Chapter XXVI: The Shelling of Sfax

My readers must suppose Mr. Galea watching anxiously the operations of the French from the deck of the ‘Beshir,’ and recording what took place in the journal to which I now return.

“_July 5th_, 1881, 4.10 P.M.—The ‘Chacal’ first began to bombard the town from a distance of about 2000 yards from the jetty, and the ‘Pique’ commenced firing an hour later. The Bimbashi is replying gallantly enough, but all his shot are falling short. Shells are being chiefly directed against the forts between the European _faubourg_ and the shore. At last a shot from the town actually passed between the masts of the ‘Pique,’ and shortly afterwards both ships withdrew to the outer anchorage. As far as I can see, the shore battery is nearly dismantled and the pier much damaged. At Captain Tryon’s suggestion a large number of the fugitives are leaving for Malta in the S.S. ‘Peninsulaire,’ for there is literally nothing more for them to live on here. The French fired fifty-four shots and the Tunisians seventeen this evening.

“_July 6th._—At daybreak the ‘Alma’ and the ‘Reine Blanche’ (which had also arrived) got as close to the shore as they could, and at 5.45 A.M. began throwing shells to the west of the Arab town from a distance of two miles. The town made no reply, and firing ceased at 9 A.M. At noon all four ships joined in the bombardment and a brisk fire was continued for three hours. Only six shots (all falling short) were fired from the batteries, which the gunboats endeavoured to silence. Although 141 shells were thrown into the place, the _enceinte_ facing the sea does not seem to be visibly damaged. About 4.30 P.M. the ‘Léopard’ arrived and joined the other gunboats at the inner anchorage.

“_July 7th._—A desultory fire was maintained in the morning, and the injuries to the buildings can be seen clearly enough through a telescope. Later on, some steam-launches with marines on board approached the shore, but they were at once fired at from the forts and were obliged to retire. The ships then recommenced the bombardment, and when it grew dusk the launches once more went close to the town, but being received with volleys of musketry again withdrew. It turns out that very few French troops are really here, and there can be no doubt that the assault is being carried on in the most unsatisfactory manner. The failures to effect a landing will not only encourage the Sfaxian Arabs, but those in the other coast towns, where the proceedings are being most anxiously watched with a view to decide on the position to be assumed.

Reproduction by Maclure & Macdonald.]

“_July 8th._—The French are again reconnoitring near the shore. From time to time a shot is fired, and the townspeople answer at intervals, but in an apparently hopeless manner.

“_July 9th._—Sfax is one of the few places in the Mediterranean where the tide ebbs and flows. When the tide was full shortly after midnight, some Maltese, on behalf of the French, went close to the shore and cut out and brought away some boats suitable for use in landing the troops. Although the watch-dogs barked loudly, no one took any notice of them, and it seems as if the town could be taken by assault, or at any rate the guns spiked with impunity. All day the French have been collecting empty boats round their men-of-war, varying this occupation by firing an occasional shell. In the afternoon all the Tunisian troops were crowded into the ‘Manoubia’ and taken back to Tunis, to swell in all probability the ranks of the malcontents around the capital.

“_July 10th._—Not a shot was fired all day. The Italian gunboat ‘Cariddi’ arrived to see if anything was needed by the Italian fugitives. Another small French gunboat also came in.

“_July 11th._—Nothing done to-day. The inaction is evidently encouraging the Arabs, and I am sorry to see the fortifications and barricades being repaired and strengthened with my esparto bales.

“_July 12th._—This day was also passed in inactivity. I received the news from Gabes that the Arab captain of one of my barques has been arrested and sent a prisoner to Ali Ben Hlifa, because he had some barrels in his boat which were supposed to indicate an intention of obtaining supplies of water for the French.

“_July 13th._—At last we have some hopes that matters are to be pushed vigorously to a conclusion. This morning the man-of-war ‘Galissonnière’ and another transport arrived. The former, at 2 P.M., threw a dozen shells into the town. In the evening the quarter near the gate dividing the Moorish from the European _faubourg_ was seen to be on fire, but it was soon extinguished, or burnt itself out.

