general inspection—the band of the legion—the caporal sapeur—off to the man?uvres—a near thing—convalescence—arzew—amateur theatricals—bel-abbes again—volunteers for tonquin—oran again—a good send-off—the troop-ship bien-hoa, life on board—the padre—saigon—along bay.
time flies apace when one is engrossed in mastering a new profession or calling, and i could with difficulty realise that only six short months separated me from my old life and complete ignorance of all things military, as, on one bright, hot morning in august, i stood at ease as the front rank man in no. 2 file of my company, which had mustered with all the strength of the regiment, and glanced at the serried ranks of the men of my corps, formed up on three sides of a square, round the barrack-yard. in the centre of this hollow square of men was the band of the regiment, and the detachment of sappers.
[pg 44]
a few paces behind these were the colours, carried by a subaltern, and flanked by their guard with bayonets fixed. in front of the band and facing the barrack gates, which were in the centre and open side of the square, was colonel barbery, our commanding officer, mounted on a white arab stallion with streaming mane and tail.
our chief, if one could judge by the anxious glances he threw at his men and the repeated tugs he gave to his heavy white moustache, was impatient and a little nervous, for the corps was about to undergo the searching inspection of the general commanding the 19th corps d'armée, of which our regiment was a unit.
only those who have assisted as an actor in an ordeal of this kind, can fully appreciate the nervous tension produced on all present by the last few minutes of waiting prior to the event.
the previous day, and indeed part of the night, has been spent in preparations.
"troops to be paraded in full campaigning order"—so ran the general command; and in consequence there were stores and ammunition to be served out in addition to the ordinary[pg 45] work which devolves on the private and his superiors previous to a big review. into the preceding twenty-four hours has been crammed as much hustling, rushing, brushing, scrubbing, polishing as the men and their officers can be expected to support; and now that the activity has been suddenly succeeded by a dead calm, and the query has arisen in the minds of all present as to whether everything necessary to the upholding of the good traditions of the corps has been done, the three thousand rank and file present and their chief can be reasonably excused the feeling of nervous tension which pervades them, and which owes its origin to the brusque reaction of the change from febrile activity to silent and immobile expectancy.
at such moments the most trivial incidents, which at ordinary times would pass unnoticed, will produce a general impression, even as a tiny twig falling into a well will create a ripple on the surface of its water.
impressed, perhaps, by the silence of the motionless men around him, the colonel's charger arches his beautiful neck, paws the stone pavement and whinnies. the mounts of the majors[pg 46] and company commanders take up and echo his shrill cry, break into little impatient movements, and are at once curbed by their riders. the incident, if so it can be called, is over in less time than it takes to describe; but even this banality has sufficed to provoke a grin which passes on from face to face, until a wave of still and nervous mirth ripples across the features of all.
some one's steel-shod rifle-butt, breaking the tense silence, clangs on the stones, and one can almost feel the passing of the silent curses which, quicker than thought, go out from each to the comrade for his carelessness. then in the distance there is a sound—at first a murmur—which as it approaches gains volume, until the noise of trotting hoofs and the occasional clink of steel can be distinguished.
all eyes are at once turned to the barrack railings and the gate with its flanking guard house. beyond this, on the opposite pavement, can be seen the expectant crowd, composed of a big element of french and spanish colonists in ordinary european attire, many stately arabs clad in long white burnous, and head-dress of[pg 47] the same colour, which is secured with the usual cord of camel's hair; a sprinkling of algerian jews in baggy knickerbockers and gaudy-hued embroidered jackets, and here and there a few native women of the lower classes, most of whom wear the haik or long veil which conceals their hair and all their features save the eyes, unless they be of kabyle blood, and expose their small and comely traits.
the faces of the crowd are all turned in one direction, their hands raised, shading their eyes from the glare of the african sun, which brings out, with almost painful vividness, the bright dashes of colour in their costumes, as they gaze eagerly towards the approaching cavalcade, the sound of which is now so near that it mingles with the sharp words of command, and the rattle of the rifles of the guard at the gate as they come to the salute. the colonel draws his sword, and spurs his charger forward a few paces.
from the "adjudant major" comes the sharp order, "garde à vous!" and there is a rustle along the ranks as the men stiffen up to attention.
