128 CASUALS IN THE CAUCASUS 



things worse. Wc must produce our " papers," and 

 give an account of ourselves generally. 



All the permits and passports, together with a 

 gigantic talisman with dangling red seals, were laid 

 out on the plateau for inspection, and the mascu- 

 line part of the community came to the exhibition. 

 The Yuzbashi, on hands and knees, said he didn't 

 care for any of them, that he couldn't find a single 

 paper vised for Daghestan, and, even if they were, 

 why did we wish to come, and how was he to know 

 whether Russia was at peace with Germany. This 

 seemed to us more or less immaterial until we gathered 

 from Ali's interpretation that the Headman thought 

 England, a place of which he had only heard dimly, 

 was a Teutonic province. Shade of The Daily Mail ! 



Yuzbashi is a Tatar word, and means " Head of a 

 hundred." Very often there are nothing like a hundred 

 fighting men in a village to be head over, but that 

 cannot be helped. He would be head of a hundred if 

 so many were forthcoming. 



It was very disconcerting about the " papers," until 

 Kenneth suddenly extracted from his pocket-book the 

 remnants of a receipted bill from Gunters, headed by 

 a magnificent gold embossed heraldic design. In an 

 instant the Yuzbashi had seized it, and clasping it 

 joyfully in his stained hand held it aloft for all to see. 



"This," he said, and Ali translated — "This valuable 

 paper is worth all the rest. Take great care of it, take 

 the greatest care of it, for wherever you go it will 

 ensure you attention and respect. Now I know* that I 

 do well to bid you welcome." 



