When the French leaders had learned to appreciate the importance of the smala its capture or dispersal became a chief object with all officers from the generals of corps to the colonels in charge of detachments.  The campaign of 1843 was opened by Lamoriciere, who occupied Tekedemt.  Abd-el-Kader with about fifteen hundred horsemen watched his movements from some neighboring woods.  He knew that the French commander’s object was the smala, and he remained in ambush for twenty days.  He and his men lived on acorns; the horses were fed on leaves.  One day a stray sheep was found.  The Sultan would have none of it, and said, “Take it to my starving soldiers,” as he turned to his meal of acorns.  Twice was Lamoriciere repulsed in his search, and then a traitor revealed the exact place of the smala encampment.

Lamoriciere remained to occupy the attention of Abd-el-Kader, and the French column stationed at Medea was selected for the attack.  The leadership was intrusted to the Duc d’Aumale, and on May 10, 1843, he started from Boghar with thirteen hundred infantry, six hundred horse, and two field-guns.

The indicated place of encampment was found empty, and the French column wandered about in uncertain fashion.

At break of day on May 16th the traitor made known the new spot of the smala’s halt, and D’Aumale at once daringly advanced with his cavalry alone.  The surprise created a panic among the people.  The guard of five hundred regulars fired a volley and fled.  A handful of the Hashem tribe bravely strove to stem the torrent, but they were swept away in the rout, and in an hour all was over.  The smala was broken up amid scenes of terrible confusion and despair, including the extraordinary sight of a promiscuous mass of camels, dromedaries, horses, mules, oxen, and sheep careering and plunging on the plain.  There was little bloodshed, but the French victors were in possession of hostages of the utmost value in the families of Abd-el-Ka-der’s most influential chiefs.  His own family had escaped.  The booty taken was immense, comprising thousands of animals; the Sultan’s valuable library of rare Arabic manuscripts; the military chest containing some millions of francs, and the chests of his caliphs and other high officers, filled with gold and silver coins and costly jewellery.  The French soldiers baled out dollars and doubloons in their shakos, and helped themselves to diamonds and pearls.

This dreadful blow, when the news reached him in the woods where he watched near Lamoriciere’s command, almost overwhelmed, for a time, even the exalted and undaunted spirit of the Sultan.  He spent some hours alone in his tent, in meditation and prayer.  He came forth with a smile and addressed his chiefs, his officers, and men as they stood outside in groups, some downcast and silent, some bitterly cursing their foe and fate.  He reminded them that the dear objects now lost had impeded the movements of the holy war against the infidels, and that those who had