The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1873-09-10
Mac Mahon's Leap for Life.

lu 1891 -AacManOH, lDtH u NOuuH
lieutenant serving with the French
army in Algeria, under the COMMAND
Of Marshal Bugeaud, was stationed
with a small company of men at al
outlying settlement, forty miles fion
headquarters The Arabs, then bit
terly hostile to the colonists, besieg
cd the small fort, slaughtered all the
settlers they could catch, intereepting
all supplies, and brought the little
garrison to the very verge of starva-
ton Capitulatian was not to be
thought OF, for that meant immediate
slaughter Help from the Marshall was
no; to be thought of, for he was quite
unaware Of their danger; in fact all
hope seemed lost, when MacMahon
volunteered to be the bearer of dis
patches announcing their predica-
ment. The commander thought the
venture perfectly useless, a. the inter
vening country was absolutely alive
with infuriated Arabs, but being
aware that help mnst come in that
manner, if it came at all, he reluet-
antly consented to what he conside--
ed at the time was the desperate
sacrifice of valuable life
MacMahon, perfectly overjoyed at
gaining consent to his enterprise,
spent ,he short time intervening be-
fore his start in looking carefully to
the equipments of his horse and to
his own accouterments, and in the
first hour of darkness he set out,
brisk, blithe and deb0RRdir, as ever
gay young soldier on parade, with
bright eyes gazing on his splendor.
The willy Arabs seldom caught un-
aware, soon noted his departure, and
followed .-ard and fast in his rear /;
but seeing that his course lay toward
a broad and deep ravine some FIVE
miles from the post, they spread out
widely, hoping to outflank him when
be should be compelled to turn at the
brink, and so, securing him alive,
learn from him under torture all the
particulars concerning the French
forces which they wanted 20 obtain.
Mac Mahon, who had in the first
mile or two easily distaneed them,
understood their plan thoroughly,
and was prepared TO meet it. He
looked back and saw in the moon
light the constantly increasing crowd
of white clad warriors spreading cut
in q wide semicircle behind him He
knew well how they would exult in
the thought that they would wiring
from his tortured frame all the secrets
they wanted to know and he quiek
ly slackened little the headlong
speed of his horse, in order to reserve
his strength for the effort he had de-
termined upon, that should-Lc
hoped-save life and liberty The
Arabs, thinking that his horse was
failing, renewed their efforts
to overtake and surround him. and
by the time he had reached within q
few yards of the brink, their shouts
were clearly audible. But Arabs as
well as other men, sometimes count
their chickens before they are hatch
ed, and so it proved they had done
in this Gaze They had headed him
to the brink of the dreadful chasm, !
and followed hard behind, certain of /
an easy capture, when all of sud
den, obedient to the masters resolute |
hand upon the rein, the horse broke |
into swift gallop, and. with touch
from the spur, flick from the glove
and an encouraging word from the !
well-known voice, the gallnnt steed |
and the gallant rider cleared the
gulf, and landed safe on the |
1ther side, and We're out of sight of
The enraged Arabs before they could
get the slightest chance Of taking
even a deliberate aim. In two hours
more MacMahon stood before his as
.onished chief, and two hours after
hat, refusing rest and relief, he ae-
the aid be had risked his
ife to procura on its way to his be-
cOmrads.