The Horses of the Sahara 30

The Horses of the Sahara 30

THE RAZZIA.

 

 

The most frequent and almost daily incident of Arab life is the

_razzia_. Glory is a fine ting, no doubt, and in the Sahara hearts are

as open to its fascination as elsewhere. But there, the idea of glory is

to injure the enemy and destroy his resources, and at the same time

augment one's own. Glory is not smoke, but plunder. The thirst for

revenge is also a motive; but what vengeance is sweeter than to enrich

oneself with the spoils of one's enemy? This threefold craving for

glory, revenge, and plunder, could not possibly be gratified more

promptly or efficaciously than by the _razzia_—the invasion by force or

stratagem of the ground occupied by the foe, which contains all that is

dear to him, his family and his fortune.

 

In the desert, there are three kinds of _razzia_. First of all there is

the _tehha_ ["the falling," from the verb _tahh_, "it is fallen"], which

takes place at the _fedjeur_, or dawn of day. In a _tehha_, the object

is not pillage, but massacre: no thought is given to riches, but all to

vengeance. The next is the _khrotefa_, which comes off at _el aasseur_,

or two or three in the afternoon, and means nothing but rapine. And

lastly, the _terbigue_, which is neither war, nor an affair of

brigandage, but, at most, a thievish operation. The _terbigue_ is

attempted at _nous el leïl_, or midnight. When a razzia is determined

upon, those who propose to take part in it say to one another _Rana

akeud_, "we are a knot." The enterprise is arranged, the association

formed, and a compact concluded—compact of life and death.

 

 

THE TEHHA.

 

When a _tehha_ is contemplated, the sheikh issues orders to shoe the

horses, to prepare food, and to provide a supply of barley for five or

six days, more or less. These provisions are put into a _semmât_, or

wallet, each taking his own. Previous to setting out, two or three

mounted scouts are sent forward to reconnoitre the position of the enemy

they propose to attack. The scouts are men of intelligence, well

mounted, acquainted with the country, and circumspect. They take every

precaution and make a great circuit, so that in the event of a surprise,

they will appear from a quarter whence those whom they intend to assail

are accustomed to see only friends appear. On arriving near to their

destination, they place themselves in ambush, and one of them,

separating from the band, penetrates on foot to the very heart of the

_douar_, without exciting the slightest suspicion. As soon as they have

obtained the necessary information respecting the numbers and

disposition of the enemy, they retrace their steps and rejoin the

_goum_, who await them at a spot previously agreed upon. Like the scouts

they, too, have followed a path little calculated to inspire with

apprehension those whom they propose to surprise. All necessary

intelligence having been obtained, and the foe being now near at hand,

it is arranged to fall upon him at the dawn of day, because at that hour

they will find

 

The wife without her girdle,

And the mare without her bridle.

 

Before dashing into the _mêlée_, the leaders address to their followers

a few impassioned words: "Listen. Let no one think of despoiling the

women, driving off the horses, entering the tents, or alighting for

purposes of plunder, before taking many lives. Bear in mind that we have

to do with 'children of sin,' who will defend themselves vigourously.

These people have butchered our brethren. No mercy! Kill! Kill! if you

desire at the same time to take revenge and the goods of your enemies. I

tell you again they will not give these up to you without a struggle."

The _goum_ then breaks up into three or four bands, with a view to

strike terror into the assailed from several different quarters at the

same time. As soon as they are within range they open fire, but not a

cry is uttered until their fire-arms have made themselves heard.

 

These _razzias_ are for the most part frightful scenes of carnage. The

men, taken off their guard, are nearly all put to the sword, but the

women are merely stripped of their clothing and jewels. If time permit,

the victors carry off with them the tents, the negroes, the horses, and

the flocks, leaving the women and the children, for in the desert no one

ever burdens himself with prisoners. On their return the flocks are

committed to the custody of a few horsemen, while the others form

themselves into a strong rearguard to cover the retreat. On reaching the

_douar_, the combatants divide among themselves the flocks and the booty

captured without personal risk, and give to the sheikh, over and above

his share, thirty or forty ewes, or three or four camels, as the case

may be, besides bestowing a special gratuity on the horsemen who were

sent forward as scouts.

