Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Camel Caravan

As Mr. De Charais said at the club assembly, work would resume in an orderly and efficient manner upon his return from the expedition he envisages, and the water in Gabes Bay would eventually pass through the new tunnel dug on the Gabes Ridge. The canal is drawn out.But before that, all remaining old works must be confirmed on site, and for this purpose it is best to go all over the Djerid district, following the remains of the original canal to its exit in the Larsa Salt Flats, Follow the remains of the second canal until its exit at the Larsa Salt Flats in the Malegir Salt Flats (this canal crosses some small salt flats that separate the above two), then , after meeting a column of workers recruited in Biskra, walk around the Maregir Salt Flats and locate the various ports on the Sahara Sea.

In order to develop the 250 hectares of land ceded to the French Overseas Company by the state, and to redeem the works carried out by this company and the important materials left next to the buildings under construction, a powerful company headquartered in Paris established under the leadership of the Board of Directors.It appears that the public has enthusiastically welcomed the new company's stock and bond offerings.The exchanges kept the market prices of these stocks and bonds on an upward trajectory, a sign of financial success for the company's leaders in major deals and most lucrative public works.

It follows that the future of this cause, one of the greatest of the twentieth century, is in every way secure. The engineer who was the head of the new company was just the presenter, who had just studied the progress of an earlier project that had been carried out before him.He must be the leader of any proposed expedition to understand the current state of these works. M. de Charley was forty years of age, of medium height, more judgmental than obstinate, plain-spoken, with brush-cut hair, an orange beard, thin lips, bright eyes, and a gaze. focus.Broad shoulders, strong limbs, a thick chest with lungs running freely like a compressor installed in an air circulation hall, which indicate a strong physique.Mentally, the engineer was as tough as his physique.He came from a first-class power station, and his first projects attracted attention, which was a swift step on the road of his destiny.In addition, his thinking has always been practical.He is deliberate, methodical, exacting, and, if you will admit the qualifiers, he believes in no illusions.Some people talk about him like this: a situation or an event, no matter whether the opportunity is good or bad, he makes precise calculations, even to the tenth decimal place.He digitized everything, put everything into the equation, and one day he will deny a person to have imagination.This is simply a number man, an algebra man. This kind of person is responsible for such an important project as the Sahara Sea, and it will surely have a happy ending.

Again, since M. de Charley, after his sober and careful study of Captain Rudale's plan, has declared that it is feasible because it has been carried out, he has no doubts that, in his Under the leadership, there are no miscalculations, either in the material part or in the financial part.Now that Dessaray is participating and someone who knows the engineer is willing to get back to work, things will work out!And everything to make sure they don't cheat each other. Mr. Descharais wanted to go along the perimeter of the Sea of ​​the Future, wanted to prove that nothing would stop the water from flowing through the first canal to Larsa and the second to Malegil, wanted to prove that the steep banks and beaches accommodate The situation of the 2.8 billion tons of water.

Since the senior management of his future collaborators had to be as aware of the data from the old company as the engineers or the new engineering contractors (many and important of whom could not have stayed in Gabes since then), In order to avoid conflicts of authority in the future, the chief engineer decided not to take away any members of the company that were still short. But a servant, a waiter, or rather a handyman, because he justifies the designation, although this person is not domestic, or no better than a qualified person, follows the engineer.Monsieur François, meticulous, methodical and, so to speak, militarized, although he never served in the military, was indeed a good fit for his master.He is in good health, hard-working without complaint, exhaustion is inevitable for him in the ten years he has served the engineer.He seldom speaks, but the reason why he speaks sparingly is for the sake of thinking.Mr. de Charley thought that he was a man of perfect prudence, like a perfect and delicate instrument.He was simple, secretive, and decent, he had to shave every day, he wore neither whiskers nor beards, and even in the most difficult circumstances he did not neglect this daily activity.

It goes without saying that the expedition organized by the chief engineer of the French company Sahara Marine could not have been successful if precautions had not been taken.He and his servants had ventured across Jerred alone, and M. de Charley had indeed been imprudent.As we all know, in this area where nomads come and go, communication by camel caravans is not very reliable.Even so, the company still has some poorly guarded or unguarded, in short, scattered old facilities, as well as several security posts that have been built and have been evacuated for many years.How can one forget the violation of these facilities by Adiyar and his gang, and it was this fearsome chieftain who, after being captured and imprisoned and awaiting justice, slipped away and disappeared from the area.Does he want to keep robbing?This is completely predictable.

