Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-03-22
Il T ALA T l 0 N
oARErsos LIFE IN ALsERrA.

In l845 / was attached as Surgeon
Major TO the military hospital of Con-
tanetine. This hospital rises in the in
terror Of Kasbah, over precipice Of from
three to four hundred feet in height
II commands at once the sisy,.he COVER
nors palace, ard abe shsg plain beyond,
as Ear Hs the eye can reach 1t is at
once q comprehensive and a savage
scene; from my window, left open TO in
hale the fresh breeze Of the evening, |
could see the vultures and ravens soar
ing around the inaccessible cliffs, before
withdrawing for THE night into their fs-
aureB and crevices. | could easily throw
my cigar into the Rummel, which flows
along the foot Of the giant wall. Not a
sound, not murmer, came TO trouble
the calm of my studies till the evening
bugle aud drums repeated by the echoes
OF the fortress, call the men TO tbeirquar-
ters
Garrison life had never any charms
for me; never could accustom myself
70 absipthe and rum, or 10 the petit YER.
re de cognac. Every one got accustotn-
ed to, and put up with, my retiring hab-
Ito save a certain Lieutenant of voltige-
urs, Castagnac by name, whom | must
introduce to you 10 propria persona
On my FIRST arrival at Constantine,
getting down from the carriage, voice
shouted out behind me:
"Tienal I'll lay..a bet that is our surgtSn
major.
/ turned round and found myself in
the presence of an infantry officer, tall,
thin, bony, with red nose and gray
mustache, bis kept over his ear, it's peak
stabbing the sky, his sword between his
legs Ii was Lieutenant Castagnac, aud
who has not seen the same military
type2
While | was familierizing my eyes
with his strange physiognomy, the lieu
tenant had seized my hand:
Welcome, doctori Delighted TO make
your acquaintance You are tired, /
am sare. Come in. ] viii introduce
yon 10 the Circle.
The "Circle" at Constantine was the
restaurant and bar Of the officers, unit
ed. We went in. How was il possible
to resist the sympathetic enthusiasm Of
such manf And yet had read "Gil
Blasf'
"Garcon, two glasses What do you
take, doctor --Cognac or rumr
Neither, Curacao, fyou please.
"Curacoal Why not say 'parfait
amour at onee7 All, ah, ahl you have
a strange taste. Garcon, a glass of ah.
sinthe for me full TO the brim; be attent-
ive Your health, Doctorp
Yours, Lieutenant
= So was forthwith in the good graces
- tk.a D..k a =.
to tel you that this intimacy did not
last long Gastagnsc had habits that
we're especially antAgonistic TO my own.
But made the acquaintance of other
officers, who joined me in laughing at
the originality of his character. Among
them was man of merit, Raymond Du-
tertre, who said he had likewise been
obliged 70 drop his acquaintance, but
that Csstagnsc having taken it up as
personal sffront, they had gone outside
the walls, and he, Dutersre, had admin
istered to him severe chastisement,
which chagrined him all the more, as he
had previously bullied with IMMUNITY, on
the faith OF one or two successful duels.
Things were in this condition, when,
about the middle of June, malignant
fever broke out in Constantine, and
among the hospital patients were both
Castagnac and Dutertre; but Castagnac
was not there for fever; he was inva-
lid by that strange nervous affection
called delirium tremens, and which is
especially common among those who in
Algeria are given TO the frequent
inhibition Of absinthe. Poor Castag-
mac used to get out of his bed during
the attacks, and run along the floor on
all fours, as IL he was catching rata.
He also mewed like cat, but the only
words that be uttered were, "Fatimal oh,
FatimaP A circumstance that Undue
ed me to suppose that the poor fellow
had experienced some disappointment
in love, for which he had sought eonsola-
ton in the abuse of spirituous liquors.
When he recovered from his fits he
would invariable ask the same question:
what did say, doctor? Did say
Anythingf'
1 would naturally reply that he had
said nothing of Importance, end babe
him quiet himself But he was not sat
ished, and after trying to search my in
ner thoughts with his fierce eyes he
would give up the attempt and resign
himself to his couch, with the equally in
variable observation:
"a glass Of absinthe would do ma n
great deal of good.
One morning as was entering into
Castagnac's room, ] saw Dusertre, who
was nearly convalescent, Fastening af.
ter me along the passage.
Doctor" he said, taking me by the
hand, 81 have come 10 ask you a favor.
Will you give me permission to 20 out
for day7'
Anything, my dear friend, but that. |
The fever is raging in the town, and / |
cannot expose you to n relapse"
well, give me then two hours-the /
sine to go and come back"
1T is impossible, my good friend. In |
another week, If you 60 on well, we will |
see what can be done
de withdrew, evidently deeply cha
grined. Twas sorry, bat could not helm
II, but on turning around was surprised /
az seeing Csstagnsc following the retir-
ing sutton with strange look. /
what was Raymond asking forY' he |
inquired.
"Oh, nothing he wanted to 90 out |
bat could not sanction II"
on refused him permission. thenf"
persevered the sick man.
1T was nay duty to do 80"
Castagnae said no more, but resumad
nis reeumbent position with a grim sm;Is
was almost about to say a diahol;csi
expression OF countenance, which cold
not account for, but which flled me MIR
strange apprehensions. sssosus