number of departures, the 
 quarantine having prevented many from leaving 
 the country before, a set of larger steam-boats were 
 required. The travellers, impatient at having been 
 so long detained on this ungenial shore, tried to rush 
 on board all at once, and there was no small diffi- 
 culty in establishing order among them. The in- 
 valids, and the soldiers recently wounded in the en- 
 gagement at Zaatcha were first allowed to embark ; 
 then the people travelling either for business or 
 
330 
 
 pleasure ; and last of all, the unfortunate colonists, 
 who were returning to France with their hopes de- 
 stroyed, their wretchedness increased, and their fa- 
 milies diminished. 
 
 A few Barbary sheep, some Kabyle dogs of the 
 rarest breed, a young Lion in a cage, and several 
 tame monkeys belonging to the poor soldiers, were 
 also taken on board ; all these creatures were 
 crowded together on the deck of the "Merovee," 
 and their near contact with the passengers proved a 
 serious inconvenience to the latter. 
 
 Our passage lasted four days, which were spent 
 in a manner anything but agreeable. Drenched to 
 the skin by the waves that beat over the ship, we 
 tried in vain to dry our clothes in the sun. Power- 
 ful as is the heat of that luminary in these regions, 
 it was insufficient to relieve us from the discomfort 
 we suffered. 
 
 At last we arrived at Marseilles. Delighted at 
 the termination of the journey, each passenger, pro- 
 vided with his cloak and carpet-bag, was preparing 
 to land, when a boat rowed up to our vessel bearing 
 an order from the Commission of Health that all 
 should remain on board. In vain did our captain 
 declare that no case of illness of any description had 
 occurred during the voyage, the servants of the com- 
 mission disregarded all his assertions, and desired 
 our pilot to steer towards the lazaretto. 
 
 Some of the Algerian authorities on board gave 
 their names, in hopes of obtaining better terms for 
 us all, but it was to no purpose. All they could 
 gain was permission for the captain to land, and 
 explain to the commission how matters really stood, 
 
331 
 
 while we were obliged to keep out at sea, the coast- 
 guard vessels strictly watching us, to prevent any 
 infringement of the order given. 
 
 After considerable difficulty, the physician and 
 several members of the commission being absent, we 
 got leave to land, but such was the panic caused in 
 Marseilles by the mere name of cholera, that only 
 two boats ventured to convey us to the shore. In 
 consequence, they had twenty times to perform the 
 journey between our vessel and the landing-place, 
 where, contrary to the usual detestable custom, no 
 agents were stationed to torment us with the recom- 
 mendation of their respective Hotels. However, in 
 this instance we regretted that no guide was to be 
 found to lead us through this immense city, with 
 which several of us were quite unacquainted. Ac- 
 companied by the young orphan whom I had adopt- 
 ed, and, who for more than a year had been my 
 constant companion, I wandered about from street 
 to street, in search of an hotel, but for a long time 
 all our attempts to procure a night's lodging were 
 useless, owing to the terror caused by our arrival. 
 On our application for admittance, the question was 
 invariably asked, " Did you come by the Steam- 
 boat?" and when we acknowledged the fact, we 
 were dismissed with the intelligence that not a room 
 in the house was vacant. 
 
 We spent several hours in this agreeable pastime, 
 till at last, by dint of eloquence, and a pathetic re- 
 presentation of our distress, we prevailed on one 
 Hotel-keeper to give us the accommodation we so 
 much required. The favour was grudgingly be- 
 stowed, but thankfully accepted. The waiter who 
 
332 
 
 attended on us informed us that the many cases of 
 plague which had appeared in Algeria had given 
 serious alarm to the inhabitants of Marseilles and 
 Toulon, which accounted for the inhospitality of 
 our reception. 
 
 Their fears were well founded, nor was the plague 
 the only evil they had to fear from frequent com- 
 munication with the new Colony. The cholera 
 and the typhus fever, as destructive in their effects, 
 though less terrible in name, spread their fatal in- 
 fluence over the towns of North Africa, and our 
 countrymen of Marseilles are right to use all means 
 of avoiding the contagion. 
 
 As, in consequence of the fears we excited, we 
 could expect neither kind attentions nor moderate 
 prices, we lost no time in taking our places on the 
 railroad from Marseilles to Avignon, from whence 
 we proceeded to Paris. 
 
 THE END. 
 
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