a most horrible odour when
exposed to the sun's rays. Nero contrived, in some way or other, to
slip into this delectable compound, and there he would have remained,
had I not laid hold of him and pulled him out by main force. I at once
had him washed and scrubbed, and even emptied some scent on him, but
in vain; for days afterwards, poor Nero carried about with him a
reminiscence of his odoriferous adventure, which rendered his absence
most desirable to the comfort and well-being of his friends. I sallied
forth about four miles from Ain Mokra, and lay in ambush for boars,
but none appeared, and only shot some jackals--a very poor substitute
for the nobler game I had missed.

[Illustration: R. Pheney, lith.

M. & N. Hanhart, Impt.

SHOOTING WILD DUCKS NEAR AIN MOKRA, PROVINCE OF
CONSTANTINE, ALGERIA.]

At five, next morning, I went out to shoot on the lake. I got Angelo
to row a boat slowly among the reeds, and soon saw hundreds of wild
ducks, teals, and large white birds of whose name I am ignorant; they
looked to me like flamingoes. I could only succeed in bagging a few,
as they were exceedingly shy, and made off as soon as the boat
approached; moreover, the rushes were not thick enough to afford us an
effectual concealment. As the miasma from the lake was sufficiently
powerful to threaten fever, we returned to the caravanserai, where we
breakfasted, and, after shooting a few quails, returned in our
carriage, at one o'clock, to Bona. My driver, who sat beside me, was a
very loquacious old soldier, who had served in the campaigns against
the Arabs under Baraguay d'Hilliers and Youssouf, and been present at
the capture of Milianah and Medeah. The Arabs, he said, never met the
French fairly _en bataille rangee_, but always fired from ambush at
the rear-guard, and in this way killed a great number of men. He
described the conduct of the Arabs to their prisoners as very
merciless. They never gave quarter, and frequently mutilated their
captives; the women, in this particular, being more cruel than the
men. I was informed, on my return, that the party who came out last
year to shoot, had only killed four lions in as many months, though
they had "all appliances and means to boot," and always kept several
Arabs in their pay.

CHAPTER VIII.

ON TO TUNIS.

Algeria in general.--The Arabs and their Conquerors.--Antagonism
between the Two Races.--Social Condition of the Arabs.--The Oasis
steamer.--Arrival at