Besides, the current situation is presumably in his favour.In Algeria and southern Tunisia, there were very few Arabs, more settlers and nomads from the Jared area, who accepted without resistance the implementation of Captain Rudel's program.The implementation of the program has caused many oases in the Larsa and Malegir areas to disappear.Although the owners of these oases have been compensated, in short, in their opinion, it is not worthwhile.To be sure, some of their interests were injured, and the thought of their fertile land being lost under the sea from the bay of the little shoal engulfed the landowners with bitter hatred.And now, the new circumstances of the matter must have disturbed the habits of these tribes, and besides, the number of Tuaregs who were ready to resume their career of risky robbery of camel caravans must be counted.When there are no roads between the lagoons and the salt lakes, when the Kafirahs who have traveled across the desert since ancient times to the cities of Biskra, Thugurt or Gabes do not trade, what will become of them?There may be a fleet of schooners, schooners, dhows, brigs, three-masted ships and other sailing ships or ships, accompanied by local Muslims and sailors. The south is engaged in the transportation of goods.How did the Tuaregs plan to attack them?This would instantly destroy tribes that depended on land-based plunder or plunder.

In this way it will be understood that a vague commotion has spread among this particular crowd.Their leader urged them to rebel.On many occasions Arab workers hired to dig canals were suddenly attacked by over-excited gangs and had to resort to the protection of the Algerian troops. The hermits of Islam preached: On what grounds do these foreigners turn our oases and plains into seas?Why do they try to destroy the things created by nature?The Mediterranean isn't big enough, they want to add our vast salt lake area to the Mediterranean!Since these Christians will, let them sail here, if that's their pleasure, we, we are masters of the land, and Jared is for the passage of the Kaphila, not the passage of ships!These foreigners should be wiped out before the sea invades and drowns our homeland, the homeland of our ancestors

These ever-growing disturbances could profit in the destruction of French companies abroad.Then, over time, the uproar seemed to subside after the project was abandoned.But the encroachment of the sea on the desert still haunts the minds of the inhabitants of Jared.Since the Tuaregs divided their lands south of Arad, they have carefully maintained their mutual ties, and like the Muslims or pilgrims returning from Mecca, they naturally deprived their Egyptian brethren of their independence. Blaming the construction of the Suez Canal for the loss of independence remains a stereotype for all, which is incompatible with Muslim fatalism.Since the tales of The Arabian Nights and other works by numerous Arab, Persian and Turkish story-writers, these discarded devices and their astonishing contraptions, such as giant Dredgers, excavators with outstretched arms, are justifiably likened to gigantic terrestrial octopuses, playing magical roles in the local tales that are made up at any time and that will be loved by future generations.

These stories make the invasion of the sea linger in the minds of the locals like a demon possessed, and revive the memories of the old people. It should come as no surprise, however, that before our arrival, and before Adyar's arrest, he and his associates committed various violations of these facilities on more than one occasion. Therefore, this expedition of the engineer was carried out under the protection of the North African cavalry escort.The expedition was under the command of Captain Ardigan and Lieutenant Viette, and it would be difficult to choose any better than these two commanders.They knew the South and had done a good job against Adiyar and his gang, and now they had to study the security measures to be taken in the future.