 

Previous to attempting an enterprise of this kind each tribe places

itself under the protection of a particular marabout to whom it is in

the habit of applying in difficult circumstances. In the eyes of the

Saharene, to plunder an enemy, though an incident of no uncommon

occurrence, is an affair by no means devoid of solemnity. It is thus

that the tribe of the Arbâa regard as their regular and accredited

marabout Sidi-Hamed-ben-Salem-Ould-Tedjiny. A successful _razzia_ is

celebrated by great rejoicings. In each tent an _ouadâa_, or feast, is

prepared in honour of the marabouts, to which are invited the poor, the

_tolbas_, or men of letters, the widows, the farriers, and the free

negroes.

 

The _tehha_ is usually achieved with five or six hundred horses, and not

unfrequently foot-soldiers accompany the expedition, mounted on camels.

Sometimes the tribe that is to be attacked has received timely warning,

and been able to adopt measures for defence. The horses are saddled, the

arms ready to the hand. A combat takes place, instead of a massacre, and

many fall on both sides. The assailants, however, have usually the

advantage, as they are not embarrassed with women and children like

their adversaries; and it rarely happens that they return home without

booty.

 

Perhaps I cannot do better than reproduce in this place one of those

popular chaunts which so well depict the rage and the varying fortune of

these bloody struggles, that generally originate in love or jealousy.

 

My horse is whiter than snow,

Whiter than the winding-sheet of men;

He will bound like a gazelle,

And will bear me to the tent of thy father.

 

O Yamina, fools are they who foster thy pride,

Greater fools they who tell me to forget thee!

Would that I were the pin[70] of thy _haïk_;

A lock of thy black hair,

The _meroueud_[71] that blackens thy eyes,

Or, still better, the carpet thou tramplest under foot.

 

I watered my horse at the fountain-head,

Then lightly leaped on his back.

My _chabir_ are glued to his flanks,

And I have faith in my arms as I have faith in my own heart

They betrayed me for the moon of my soul,

But time shall betray them also.

 

By Allah, O ye vultures!

Why hover ye in the air?

I ask of Allah to grant us one of those bloody combats,

In which every one can die in health and not of disease.

You will pass days and nights in gorging yourselves!

Our lives and those of our horses,

Do they not belong to our maidens?

 

Away, strangers, away!

Leave the flowers of our plains

To the bees of the country.

Away, strangers, away!

 

O the generous One! Behold, then, the night

In which our _goums_ shall burn powder

Close to the very _douar_ of Yamina,

While the women are yet without their girdles,

 

And the horses have iron fastenings on their feet,

Before the _aâtatouche_[72] has been placed on the backs of

camels,

And the horsemen have drawn on their _temag_.

Grant that I may receive seven balls in my burnous,

Seven balls in my steed,

And that I may place seven[73] in the body of my rival.

The best of all loves is that which causes gnashing of teeth.

 

Strike out, young men, strike out![74]

The bullets do not slay;

It is fate alone that takes life.

Strike out, young men, strike out!

 

The horse of Kaddour is dead, the horse of Kaddour is dead!

Publish it through your tribes, for they will rejoice at it;

But, if you are not Jews,

Add that, bleeding and wounded,

He was able to save his master and bear him out of the _mêlée_.

He was not one to be false to his ancestors,

Never had he been trained to flee,

He knew only how to throw himself on the foe.

Merouan is dead for Yamina—his days were counted!

 

O my heart! why art thou so bent

To make the waters flow back to the mountains?

Thou art the madman who giveth chace to the sun!

Believe me; cease to love a woman

Who will never say to thee, Yes.