CHAPTER IX

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1838.

The Treaty of the Tafna was warmly applauded by the French Government, who regarded it as a master-stroke of policy. The French people looked on it as a humiliation. The former boasted that Abdel Kader from being an enemy had been transformed into an ally. The latter saw in it the criminal surrender of a French province to a rival power. To Abdel Kader it was the corner-stone of the edifice he had so long been laboriously and perseveringly constructing.

For years a double duty had been imposed on him—on the one hand, that of moulding into shape and consistency the discordant materials which lay scattered around him, appeasing feuds, allaying discords, and quelling insurrections; on the other, that of boldly confronting the formidable attacks of an enemy, immeasurably his superior in all the means and appliances which raise war to the dignity of a science. Relieved from external pressure, he was enabled to grapple with his whole and undivided strength against internal difficulties.

He now stood face to face with a people who looked on their emancipation from a foreign yoke as the signal for unbounded licence, whose only idea of liberty was freedom from restraint, and who, while they recognised and even obeyed the genius which had risen up amongst them, when directed against their foes, shunned and dreaded it when brought to bear upon themselves. Whole tribes of Arabs, now freed from the harassing excitement, the heavy demands, the constant liabilities, the ever- recurring hazards and uncertainties of a state of war, seemed bent on resuming, each in its little sphere, a separate and independent existence.

Thinking only of their selfish and individual interests, and unable to comprehend that a continuance of their newly-acquired independence could only be upheld by a continuation of those sacrifices which had enabled them to achieve it, these little democracies could see no use or occasion for a central government, and grudged contributing towards the expenses necessary to support it.

The extensive organisation which Abdel Kader contemplated, which he was already carrying out, and which could alone consolidate a power capable of permanently resisting external attacks—and in his keen foresight he felt that they were only temporarily suspended—manifestly required the enforcement of certain imports throughout the vast extent of country now committed to his charge.

The short-sightedness and avarice of the Arabs prevented them from seeing any such necessity, and although Abdel Kader never in his life exacted from his subjects more than the _ashur_ and the _zekka_ (all other imports, including custom-house duties, being held in abomination by the Koran), yet the recusants had a line of argument always ready to exonerate themselves from the obligation of paying taxes.

“They wanted,” they said, “no legislature; they could manage their own concerns. If the war should break out again, then it would be time enough for the Sultan to call on them to pay their contributions, but why were they to pay them in time of peace? That the Turks should have been always craving for money was natural and comprehensible. The Turks had harems of a hundred women each, dancing girls, hybrid boys, and all sorts of combinations of profligate expenditure to maintain.”

“The name of a Turk,” they argued, “was, and is, and ever will be, as long as the pest exists, the synonym for villainy and corruption. But what did Abdel Kader want with money? He had only one wife. His days and nights, when not at war, were spent in study and prayer. His gardens at Cachero were more than enough to defray all his expenses.”

Abdel Kader made short work with such of these reasoners as were within his reach. Their doctrine of resistance was never permitted to be more than a grumbling theory. But in the distant provinces, which had lately been consigned to him, and over which he had hitherto only exercised the influence inherent to his great deeds, that doctrine had in many parts assumed shape and substance.

In the southern parts of the provinces of Tittery, his demands for the usual contributions were peremptorily rejected, and a league was formed to resist their payment, headed by one Ibn Mochtar, a chief from the Sahara, near Boghar; the Beni Mochtar, the Beni Nail, the Beni Mousa, the Beni Abid, the Zenekara, presented a formidable confederacy. Abdel Kader saw that he had not a moment to lose. He felt that he must at once crush the opposition, or resign his sceptre.

Summoning contingents from his faithful tribes in the province of Oran, so as to form an effective force of 8,000 cavalry and 1,000 infantry, he ordered Ibn Allal, his Khalifa at Miliana, to meet him in the country of the Zenakera, with all the regulars and irregulars under his command. The whole force when assembled constituted an array of 12,000 cavalry and 2,000 infantry, with some pieces of cannon.

On his way to the place of rendezvous, he passed by Mascara. His wife, who had not seen him for many months, sent messengers begging him to turn aside, though only for a day. He stoically replied, he was wedded to his country, and went on. Such was the intensity of his purpose and the all-absorbing influence of his devotion to his duty, that more than two years at one time elapsed without his allowing himself time to go and see his family.

