Chapter I: Preface

Clemens Lamping, the author of the first part of this little volume, is a young lieutenant in the Oldenburg service, who, tired of the monotonous life of a garrison, resigned his commission in July, 1839, and went to Spain to win his spurs under Espartero. Unfortunately he was detained by contrary winds, and arrived just as the treaty of Bergara had put an end to the war.

After spending six months at Madrid in abortive attempts to join the army in Arragon, then the seat of war, he resolved to go to Africa, and take part in the French crusade against the infidels. He accordingly went to Cadiz, encountering many adventures on his way through La Mancha and Andaluzia, and thence to Algiers, where he entered the foreign legion as a volunteer.

After two years of danger and hardship, the author returned to Oldenburg, having lost many illusions, and gained some experience. His sovereign restored him to his former grade in the service of Oldenburg, where he sits at his ease by his own fireside, and relates his adventures to his friends.

Lieutenant Lamping’s Reminiscences are followed by the abridgement of a narrative of five months’ captivity among the Arabs, by M. de France, a lieutenant in the French navy. The author modestly assures his readers that he is better skilled in the management of a ship than of his pen, and that his book would never have been published but at the request of his friends. It has nevertheless reached a second edition in France.

L. D. G.

CONTENTS.

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THE SOLDIER OF THE FOREIGN LEGION.

CHAPTER I.
Page
Coleah—Arab Coffee-houses—The Hakim’s—Court of Justice—Arab Women
and Domestic Life—Marriages—False alarm—Sofi the Modern
Hâfiz—Grief for the departed glory of the Moors—Abubekr’s piety
rewarded 1

CHAPTER II.

Algiers—The Poetry of the Galleys—Bath—Palace at Mustapha
Superieur—General Von Hulsen—I join the Foreign Legion—French
colonization in Africa—Hassan, the coffee-house keeper 15

CHAPTER III.

Dschigeli—The Foreign Legion—Climate—Attack of the Kabyles on the
Blockhouses—Massacre of a Kabyle Village—Samoom—Homeric Fight—Death
of my Friend—Fort Duquesne—Formidable Starfish—Shipwreck—Engagement
with the Kabyles—Escape of the Prisoners—Burial of their Dead 22

CHAPTER IV.

Budschia—Monkeys—March to Buterback—General Bugeaud—Algiers—Lord
Exmouth and the Dey—Progress of civilization and jollity among the
Arabs of both sexes—Songs 34

CHAPTER V.

March to Delhi Ibrahim—Horrible scene—Blidah—_Colonne
Expéditionnaire_—Dukes of Nemours and Aumale—Pass of the Col de
Mussaia—Medeah—Arab burial-grounds—Marabout in the mountains—Taking
of Callah—March through the Desert—Destruction of Abd-el-Kader’s
castle—Milianah—Night march—Sight of the Sea 41

CHAPTER VI.

Arab Valour—Abd-el-Kader—Snakes—Burning the Crops—Roman Bridge—The
Duke of Aumale falls sick—Plundering of a Kabyle Village—The
Prisoners—The Queen’s Tomb—Her royal crown—Inexpediency of turning
the sword into a ploughshare 64

CHAPTER VII.

Inspection of our Regiment—Military intendants—_Hôpital du Dey_—Its
inmates—Eastern Garden 76

CHAPTER VIII.

Voyage to Mostaganem—Storm—Funeral at sea—Landing—Bivouac
Matamon—Bey of Mostaganem—Arabic music—Captain Lièvre—African
spring—French and Arab Soldiers 79

THE PRISONERS OF ABD-EL-KADER.

CHAPTER I.
Page
Life on board the brig—Expedition up the country—Am noosed by the
Arabs—They contend for the pleasure of cutting off my head—Adda
sends me to Abd-el-Kader—The head—Painful journey—Arrival at
Abd-el-Kader’s camp 93

CHAPTER II.

Reception at Abd-el-Kader’s camp—Description of Abd-el-Kader—His
tent—Unexpected meeting with M. Meurice—Abd-el-Kader’s officers 100

CHAPTER III.

Meurice’s story—The camp and the soldiery—The Adventures of a
German renegade—Arab horses—Prayers—The Sultan’s band of music 106

CHAPTER IV.

French deserters—Sardinian prisoners—Their story—Letter to
Algiers—Raising the camp—Abd-el-Kader—The only cannon—The Bey of
Mostaganem—Return to El-Kaala 113

CHAPTER V.

Method of cooling a tent—Abd-el-Kader’s munificence—Tribute paid
in kind—A good dinner—Coffee—Supplies from Morocco—Letter from
General Létang—Arab foray—Prisoners—The beautiful black slave girl
120

CHAPTER VI.

Revolt of Abd-el-Kader’s uncle—His letter—Jews—Attack on the
Beni-Flitas and Houledscherifs—Horrible execution of a
prisoner—Vermin—Tekedemta—Letter from the Arab prisoners at
Marseilles 127

CHAPTER VII.

Ruins of Tekedemta—Abd-el-Kader’s schemes—Attempt to convert
me—More tribute—Terms of Exchange—Tumblers and Singers—Restoration
of Tekedemta 134

CHAPTER VIII.

Marches—The five marabouts—Cards and chess—Night March—The
Sultan’s arrival at the camp—His wife—Female camp—Raka the
cup-bearer—Abd-el-Kader’s Court of Justice 141

CHAPTER IX.

Offers of exchange—Report of the death of the King of
France—Festivities—Sham fight—Two French soldiers—M.
Lanternier—Meurice gets worse—Baths at Mascara—Lanternier’s
prison—His wife and daughter sent to the Emperor of Morocco—Little
Benedicto 149

CHAPTER X.

Prison at Mascara—Death of Meurice—Lanternier joins us—Four new
prisoners—Their adventures—Our way of passing our time—Conversation
of the Prisoners—Fourteen heads—The Italians 158

CHAPTER XI.

Departure from Mascara—Striking scene—Milianah—Moussa the
renegade—His letter—The Rhamadan—Delays—The Bey of Milianah—Setting
out for Algiers—The Bey’s daughters—First sight of Algiers—Fresh
delays and disappointments—The Hakem’s hospitality—Arrival at
Algiers—Benedicto—The Arab prisoners at Marseilles 165

THE FRENCH IN ALGIERS.

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