¦yialla de Sommieres,
Travels in Montenegro;
London, 1020,

"I give the/* Buoki
[ fpr pie /ai^Ttdaig tf a. College »t- i^ Co&fy"

TRAVELS

tN

MONTENEGRO;

CONTAININS

A TOPOGRAPHICAL, PICTURESQUE, AND STATISTICAL
ACCOUNT OF THAT HITHERTO UNDESCRIBED
COUNTRY.

ILLUSTRATED BY A MAP AND PLATES.

BY
COL. L. C, VIALLA DE SOMMIERES,
COHHANDANT OP CASTEL- NCOTO, COVERWOtt OF THE PROVINCE OP CATTARO, AND
CHIEF OF THE GENERAL STAFF OF THE ILLTRIAN ARHT AT RAGCSA,

LONDON:
PRINTED FOR SIR RICHARD PHILLIPS and Co.
BRIDE-COURT, BRIDGE-STREET; AND TO BE HAD OF ALL BOOKSELLERS.
1820.

W. Lewis. Printer. 21, Finch-lane, Cornliill.

PREFACE.

JIN writing the history of a people, hitherto scarcely
known even by name, my object has been to render
myself useful, without aspijing to literary honour. The
military and political circumstances of Montenegro, the
situation in which I was placed, and my intercourse
with the principal chiefs of the nation, afforded me the
best opportunity of observing the manners, customs,
and superstitions of the people. All the details which
I have given on these subjects, must necessarily be new
to the reader, and cannot be unimportant in the study
of geography and the moral history of mankind.
The silence of the ancients concernins: Montenearo
serves only to enhance the value of the information
I procured during my short residence in that country.
In all probability, the advantages I enjoyed will
not speedily occur to another observer. The diffi
culty of penetrating into the country, the absolute in
difference of the people to every thing that does not
personally concern them, and their extreme distrust of

IV PKEFACE.
foreigners, will doubtless, for a long period, oppose poli
tical and commercial communication, which alone can
establish permanent connections between the inhabitants
of different countries.
The Montenegrines, who are continually in danger
of invasion from the Turks, feel no interest in any
object save that of self-defence against their cruel
neighbours. Art, science, literature, all that constitute
European glory, is a dead blank to them. His gun,
his poignard, and his bible, which, by the bye, he kisses
oftener than he reads, are all that are necessary for the
happiness of a Montenegrine.
It is probable that I shall not escape the lash of criti
cal censure, since it has been my task to describe what
is new, unknown, and singular. That, however, will
give me but little concern. Criticism, when its object
is to correct errors, can never give offence ; and that
which is written from the dictates of envy or spleen
deserves only contempt. In the former case, he who is
wise will silently correct his faults ; but, in the latter,
the critic deserves no notice.

TRAVELS

IN

MONTENEGRO.

CHAPTER I.

Origin ofthe Montenegrines.-^They oppose the Establishment
of' the French in the Province of' Cattaro. — Battle of Castel-
^uovo. — The Montenegrines are driven back into their Moun
tains, — Topographical Description of their Country. — Sketch
of their Political History, up to the Period of the Author's
Arrival among them.
W HEN the French advanced to the gates of Oastel-Nuovo, in
Illyria, and from thence to the mouths of tbe Cattaro, the
people of Montenegro began to be frequently mentioned
throughout Europe ; though, perhaps, in a manner no less vague
than in the few scanty notices which had' previously appeared
respecting them.
The Montenegrines are that warlike people, who, towards the
end of 1806, descended in a mass from their mountains, at the
summons of the revered Vladika, or prince-bishop of the coun
try, whom the Emperor of Russia had attached to his cause.
When the French force approached Castel-Nuovo, it was
unexpectedly attacked by 10,000 Montenegrines, united to the
Russian troops, who had landed on the banks of the Saturina<
Our army was thus thrown into disorder, and was obliged to
retreat by Ragusa, which the Montenegrines entered in the
confusion of the pursuit. They immediately took possession of
the town, levied contributions, laid waste Old Ragusa, and
burnt Santa Croce, better known by the name of Gravosa, or
the Port of Ragusa. In a second engagement they were, how
ever, completely defeated and dispersed, being unable to sustain
Voyages and Travels, J^o. 3. Vol. IV. B

2 Travels in Montenegro.
the regular attack of our battalions. The Russians, who had
placed great reliance on the Montenegrine^, were, in conse
quence, obliged to re-embark precipitately; renouncing, on the
one hand, the advantages of an excellent position, and, on the
other, tbe aid of a numerous squadrorr, which, while it inter
cepted tbe entrance to the mouths of tbe Cattaro, would have
dealt destruction along the plain of the Salterns, which we oc
cupied, Forty-eight hours sufficed for the retreat of the
enemy's force. The Vladika, who, two days before, had been
animating the courage of his hordes, and leading them on with
extraordinary courage and skill, now hastily retired to the con
vent of Savina, which was covered by the line of Castel-Nuovo,
and the Spanish fort. There he rallied his forces, and, on the
third day, commenced his march towards Montenegro.
The Montenegrine troops being chiefly trained to act as sharp
shooters, and to fire from behind rocks, were consequently very
ineffective in the engagements of the Salines, which is a plain
of tolerable extent. Our troops had but little intercourse with
the natives, and even our generals and principal officers seem
to have regarded it as a matter of no great importance, to make
observations on their character.
Having been intrusted with the government of one of the
provinces of Montenegro for the space of six years, I enjoyed
ample time and opportunity for forming a correct notion of the
manners, customs, and character of the natives. I penetrated
into^fhe heart of their mountains, visited their villages and ha
bitations, attended their ceremonies and festivities; thus have I
been enabled to observe attentively their way of life, and to
mark the various characteristics which distinguish them.
The Montenegrines inhabit that chain of high mountains ex
tending from the valley of Garba, along Herzegovina, as far as
the confines ofthe district of Castel-Nuovo, from north to south,
and over the whole of the province of Cattaro, from east to west.
Montenesj-ro derives its name both- from its situation and its as
pect. Those enormous mountains, which were formerly over
grown with fir-trees, appeared black on all sides, and from^very
point ; this circumstance determined their denomination among a
people guided by nature alone ; and the country was called, in
the Illyrian language, Czernogore, or Cserno^rora, black moun
tain. It is situ'ated between 18 and 19 deg. of longitude, east
from Greenwich, and the 42 and 43 deo". of latitude. It is bound
ed on the east by the Cadalik of Antivari, and Upper Zenta; on
the south by the mouths of the Cattaro, from Pastrovichio, to the
province of Herzegovina; on tbe west, by Herzegovina ; on the
north, by Herzegovina, as far as the Bosnian Vizirate,and by the
mountains of Albania Proper ; it is consequently surrounded on