Before resorting to force, Abdel Kader attempted persuasion. He wrote a letter to the disaffected tribes, in which he conjured them, in the name of the Prophet, to obey the law; to imitate the tribes of the north and west in their obedience, and to beware of the pernicious counsels of designing men. In the same document he promised to overlook the past, if, returning to better sentiments, they came and presented themselves before him with “horses of submission.” “Do not trust in the number of your warriors,” he concluded, “for were the number double I should overcome them; God is with me, and Him I obey. Do not flatter yourselves you can escape me. I swear you are no more to me than a glass of water in the hands of a thirsty man.”

The letter had no effect, and Abdel Kader advanced to the attack. The battle lasted for three days. Finally the rebels gave way, and dispersed. The Beni Antar held out for some days behind entrenchments which they had thrown up, over what they conceived to be impregnable heights, in the fastnesses near Boghar; but they also were ultimately reduced. Ibn Mochtar surrendered, and, coming in person, craved the Sultan’s mercy. Not only did he obtain grace, but, to his surprise, he was named the Sultan’s Khalifa over the subdued tribes. He was ever afterwards one of Abdel Kader’s most faithful adherents.

Success, as usual, was followed by fresh submissions. All the tribes along the southern frontiers of the province of Constantine sent deputies to the Sultan, inviting him to come amongst them. His moderation and good faith, as well as his loyal adhesion to the treaty of the Tafna, alone prevented him carrying his standards to the walls of Constantine itself.

Abdel Kader now returned to Medea. His entry was triumphal. For miles ere he reached the gates, the road was thronged with thousands who had flocked from all the villages round about to feast their eyes on the mighty chief whose fame had long been made familiar to their imaginations. Shouts of “Long live our victorious Sultan Abdel Kader!” resounded in the distance, and heralded from afar his approach to the city. There fresh tokens of enthusiasm awaited him. Garlands of flowers were strewn on his path, and perfumed waters sprinkled on his head. He rode straight to the mosque, entered, prayed, and preached. For weeks presents and offerings poured in from all parts. The great Sheiks, the Marabouts, the Cadis of Tittery, and several even from Oran, headed by the Khalifas of districts, came in state to offer their congratulations to the victorious Sultan. It was now considered by many that Abdel Kader had reached the pinnacle of greatness. He himself was seriously contemplating a retirement into private life. But much remained to be done before he could conscientiously resign the task he had sworn to accomplish.

His whole attention was now turned towards an obstacle which had long chafed and ruffled his soaring spirit. Far away to the south of the great Sahara, in the province of Laghouat, about two hundred miles from Oran, ranged ten powerful and numerous tribes, called the Beni Arasch. They had hitherto, amidst all the battle and turmoil which had been raging in the north, kept coolly aloof from the exciting contest in which their countrymen had been engaged. Abdel Kader had frequently summoned them to send their cavalry contingents, but in vain.

Their principal chief and Marabout, El Hadj Mohammed ibn Salem il Tejini, refused altogether to entertain the idea that there was to be an Arab Sultan in the land. He accordingly left all Abdel Kader’s letters unanswered, and disdained even to receive his orders for the delivery, to his agent, of the legal contributions; secure, as he thought, in his distance, his fortress, and his sands, he set Abdel Kader at defiance. His confidence, at the same time, was increased by his possession of a town, strongly fortified after the fashion of the Arabs, called Ain Maadi.

This place had been repeatedly besieged by the Turks, and with repeated failures. In 1826, the brother of Tejini had even attacked the Turks in their turn, and had menaced Mascara. Already had he gained a footing in the town, when Hassan Bey, of Oran, came to its relief. Tejini drew off his forces to the plain of Eghrees, and there gave his adversary battle, but was defeated and slain. Hassan advanced on Ain Maadi; but Hadj Mohammed, who had succeeded his brother in the command of the tribes, compelled him to retire. From that day, Mohammed Tejini had comported himself as a small independent sovereign.

Ain Maadi contained only three hundred houses; but it had its kasbah, or serail, and was surrounded by thick walls, flanked with towers. Gardens spread around it; and these, also, were capable of defence. The spring of Ain Maadi, from which the town took its name, though at some distance, poured its limpid stream, by means of a canal, into the kasbah. Wells of rain water supplied the wants of the inhabitants.