[pg 48]
then, "bayonnettes aux canons!" a sharp rattle, and the lines are tipped with steel.
suddenly through the iron railings can be seen a rush of bright colours, and the general and his escort are in view. coming along, almost at a gallop, he turns sharply and enters the gate; and as he does so, the colonel, who then faces him, brings his sword up to the salute, and the command rings out "portez armes!"—"presentez-armes!" each order being followed by the short, crisp "crash!" of three thousand smartly-handled rifles.
from the men in the crowd outside come cries of "vive la france!" "vive la légion!" and the native women join in the din with their repeated yells of "how! how! how!" the flag is unfurled, and floats out proudly on the light breeze.
there is a glare of polished brass, as forty bugles are brought up with a jerk to as many mouths, and they blare out the salute to the flag "au drapeau."
the general, who has drawn up his charger with a jerk, and sits with his right hand brought up to the peak of his white-plumed cocked hat,[pg 49] is in the full uniform of a commander of a corps d'armée, and his escort of arab cavalry, in red cloaks and blue and white turbans, which has halted just inside the gates after wheeling smartly into line, forms a most picturesque background, which shuts out from sight the eager, shouting throngs in the street.
the general, and indeed all the officers and troops present, remain at the "salut," until the last notes from the bugles die away; and then comes the order, "portez armes," a rattle—and all is still again.
the detailed inspection of the troops and their quarters terminated, the regiment is marched out to the parade ground, where man?uvres are gone through, the duration of which depends entirely on the whim of the inspector-general.
however, these rarely last more than two hours, and then the corps marches back to barracks through the town, much to the delight of the arab population, who are a warlike people and thoroughly enjoy a military pageant.
also the legion presents a pleasing sight to a soldier's eyes, as with bayonets fixed the men swing by, each battalion, company and file at[pg 50] its proper distance. the tramp of feet resounds with clockwork regularity, in union with the musical rhythm of the band, and the blare of the bugles, crashing out the regimental march with its rattling chorus, the words seeming to hover over the lips of all the men:
"tiens voila du boudin! voila du boudin! voila du boudin!
pour les alsaciens, les suisses et les lorrains,
pour les belges il n'y en a point,
pour les belges il n'y en a point,
car ce sont des tireurs au flanc.
pour les belges il n'y en a point,
pour les belges il n'y en a point,
car ce sont des tireurs au flanc."
no other regiment in france can approach the legion for smartness at drill and on parade. the men are proud of the reputation, and make every effort to maintain it.
the bands of the 1st and 2nd régiments étrangers are of the best. that of the first of these corps is particularly good, and it possesses a weird and barbaric sort of musical instrument—if so it can be called—which was captured in an engagement with the troops of the famous arab chief abd-el-kader, some sixty years ago.
[pg 51]
it consists of a haft of polished hard wood about 5 feet long; at the top of this is a big silver crescent, and below, at intervals of about 6 inches one from the other, and on either side are five metal brackets, the ends of which are decorated with long streamers of horse-hair dyed a bright red. from these are suspended a multitude of small silver bells, producing a gay and exhilarating sound when shaken in cadence with the music. when the regiment is on the march the detachment of sappers is several paces ahead of the band.
like their confrères in our own army these men carry axes, spades and saws; the original idea of their presence there being, i suppose, that they might clear the route for the troops behind.
however, taking into consideration the existing railways and good roads of to-day, one may safely conclude that their presence in modern infantry corps is due rather to a respect for tradition than to actual utility.
the corporal who was in command of the sappers, at the time i am writing of, was the biggest man in the regiment. he was six feet[pg 52] four, and broad in proportion. he was of belgian nationality, and called mertens, and was the hero of an episode of which all the regiment was justly proud. this incident took place at the capture of the fortified town of sontay, in tonquin, on the 16th december, 1883, which place was defended at the time by prince hoang-ke-view, governor of the province, with about twenty thousand troops, composed principally of chinese blackflag braves.
when the fire from the french gun-boats and field artillery had made a breach in the thick walls of the city, admiral courbet, who was in command of the expedition, launched a battalion of arab light infantry (tirailleurs algériens) against the position.
notwithstanding the fact that these men were seasoned troops and born fighters, they were beaten back with severe loss, which speaks much for the desperate resistance offered by the chinese garrison, some of whom were daring enough to dart out through the gap in the walls and decapitate the dead and wounded left in the track of the retreating column. the bleeding heads, placed atop of bamboo poles, were planted[pg 53] on the crest of the ramparts amid the shrill, triumphant yells of the celestials.