Its Situation and History. 3
three sides by the Turkish territory, and on the fourth by what
was formerly Venetian Albania. The country is divided into five
parts, called Nahia, or departments, namely : — Katunska, Rieska,
Piessivaska, Liesauska, and Czerniska. Each of these depart
ments forms various counties, and these counties are agaiti
divided into communities. The principal rivers of Montenegro
are: 1st. the Ricovezernovich, which has its source in the ra
vines, between Loveheio and Coloxum, and flows into the lake
of Scutari; this river abounds in fish. 2d. The Schimzza, which
is formed of several streams, rising in the ravines of the upper
mountains, and uniting together at Bichisi ; it falls into the Mo-
raka, one mile above the mouth of the Limi. 3d. The Zetta or
Poria, which takes its source among the Piessori mountains,
and flows into the Moraka, opposite to the town of Podgorizza.
And 4th, the Sussiza, which rises to the north of Mount Pies-
siori, and falls into the Moraka below Budina.
The situation of Montenegro, which is every where inter
sected with mountains and valleys, resembles that of the Alps
of Switzerland; — the scenery is, however, in a more rude style,
and, at first sig-ht, the multitude of rocks gives the country an
appearance of sterility, which does not in reality belong to it.
The climate is milder than Switzerland, and may, generally
speaking, be compared to Macedonia. Montenegro is the only
country in Europe which does not contain a town, or even any
cluster of habitations, large enough to be compared to one.
The country, including Upper Zenta, measures in circuity
about 100 miles, of sixty to a degree, containing a surface of
418 such square miles.
In tbe time of the lower empire, under the dominion ofthe
Greek emperors, Montenegro was included in the province called
NabiaPrevaljtanja, which extended fromthe mouths of theCattaro
to the river Drino. It consequently embraced a portion of Dal-
matia, Albania, and that part of Macedonia known by the name
of Salutaris. Before it became subject to the Romans Monte
negro had been governed by the kings of Illyricum, who resided
at Scodra, now Scutari, which was the capital until the defeat
of Gentius. Montene&ro afterwards became a federal govern
ment, or more properly formed a federal republic, until, under
Augustus, it was once more united to the Roman empire. The
country, after being at various periods a prey to the incursions
ofthe Goths, finally became subject to the Sclavonians. After'
the fall of the Sclavonian kings Montenegro again became a
part ofthe Greek empire, and was afterwards subjected to the
Kings of Servia ; but, on the destruction of that kingdom, it
fell under the dominion of various princes, who, from being
B2

4 Travels in Montenegro,
simple governors, ttcquired such power as enabled them to dis.'
¦pute for the territories of their sovereigns.
This order of things continued until the close ofthe fourteenth
century, when George, king of the two Zentas, sought refuge in
Russia against the attacks ofthe Venetians. He surrendered the
two Zentas, as well as Montenegro, and the latter became a prey
to the enterprises of petty princes. At length, with the assistance
of theinhabitants, Georgesucceeded in re-conquering a part ofthe
Zentas and Montenegro. But be did not long enjoy his success,
for he was obliged to flee, to avoid falling into the power of the
.despotic prince who then ruled Montenegro. Finally, after
various political changes and civil wars, the descendants of this
last-named prince lost the sovereignty, and were conquered and-
driven away by the Turks, about the end of the fifteenth cen
tury. From that period the Ottomans extended their dominion
over the whole country. They, however, maintained but a
feeble sway over the Montenegrines, who were in a constant
state of insurrection. During the reign of Peter the Great,
Russia had shewn a disposition to subdue Montenegro to her
influence, doubtless with the view of effecting useful diversions
in her wars with the Turks. The Czar attained his object, and
¦the Montenegrines, instigated by skilful emissaries, openly took
up arms against the Turks, in the year 1692. They declared
themselves independent, and maintained their supremacy until
the year 1718, when they offered to surrender to the Venetians,
in order to rid themselves ofthe Ottoman yoke. But this plan
was not carried into execution, on account of the peace of Pas-
sarovichtz, which was concluded the same year, and which an
nulled the reciprocal arrangements of tbe two nations. At
length the Montenegrines, irritated by some outrages com
mitted against them, attacked the Turks, and re-took Upper
2^enta, in the year 1761.
This action was succeeded by a truce of short duration. New
cruelties, on the part of the Turks, again excited a storm, and
the Montenegrines recked their just vengeance on the Porte, in
the war which ensued between the Empress Catharine and the
Turks in 1768. The Montenegrines experienced some reverses ;
but, though they may have seemed occasionally to bow to the
Ottoman power, their homage has been a matter of form, rather
than real dependence. In the year 1770, they succeeded in
freeing themselves from the Turkish yoke ; but, in the following
year, Mehemet,Pashaw of Scutari, penetrated into Montenegro,
^nd committed the most dreadful ravages.
The Vladika, who was attached to Russia, atid relied on her

Political History, SfC. 6
support, took up arms against the Turks, in 1788. In the fol
lowing year he united his force to 400 imperial troops, under
the command of Major Vinkossovich, attacked Albania, and ra
vaged the states of the new Pashaw of Scutari, who was medi
tating an incursion on Montenegro, whence he had carried off
women, money, and cattle, in revenge for the union of the Mon
tenegrines with the enemies ofthe Porte. Having thus openly
manifested themselves alternately for the interests of Russia
and Austria, it appeared both natural and just, that the Mon
tenegrines should rely on the protection of one or other of
these powers ; but, on the contrary, the peace of Sistow, which
was concluded in 1791, acknowledged them to be the subjects
of the Porte, and delivered them over to the barbarity of their
enemies. The people, indignant at this policy, swore to pay no
tribute, and men, women, and children, took up arms to resist
the orders of the Pashaw.
The Turks, irritated by this persevering opposition, combined
their forces, and marched once more to reduce the Montenegrines
to obedience. But, on this occasion, the powerful voice of li
berty was heard, and its echoes resoundea even to the cell of
the Vladika, who joyfully joined the people in this struggle for
their independence. In 1795, he united his force to the subjects
of the Pashaw of Scutari, attacked the Pashaw, and wrested
from the hands of his mortal enemies the remainder ofthe dis
trict of Upper Zenta. He fought in person, with heroic valour,
against Mahmoodh Busacklia, a Pashaw, who commanded a
corps of 12,000 men. In the first action the Pashaw was re
pulsed with considerable loss, and, at last, having imprudently
charged the Montenegrines among the passes of Cettigna, he
was taken prisoner, and beheaded, and his head is still to be
4seen in the Vladika's chamber in the convent of Cettigna.
After the defeat of Mamoodh Busacklia, the government of
Montenegro approached to democracy ; though, at the same
time, the Vladika acquired such an ascendancy over the people
that he was named Over-King. The Montenegrines have since
invariably contended with the neighbouringTurkish commanders,
whenever tbe least encroachment has been made on their liberties
or tbe boundaries of their territory. Thus, they have never
in reality been tributary either to the Turks or the Venetians.
A few detached frontier villages have, it is true, been momen
tarily subjected by the Turks, since the year 1804 ; but, though
the Montenegrines are under the special protection of Russia,
jthey boast of enjoying absolute independence.

