Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-08-26
THE DESERT MARCH.

from large encampment beside the city walls, and
Mt the same time the heavy booming of the eve
ming gun from the Caliph's tower announced TO the
lazy Turk that the eagles of France had folded
their sken wings upon the shores of Egypt The
drums Of France now beat 10 arms. The army of
the east started to its feet
To Cairo and the Prramids!n cried Savan.
TO beard the Beys of Mameuke' cried the
impatient Murat.
ssTo find a home for the citizen soldier,'' cried
the moustached greaadier
s'1'o found an empire upon the ruin of centu-
rios." clied Napoleon, as he mounted his war
steed,
8 Soidiers of The Republic, advances
"Long live the Republican numbered along
the martial lines, as it broke into open columns,
and moved onward, preceded by the guides.
Soon the sentinel, looking toward Damanouf,
from the moss -decked tower of ages, the gilt
tering files fading into the dim shadows ofevenng.
faint strain of martial music struck upon the
ear, a hum as though multitude had spoken pass
ed the breeze-Napoleon entered the desert! " no
can tell the suferings Of thai weary march. The
night soon passed away, and the vertical sur, un-
dmed by clouds, without a tree or shrub TO offer
momentary shade looking down upon the seried
ranks of the army of the east. The leader aud
his generals now dismounted and endured the sol-
der's sutferings. Onward they march, a band OF
fierce aud indomitahle spirits--ed by the conquer
or of the Alps
Thirst could not tame them--the scorchng sand
offered them no hindrance. Clouds OF tormenting
insects waited from the Shiny Nile deferred them
not. The Arabs yellw music to their ear. On
ward. shouted the leader fom the boundless high
way of the desert, and onward rushed the tide oil
life Around them what prospect! They were
fresh from the plains of sunny ltaly--from the or
ange bowers upon the hill sides, genmed with tenn
pies halowed by genius, and cottages redolent Of
life and love- How changed the scene. On ev-
erv side OF the desert, like ocean, waved in
voiceless tide. The crystal fountain spring, fed
from the glimmering peak of Jua, flashed before
their thirsty eyes no more. The chestnut OF Lam
guedock and Provence wooed them no longer to its
whispering shade. All was sad, scorching, with
erng, searching sand, with here and there the mi
rage, looming ahead like the breast of an inland
lake, to tantaze their longing vision. N ight came
without twilight, cold and piercing brought no re-
lief Far in the distance, looming in giant proper
tons against the sunset west, the desert ship pur
sued its favorte course. And now the, shivering
soldier laid down by his toll worn general to die.
Black bread, teeming with vermin, sickened the
yoracous appetite, and the blackish of the
stagnant pool made the thirst still greater.
1t is said that Lannes and Mulat occasionally
lost command of themselves, and once, when boil
ing with rage dashed their laced hats on the ground
and tramplod upon them before the soldiers. Ma
D0ieon dashed anna the tnfoDS, Win MS mighty
spirit flashing from his eagle eyes" Generals,n
said he 50 TRAITORS! you have used mutinous Ian
ruage; take care that do not fulfil my duty. II
is not your being six feet high that shonld save your
being shot in a couple of hoursn The naughty
Generals trembed before the master spirit, and
shrunk away ashamed.
The soldiers like all French soldiers. were light
of heart. They soon forgot past sufIerings. The
present alone existed with them, and if the guides
r.k ALL I'll
right. The song and merry tale awoke the sleep
ers from their dreams on the sands; aud the hope
Of glory banished gloomy forobodings from the
ranks Coffarelli, who, it was supposed advised
Napoleon 10 embark in this wild crusade against
the Mameluke, was a wooden-legged General, and
as he hobhled past the soldiers joked freely.
ssIIe is sure of having one foot in France"
said theye G let what will happen"
When their General was seen, as the columns
wound round the hills Of sand, they pleasantly said
| g He promised us seven acres Of land, the rogue
how moderate! he might have promised u
townships; we would not have abused his good ma
ture.''
The learned commission did not escape the sat-
ire of the lght-heaed soldiery, and the jackasses
that bore the philosophers camp kettles and the
scientific instruments, were called demi-Sarans.-
Buuoned uB to the throat in his gold-laced coat,
with his burning sword under his aru,-witb COM
irod al the head of MS sfaf lie looked not to the
right or the left. Tie course was regularly laid
down by the astronomer, and the amount OF each
Il davis march was laid before the commander-in-
chief ere the order to rest thundered along the
weary line.
The third day came, and the General began TO
be aware that the river of Egypt was at hand. The
arms of the careless wanderers were now inspect
ed Terrible as was the even here, still the
pulnree ed The
uniforms Of the stragglers nov brushed up
the ranks closed their files. The eagles waved ~
the centre, ard the army in order OF battle drew
near the river Nile.
/ Noon came, nd all at once the river, the beau-
ti1l river, rollsd in its majesty at the feet OF the
Adventures. AT little distance foated the hoitils
and the flag Of the republic waved proudly over il;
and green fields and waving groves spread III beau-
tv around them g The Nile! the Nile.n thun-
dered along the line, and then officers and men,
without due consideration, rushed head long into
iis Shiny waters Not soldier threw of his KNAPP
sack or stacked his musket. g Water. Water!
| On God. a drop of waier.'' cried the weary aud
the sick; nor did the cry cease until the foremost
soldiers having satisfied themselves, ministefed 70
the wants Of their fellows. The army soon reach
"a Da,hour aud encamped upon a field NJ grain.
! Hearing that the Mameuke were at Chebfeissa
"a disnu,e his progress, the leader gave the word,
and the army moved up the Nile, in solid sqpares.
/ A hor.eu,ap. splendidly dressed. with his turban
,av;,g raily 10 the breeze, and his Jewelled trap
n;,g. fasb,ng in the sun light now horered along
/ ,ba edge Of the horizon, refining in his melted
s,eed Another, another appeared until respecs-
able number had mustered; and, then, with hor-
iii ,elI rashed upon the advancing army. II was
10 onset of the MamelUkes, under Mourad Bey
and deadly did the Ffenehmeu suffer. Though
,sa, the Nile the soldiers were dying with thirst,
and IL one was adventurous enough to seek
ldraught from the sFoolen riveF, the next moment