the arabs, reformed and stiffened by two companies of french marines, rushed once more to the assault, but with no more success, and indeed with greater loss than the first time. now the white-faced, gory-necked heads of some of the french marines balanced side by side with the dusky bleeding features of their african comrades. the chinese, howling drunk with success, and heedless of the fire from the french artillery, which was covering the retreat, stood on the wall to yell defiance and invective at their enemy. indeed, so greatly was the garrison encouraged that a sortie was made which threatened to develop into a strong attack on the flanks of the expeditionary force.
the admiral then played his last and trump card, and a battalion of the legion, which till now had formed part of the reserve, rushed at the breach with the band playing and colours flying.
these troops advanced at the pas de charge, and were met by a terrible fire; many fell, but they were not to be denied.
[pg 54]
in a few minutes the first ranks reached the edge of the ditch, and leaping down on to the slope of débris, formed by the stones and earth detached by the cannonade, they scrambled up to the breach, tore away the bamboo palisade, rushed, or were pushed, through it, and gained the crest.
the legionaries suffered fearful loss; and it is to be feared that, excited by this and the cruel murder of their wounded comrades, they gave little mercy to those who opposed them.
among the first to gain a footing in the place were a subaltern bearer of the colours, and big mertens.
the first was immediately shot dead, whereupon the sapper seized the flag, and, rushing to the ramparts, stood on them in view of the whole army. waving the bullet-torn, powder-stained tricolour above his head, he shouted: "vive la belgique! vive la légion!"
there was something grimly comical, but truly typical, in the conduct of this mercenary, who, forgetting the country for which he was fighting, and after just risking death a hundred times, coupled in his shout of triumph the name[pg 55] of his motherland and that of the corps to which he belonged.
mertens received the médaille militaire for his bravery; and it is reported that admiral courbet, when complimenting him on the courage he had shown, said: "and you would have had the legion of honour had you cried, 'vive la france!'"
this last, however, is probably a soldier's yarn.
with september came the man?uvres which were held in the south of the province of oran, and along the morocco frontier towards the tuat and the figuig oases.
my battalion went by train as far as mecheria, where the column was concentrated.
from this point we proceeded afoot to ain-sefra, and thence south, along the caravan routes into the desert.
it was terribly hard work marching through the sand under the scorching african sun, laden as we were with all our kit.
south of ain-sefra there is little or no vegetation, save at an occasional oasis. the landscape consists of stretches of sand hillocks, with here and there patches of mimosa and alfa grass, the[pg 56] monotony being broken only at rare intervals by the brown tents of an arab encampment.
fuel was so scarce that it was necessary to burn dry camel dung for cooking purposes. we had been out about ten days when i fell ill with typhoid fever, and was sent back to sidi-bel-abbes.
the convoy of sick, of which i was a unit, travelled part of the way by camel or mule cacolet, and the remainder by rail.
it was a terrible journey, and the sufferings i endured will never be erased from my memory. indeed, even to-day it is a source of wonder to me that i pulled through it, for i was in a sorry state when carried eventually into the military hospital of our garrison town.
during the latter part of my stay in the hospital i learnt from fellow-patients that a violent epidemic of typhoid had swept through the corps; and i was terribly grieved when, on my return to the barracks, i was told that my friend knox had been among the first to be carried off by the scourge. i remained for a long time under the sad impression which his loss had caused me. he was a true friend and[pg 57] a good soldier, and, had he lived, would have carved out a place for himself in the regiment.
on rejoining my corps i was examined by our battalion surgeon, dr aragon, a kind and really clever medical officer, who liked "mes legionnaires," as he called us, but who was unsparing to malingerers who shammed sickness to shirk work.
he declared that i could not possibly go back to my duties for several weeks, so, on his recommendation, i was sent off to arzew, a small and charming little seaport town, situated on the coast about 100 miles west of oran. this city was the "arsenaria" of the roman empire.
it possesses a fine natural harbour, and the ancients used to put in there with their vessels to escape from the westerly gales so prevalent on this coast.
a chain of hills, varying from 1,000 to 2,000 feet high, encompass the town landwards, and on these, facing the sea, are several forts.
one of these works of defence served as a sanatorium for the weak and convalescent men of[pg 58] the legion who had returned from tonquin, or who, like myself, were recovering from diseases contracted in algeria.
