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CATCHING ABD-EL-KADER.

(From Punch.)

There can't be the slightest question

That the French are a very great nation,

But the special line In which they shine

i Is the spread of civilization.

Wltii pride they may point to Algiers,

And ask you, in Africa where is

Another town

Where a man may sit down. To dine à la carte as at Very'a?

Some millions of men and money

An insignificant price is, -.

For instructing shoals

Of Mahometan souls _ In the practice of Christian vices. ?"" John Bull complains of the razzias,

From Bona to the Sahara;

But they're all a joke, And end in smoke,

As witness the caverns of Dahra. The world says Bugeaud's troopers

Give no quarter at all in battle,

But 'tis false, I declare, They oetes spare

The women, and always the cattle. With these philanthropic feelings,

Can anything be harder,

Than that glorious France, ' In each advance,

Should be thwarted by Abd-el-kadert So with unfeign'd satisfaction,

We heard that the conqueror of Isly,

Brave Marshal Bugeaud, Was determined to go

And take this chieftain so grizly.

He made the most perfect arrangements

For catching him ere he started,

But whenever he got To a suitable spot,

Abd-el-Kader had just departed.

When the Marshal after him trundled,

To secure the rascal trusting,

All at once he-'d appear, And anncy his rear

In a manner the most disgusting.

There was great expectation in Paris,

But to the War Minister's sorrow,

The telegraph's tale

Ran thus, without fail,

" The capture's put off till to-morrow." Then the Marshal sent General Yussuf, With his cavalry to match him ;

They ne'er met with defeat, And always beat;

But somehow, could never catch him. France won victories by dozens

' And each day, as the Marshal strode on,

We were sure to hear

That they'd miss'd the Emir, ' But kill'd tiie horse he rode on. Sit times they've shot Bon-Maza,

And given his Arabs a licking;

But each time he was slain, He got up again

And still is alive and kicking.

And there's one fact grows more puzzling

As one thinks about it the longer;

Abd-el-Kader's horde,

Tho' oft put to the sword,

Keeps still getting stronger and stronger. ~ But stit!» that he will be taken,

i Is certain from one reflection

That 'tis ever so long,

Since the folks at Toulon,

Made " arrangements for his reception." - If the îrarshaXcan't make the capture,

He'd bptler^at once have own'd itf*

And tt) gave delays,

Said, in play-bill phrase,

He'd "indefinitely postponed" it. Of course v»t. wouldn't insinuate

That brave Bugeaud cold throw the hatchet

- But we venture to print Mrs. Glasse's old hint

About dressing a hare-" first catch it."

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