en, the children, the flocks and herds,
which were in the Sultan's hands. The genius of Abd-el-Kader had created
a new and widely extended political engine.

When the French leaders had learned to appreciate the importance of the
smala its capture or dispersal became a chief object with all officers
from the generals of corps to the colonels in charge of detachments. The
campaign of 1843 was opened by Lamoriciere, who occupied Tekedemt.
Abd-el-Kader with about fifteen hundred horsemen watched his movements
from some neighboring woods. He knew that the French commander's object
was the smala, and he remained in ambush for twenty days. He and his men
lived on acorns; the horses were fed on leaves. One day a stray sheep
was found. The Sultan would have none of it, and said, "Take it to my
starving soldiers," as he turned to his meal of acorns. Twice was
Lamoriciere repulsed in his search, and then a traitor revealed the
exact place of the smala encampment.

Lamoriciere remained to occupy the attention of Abd-el-Kader, and the
French column stationed at Medea was selected for the attack. The
leadership was intrusted to the Duc d'Aumale, and on May 10, 1843, he
started from Boghar with thirteen hundred infantry, six hundred horse,
and two field-guns.

The indicated place of encampment was found empty, and the French column
wandered about in uncertain fashion.

At break of day on May 16th the traitor made known the new spot of the
smala's halt, and D'Aumale at once daringly advanced with his cavalry
alone. The surprise created a panic among the people. The guard of five
hundred regulars fired a volley and fled. A handful of the Hashem tribe
bravely strove to stem the torrent, but they were swept away in the
rout, and in an hour all was over. The smala was broken up amid scenes
of terrible confusion and despair, including the extraordinary sight of
a promiscuous mass of camels, dromedaries, horses, mules, oxen, and
sheep careering and plunging on the plain. There was little bloodshed,
but the French victors were in possession of hostages of the utmost
value in the families of Abd-el-Ka-der's most influential chiefs. His
own family had escaped. The booty taken was immense, comprising
thousands of animals; the Sultan's valuable library of rare Arabic
manuscripts; the military chest containing some millions of francs, and
the chests of his caliphs and other high officers, filled with gold and
silver coins and costly jewellery