So far as I could judge, the imposts did not
appear severe, nor were harsh measures used
to collect them. For many miles around our
camp, the Arabs were all friendly to the
French, and this gave many of us an opportunity
of enjoying the sports of the field. As
a general rule, however, French officers are
seldom sportsmen.

At length the whole force was ordered to
march against a fort, in which a rebellious
Arab chief had shut himself up, bidding
defiance to the French authorities. As it was
important to surprise the enemy, we started
at sunset, and had invested the place by
daylight. Expecting to find merely a small
village, with perhaps loop-holed walls, I was
much surprised to see a town of considerable
size, with a strong mud wall, and with outworks
to defend the angles. The Arabs, however,
appear to resemble Asiatics in some
points; one of which is invariably to overlook
some weak point in the construction of
their forts. With a soldier's eye, the general
commanding at once saw that a hill in the
immediate vicinity of the town, would give
him the command of the whole place. After
the men had breakfasted, an assault was
ordered on this spot, and carried by a coup
de main; the party of the enemy who
defended it making good their retreat
to the town. Seeing, too late, the intentions
of the French, the Arab chief came out
to give us battle; and, as the greater part
of our force was engaged in watching the
other side of the town, and as the general
had only sent some three hundred men up the
hill, the French were at first both outflanked
and outnumbered. They stood their ground
well, and fought manfully; but the Arabs
pressed on them very hard, and their losses
began to be serious. While this was going
on up the hill, I was witness of several
hand-to-hand fights in various parts of the
field, and certainly, whatever other troops
may be, French soldiers are not wanting in
courage or daring. Every man among them
appears to have visions of the legion of honour
before his eyes; and, in battle he does his
utmost to obtain it. Still, on occasions
where perfect order, great silence, and most
implicit obedience are required, I would
rather command English than French
troops.

During the fight on the hill, I
witnessed a remarkable act of self-devotion
on the part of a sergeant of Zouaves.
The enemy held a small redoubt, to take
which became of vital importance to the
French. The enclosure was a loop-holed
wall about seven feet high, from inside of
which, some forty or fifty Arabs shot down
the French as fast as they could load and fire.
A hundred men of the Zouaves were
ordered to assault the place. They attempted
three times to do so; but failed each time.
Their captain was killed, and both their
other officers wounded; while nearly a third
of their number were speedily placed hors de
combat. Every man who attempted to get
over the wall was killed on the spot; and
the remainder of the party began to show
symptoms of hesitation. Perceiving this,
a young sergeant turned round to his
comrades and said, "Take me upon your
shoulders, and throw me over the wall ; I
shall be killed, but the rest of the men will
scramble after me somehow, in spite of the
bullets." This, after some remonstrance was
done. The man was thrown over; and, in
less time than it takes to write these lines,
his companions followed him in, and held
possession of the place. Strange to say, the
sergeant—a volunteer of respectable family
—although severely wounded, was not killed.
Some six months after this event I heard
that he had been immediately promoted, and
had also had the cross of the legion of
honour conferred upon him. I wonder what
would have become of such a sergeant in
England!

After the fighting before the walls of the
place had lasted several hours, it was soon
evident that the discipline and valour of the
French would prevail. The enemy managed
early in the day to get their women and children
sent off; and, finding themselves beset
on all sides, vacated the place under cover
of the night. The route they had taken into
the mountains was totally inaccessible for
cavalry, and our infantry were too much
fatigued with their long march and subsequent
hours of fighting to follow. A few
prisoners were made, but there were no
men of any importance among them.

Some days after this affair, I received
letters from England which obliged me to
hasten my return home. An escort of
Chasseurs d'Afrique happened to be returning
towards Constantine, so I took advantage of
the protection thus afforded me, and set off
on my return. I left the French camp with
a heavy heart, for I was truly sorry to part
from men with whom I had passed many
pleasant months, and from whom I had
received much kindness. Few Englishmen have
had my opportunities of seeing French troops
in the field, and of belonging, as it were, for
the time, to their own corps.

Unless a great deal has been of late
months written and spoken in vain (which
is lamentably probable), we ought to be
on the eve of great changes in our own
army. We have, near at hand, an excellent
model by which to fashion any such alterations;
and it is earnestly to be hoped
that our alliance with France may pave the
way for introducing into the service many
alterations of which we stand vitally in
need. It is true that we always learn
something in each campaign, but would it not
be better, if, having bought our experience
at a very large price, we kept it by us instead
of invariably throwing it away? I may be
wrong, but it seems to me, that if a year hence