Travels in Montenegro.

CHAPTER IL
Admission to the Territory of the Montenegrines. — Their
Mode of receiving Strangers. — Difficulty of obtaining an
Asylum. — Security when once obtained.
We have now arrived at that period ofthe history of the Mon
tenegrines when I entered among them. I left Cattaro on the 10th
pf November, 1810, having previously written to the governor to
announce my arrival, a measure which was indispensable, both
for my own safety, and to remove all apprehension on the part
of the Montenegriiies. As I approached the frontier, a detach
ment of twenty-four armed men saluted me with a discharge of
musketry. The chief of the detachment came to meet me,
leading a child who carried two flasks of wine, one white and
the other red. " We will drink that which you prefer," said he.
I chose the white. I observed, indeed, that they drank a great
deal of white wine, of which they had an abundant supply.
The detachment of honour formed itself into two divisions ;
the commandant ranged himself next me, and we marched on to
Verba, We advanced slowly, being frequently impeded by the
state of the soil, and, besides, every object around me excited
my astdnishment and attention. I was soon convinced that Mon
tenegro is not, as some writers have alleged, a country surround
ed by mountains; but, on the contrary, it is itself a mountain
ous country, interspersed with what are called plateaus, or level
heights. It rises above all the adjacent territories, and one moun
tain towering above all the rest is called Monte-Sella or Monte-
Coelo. The common people give it the former name, because,
when viewed from Castel-Nuovo or the point of Ostro, it presents
the appearance of a saddje. The bet^pt-informed class of people,
however, call it Monte-Coelo, as, from its extraordinary height,
it appears to tower to l;he very heavens. Montenegro is on
every side extremely difficult and dangerous of access. The
only regular road is by tbe way of Czerniska. On every other
point it presents a confused mass of rocks, intersected with
frightful cha&ms, which seem to penetrate into the interior of
the earth. The most frequented road from Cattaro to Monte
negro, is by the village of Scagliari, leaving Mount Vermoz
and Trinity Fort on the right, or through the hamlets of Spig-
liari. The latter road leads to Verba, the first Montenegrine
village, and is the shortest though the most difficult course.
To form an idea of Montenegro, the reader must picture to
himself three immense ranges of mountains, rising almost per
pendicularly from the bosom of the ocean, and exhibiting no

JRace of the Country, ^c. 7
traces of habitation. In ascending these mountains, the most
skilful climber is at every little distance in danger of losing his
balance, should he neglect the precaution of keeping his body
constantly inclined towards the mountain. In other parts, the
soil is covered with fragments heaped together, which give way
on the slightest pressure, and render the progress of the traveller
equally perilous and slow, until after incredible fatigue he reaches
the first level height.
Here a rude country extends on every side, covered with
fragments of rock, which have either fallen or been washed
down by wild cataracts. From this spot the Adriatic is dis
cernible in its whole extent beyond Blount Vermoz, and the
mountain itself, though of considerable height, scarcely seems to
rise above the surface of the sea.
By the aid of our guides we penetrated into the country by
narrow paths, between the mountains so close together, and so
similar in the strata of various substances of which they were
composed, that there is every probability they have been sepa
rated by earthquakes. In about an hour we emerged from
these intricacies, and reached the level height of the second
range of mountains, whence the first range seemed to be blended
with the boundle.'^s plaiu beneath our feet. In proportion as
we advanced, the picture assumed a darker hue, and the inac
cessible rocks, blackened by time, were totally devoid of ver
dure. We penetrated the next chain of mountains by paths even
more rugged than the former, and at length arrived on the level
height' at the foot of Mount-Coelo, where cold prevails at every
season of the year.
On the left, towards the mountains which border Herzegovina,
a considerable extent of heath affords pasture to numerous herds
of cattle. On the right Mount-Coelo rises majestically. Its
summit is lost in the clouds, and the eternal snow which covers
the barren part of the mountain is bounded at the point where
vegetation commences, by rows of fir-trees. As we approached
the tremendous Mount-Coelo, the roaring of wild-beasts, the
cries of carnivorous birds, the incessant dashing of the water,
the inclemency of the atmosphere, and the claps of thunder
which succeeded each other without intermission ; all tended
to impress us with the idea of some revolution in the laws of
nature. I could not quit this place without endeavouring to gather
some information on the subject of ornithology. According to
what"! learned from the Montenegrines, it would appear that all
the birds of their country are common to the rest of Europe :
but still they afford abundant interest to naturalists, as birds of
every species inhabit the country. The eagle and the vulture

8 Travels in Montenegro.
are remarkable for their prodigious size. Birds of passage ap^
pear at several periods ofthe year, but each species is visible'
only for ten or twelve days. Among the wild-beasts of Monte-i
negro, the bear, the wolf, and the wild-boar, are most remark
able ; they are, however, by no means numerous, for the natives
being all hunters, or shepherds, it is natural that they should
adopt every precaution for preserving their fiocks. They are
continually armed, and continually wandering, and thus are ever
on the alert to destroy mischievous animals.
From Mount-Ccelo we directed our course towards the in
terior, and after four hours of horrible solitude, we arrived at
Verba, the first village in the direction of Cattaro. Verba is
rudely built, on a rocky soil. Here, however, the country be
gins to be somewhat cultivated, for hitherto we had observed
only a few wild pear-trees growing here and there. Verba is
one of the villages which supply the markets of Cattaro. Oa
our way to Braich we found the ground covered with gravel ;
this might be supposed to render the soil barren, but, on the con
trary, experience proves it to be favourable to cultivation. We
occasionally observed detached huts rudely constructed of
boughs and earth, and roofed with the bark of trees. They con
sist of only one apartment, with a fire in the centre, and men
and beasts all live under one roof.
The villages of Xalassi-Mali, Xalassi- Veliki, and Zaglurt,
on account of their positions, are more important than is gene
rally supposed. They overlook the whole province, and on any
important event they become the rendezvous of the Montene
grines, where the orators of the country display their talent, and
lay plans for enterprizes. Braich ' presents nothing remarkable^:
except the quantities of potatoes which the soil produces spon
taneously. They are principally used for feeding hogs ; but
those of the natives who have travelled eat them, and indeed
they are now beginning to be generally liked. On arriving be
fore Braich, we foupd a post of Montenegrines, who had received
orders to join us, after saluting us with military honours, by the
usual discharge of musketry. With our party thus augmented,
we alrrived at Gnegussi, where the governor resides.
The governor came to meet me, accompanied by the proto-
papa, (or the oldest of the priests) two papas or priests with their
families, and about sixty armed men ofthe first rank. After the
customary compliments, the governor took my left hand and raised
it to his right shoulder, and placed bis right hand on my left
shoulder. " You have conae," said he, " to render me happy,.
by giving me a friend. I love you already, and the stars must
disappear from th^ firmament ere you can be obliterated from
my memory." He then conducted me to his house, where a