Abdel Kader was still at Medea, when a certain Hadj Aissa, of Laghouat, came, accompanied by several chiefs of the Beni Arasch, to offer him presents, and “horses of submission.” The Hadj announced, that owing to the influence he exercised over the majority of those tribes, they most of them desired to acknowledge Abdel Kader as their Sultan, and that he had only to show himself amongst them to be joyfully received. Abdel Kader, flattered by an adhesion which gave so satisfactory a testimony to the influence of his name in the province of Laghouat, appointed the Hadj his Khalifa over that oasis of the south, gave him proclamations for distribution, in which he called on the Beni Arasch to obey his lieutenants, and dismissed him with the assurance that he would shortly come in person to receive the proffered allegiance.

The time had now come when he could strike a blow at Tejini. On the 12th of June, 1838, he advanced towards Ain Maadi at the head of 6,000 cavalry, 3,000 infantry, six mortars, and three field-pieces. The place was reached after a tedious march of ten days over large sandy wastes. Tejini, taken by surprise, and having made no preparations for sustaining a siege, had barely time to shut the gates and, organise, as well as he could, the 600 Arabs who were at the moment within its walls.

For some time he attempted to defend the gardens with skirmishers led out at night, and able, by their knowledge of the localities, to harass the enemy in his approaches. These endeavours gradually failed. The besieged were confined within their ramparts. The Sultan ordered all the trees to be cut down. Batteries were erected in the spaces thus obtained; and the fire commenced. On the fourth day, the European engineer, who commanded this operation, declared the breach that had been made to be practicable. A storming party was told off; but on the morrow, the breach was found to have been repaired. Again and again the process of breaching and repairing was mutually effected.

On the fifteenth day, Abdel Kader challenged Tejini to come out and fight him in presence of both armies drawn up to witness the encounter; and proposed that the fate of the place should depend on the result. Tejini, though young and brave, prudently declined the test. Abdel Kader now commenced mining. The mine in due time reached the walls. Tejini made a countermine; and in these mines several serious encounters took place.

In this manner the siege was prolonged for months; the brave defenders, the while, were eking out their existence from their small stores of corn and barley, which now barely sufficed to keep them from starvation. The besiegers, on their side, were dependent for their supplies on the arrival of convoys from the north; and these convoys, even, were liable to be intercepted. More than 2,000 cavalry were constantly employed for their protection through the Sahara. Hadj Aissa was of no use whatever. He turned out to be an impostor.

Both sides were at last perishing from sheer exhaustion. Their ammunition was all but expended. The anxiety of Abdel Kader was intense. He had often before been in straits and difficulties; but never had he been engaged in a struggle which involved more important consequences. He well knew that if he acknowledged himself baffled by raising the siege, he should have all the Sahara on his hands; and he declared he would die on the spot, rather than give in.

At this critical juncture, Abdel Kader had the unexpected satisfaction of receiving some fresh supplies of ammunition, and three siege pieces, from his French allies. A diplomatic difficulty had arisen as to the right interpretation of a certain article in the treaty of the Tafna; and the Governor-General hoped to gain the Sultan’s compliance with his version of the disputed passage, by thus generously aiding him in his extremity. This opportune assistance turned the scales, which were still trembling in the balance.

Tejini surrendered. On the 17th of November, 1838, a treaty was signed between him and Mustapha ibn Taamy, the Sultan’s brother-in-law. By this treaty, the former engaged to evacuate the Ain Maadi in eight days, and to retire thence with his family and his immediate followers to Laghouat. His eldest son was to remain as a hostage in the Sultan’s camp. Abdel Kader, at the expiration of the term, rased the town to the ground. Two tribes of the Beni Arasch, in the immediate vicinity, at once sent in the _ashur_ and the _zekka_. The other tribes still refused. A terrible retribution awaited them.

The following dispatch, announcing the success of Abdel Kader, was forwarded to Hadj il Taib, his agent at Oran:—

“God having given us the mission to watch over the welfare of Mussulmans, and to take on us the direction of all the people in this land, submissive to the law of our Lord Mohammed (prayer and salutation be to him), we marched into the Sahara—not to harm the true believers, not to humble and destroy them—but to awaken their faith, to consolidate them into a common bond of union, and to establish order.

“All listened to our voice, and obeyed as much as circumstances would permit. El Tejini alone refused. We found ourselves face to face with those who had been seduced by him. They were preparing to fight us. We conjured them, for the love of God and the Prophet, to come over to us. To this effect, we recalled to their minds several passages of the sacred writings. All was in vain. We despaired of their conversion. Yet we feared that if we were indulgent to them, we should miss the object we have solely in view. This object is, to rally all the Arabs round one common centre, to instruct the ignorant in the law of the Prophet, to prevent the spread of evil examples amongst them, to preserve them from the corrupting influences of certain towns, and to enable them, their wives, and children, to live in peace and security.

