I Had 1,200 Men On The Ground, Including Ten Mountain Rifled Guns
Throwing 8 And 1/4 Lbs.
Shell.
In their clean white uniforms, with the neat koofeeia or sun-cloth,
which, covering the head, drooped gracefully upon the shoulders, the
troops showed to great advantage, as they marched with the band playing
from head-quarters to the flagstaff above my station. As they filed
through the green trees, and then formed into sections of companies as
they emerged into the open ground, the effect was exceedingly good, and
the sheik, Allorron, and his friends, the headmen of many villages,
looked with amazement upon a scene that was altogether new to them.
Having arrived opposite the flag-staff, the troops formed in line two
deep on the flat grassy surface of the heights above my station. The
long row of glittering bayonets and the gay uniforms of the officers
bewildered the astonished natives. All the sailors, servants, and
camp-followers were dressed in their best clothes. The prevailing
colours, white and red, looked exceedingly gay upon the close and even
surface of the green turf. My staff was composed of my aides-de-camp,
Lieutenant Baker, R.N., Lieut.-Colonel Abd-el-Kader, together with three
other officers, and Mr. Higginbotham. At that time the horses were all
in excellent condition.
Having ridden along the line and halted beneath the flag, the troops
formed three sides of a square with the flag-staff in the centre. The
fourth side, facing the river, was then occupied by the artillery, with
ten guns.
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