the fort was splendidly situated on the crest of one of the hills, 1,200 feet above the sea, which washed its base. a pine-wood extended from the beach right up to the edge of the moat, and from the other side of the hill one could look right down into the town and count the red-tiled roofs, or the people in the market-place.
i stayed here during three months and recovered all my old strength and vigour, thanks to the pure air and rest i enjoyed during that period. my time there passed swiftly and pleasantly, for we were at liberty to go for many long walks, and indulge in as much sea-bathing as we liked.
there was also a small theatre fitted up in one of the casemates. the sergeant who was in charge of this, a most enthusiastic amateur, decided, though i could never explain his reason for so doing, that i possessed a latent talent for the stage, and he pressed me into the troupe to perform minor parts. at first reluctant, i[pg 59] soon found that there was a great deal of amusement to be got out of the rehearsals and performances.
i did not shine in men's r?les which it was my lot to fill, but when i appeared as the alsatian maid-of-all-work in "la consigne est de ronfler" my success was unmistakable.
i am close on six feet, and the skirt and bodice which, an hour before the performance began, were given me to wear, had probably been made for a lady about five feet four. when attired, my dress reached a little below my knees, the sleeves finished just above my elbows, and a blonde wig, surmounted by a big silk bow, added another good two inches to my height.
if i can judge by the screams of laughter and thunderous applause which greeted my appearance each time i "went on," and by the hilarity of my fellow-actors, who sometimes failed to preserve their gravity when i gave them the "cue," i ought to consider that i made a palpable "hit" in a feminine part.
when i had been two months at arzew i felt so much better that i applied to the garrison[pg 60] doctor for permission to return to my corps, and, after a medical examination, was authorised to do so.
i arrived at my former quarters in bel-abbes on the 20th january, 1891. a fortnight after my return an official announcement was made that a detachment of five hundred men, reliefs for the companies in tonquin, would shortly be sent east, and that those desiring to volunteer should send in their names.
the conditions required were—good conduct, nine months' previous service, and a satisfactory examination by the doctors. it is needless to state that i applied at once, and my jubilation was great when, a month later, i was informed by my sergeant-major that i had been accepted.
on the morning of 2nd march, attired in our colonial service kit, we marched out of barracks to the station, escorted by the remainder of the regiment in review order. the colonel and his staff, the band, and the colours were formed up on the platform. our chief addressed a few well-chosen words to the detachment, wishing us a safe return, stating that he was confident that we would do our best at all times and[pg 61] under all conditions to maintain the splendid reputation of the corps.
then, as our train slid slowly out of the station, the band struck up "the marseillaise," the troops presented arms, and the colours were lowered. our colonel and his staff stood at the salute as we rolled by, and our comrades sent off cheer after cheer, to which we replied to the best of our ability. it was destined that i should not return as a legionary to the headquarters of the regiment, but the enthusiastic send-off given by the corps to our detachment will never fade from my memory.
we stayed in oran five days awaiting the arrival of the trooper.
here we met with the most cordial hospitality from the regiment of zouaves which garrisoned the town and in whose barracks we were quartered, and the popularity of our corps was clearly demonstrated by the repeated gifts of tobacco, pipes, books and games of all kinds which were made to us by civilians, and were destined to solace the tediousness of the long journey we were about to take.
oran is too well known to the english tourist[pg 62] of to-day for it to be necessary to describe at length this picturesque old city; which in its history and situation resembles algiers. both were formerly the strongholds of the moorish pirates who swept the mediterranean during several centuries.
the whitewashed, red-tiled houses rise terrace above terrace, in the form of a crescent from the sea, and a heavy fortress palace known as the "kasba," formerly the residence of the bey, dominates the city and seems to hold it in submission.
on the 8th march, accompanied by an armed picquet and the band of the zouaves, we marched down to the quay and embarked on the bien-hoa, a government transport of about 5,000 tons register, which sailed the same day. besides our own detachment there were about six hundred men, reliefs for the infanterie de marine and batteries in tonquin, and one hundred and fifty battery mules.
fortunately for the french soldier of to-day, the republic no longer undertakes the transport of her troops over seas, and these operations are confided to private firms who own big steamers, specially fitted out for the trade.
