t length in a choking voice, "Bravida, I shall go!" Having made
this irrevocable decision, he now pushed ahead his final preparations
with some show of haste. From Bompard's he had two large trunks, one
inscribed with "Tartarin of Tarascon. Case of Arms," and he sent to
Marseilles all manner of provisions of travel, including a patent
camp-tent of the latest style.

_II.--Tartarin Sets off to Lion-Land_

Then the great day of his departure arrived. All the town was agog. The
neighbourhood of Baobab Villa was crammed with spectators. About ten
o'clock the bold hero issued forth.

"He's a Turk! He's wearing spectacles!" This was the astonished cry of
the beholders, and, sure enough, Tartarin had thought it his duty to don
Algerian costume because he was going to Algeria. He also carried two
heavy rifles, one on each shoulder, a huge hunting-knife at his waist
and a revolver in a leather case. A pair of large blue spectacles were
worn by him, for the sun in Algeria is terribly strong, you know.

At the station the doors of the waiting-room had to be closed to keep
the crowd out, while the great man took leave of his friends, making
promises to each, and jotting down notes on his tablets of the various
people to whom he would send lion-skins.

Oh, that I had the brush of an artist, that I might paint you some
pictures of Tartarin during his three days aboard the Zouave on the
voyage from Marseilles! But I have no facility with the brush, and mere
words cannot convey how he passed from the proudly heroic to the
hopelessly miserable in the course of the journey. Worst of all, while
he was groaning in his stuffy bunk, he knew that a very merry party of
passengers were enjoying themselves in the saloon. He was still in his
bunk when the ship came to her moorings at Algiers, and he got up with a
sudden jerk, under the impression that the Zouave was sinking. Seizing
his many weapons, he rushed on deck, to find it was not foundering, but
only arriving.

Soon after Tartarin had set foot on shore, following a great negro
porter, he was almost stupefied by the babel of tongues; but,
fortunately, a policeman took him in hand and had him directed, together
with his enormous collection of luggage, to the European hotel.

On arriving at his hotel, he was so fatigued that his marvellous
collection of weapons had to be taken from him, and he had to be carried
to bed, where he snored very soundly until it was striking three
o'cl