“Therefore, exercising our sovereign right, and moreover being the injured party, we ordered our victorious soldiers to fight them. Religion ordained it. They fled before our troops. Again we entreated them to listen to us. Again they refused. Tejini declared that he counted on the strength of his ramparts and the courage of his followers. Then the place was closely besieged. Our miners having reached the foot of the walls, the inhabitants, in consternation, prayed for pardon and deliverance. Although they had deceived us more than once, both were accorded them; for the Most High has said, ‘Pardon and forget.’ We hope that he will remember our conduct on this occasion, and have mercy upon us for the sake of the blood we have spared, and the women whose chastity we have protected.

“Pardon was granted to all the inhabitants on condition that they should leave the town and go and reside elsewhere, wherever they chose. All have left. Tejini, with his harem and children, have gone to Laghouat, but his eldest son remains a hostage in our hands. May God ever grant us the victory, and preserve us from misfortune.

“Oh Mussulmans, pray to God for your Sultan. He only labours for your welfare. Rejoice, and call on God to strengthen and confirm him. Trust in the Divine mercy. Read the chapter of the Koran, ‘Amran,’ and say, ‘Oh Thou that rulest the universes, Thou givest and takest away according to Thy will, and Thou choosest and Thou raisest up, at Thy good pleasure. In Thy hands is all good. Thou alone art all powerful. Thou changest the night into day, and the day into night. Thou bringest forth life from the midst of death. Without any effort, Thou prosperest whomsoever Thou wilt.’ Oh Mussulmans, seek not protectors from among the Infidel, only look for them amongst the true believers.”

Abdel Kader returned to Mascara. But the defiant attitude and hostile demonstrations of the Beni Arasch, who had already had the audacity to attack his convoys, preyed upon his mind. He had, moreover, indubitable proofs that they had been in correspondence with the French. By the rules of the Koran, they deserved death. After allowing his troops a few weeks’ repose, he announced an expedition; 5,000 cavalry, and cavalry alone, were ordered to hold themselves in readiness.

On the day appointed, they assembled on the plain of Eghrees. None knew or guessed what was to be the nature or direction of the expedition. It was the depth of winter. Each man had been ordered to supply himself with a bag of corn and a bag of barley, and no more. No mules nor tents were required. At sunset Abdel Kader appeared, mounted his horse, and led his forces at a brisk trot towards the north-west.

It soon became dark. Four men in advance carried lanterns affixed to the points of their spears. The lanterns were lighted, and muffled in front, but their rays streamed far away to the rear, over the cavalcade.

Suddenly a countermarch was directed, and the party bore off towards the south-east. The previous direction had been a feint. At midnight the troops of the expedition reached a rivulet. All dismounted. The horses were fed. Abdel Kader and his men ground their corn as well as they could, between stones, and making a paste of flour and water, partook of food. After a rest of three hours the troops were directed to remount. Again they rode on at a brisk trot, which occasionally broke into a canter, till mid-day. Then another short halt was made, and then again the expedition rode on as before till near midnight, and then only were food and rest once more taken. Thus they pursued their way for four days and nights.

As dawn broke on the morning of the fifth day, the vast encampments of the Beni Arasch burst upon their view, spreading away to the horizon. More than ten thousand tents covered the plains. The Arabs were sleeping. A wild and prolonged shout roused them from their slumbers. They rushed out to learn the cause, and saw to their dismay a crowd of cavalry swooping down upon them like a whirlwind.

Frantic cries of “Abdel Kader, Abdel Kader!” now filled the air. The women and children ran about screaming. The men, amazed and bewildered, appeared to have lost their senses. Some flew instinctively to their arms, others took to their horses. But before they could collect, form, or rally, the storm was on them. “Spare the harems,” cried Abdel Kader, as he led on the onslaught, “but as for those dogs, treat them as they deserve.”

Driving the Beni Arasch before them like a flock of sheep, charging and chasing them in all directions, Abdel Kader and his cavalry soon succeeded in securing the principal Sheiks. Moved by their piteous entreaties and solemn assurances of future good conduct, Abdel Kader mercifully refrained from inflicting capital punishment. The tribes, however, were compelled to pay up, on the spot, five years’ arrears of the _ashur_ and the _zekka_, and to furnish a contribution of 4,000 camels and 30,000 sheep. Warned by this example, the Beni Arasch became ever after Abdel Kader’s most faithful adherents, and remained constant to him to the last.

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