196 THE LION KILLER. 



in the gate without success, and exposed all the while to a 

 deadly fire from the walls. At each blow of the pioneer's axe 

 came ten bullets from the besieged, and over the /alien axe- 

 men others marched calmly up to take their places. 



Fearing a sortie of the besieged, at the moment when he 

 should attempt a retrograde movement, the commander 

 ordered a retreat, while still in a position to defend himself, 

 and the siege was raised. 



About two months afterwards, general Herbillon who was 

 engaged in Kabylie during the first attack of Zaatcba, 

 marched into the desert, and laid siege to this place. 



I cannot recount all the thrilling events of this rude cam- 

 paign, which will remain for ever engraven on the minds of 

 those who participated in it, but I will only say that Zaatcha 

 held out fifty-two days before our very best troops. 



It was only after a desperate conflict, in which the chief 

 exposed himself to the fire of the enemy like a simple soldier, 

 that the place was carried by assault. Three columns 

 advanced together under the command of Generals Canrobert, 

 de Lourmel, and Barral, and climbing the walls and fording 

 the ditches regardless of the withering fire from within, 

 stormed the city, and all the defenders of the place, including 

 Bou Zian, were killed at their posts. 



Such is the African war, which is regarded by some 

 persons in too light- a manner; for the native, whether Arab 

 or Kayle, is endowed with great individual bravery, and when 

 the circumstances under- which he fights are at all favorable, 

 we come off victors only with great loss, and there is no hope 

 or mercv for those who fall wounded on the field. 