Captain Aldigon is now only thirty-two years old, in the prime of his life, he is brave, brave, but not reckless, he is very used to hard work in a climate like Africa, which has been shown in all previous battles. has been irrefutably proved.This is a perfect officer, a dynamic soldier, a soldier who is a soldier by profession.What's more, he is single now and doesn't even have close relatives. He regards the army as his family and his comrades as brothers.In the army, everyone not only respected him, people loved him, but as for his men, they showed both love and gratitude, and they did not hesitate to sacrifice their lives for him.He can completely rely on them, because he can ask of them anything. Suffice it to say of Lieutenant Viette that, like the captain, he was brave, energetic, determined, indefatigable, and an excellent cavalryman, as he had proved in previous expeditions.This was a very reliable officer, from a wealthy entrepreneurial family, with a promising future ahead of him.He graduated from Saumur's Junior Riding School and shortly thereafter received his advanced degree. When the expedition had been decided upon, Lieutenant Viette had to be recalled from France.When he learned that the expedition was to be completed under the command of Captain Aldigon, he came to him and said to him: My Captain, I think it would be great to be a part of your force I think it's great to be a part of your strength.The captain replied to the lieutenant with the same words, which were friendly and sincere words among comrades. I'm back from France in two months and it's going to happen anyway Anyway, my dear Viette, it's even better, because you'll bring back the latest news about the Sahara from there! My captain, actually, we'll be looking at these salt lakes in Algeria for the last time before they're submerged This kind of disappearance may last as long as Africa lasts, that is to say, it disappears as long as our world lasts.Captain Altegan replied. There is reason to believe it, my captain!Well, with that said, I'd be happy to join you in this little battle, sure a casual walk A casual walk like you said my dear Viette, especially since we were able to eliminate the madman Adiyar from the area This is a capture in your honor, my captain. The honor belongs to you too, Viette! It goes without saying that the conversation between Captain Ardigan and Lieutenant Viette took place before the leader of Tuareg successfully escaped from the fortress of Gabes.But since the leader escaped, he was probably worried about new attacks. For the leader, it was extremely easy for the leader to launch a rebellion among the tribes whose living environment was bound to be changed by the inland sea. Therefore, expeditions should take care to proceed slowly when crossing the Djerid region, and Aldigan is very careful about this. It seemed surprising that Sergeant Major Nicole hadn't expected him to be part of the escort.Wherever Aldigan was going, the Sergeant Major had to go.He had participated in the battle to capture Adiyar, and the expedition he was about to join might also put his captain in a position of fire with the Tuareg bandits. The thirty-five-year-old adjutant, who had been serving in the same North African cavalry regiment, had been on several leave of absence.The double-barreled metal lines on the rank of sergeant major fulfilled his ambitions.He wanted nothing more than to do his military service well and try to live on his pension, but to retire as late as possible: he was an exceptionally hard soldier, a very clever man.Nicole knows nothing but discipline.To him this was the law of existence, and he wished to enforce discipline both among the common people and among the soldiers.However, since he admits that man was created only to serve under a banner, it also appears that he is incomplete if he has not found his natural complement in the horse. He used to say: Rush and me, we are two in one I am its mind, it is my legs You will admit the fact that a horse's legs are better for walking than a man's!And, if we had four legs, we should have six, but we only have two! Everyone watched the sergeant major envious of the multi-legged animal, and anyway, his horse and he got along very well with each other. Nicole, a little taller than average, with broad shoulders and a flat chest, tended to stay thin rather than gain fat, and he was willing to sacrifice for everyone.Since he had foreseen the slight symptoms of fatness, he considered himself the unluckiest of men.Besides, he fastened the buttons of his blue uniform, and slammed the ribbed buttons into the buttonholes, which did a good job of curbing the intrusion of obesity, since he was built so thin.This Nicole, with reddish-brown hair, a fiery reddish-brown, cut in a brush cut, a bushy goatee on his chin, a thick mustache on his lips, and gray eyes that rested in their sockets It turned, and its eyesight was astonishingly good, as a swallow could tell a fly at fifty paces, much to the admiration of Corporal Pistash. Pistash is a happy person, always in high spirits, almost sixty years old and still looks like twenty-five years old, even a few hours late for dinner, never complaining about being hungry, traveling through the boundless under the scorching sun of the Sahara In the plains where water is seldom seen, they do not complain of thirst.It was one of those South of France heroes from Provence who was not sentimental at all, and Sergeant Nicole had a penchant for sentimentality.Hence, they were