In 1881
Paul Flatters led an expedition south to survey a route for a
trans-Saharan railway. Before the expedition left
Ouargla plans had been made to destroy it by the
Kel Ahaggar Tuaregs of the
Hoggar Mountains, the
Awlad Sidi Shaykh confederation and the
Senussi. They knew the planned route and were kept informed by the expedition guides, who helped sabotage the expedition by leading it past wells. It is said six hundred men of the three tribes gathered to ambush the expedition near Bir el-Garama. Tuaregs had been shadowing the expedition for several days when it approached the wells of Bir-el-Gharama. However Flatters considered that
Ahitagel ag Muhammad Biska, the
Amenukal of the Kel Ahaggar, completely controlled the area and would ensure that no French were harmed in his land. Near In-Uhawen, or the wells of Tadjenout, Flatters left his baggage in camp with half his troops while he and his officers and scientific staff went to find the well, followed by the camels. Flatters told a guide who warned of danger, "we have nothing to fear". Half an hour after they found the well, Flatters and his men were surrounded by a large force of Tuaregs armed with lances and muzzle-loading muskets. Some men tried to flee on the camels, but the animals refused to leave the well. Flatters, Masson, Beringer, Roche, Guiard and the expedition's commissary Deverny were killed, as were 30 camel drivers. Only ten men escaped. The Tuaregs took almost all of the 250 camels. ==Notes==