Gnegussi, the Residence of the Governor. 9
repast was prepared for a numerous parly. We marched along
amidst the firing of gun.s, the ringing of bells, and the acclama
tions of the people, who, from the remotest corners of the vil
lage, thronged to the governor's house. All pressed forward
to gain a sight of me; the women aud children in particular
seemed lost i:i wonder, and continually exclaimed, Bogh ! sol-
data od Napoleona! God ! a soldier of Napoleon! I was treated
with extreme politeness by the governor and his numerous fa
mily, and the primates vied with each other for the honour of
sitting near me at table, or acccompanying me in ray visits to
the protopapa, and the knes, who is the chief of their temporal
primates. Gnegussi, the constant residence of the governor, has a pretty
appearance from a distance. It is built on a vast circular plain,
in the centre of the mountains ; numerous large habitations sur
round it at the foot ofthe hills, and rising in an amphitheatre,
produce a very agreeable effect. This effect, however, vanishes
on a nearer approach. The houses, which, when viewed from
a distance appear to form one continued line, are detached one
from another, and for the most part surrounded with gardens.
Gnegussi is, however, one of the most considerable villages in
the country, and is the seat of the temporal authority. The
Montenegrines observe no regular plan in the construction of
their houses ; every one is his own architect, and for any build
ing of importance they have recourse to foreign masons. The
convents and churches, together with the houses of the go
vernor, and a few other persons of rank, are well built, and
present a singular contrast to the rest of the village. Except
in the temples of the Montenegrines, no traces of sculpture or or
nament of any kind is observable, either in the interior or exte
rior of their buildings. The few articles of furniture that are
here and there to be met with are of a very rude form, and those
which combine utility with any thing like neatness are brought,
from Apulia, Trieste, or Venice. With regard to the interior
of the houses, one description will suffice for all. The inhabi
tants sleep on mats or carpets, spread out upon the ground.
The fire is kindled in the middle of the room, and large stones,
or wooden stools, are placed round it. The use of furniture is
indeed scarcely known among the Montenegrines ; a few rude
shelves, hung on the walls, serve to deposit their milk, cheese,
&c. and the supply of meat necessary for their daily food. Their
clothes are hung on pegs in one corner of the room; and a few
boxes serve to contain any articles which they consider of value.
These boxes are portable, and are used by all the people of Mon
tenegro, where continual warfare has ever rendered permanent
establishment and the security of property impracticable.
Voyages and Travels, JVo. -3. Vol. IV. C

10 Journey to Montenegro.
Imbued with that species of vanity common to all warlike
people, their highest gratification is to possess a large assort?
ment of arms. This is the national luxury ofthe Montenegrines.

CHAPTER IIL
Ofthe Governor and the Government.
The present governor is named Boghdano Radonicb.r—
He is descended from a very ancient family, which has for a
long time inherited the dignity of governor from father to son.
This family, indeed, deserves this honour for the bravery and
patriotism which have always distinguished if. Boghdano is
forty years of age ; though not tall, he is very well-made, and
joins a pleasing expression to regular features. His conversa
tion is easy and sensible. The costume of the governor, on oc-r
casions of ceremony, consists of a close jacket of sky-blue satin
strewed with bees of massy gold, which, from the way in which
they are arranged, give it the appearance pf a coat-of-mail.
Over this he wears a short mantle of deep red satin, cut in the
Spanish style. In winter both the mantle and jacket are made
of cloth of the same colour. He wears a round hat, which upon
solemn occasions is ornamented with white or black feathers,
and a girdle of crimson satin embroidered with gold. His pan
taloons are short and very wide, after the Turkish fashion, and
his stockings are either silk or cotton. He wears by turns
boots, buckled shoes, and opankas ;* but most commonly slip
pers similar to those worn by theTurks.
The governor, as well as the other inhabitants, always walks
armed with a gun on his shoulder, a poignard about two feet long,
and two pistols in his girdle. He is invested with the orders of
St. George and St. Anne of Russia.
I could not avoid expressing my surprize at seeing a chief at
tired as a Spaniard among a people whose costume is so dis
similar, who have no sort of relation with Spain, and who have
besides established, as a principle, that no one can wear any but
the national dress. The circumstance was explained to me in
the following manner : — About two centuries ago the ancestors
of Boghdano sent a vessel to Spain, commanded by one of their
family, who carried out some presents for the governor of the
port where he intended to land. He received different arti
cles in return, and among them an exceedingly rich Spanish

Opankiis arc a kiml ol' buskins irscmbling the KouiHn cotliurni.