“_July 14th._—In the forenoon six French men-of-war (the ‘Colbert,’ ‘Trident,’ ‘Marengo,’ ‘Surveillante,’ ‘Révanche,’ and ‘Friedland,’ together with a despatch boat (the ‘Desaix’), anchored in the roads. Salutes were fired, and much bunting was displayed during the day, on account of the _Fête de la République_. In the afternoon all the ironclads came as close as the depth of water would permit to the shore; but the attack was still postponed.

“_July 15th._—The gunboats (‘Chacal,’ ‘Pique,’ ‘Léopard,’ ‘Gladiateur,’ and ‘Hyène’) shifted their position a little at dawn, and shortly after sunrise the French fleet, including even the ironclads four nautical miles away, began to shell the city and neighbourhood. There does not, however, seem to be any sign of landing. The delay has not only encouraged the Arabs here, but it has promoted the interests of the revolutionary party throughout the Regency. If a prompt and decisive blow had been struck at Sfax, the whole movement might have been nipped in the bud. The siege should never have begun until the French forces were mustered in sufficient strength and numbers to win a rapid and brilliant victory. Before noon to-day, 300 shots had fallen in different parts of the town. All the needy Maltese refugees are being furnished with supplies from H.M.S. ‘Monarch,’ and the commanders of the French frigates are following the example set by Captain Tryon. The bombardment was resumed towards evening, and continued nearly all night; sleep became impossible from the constant booming of the cannon, and the sky seemed fairly a-blaze.

“_July 16th._—After this terrible work of destruction had continued for twenty-four hours, the French troops landed in great force at break of day this morning, under cover of a heavy fire from the fleet. It required two hours’ fighting to gain possession of the fortifications, and even then the struggle was indefinitely prolonged in outlying houses and hamlets. By mid-day all was comparatively quiet. At the time of the landing, the esparto yards of two or three merchants were in flames; but our stores do not appear to have taken fire. Various estimates as to the loss on both sides have been made, but no two agree. Over a dozen French soldiers and marines, including an officer, have been interred in the Christian burial-ground, but others have shared undoubtedly a common grave with the Arabs in the trenches before the town. The resistance was as brave as it was hopeless, but no amount of personal courage can compensate for the use of weapons fit only for old metal-dealers or curiosity shops. In the narrow streets of the native town, house after house was only occupied after a desperate hand-to-hand conflict.”

· · · · · · · · · ·

The sequel to the fall of Sfax I shall tell in the next chapter. There can be little question but that the delay in effecting the capture of the city to a great extent destroyed the moral effect of the achievement when it really did take place; instead of being the end and extinction of the insurrection, it became, as it were, the beginning of a race contest, the termination of which is still apparently in the future.

A humble poet has already sung the siege of Sfax. An honest tar, by name John Root, united on board H.M.S. “Monarch” the functions of able seaman and poetaster. On returning to Malta he published his “Bombardment of Sfax” in a leaflet, entitled “Thoughts and Facts from a Sailor’s Pen,” and if John’s quantities are somewhat rough and eccentric, his appreciations of what he saw are almost as correct as Mr. Galea’s. I quote a few verses, which tell quaintly enough in a few words the tale of the sad fate of Sfax:—

“More able pens than mine will tell

How Frenchmen fought and Arabs fell,

Mown down by showers of shot and shell,

When Sfax town was bombarded.

“Seven days the game was going on,

Not one thought it could last so long;

’Twas never thought by any one

The Arabs thus would stand it.

“At last the French its capture plann’d,

One morning early boats were mann’d,

The ships fired fast, but few could stand—

The boats were fast advancing;

“And when the boats got near the shore,

They shot and shell did likewise pour;

And added theirs to louder roar,

All death and slaughter dealing.

“Each Arab stuck well to his gun,

’Twere better had he cut and run;

His last he’d looked towards the sun

For Hotchkiss guns now faced him.

“Beneath such storms of shot and shell

All owned the Mussulman fought well;

And many French that day had fell

Had Arabs better weapons.”