“I was now to reap the reward of my honest endeavours to preserve the Arabs from a helpless struggle, and give the French the most bloodless of victories. No sooner had the French occupied Mater, than fifty cavalry made a sortie and galloped all over my property, treading down the ripe corn and frightening the horses. After devastating the kitchen- garden, they rode up to my labourers’ huts, the inmates of which immediately fled. I then went to Mater and expressed a hope that General Maurand would prevent the destruction of my property. The General conducted me outside his tent, and addressed me in a loud voice before all his troops as follows:—‘The French forces have behaved in a magnificent manner throughout the campaign (they had only marched fifteen miles from Manouba), and I am astonished that a member of a civilised nation, as you appear to be, could complain of anything the French might do for the furtherance of civilisation; and learn, once and for all, that in time of war the French do not confine themselves to roads, but always take the shortest cut to victory and glory!’ The next day, however, I had another visit from the troopers, and a corporal held a revolver at my servant’s head. “I soon perceived that it would be impossible for me to remain in Mater under the reign of terror. My property had already been greatly damaged, and it was very necessary that I should protect the rest of it. Several of the Arabs of course came to me, as an old friend, to ask my advice, which was invariably ‘to obtain the French _aman_ as soon as possible.’ A day or two after a Maltese horse-dealer and a Greek tobacco-merchant called at my house, to ask my influence and good offices to get them some custom from the troops. After this the attitude of the General became so menacing that I felt I was no longer safe in Mater; and although I was in the midst of my reaping and harvesting, I was compelled to come to Tunis to place the matter before my own authorities. The same day my friend the General wrote the following letter concerning me to General Bréart:— “‘MATER, _May 24_.