Kaskara with French Inscription

[stephen wood]

Now here is something I've never seen before. We have seen quite a few with Arabic inscriptions but nothing like this - a vertical inscription in French. The blade is marked with W. Clauberg and the standing Knight mark - after 1847. There is also what might be a representation of a woman with long hair.

Reading down, the inscription appears to say:

"Envin orguette dans l'espace une ami soeur qui passe sont ils perdus"

...which doesn't make a lot of sense but it's quite hard to read in places.

For all I know it's a well known text - it might have been inscribed by someone who copied it without understanding it. The way in which the words are broken up supports this.

I haven't done much in the way of transcription, only picked out odd words.

So, how does a (quite old) Kaskara get to have a French inscription? If it was put on post capture the only French speakers serving with the Gordon Relief Expedition were the Canadian Voyageurs...