' '*> "— * . * As *

L^.^C^M'TTZey c7/ .t?te/<M72.'i^^t^yi<7T,

The Governor s Residerict. 1 1
drtss. On the return of the ship the governor, on observing
(hat the people greatly admired this dress, resolved to adopt it,
and the custom has continued ever since. I am, however, of
opinion that the costume ofthe governor had a different origin.
It is known that the Spaniards were long in possession of the
Dalmatian coast from Sabioncello to the Albanian territory, and
that they formed establishments ou the confines of Morlachia,
Herzegovina, and Montenegro, in order to secure their conquests
against any attack from those quarters. They built, in the ter
ritory of Castel-Nuovo, a fort of some importance, which still
bears the name of the Spanish Fort ; and as there is no doubt
that the Montenegrine people, or at least their chiefs, maintained
an intercourse with the Spanish leaders, they may have received
presents of dress from them, or adopted the Spanish costume as
the model of their own. Originally the Montenegrine governors
wore the gunine, or short cassock, which is the real national
dress, without any other distinction than the girdle and surtout,
which resembled what we call a spencer.
The governor's family is very numerous; he himself has seven
children, who live in the same house with his brothers, sisters,
and other relations : his wife regulates his household. It must
not be imagined that this Blontenegrine chief inhabits a sumptu
ous palace, that he has guards and a brilliant court. Parade
of this kind has not j'et become necessary to ensure the respect
ofthe people, whom he rules by the strictest justice. His resi
dence is like one of our rich farmer's houses. I could not avoid
evincing some surprize at the simplicity of his habitation; he
perceived it, and one day said to me with much kindness : —
" I would wish to receive you in a way more worthy of your
merits — You overwhelm me with benefits — my house, it is true,
does not in any respect resemble that of a chief; but no matter,
my happiness depends on its being as it is." I replied, that the
inhabitants of a palace were not the most happy, and that his
attentions pleased me much more than the constrained polite
ness I might receive under the most splendid roof. The go
vernor, as well as the vladika, lives on his private revenues. I
was told that he received an annual pension of 6000 ducats from ^
Russia, but in conversing one day on the subject he seemed to
deny it.
To obtain some knowledge ofthe forms of the Montenegrine
government I could not of course do better than consult-a man
who was one of its principal members. I therefore applied to
the governor, who furnished me with minute information on the
subject. Originally the Montenegrine chiefs were chosen by
the people. Each village elected a vairode or captain of the
C 2

12 .Tourney to Moritevegm.
community. Each nahia, or province, department or district,
made choice of two chiefs, called sardars; and the supreme chief
of the nation was chosen by the sardars, and received the title
of governor. Sometimes the whole body of the people elected
the governor, and they have also -occasionally deposed, and
even beheaded him. This form of government, however, no
longer exists. The present government consists of : — first, the
vladika, or prince-bishop; second, the governor; and third, five
sardars, or chiefs of nahia, to operate as a check on the two
firsi, and preserve an equilibrium of power. The governor and
the five sardars are elected by the knes, who, in their turn,
are chosen by the vaivodes, and the latter are appointed by the
communities. Peter Petrovicb, the present vladika, since his ac
cession, ha's arrogated to himself all tbe power ofthe state, and
has left n)erely the shadow of authority in tbe hands of the go
vernor and the sardars. The people boast of being the freest
in the world, though the vladika and other chiefs hold them in
great subjection, and violent insurrections occasionally arise.
Some years since, with the consent of Russia, a tribunal called
the kkituk was established for the administration of justice. No
funds, however, have lately been forwarded from Russia for the
support of this establishment, and the governor expressed to
me his great regret for the suspension ofthe only resources which
miffht enable him to establish among his people the institutions
of Europe.
Montenegro affords a convincing proof that laws and customs
have their real origin in the wants and distinct character of
each nation — in local circumstances or historical events. The
governor of Montenegro, though he acknowledged and lamented
the defects of the institutions of his country, still maintained
that they were better than those of other nations. The reader
will not therefore be surprised to hear that Montenegro does
not yet possess any political or civil constitution. All the
rights and interests of the people are dependent on custom,
which have either been preserved by tradition, or registered in
manuscripts, deposited in the archives of the convent of Cet-
tigne. In common civil cases the chiefs of communities, together
with one or two primates, exercise the (unctions of judges. The
knes, the primates, and the vaivodes, decide the more important
causes, and their sentences are finally ratified by tbe bishop.
In criminal causes, however, and particulaily in cases of homi
cides, the family of the deceased, without awaiting the decision
of a superior tribunal, immediately avei>ges the outrage on the
family ofthe aggressor, destroying his property and murdering
his relations. These cases occur but seldom, yef, when they

.// Public Fcsliritl. 13
do happen, they give rise to scenes of the most dreadful confu
sion and bloodshed, which are finally appeased by pecuniary
punishments:, and public censure.
Thus it is remarkable that no crime, however great, is pun
ished by death among the Montenegrines, the least civilized
people in Europe. When I made some observations on this
subject to the governor, " Ah," said he, with much feeling, " it
would be worthy of nations more wise, and more enlightened, to
obliterate the punishment of death from their criminal code;
they condemn homicide, while, at the same time, they juridi
cally consecrate if. Is it just that the law should deprive a man
of what it cannot again restore to him?"
The use of annual contributions, determined by anterior laws,
is absolutely unknown at Montenegro ; the assessments depend
on the wants ofthe state; agriculture, commerce, hunting, and
the use of water and the woods, are free to every one. Fishing
only is prohibited ; it is resetved for the Vladika.

CHAPTER IV.
Observations on the Government, ^-c. continued. — Public
Festivals.
On the third day after our arrival at Gnegussi, the governor
gave a public entertainment, which was attended by all classes
ofthe people. This afforded me an excellent opportunity for ob
servation. The Montenegrines are in general tall and well-made,
with regular features ; they combine a bold, determined, and
even haughty expression ; which, by imparting an appearance
of severity, seems, at first sight, to justify the opinion which
has been erroneously entertained of their want of humanity. All
wear the mustachio, and the greatest in.su!t that can be offered
them is to touch it or speak of il with contempt. The following
anecdote will afford a proof of the reverence in which the mus
tachio is held. Ou the 6th of August, 1810, two Italian soldiers
entered a casino or pubiic-house, and, one of them taking hold
ofthe mustachio of a mountaineer, who was there, said to him,
Dobro Jvtro hate, (good day, brother) upon which the Monte
negrine fired his pistol at him, and immediately disappeared.
They always shave the fore-part of the head, and, in general,
allow their beards to grow, or at least shave very seldom;
they never cut their nails.
The following is the result of the last census, taken in 1812.
It includes Upper Zenta : —

14

.Tourney to MoMenegroi

NimesW Provinces

Number of Houses

, Number of armed Men,

1 li'. Katunska

947

_ .

