Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-12-07
A DESERT TRAGEDY.


The mess Of the officers of the Second
Chasseurs of Africa is particularly noisy.
Their merriment runs high with shouts of
joy and blinking glasses as they toast Lieu
tenant Henri Cursol
CHOW for the adventureE" exclaim the
officers in chorus.
"With all my heart, " replies the young
lieutenant. "You know / left Mascara
the Havars about the incursions Of the
Tuaregs. had accomplished my mission
and was returning with my platoon, cross
ing part Of the immense plain of sand.
We kept on our way, men and animals,
although nearly overcome by the intense
heat, with our eyes partly closed to avoid
the reflection from the sand-a thousand
times harder to endure than the heat Of
the sun Twas awakened from my torpor
by all exclamation that came from behind
me, Eel gueubeli!'
II turned around. The sergeant major
Of my escort, an old African soldier, was
pointing toward the horizon with excited
gestures The whole sky seemed to be
covered by thick cloud, resembling an
immense column of smoke, touching the
earth and reaching far into the heavens.
Ell gueubeli was marching upon us with
menacing strides.
"'Perhaps we can get ahead Of 1t, /
said, ordering them to gallop.
"The sergeant major shrugged his
shoulders. If God so wills it, he said.
"We started off at furious rate, but
the tempest came on at still greater
speed. A violent wind was upon us, send
ing binding whirlwinds of dust into our
faces at every step of the horses. Our dis
comflted guides lost their bearings and
stopped. Our horses as well refused to
move farther. They came to a standstill
and braced themselves against the gusts OF
wind.
~ was leaning over on my horse when
felt him tremble under me; then sud-
denly received frightful shock. It
seemed to me that thousands Of pounds of
sand fell, all at once, on my head. Stun
ned, scarcely able to think, managed to
struggle with my horse as he shook his
bride with rage, then raised himself on
his hind feet and started off at furious
speed, taking me with him.
1.-The sand sifted into my eyes, my ears
and my nostrils binding and suffocating
me. / could scarcely breathe, a burning
thirst was consuming me; felt that
the happiness that was losing forever,
then oblivion came, and remember no
more.
"When came to myself, found that
was under wooden tent, draped with al
ternate stripes Of red and yellow silk and
lying on rug which covered the entire
floor Of the tent. experienced strange
sense of we'll being, a state Of drowsiness,
delightful feeling Of laziness and I
closed my eyes quickly, not caring to I'M
derstand. how a lieutenant Of Chasseurs
was metamorphosed into an Arab, master
Of large tent ALI at once it seemed to
me brighter light struck my eyelids, and
at the same time a pungent, penetrating
perfume filled the tent. opened my eyes
and saw standing at my bedside a young
woman, with great fathomless eyes sur
mounted by two delicately penciled arches.
Her black glossy hair fell in curls down
her neck, covering her cheeks with their
warm shadows. She was dressed like the
daughter Of a wealthy housewife haik
that fell to her feet, disclosing chemise
Of striped silk supported at the waist by q
leather belt studded with silver and held
together at the breast with clasp Of the
same metal. Two enormous silver and
coral rings hung from her ears, her arms
were loaded with bracelets, and her fingers
were covered with heavy rings
ACTING on the realistic impression Of
my dream, greeted the beautiful appari-
tion with a most profound salaam, which
was returned with salaans and gracious
smiles, the beautiful Saharian displaying
set Of transparent teeth behind scarlet
lips. made as If to seize the young wom-
an, but she recoiled frightened, overthrow
the lamp and fed, leaving me somewhat
abashed.
IA few moments later, Just as the first
ray Of the new day stretched itself toward
my tent, an Arab entered. His tall, slen-
der silhouette stood out distinctly against
the light, as with naughty sweep Of his
hand he lifted the curtain TINT hung at
the entrance, He advanced toward me,
and noticing that 1 was looking at him
with surprise but with reQained conscious
ness, he began to speak IN a jareon COM
posed Of bad italian, worse French, q lit
tie Spanish and good deal Of Arabic. He