668 
THE FRENCH IN AFRICA. 
were duteous, disciplined, and obedient to orders, they bore without 
grumbling, hardship, privation, and even sickness. It was a stout 
young army for garrison duties, but, truth to tell, it appears to have 
been extremely difficult to keep the men together under fire ; not that 
they ran away, indeed, but that they showed themselves over well 
inclined to get under cover. They were stout recruits, but not soldiers. 
They had been told what terrible people the Kroumirs were. They 
had seen the body of one of their comrades—who had fallen into the 
hands of the enemy—horribly mutilated, and each one thought, when 
a shot came from behind a bush, that it was aimed at him. How could 
the country lads, who had been brought straight from the plough, have 
learnt what the horrors of war are ? 
At Ifax the Admiral, who justly interpreted the state of affairs, 
declined to land the infantry. He did not dare to send them against an 
enemy protected by earthworks, who appeared resolved to fight to the 
last, and to hold out as long as a man was left. It was the marines 
(proved, tough men, hardened against mishaps, and who had under¬ 
gone their baptism of fire) who carried the batteries at the point 
of the bayonet with a coolness which excited admiration, and burst 
open the gates, thus inspiriting the infantry of the line by their example. 
When the latter saw how a Naval Lieutenant advanced coolly under 
fire, tore down the green flag and hoisted the tricolor in its place, 
they entreated to be allowed to take their part and advanced bravely. 
This leaves no room to doubt that the country lads are well fitted to 
be made into soldiers, but they require much more time, strong cadres , 
and the strength of manhood. The present African army is com¬ 
posed of too young soldiers, they are not fit to bear the hardships and 
the climate without the cadres being filled up, they have not had time 
to be transformed from recruits into African soldiers. Official high- 
coloring cannot alter the fact, and France will not possess an African 
army until she possesses one composed either of natives or of seasoned 
French soldiers. 