often seen staying together, one following the other throughout the entire expedition. When it is said that the detachment consisted of a certain number of North African cavalry, and that two wagons were drawn by mules to carry the camping and subsistence equipment of the detachment, it was known to be the convoy of the engineer de Charais. But even if nothing is said in particular about the horses that the officers and their men rode, it should be said in particular about Nicole's horse and his inseparable dog. The horse gets the meaningful name of scrambling from its owner, which is an expression of the horse itself.The animal proved to be a well-deserved title, always ready to go, always trying to keep ahead of the other horses, and only a knight as good as Nicole could have ridden him in a team.In addition, everyone knows that the tacit cooperation between humans and animals is really enviable. However, since it is acceptable for a horse to be called first, how can a dog be called cut red heart later?Does this dog have the skills of a Munito or other reputable purebred?Did it make an appearance in the fairgrounds?Has it ever played cards in public? No, Nicole's buddies and scramblers don't possess any of these diplomacy skills.It was nothing but a brave and faithful animal, who fought for the head of the pack, and was loved, cherished, and petted by officers and soldiers alike.But its real master is the Sergeant Major, just as his closest friend is Scrambler. However, Nicole had a special fondness for playing cards. To be honest, this was his only obsession. In the leisure time of the station, playing cards was his only pastime. It seemed difficult for him to have anything. More attractive things are suitable for simple people, and he gave his best, and his countless victories earned him the nickname of Poker Marshal, a nickname he is very proud of. Why, two years ago, Nicole had played the lucky, last good card of all, and he liked to recall the good hand.That day, he and two comrades were sitting at a table in a cafe in Tunisia, showing a deck of thirty-two cards on the carpet. After a long time, when his friend was proud, he The usual turn of fortune and skill was complete, and his three opponents had each won three rounds, and he had to hurry back to the barracks, where the last round should decide the final victory.The Poker Marshal felt that victory was behind him; he had a bad day.Each has only one card left in his hand: his two opponents have a showdown, their best hopes, the Queen of Hearts in one and the King of Spades in the other.They may think that the Ace of Hearts or the final trump card is still in the deal. Cut hearts!Nicole yelled loudly, pounded his fist on the table, and his ace flew into the middle of the hall. The dog ran over to pick up the card gently, and ran back with it between its teeth. Until this unforgettable day, the dog still called Misto. Thank you, thank you, cried my comrade, the Sergeant Major, as proud of his double victory as he was of the enemy's two flags.Cut hearts, did you hear that?i cut the heart The dog let out a long, triumphant bark. Yes cut hearts, Nicole repeats, and it's no longer Misto, now you call hearts cut!what do you think? The new name must have been well suited to him, to the lovely animal, for, with one leap, the dog landed on his master's lap, which almost caused him to fall. However, Misto quickly forgot its old name because of its new name of cutting hearts. Since then, this respectable name has been known throughout the regiment. There was no doubt that Sergeant Major Nicole and Corporal Pistash would happily accept this new expedition.However, they believe that this event will definitely bring a lot of joy to the first and heart-cutting. On the eve of departure, the sergeant had a timely conversation on this matter with his two inseparable companions in front of the corporal. Hello!My old scrambler, said Nicole, patting the horse's neck, so are we going to fight again? Probably scrambling to understand his master first, for the horse neighed happily. Hearing the neigh, the Redhearts responded with a short, pleasant bark, which meant that they couldn't possibly be mistaken! Yes, good dog, I understand you too!Added the sergeant major when Chee Red's heart was bouncing like it was about to jump on the scramble.Indeed, the dog has been mounted several times on the back of the horse, and it seems that the horse is happy whether the dog is carried or the dog is carried by it! Tomorrow we're leaving Gabes, the sergeant major went on, we're taking the road to the salt lake terrain I hope you both get ready and don't get left behind! In answer to this command, the horse neighed again, and the dog also barked a few times. Yes, said Nicole again, you know, the big devil Adiyar slipped away without a sound is the bloody Tuareg we caught together If frontrunners and heart cuts didn't know about it in the past, now they do!ah!The Tuareg scoundrel has escaped! Why, my comrades, the sergeant-major expresses his opinion, we are likely to meet this rascal over there, this Adiyar, and we must form a half-circle to capture him. Chi Hongxin was ready to pounce outside, but waited for the owner to ride on his back and chase the rascal. See you tomorrow, see you tomorrow, the sergeant major backed out while repeating. What is certain is that when animals speak, they are definitely not dumber than humans. Scrambling to be the first and cutting hearts may answer like this: See you tomorrow, Sergeant Major!