Affairs showed no signs of mending in the south. A war contribution of £250,000 was decreed against the inhabitants of Sfax, to their own ruin and that of their already half-beggared European creditors. No sooner had General Logerot’s column commenced its march northward, than the “pacified” Beni Zid tribe once more rose in revolt, and an eight days’ reconnaissance in force became necessary to bring them to reason. The Matmata mountain, the stronghold of the Beni Zid, was surrounded, and greatly to the surprise of the French, the courageous but infatuated Arabs were the first to begin the attack. For six hours they maintained a hopeless resistance, and only submitted after losing twenty-seven men, besides having a much greater number _hors de combat_. The Beni Zid now ceased their hostilities, but the Ouerdna and Ouerghama tribes prepared to resist any invasion of their territory. After the engagement at Matmata, another fight took place near the village of Zeraon, which was subsequently bombarded. General Logerot then passed, amidst a continued fall of rain, through the defile of Djebel Ben Aïssa, but the Ouerghama named Ali Ben Hlifa Pasha Bey, and placed 5000 horsemen at his disposal. The fruitlessness of the great concentric movement on Kairwán was becoming more and more apparent: a successful _razzia_ of cattle was executed within sight of Kairwán itself (December 20th), the tribes near Gabes were threatened with attack, and it was even considered necessary to hold the chief of the Beni Zid as a hostage for their good behaviour. General Logerot now prepared to attack the Ouerghama, but unexpectedly their _sheikhs_ made a pretence of submission, and the troops gladly enough returned to Gabes (December 23d). On Christmas day General Logerot set out for Sfax, leaving only half a battalion of soldiers on the shore at Gabes, and a small garrison at Ras-el-Oued. The reality of this peacemaking was doubted at the time, and has since turned out to be entirely deceptive.