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s。 The guncases clanked； and the guns themselves flashed。 The natives who were passing； salaamed to the ground before the magic cap。 Up above； on the ramparts of Milianah； the head of the Arab Department； who was out for an airing with his wife； hearing these unusual noises； and seeing the weapons gleam between the branches； fancied there was a revolt； and ordered the drawbridge to be raised； the general alarm to be sounded； and the whole town put under a state of siege。 A capital commencement for the caravan！
Unfortunately； before the day ended； things went wrong。 Of the black luggage…bearers； one was doubled up with atrocious colics from having eaten the diachylon out of the medicine…chest： another fell on the roadside dead drunk with camphorated brandy； the third； carrier of the travelling…album； deceived by the gilding on the clasps into the persuasion that he was flying with the treasures of Mecca； ran off into the Zaccar on his best legs。
This required consideration。 The caravan halted； and held a council in the broken shadow of an old fig…tree。
〃It's my advice that we turn up Negro porters from this evening forward；〃 said the prince； trying without success to melt a cake of compressed meat in an improved patent triple…bottomed sauce… pan。 〃There is； haply； an Arab trader quite near here。 The best thing to do is to stop there； and buy some donkeys。〃
〃No； no； no donkeys；〃 quickly interrupted Tartarin； becoming quite red at memory of Noiraud。 〃How can you expect；〃 he added； hypocrite that he was； 〃that such little beasts could carry all our apparatus？〃
The prince smiled。
〃You are making a mistake； my illustrious friend。 However weakly and meagre the Algerian bourriquot may appear to you； he has solid loins。 He must have them so to support all that he does。 Just ask the Arabs。 Hark to how they explain the French colonial organisation。 'On the top；' they say； 'is Mossoo； the Governor； with a heavy club to rap the staff； the staff； for revenge； canes the soldier； the soldier clubs the settler； and he hammers the Arab； the Arab smites the Negro； the Negro beats the Jew； and he takes it out of the donkey。 The poor bourriquot having nobody to belabour； arches up his back and bears it all。' You see clearly now that he can bear your boxes。〃
〃All the same；〃 remonstrated Tartarin； 〃it strikes me that jackasses will not chime in nicely with the effect of our caravan。 I want something more Oriental。 For instance； if we could only get a camel〃
〃As many as you like；〃 said His Highness； and off they started for the Arab mart。
It was held a few miles away； on the banks of the Shelliff。 There were five or six thousand Arabs in tatters here； grovelling in the sunshine and noisily trafficking； amid jars of black olives； pots of honey； bags of spices； and great heaps of cigars； huge fires were roasting whole sheep； basted with butter； in open air slaughter… houses stark naked Negroes； with ruddy arms and their feet in gore； were cutting up kids hanging from crosspoles； with small knives。
In one corner； under a tent patched with a thousand colours； a Moorish clerk of the market in spectacles scrawled in a large book。 Here was a cluster of men shouting with rage： it was a spinning… jenny game； set on a corn…measure； and Kabyles were ready to cut one another's throats over it。 Yonder were laughs and contortions of delight： it was a Jew trader on a mule drowning in the Shelliff。 Then there were dogs； scorpions； ravens； and flies rather flies than anything else。
But a plentiful lack of camels abounded。 They finally unearthed one； though； of which the M'zabites were trying to get rid the real ship of the desert； the classical； standard camel； bald； woe… begone； with a long Bedouin head； and its hump； become limp in consequence of unduly long fasts； hanging melancholically on one side。
Tartarin considered it so handsome that he wanted the entire party to get upon it。 Still his Oriental craze！
The beast knelt down for them to strap on the boxes
The prince enthroned himself on the animal's neck。 For the sake of the greater majesty； Tartarin got them to hoist him on the top of the hump between two boxes； where； proud； and cosily settled down； he saluted the whole market with a lofty wave of the hand； and gave the signal of departure。
Thunderation！ if the people of Tarascon could only have seen him！
The camel rose； straightened up its long knotty legs； and stepped out。
Oh； stupor！ At the end of a few strides Tartarin felt he was losing colour； and the heroic chechia assumed one by one its former positions in the days of sailing in the Zouave。 This devil's own camel pitched and tossed like a frigate。
〃Prance！ prance！〃 〃 gasped Tartarin pallid as a ghost； as he clung to the dry tuft of the hump； 〃prance； let's get down。 I find I feel that I m…m…must get off； or I shall disgrace France。〃
A deal of good that talk was the camel was on the go； and nothing could stop it。 Behind it raced four thousand barefooted Arabs； waving their hands and laughing like mad； so that they made six hundred thousand white teeth glitter in the sun。
The great man of Tarascon had to resign himself to circumstances。 He sadly collapsed on the hump； where the fez took all the positions it fancied； and France was disgraced。
V。 The Night…watch in a Poison…tree Grove。
SWEETLY picturesque as was their new steed； our lion…hunters had to give it up； purely out of consideration for the red cap； of course。 So they continued the journey on foot as before； the caravan tranquilly proceeding southwardly by short stages； the Tarasconian in the van； the Montenegrin in the rear； and the camel； with the weapons in their cases； in the ranks。
The expedition lasted nearly a month。
During that seeking for lions which he never found； the dreadful Tartarin roamed from douar to douar on the immense plain of the Shelliff； through the odd but formidable French Algeria； where the old Oriental perfumes are complicated by a strong blend of absinthe and the barracks； Abraham and 〃the Zouzou〃 mingled； something fairy…tale…like and simply burlesque； like a page of the Old Testament related by Tommy Atkins。
A curious sight for those who have eyes that can see。
A wild and corrupted people whom we are civilising by teaching them our vices。 The ferocious and uncontrolled authority of grotesque bashaws； who gravely use their grand cordons of the Legion of Honour as handkerchiefs； and for a mere yea or nay order a man to be bastinadoed。 It is the justice of the conscienceless； bespectacled cadis under the palm…tree； Maw… worms of the Koran and Law； who dream languidly of promotion and sell their decrees； as Esau did his birthright； for a dish of lentils or sweetened kouskous。 Drunken and libertine cadis are they； formerly servants to some General Yusuf or the like； who get intoxicated on champagne； along with laundresses from Port Mahon； and fatten on roast mutton； whilst before their tents the whole tribe waste away with hunger； and fight with the harriers for the bones of the lordly feast。
All around spread the plains in waste； burnt grass； leafless shrubs； thickets of cactus and mastic 〃the Granary of Fran