, 1881-05-21

three men belonging 70 Chalnbaa md ALI
Ben Dain Salah crossed over to the enemy.
It appears that before leaving the camp to
accompany the colonel towards the wells
Seghier told bis brother and two comps.
nions not to unload their eamsls, but 60
follow those of the expedition, keeping on
one site of them. This indicates that
there was a plot between him and the
Touaregs. He married a Touareg wife,
and ia a.relatfve OF the ex-Caid Ben AIMED.
He went last winter to Algiers in company
with the Touareg Mephsm.
" Lieutenant -Dianous, who awaited
attack at the camp, ordered q rampant TO
be made with cases. leaving loorholes for
firing, but, finding that the Touarsgs did
not come, he said at last. We have no
water. and shall die here. It 10 better to
be- shot than die of thirst. Let us march
upon Ouargla.' The rampant was broken
up, and the provisions, pow der, and money
were distributed among the men, ss carnels
were wanted. We started on the night OF
the 10th. marching towards the north OF
0rientea, by way Of Boussale. We pur'
sued this route until the 9Th OF March
without anything noteworthy occurring,
with the exception of suffering from want
of water and provisions. and alarms caused
by the Touaregp. One riieman, howevers
was carried of on the eth OF February Dy.
the Touaregs. On the s,h Of March come OF
the Touaregs of Hoggar r~ejOinsd the
detachment, and promised to sell them
provisions. swearing on the Koran tbas
they had had NO share in the murder OF
Colonel Fiatters. They said that they
belonged to the Fuled- Mssssoud tribe, and
offered an escort OF ten men to conduct the
detachment to Olsrgla. The officer 10
command accepted this proposal. Only
five men Of the detachment were sent TO
collect the promised provisions, which
were to be paid at the camp. The march
was then continued, but the Touarsgs hav-
ing arrived FIRST at the wells prevented
the French from drinking, and on the NOR
row offered them dates. which they ate.
Shortly after having partakeu OF these
dates they were seized with violent hts OF
vomiting. The Touaregs had poisoned The
dates with certain ~noxious herbs. La q
short time tie effect OF the poison drove
some of the men absolutely mad. Six OF
the soldiers succeeded IN making their
escape. Lieutenant Dianous, under the
effects Of the poison. fred . shot. az his
own men, and it was necessary to take
away his arms and ammunition. On the
10th of March the remainder of the do.
tschment were surrounded by the Toua-
regs, and two men. having gone out to try
and obtain provisions. were killed By them.
III. P~oheguin, with q sword Ia ons hand
and revolver in the other, cried "Chargs
the enamy !" but Lieutenant Dianous
forbade any advance. When the French
arrived at .Hassi1Assegum~ they had On
engagement with the Touaregs, who had
occupied a position there. Lientsnant
Dianous received o bulletin the thigh, aud
another 10 the right breast, and fell dead.
M. Sottin died on the l2th March ffom
having eaten the poisoned dates. The
detachment, having discovered q cave.
barricadsd il, and III. Pohegsin decided To-
accept the Offer made by some Of the men
to go in search Of assistance from Ouatels..
The four chosen volunteers quilted the cave
10 the middle Of the night by crawling On
their hands and knees. and BY ut one time
keeping toths mountains and at smother
hiding themselves in the brushwood they
succeeded in evading the Touaregs aud
arrived at Cdargla on the 28tb OF nareh.s