- - 2,000

2d, Rieska - - -

- 989

- -

- - 1,.5,59

3d. Piessiva.ska

- - 277

-

482

4th. Gliesanska

- 1,365

- -

- - 2,384

5th. Czerniska

-• - 714

- -

- - 1,560

Greek villages

- 1,250

- -

- ^ , 3,400

Catholic villages -

- - 549

- -

- • 1,720

Total . - - -

6,091

- -

- -13,105

f Montenegro - - .32,680-
Number of Inhabitants < Greek villages 13,600 i
( Catholic villages - 6,688 ]

53,168

From this estimate it is easy to perceive that Montenegro
>Vas formerly much more populous than at present, and that
it has declined greatly. The cause must be attributed to
their continual dissensions with the Turks, and the great fa
mines and scarcity by which the country has been visited during
long wars. In the above estimate, the number of men in arms
is stated at 13,105. But this numher must be considered rela
tively, for, in cases of emergency, the army is composed of all
the able-bodied men in the country. At Montenegro it is no
uncommon thing for men near a century old to devote their last
years to the defence of their homes. It may, therefore, without
exaggeration, be alledged th^t in case of an unexpected incursion,
every man in the country would, on the first signal, take up
arms and march to the point attacked. Founding my calcula
tion on authentic documents, as well as on the results of expe
rience, I can confidently assert that in twelve hours 7 or 8,000
men could be assembled on any point ; and, in twenty-four
hours, this number might be increased to 20,000; The Monte
negrines are very expert in the use of their arms. They take
aim with the greatest accuracy at any distance. Only men
naturally ipcapable of serving are exempt from bearing arms,
and it often happens that even invalids forego the dispensation
made in their favour, and hasten to the defence of their native
land. In the last war against Mamouth Busaklia, Pashaw of
Scutari, Giuro Lottochich was confined to his bed by a severe
fracture of the leg. During the action which preceded the
defeat and death of the Pashaw, Giuro insisted that he should
be carried to a hill from which he could fire on the enemy ; no
remonstrances could divert him from this resolution. He con
tinued to fire during three hours, propped against a hill. When
the victory was announced to him, he exclaimed, " It is just in
time, for I have no more cartridges, and I should have died of
rage had I been compelled to surrender."

v/uzyr/y a/ r -"Mc^i/j^'^^rflA?:

[ 15 ]
CHAPTER V.
The National Costume. — Ofthe Montenegrine Women.
The Montenegrines wear dresses of a very thick kind of
knitted stuff, resembling serge. The principal part of the
dress is usually of a greyish-white colour; other colours are
used without distinction, but blue is most common. The dress
consists of a gunine or jacket, made in the Grecian style,
with wide sleeves, and clasped on the breast. One of the
corners of this jacket is turned up on the left side, and forms a
triangle ; a waistcoat is worn under the dress and is not seen,
The shirt, which is without a collar, and not confined within the
trowsers, hangs down to the knees, and forms a sort of short
petticoat. Tight pantaloons, or very wide trowsers, of the
Turkish fashion, are worn indiscriminately ; they are tied round
the waist by a thong of leather; and, at the bottom, are confined
by a net trimming, which also serves to fasten woollen socks
of variegated colours. Their shoes are not made in the Eu
ropean manner with leather soles, but consist of a single piece
of goat-skin, made to fit close to the foot. On festival-days
they wear above the jacket a waistcoat, without sleeves, of green
crimson, or black velvet, embroidered with silk. The head is
covered in summer, as well as winter, with a cap of red or
violet-coloured cloth, fastened on with a handkerchief like a tur
ban. In addition to the clasp on tbe breast, the jacket is fastened
round the waist, by a long woollen scarf of different colours, and
also by a large leather strap ; to which are affixed, on the right
side, two little cartridge-boxes. They also wear pistols in their
girdles, and their guns are of the most excellent description. The
men usually carry -a. kind of knapsack on the left shoulder, for
food, and, on the right, a flask holding about two pints. They
muffle themselves up in a kind of shawl, made of goats' hair,
ornamented with long fringe at the ends. This shawl is im
penetrable to the rain, but is intended to preserve the arms from
tbe effects of the damp. A Montenegrine never goes abroad
unless furnished with all his arms ; and he is never to be seen
without having in his band or mouth a pipe, vvith a long tube,
and ornamented with an amber mouth-piece, Nobody can
change the national dress, by modifying or increasing it in any
respect. As soon as a Montenegrine returns from a foreign
country, he must immediately throw off its costume, and rer
assume that of his own nation.
The women of Montenegro are well-made, though of smal(
stature, in comjiarison with the men. They have large an4

16 Journey to Montenegro.
expressive eyes, and the finest teeth imaginable. Their skins
are somewhat swarthy, as they are almost all accustomed ?o
labour in the open air; but those, on the contrary, who are
engaged in domestic duties within-doors, have cbmplexions of
the purest white and red. They all suckle their own children,
a practice which contributes in no slight degree to give them
that healthful constitution which characterizes the whole popu
lation of Montenegro, where women, as well as men, possess
extraordinary vigour of body.
The women are, in general, not so well-dressed as the men.
Their costume consists of a Jong and wide tunic without sleeves,
worn over an under-dress of still greater length, and with very
wide sleeves, embroidered in the ancient Grecian style. The
under-dress, which serves the purpose of a petticoat, is edged
round the bottom with embroidery of coloured worsted. A
square apron, ornamented all over with worsted embroidery,
'and edged with fringe, is tied under the tunic, which is open
in front. Round their waists is fastened a broad leather gir
dle, ornamented with various kinds of needle-work, and they
wear gold or silver rings on their fingers, in their ears, or on
their heads, but all coarsely made.
They wear the same kind of cap as the men, but without
any handkerchief; long plaits of hair, hanging down on either
side, are their only head-ornaments. Their shoes are the same
as the men's. The head-dress of unmarried women consists of
a cap, of the ordinary form, to which are fastened a great
number of coins, which nearly cover the whole of the forehead.
These cpins are,'for the most part, Turkish piastres, or common
counters and medals. The very young girls wear a cloth cap
of different colours, chiefly red or black, with a tuft of black
feathers. My departure from Gnegussi was already fixed, but wa,« re
tarded by the following circumstance. Theodizzi, one of tbe
sisters-in-law of the governor, had been recently delivered.
On the governor being informed of the event, he proposed that
I should stand godfather to the child, and that it should be
named after me. I thanked him for the compliment he paid
me, for the Montenegrines cohsider it the highest mark of
honour to ask a person to be godfather to a child, and it is ac
counted a great insult to decline the office.
The ceremony took place on the following day, and was per
formed in the presence of a numerous assemblage. This sacra
ment may be administered either at church, or al home ; and, in
the present instance, the christening took place at the gover
nor's house. Instead of a man and woman, two men stand as

