"Towards the south, the columns marched Beneath a cloudless sky: Their weapons glittered in the blaze Of the sun of Barbary; And with the dusty desert sand Their horses' manes were white. The wild marauding tribes dispersed In terror of their lives; They fled unto the mountains With their children and their wives, And urged the clumsy dromedary Up the Atlas' height." IV. "The Moors have ta'en their vantage-ground, The volleys thunder fast-- The dark defile is blazing Like a heated oven-blast; The lion hears the strange turmoil, And leaves his mangled prey-- No place was that for him to feed; And thick and loud the cries, Feu!--Allah! Allah!--En avant! In mingled discord rise; The Franks have reached the summit-- They have won the victory!" V. "With bristling steel, upon the top The victors take their stand: Beneath their feet, with all its towns, They see the promised land-- From Tunis, even unto Fez, From Atlas to the seas. The cavaliers alight to gaze, And gaze full well they may, Where countless minarets stand up So solemnly and gray, Amidst the dark-green masses Of the flowering myrtle-trees." VI. "The almond blossoms in the vale; The aloe from the rock Throws out its long and prickly leaves, Nor dreads the tempest's shock: A blessed land, I ween, is that, Though luckless is its Bey. There lies the sea--beyond lies France! Her banners in the air Float proudly and triumphantly-- A salvo! come, prepare! And loud and long the mountains rang With that glad artillery." VII. "'Tis they!" exclaimed the aged Scheik. "I've battled by their side-- I fought beneath the Pyramids! That day of deathless pride-- Red as thy turban, Moor, that eve, Was every creek in Nile! But tell me--" and he griped his hand-- "Their Sultaun. Stranger, say-- His form--his face--his posture, man? Thou saw'st him in the fray? His eye--what wore he?" But the Moor Sought in his vest awhile. VIII. "Their Sultaun, Scheik, remains at home Within his palace walls: He sends a Pasha in his stead To brave the bolts and balls. He was not there. An Aga burst For him through Atlas' hold. Yet I can show thee somewhat too. A Frankish Cavalier Told me his effigy was stamped Upon this medal here-- He gave me with others For an Arab steed I sold." IX.