[pg 63]
the advantages of this system are considerable, both from the point of view of economy to the government and of comfort to the passengers. on board the bien-hoa the troops were submitted to the same discipline as the crew. we were divided into messes and watches, and had to take a turn at scrubbing the decks in the morning, hauling in and slacking the lead ropes at sail drill, and aiding in the several other duties of the ship, which a landsman can safely do without imperilling life and limb. we grumbled a great deal, for that is a soldier's prerogative; and were grumbled at still more for our clumsiness; but the work kept us fit, and was an excellent cure for those disposed to sea-sickness.
frequent parades and kit inspections were also held by our own officers, and these did away with the tendency to slackness and loss of discipline which are the consequent results of the tedium and inaction of a long voyage. the food was good and plentiful. fresh meat, vegetables and bread were served out four days in each week; salt beef or pork, dried beans or lentils, and ship's biscuits formed the menu of two days' meals; and friday being a fast-day—for at[pg 64] that time the french navy still retained many catholic institutions—meat was replaced by sardines and cheese. there was an abundance of good coffee and pure water at the disposal of thirsty men, and each private drew a daily ration of a pint of red wine.
defaulters, however, were deprived of this wine during the term of the disciplinary punishment they had incurred.
all the military passengers, from the sergeants downwards, slept in hammocks slung in the 'tween decks, and, judging by my own experience, it is certain that many of us found this mode of accommodation far from comfortable during the first week or so. however, we all seemed to become reconciled to it in the long run, although, even towards the end of the voyage, i would have preferred to sleep on the deck, and i know there were many more of the same mind; but this was strictly forbidden.
there is certainly, if one can depend on what the sailors say—and they ought to know—a way of obtaining as much rest in a hammock as in a bed if one only knows how; but i am convinced, from experience, that to gain that knowledge one[pg 65] must serve a long apprenticeship and begin it when young.
some very good concerts were organised on board, and these, together with the exciting games of draughts, dominoes or loto, were of great help in assisting us to pass the time when we were not at drill, on duty, or undergoing inspection.
the aum?nier or chaplain of the ship was a great favourite with all. this kindly cleric was a fine specimen of manhood, who stood over six feet. his erect mien and the grey beard which fell on his black soutane gave him a most apostolic and benevolent exterior, which was justified by the really good, gentle and merry soul it contained. he would often go out of his way to intercede with the commander in favour of a punished man, and have the guilty one sent to his cabin, where, by simple straight-spoken homilies, of which he knew the secret, he would appeal to the pride and manhood of his hearer.
more often than not he succeeded in moving the men to real emotion, and few were such fools as to be bold enough to interrogate the[pg 66] abashed and sometimes red-eyed delinquent who might be returning from a half-hour with the padre.
neither did he confine his special attention to the souls of the few black sheep of his flock, for at the close of his admonitions he would often comfort the body of the repentant and affected sinner by administering a glass of malaga taken from his own special bottle, which would be accompanied by more paternal advice concerning the future conduct of his cher gar?on.
more than once did i remark this excellent man, when, after one of these interviews he would come from his cabin, and, leaning on the rail, gaze out at the expanse of blue water dancing in the tropical sunlight, and note on his benevolent features the gentle, contented smile which bespoke indulgence for the faults of others, and the satisfaction of a duty accomplished.
our journey was a long one, for the ship, though a very seaworthy craft, could not steam more than twelve knots at her best. the engines broke down on two occasions, once in the red sea, when we were delayed for two[pg 67] days, and again in the indian ocean, where the trooper lay like a log for seventy hours before the necessary repairs could be effected.
for coaling purposes we touched at colombo and singapore, but remained only a few hours in these ports.
the bien-hoa arrived at saigon on 13th april, and stayed there for four days, during which we were quartered in the barracks of the 11th regiment of the infanterie de marine.
here we were able to stretch our legs a little by going out and visiting the town, which is a fine one, and possesses a splendid botanical garden and zoological collection. most of us were specially delighted at being able to sleep for a few nights in a cot again.
we sailed early in the morning of the 18th, and anchored in along bay (tonquin) on the evening of the 21st april.
here we saw for the first time the land we had all been so impatient to reach, and from which many of us were destined never to return, and speculations were rife concerning the military operations going on. we were all agreeably surprised to find, after our experience of the[pg 68] damp, depressing heat of saigon, that the climate here was quite supportable, and resembled somewhat that of a warm spring day in europe. however, we were soon to make acquaintance with the tropical summer of tonquin, which usually sets in about the middle of may—that is to say, as soon as the south-west monsoon is well established, when the terrible intensity of its heat is all the more appreciable owing to the suddenness of its arrival.