ceremony of Baptism, ^c, 17
sponsors for the child. The ceremony differs but little from
ours, and is the same for both sexes, with this difference, that
when a girl is christened, a veil is held over her until the priest
is ready for the aspersions. The prayers are extremely long.
The most remarkable part of the ceremony is, the frequency
and abundance of the aspersions. The child is half-drowned
with water, and cried furiously the whole time.
To the ceremony of baptism is added the burning of incense,
and the presentation of wine. On a table is placed a vase, con
taining some kind of grain mixed with water and honey, and
round it wax-tapers are burnt; after the first aspersion, the papa
or priest offers a spoonful to every one present. When the
child is placed in the cradle, some attributes of its sex are de
posited beside it ; for instance, if a boy, guns, pistols, &c. The
father having shewn these arms to all the company, kisses them,
places them on the lips of his son, and then lays them in the
cradle, at the right hand of the child. This ceremony is per
formed with an air of seriousness and gravity which sufficiently
attests the importance that is attached to it. The firing of mus
ketry, and the ringing of bells, continue during the whole time,
though the christening should take place in a private house,
and the breakfast or dinner, according to the time of day, con
cludes the ceremony.
On the occasion in question the governor gave a grand ban
quet. The utmost gaiety prevailed, and a great number of
healths and toasts were drunk. The following are a few of the
good wishes that were expressed in favour of the young infant.
They, of course, lose much in being deprived of their rhymes,
and the laconic spirit of the Illyrian language. May wisdom
be his inheritance! — May his soul be mild as moon-light! —
May honey flow in his heart! — May he ever be an irreconcile-
able enemy to the Turks ! — May he die out of his bed ! — May
he always continue free !
The questions which I found it necessary to ask respecting
the ceremony of the baptism, introduced to my knowledge
some curious particulars relative to the customs observed by
women in pregnancy and child-birth.
During pregnancy, the women of Montenegro observe no
particular regimen, nor do they suspend, in any way, their ac
customed labours or journeys, for even to the last extremity
they are in the habit of carrying heavy burdens. They are
generally delivered in the fields or woods without any assist
ance. When io some degree recovered, they take the child
up in their aprons, and carry it to the nearest stream or foun
tain, where they wash it, and immediately return to their work.
Voyages and Travels, No. 3. Vol. IV. D

18 Travels in Montenegro.
For three or four months after their birth, tbe children are
wrapped up in old rags ; they are then suffered to crawl about
as t(iey please, while their mothers labour without doors. Every
child is suckled by its mother till she again becomes pregnant,,
and though that should not be for the space of five or six years,.
still the child receives no other nutriment than its mother's milk.
When the birth of a child is made known, the relations and
friends send cakes to the mother, made of maize and buney,.
and a feast \» given called habine.

CHAPTER VL
Departure for the Convent of St. Basil.
The people all assembled on my departure from Gnegussi,
When I quitted the governor's house, a discharge of musketry
was fired, and the proto-papa and papa gave me their bene
diction. When we reached the extremity of the village, my
detachment fired a salute, which was answered by the armed
men of the place. My design was to traverse Montenegro in
every direction, and to observe every place of importance. I
should have preferred, in the first instance, lo have proceeded
to the residence of the Vladika ; but, having learned that he
was to be absent for some weeks, I determined to visit the con
vent of St. Basil, for of the miracles performed in it I had heard
a great deal. I accordingly directed my course towards the west,.
by the way of Mount Buccovizza.
We had arrived within gun-shot of the hamlet of Bucco
vizza, and I presumed we had only to enter it with the free
dom which is common throughout Montenegro, when, to my
astonishment, my escort suddenly halted, and conversed toge
ther with an air of mystery. At length the chief of the escort
advanced about fifteen or twenty paces, and exclaimed with a
loud voice, " Let the first who bears me take warning that we
wish to enter the hamlet !" — A woman appeared. " What do
you want?" said she, — « To enter your village." Three men
then made their appearance, " Who are you?"—" Montene
grines,"—" Where do you wish to go?" — « To St. Basil, to
pay our devotions to the saint." — « Make your signals." — The
chief then made certain signs with his hand. " You may enter."
It must be observed, that during this dialogue, all the armed
men of the village hastily assembled, while the dogs, being aft

Arrival at Schieclich, 19
collected by a whistle, formed a strong battalion ready to op
pose our entrance. The Montenegrine dogs are of a peculiar
species, being covered with bristly hair of a dark grey colour.
In form and ferocity they resemble wolves, and they make a
horrible growling at the approach of a stranger. I am an old
soldier, yet I must confess, that I have often felt more alarm
at sight of a host of these dogs, than ever I experienced ou the
approach of the enemy.
We entered the village, and the papa presented himself at
the head of the peasantry. " Welcome," said he, " you shall
be treated as members of our family." My travelling compa
nion and I, together with the chief of the escort, were lodged
in tbe house of the papa. He asked us to dine with him, and
we readily accepted his invitation. We sat down to table with
out any cloth, and were not supplied with glasses, spoons, or
forks ; but, in return, we had abundance of roast meaf, fish,
and heath-cocks, which, for delicacy, may be compared to
pheasants. They are eaten with a kind of pudding com
posed of butter and maize flour. Instead of bread, we were
fiirnisbed witb a sort of cake, which is baked under tbe ashes.
The desert consisted of cheese, dried figs, and fruits of various
kinds. The wine was indifferent, and we all drank one after
the other, out of the same wooden bowl. The church of the
village is more like a decayed barn than a place of worship.
It stands in a hollow, surrounded by broken fragments of rock,
the interstices of which are filled up by trees and thickets of
•evergreen. We next directed our course to Schieclich, a commune of
some importance, situated in a very fertile part of the country,
to the west, at the foot of Mount Buccovizza. An immense
circular valley unexpectedly lay before us. It was, to all ap
pearance, totally inaccessible; but our guides led us down by
means of steps rudely cut in the naked rocks, which are desti
tute of all traces of vegetation. It was night when we entered
the place; but far from experiencing any difficulty, the people
seemed to be expecting us. Tbe papa received us, and assigned
lodgings for us all, though we were thirty in number, and found
a company of sixty already met. For it was the day of the
family festival, and all the members were assembled. We
were shivering with cold, and also somewhat wet with the
rain that had fallen. Both men and women eagarly came
to offer us assistance, and they did it with a feeling of
hospitality which might have jdone honour to the golden
age. I never saw any assemblage of people so truly cheerful.
The wines of Czerniska flowea liberally, and prepared the
D2

