source command puzzle

[csj <csj@mindgate.net>]

The following (slightly edited) command sequence should illustrate the
problem:

foo:~> echo "backup rescueCD" ; source ${ALTRC_DIR}/tcsh.tar.source ;
TAR_FULL_RESCUECD_COMMAND                                               
backup rescueCD
TAR_FULL_RESCUECD_COMMAND: Command not found.
foo:~> echo "backup rescueCD" ; source ${ALTRC_DIR}/tcsh.tar.source ;
TAR_FULL_RESCUECD_COMMAND
backup rescueCD
foo:~> alias TAR_FULL_RESCUECD_COMMAND
( tar --numeric-owner -lcjvf rescueCD_`date +%Y%m%d`-`date
+%H%M`.tar.bz2 -C /mnt/rescueCD . > rescueCD_`date +%Y%m%d`-`date
+%H%M`.tarlist ) > & rescueCD_`date +%Y%m%d`-`date +%H%M`.tarerr

When I first invoke source to read my alias file and in the same line
one of the aliases, the shell complains "Command not found". When I
repeat the same command sequence (or the alias by itself), the alias is
read correctly.

Anybody knows what's going on here?