repid prince Gregory, followed by half a dozen negro porters, left
Milianah and descended towards the plain of the Chetiff by a steep
pathway, delightfully shaded by jasmine, carobs and wild olives, between
the hedges of little native gardens where a thousand bubbling springs
trickled melodiously from rock to rock, a veritable Eden.

Carrying as much in the way of arms as the great Tartarin, the prince
was further adorned by a magnificent and colourful kepi, covered with
gold braid and decorated with oak leaves embroidered in silver thread,
which gave his highness the appearance of a Mexican General, or a
Middle-European Station-Master. This fantastic kepi greatly intrigued
Tartarin and he asked humbly for an explanation.

"An indispensable form of headgear for the traveller in Africa." The
prince replied gravely; and while polishing the peak on his coat-sleeve
he instructed his innocent companion on the important role played by the
kepi in colonial administration, and the deference which its appearance
inspires. This to such an extent that the government has been obliged
to issue kepis to everyone from the canteen worker to the
registrar-general. In fact, according to the prince, to govern the
country there was no necessity for an elaborate regime. All that was
needed was a fine gold-braided kepi glittering on the end of a big
stick.

Thus conversing and philosophising, they went there way. The bare-footed
porters leapt from rock to rock, shouting and chattering. The armaments
rattled in their case. The guns glittered in the sun.. The locals who
passed bowed deeply before the magical kepi.... Up on the ramparts of
Milianah, the chief of the Arab bureau, who was walking with his lady in
the cool of the morning, hearing these unusual noises and seeing between
the branches the flash of sunlight on the weapons, feared a surprise
attack; whereupon he lowered the portcullis, beat the alarm and put the
town in a state of siege.

This was a good start to the expedition. Regrettably, before the end of
the day, the situation deteriorated. One of the negroes was taken with
the most fearful colic, having eaten the plasters in the medicine
chest. Another fell, dead drunk, by the wayside, as a result of swigging
spirits of camphor. A third, in charge of the log-book, deceived by the
gold lettering on the cover, thought he had hold of the treasures of
Mecca and made off with it at top speed.... Clearly some planning was
needed, s