rocco, wandering like a hunted lion, with hardly
any comrade but his horse, no shelter except his tent, Abd-el-Kader
still inspired a terror which forced his enemies to keep a great army on
foot in Algeria for protection against possible attacks at his hand."

In his deira, at this time, all was despondency and grief. His own
brothers had abandoned him. Ben Salem, the faithful, long-tried, devoted
friend and follower, was a voluntary prisoner in the French camp.
Abd-el-Kader's whole force was fewer than two thousand men, but among
these were twelve hundred horsemen, the flower of the Algerian cavalry.
Most of them had been his inseparable comrades, partakers in all his
hardships and dangers, throughout his career. During a short period of
rest he summoned them daily around him and aroused new enthusiasm among
the bronzed veterans by his eloquent words.

On December 9, 1847, the deira was stationed on Moorish territory, at
Agueddin, on the left bank of the Melouia. It comprised in all about
five thousand souls. The next day news arrived that a great Moorish host
under the Sultan's two sons was only three hours' march away. On January
11th, Abd-el-Kader gathered his armed force, marched at dead of night
and fell furiously on the first division of the Moors and Arabs. The
slumbering foe awoke to see the thick darkness illumined by flashes of
light from muskets. Seized with panic, the men rushed away in all
directions, abandoning arms, tents, and baggage. In the mean time
Abd-el-Kader and his men swept onward and attacked the second division,
which was also defeated and dispersed. In half an hour the third
division was reached. This force had time to prepare for defence, and
the assailants withdrew before a steady fire of infantry and artillery
to an adjacent hill. At midday five thousand Moorish cavalry moved out
against Abd-el-Kader's little army. At charging distance he led on his
men, swept through the foe, and by a skilful combination of assault and
retreat regained his deira by the river Melouia, before sunset. The
deira had nearly effected its passage across the river, with the baggage
and the spoils taken from the enemy, when the Moorish army was seen
cautiously advancing.

The situation was full of peril. The deira had never been so exposed.
The ammunition was expended and the infantry was thus counted out of the
fight. Abd-el-Kader could only depend on his "Old Guard"--his matchless
cavalry. At length the Meloui