What are the stories about how the hat came to hang on the cantonment wall?

There are many different stories about how the hat came to be there. Some say it was simply forgotten by a sahib, while others claim that it belongs to a sahib who was court-martialed and whose hat, belt, and sword were imprisoned in his place. The sentries usually say that the hat belongs to a sahib who has only just gone inside and will be right back to get it. Whatever the real provenance of this hat, the stories that say it is "a symbol of the authority of the sahib logs (white men) who rules over the regiment" reflect the meaning the hat has acquired over time (86).