20 Travels in Montenegro.
guests for an agreeable repast. At length supper was served
up. I was placed at a table reserved for the chief of the com
mune, the papa, and his wife ; for, in Montenegro, priests are
permitted to marry. The rest of the guests were distributed
at two tables, formed of rough planks of wood, on which were
placed large flat basins of tinned copper. Several sheep,
roasted whole, were speedily dispatched. The Montenegrines
eat but little bread, while they consume vast quantities of roast
meat. During the repast songs were sung, and prayers of
fered up, in which every one joined. Proverbs and toasts were
repeated, and the company laughed, sang, and joked, without
neglecting, for a moment, to shew every mark of politeness to
their visitors.
The festival, or sacra, is a solemn day, which in every house
is devoted to the assemblage of all the members of the family.
On this occasion every article of value is displayed, and the
festival, on the whole, costs considerable expense. It is held
in such high esteem by the Montenegrines, that to omit it would
be regarded as a sure sign of embarrassed circumstances, and
the family would lose its credit. Those who are in danger of
not possessing sufficient money to defray the expenses, usually
dispose of any articles of value that they can spare, to enable
them to provide the feast in a suitable way. It is customary to
invite allied families, and even infants at tbe breast are ad
mitted; cortsequenlly, these meetings are numerously attended.
One or more priests are always present. The repast consists
of three or four courses. Before the guests sit down to table,
the priest delivers a long prayer, which he recites slowly, and
with the most ludicrous contortions. The priest, or master of
the house, and the person who, next to him, is held in the
highest estimation, serve out the dishes standing opposite to
each other. A large round loaf of bread is brought to the priest,
who cuts it in the form of a cross, down as far as the lower
crust, but without separating it. He pours copious libations
of wine into the incision, and then divides the loaf into two
equal parts, one of which he keeps, and hands the other to his
coadjutor. The latter distributes it in small pieces among the
guests, by whom it is treasured up as something of great value.
The priest then offers the other half of the loaf to the mistress
ofthe house, who bows and thanks him, but, at the same time,
declines to accept it, in order that it may be offered to the most
distinguished guest. The priest, and the person to whom it is
presented, take hold ofthe piece of bread, which is to be sepa
rated in two; and, in breakiiig it, each endeavours to appro
priate to himself the largest portion of the lower crusl. He

Ceremony of a Grand Festival. 21
who gains this advantage, is saluted with the plaudits of the
whole company, and has the honour of presenting the bread
and a bottle of wine to the mistress of the house. During this
ceremony the mistress burns incense through tbe apartment,
and she afterwards receives the bread and wine with an air of
triumphant satisfaction. On the table is placed a vessel, contain
ing wheat boiled in water and honey. A taper fixed up in the
middle ofthe wheat burns from the beginning to the end ofthe
feast., The mistress takes the vase and offers a spoonful of the
wheat to each guest, and the remainder is thrown about the
apartment as a token of abundance.
Previous to the third course, there is an offering of wine,
which is distributed by the mistress. It is preceded by a
short prayer, hymn, and benedictions. Only one glass is al
lowed to each person ; but every one endeavours, amidst the
confusion, to snatch another glass without being perceived.
Thus the mistress is obliged to be constantly on her guard, and it
is reckoned an extraordinary instance of address if she succeed
in preventing the guests from taking any thing beyond their
specified allowance. Immediately after this ceremony the ec
clesiastics withdraw, lest their presence should operate as a res
traint on the gaiety of the company ; the conversation then be
comes noisy, and the laughter of the guests is mingled with the
sound of the monochord and pipe. The Montenegrines burn
neither oil nor tallow, their tapers are made of narrow slips of
fir-tree wood.
At Schieclich I met with a man who had lived to see the
sixth generation of his family. The old man himself was 117
years of age, his son was 100, his grandson nearly eighty-two,
and his great-grandson had attained his sixtieth year; the son of
the latter was forty-three, his son twenty-one, and his grand
child two years of age. The old man, in his 117th year, was
lively and active. He remained at table until tbe last prayer
was repeated, and he then asked leave to retire: immediately
all the guests rose, and in respectful silence advanced by turns to
kiss the breast of the old man, and receive his blessing. Simi
lar instances of longevity are by no means rare in Montenegro,
where habitual temperance, the salubrity of the water and food,
and the excellence ofthe climate, have, of course, a beneficial
effect on the human constitution. The remainder ofthe evening
was spent in various national games, during which the utmost
decorum and harmony were observed. It was ten o'clock when
I retired to rest. A little chamber was allotted to the chasseur
and myself, in a pavillion detached from the rest of the house,
and they carefully fastened the door, though a guard was sta
tioned on the outside.

22 Travels in Montenegro.
We had no sooner fallen into our first sleep, than we were
roused by a loud firing and repeated cries, joined to the bark
ing of all the dogs in the neighbourhood. We immediately
rose and begun to look about us for weapons of defence. My
companion found tbe barrel of a gun, and I happened to light
on a small pitchfork. Thus armed we stationed ourselves
against the entrance of the apartment, determined to defend our
selves with all our might. At length the door opened, and, what
was our astonishment to behold the man of a century old with
whom we had supped, and who thus addressed us in the Illyrian
language : " Do not disturb yourselves, gentlemen : one of my
sheep-folds has been threatened by robbers, and the guard has
given the signal of alarm, to which we are answering, to inform
them that we are on our defence. My father begs you will
not disturb yourselves, and he sends you a Dobravi noce, (good
night.)" We departed from Schieclich at day-break; the weather was
delightful. It is difficult to form an idea of the magical effect
produced by Montenegro, when the ^rst rays of the morning
sun gild the innumerable hills covered with trees, presenting a
thousand various tints of green. Tbe village of Bielizze is
about three miles distant from Schieclich. It stands on a height
which is observable from a great distance. On this eminence
nets are spread to catch the ravens, which settle there twice
every year, for abont fifteen or twenty days. At these periods
the inhabitants of Bielizze consume no other food than the
flesh ofthe ravens, which, in their opinion, contributes to longe
vity. It is true, that the natives of this part of Montenegro live
to a very advanced age ; but, it must be considered, that they
inhabit a hilly and an open country, and are removed from
every thing that can have an injurious tendency on the health.
On arriving at tljis village, we found only women and some feeble
old men, who informed us that their cattle had been carried off by
a large party of robbers, and that the young men were gone in
pursuit of them. Our escort immediately set out iu the du'ection
which the robbers had taken, and, early next morning, returned
accompanied by the villagers, bringing back their cattle, toge
ther with the heads of two of the robbers.
On the following day we departed for Tomich, where we ar
rived at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and partook of some
refreshment. Tomich is a miserable hamlet, and is remarkable
for nothing except the stupid pride of its inhabitants, and the
ruinous state ofthe houses. On leaving the village, we observed
some boys engaged in a game which I will endeavour to des
cribe. At about six feet from the wall of a church, or any other
building, two wooden rods are fixed perpendicularly, and in a

Arrival at Cevo. 23
parallel line, at the distance of about one foot from each other,
they are crossed at the top by a piece of wood, through which
a hole is made by agimblet, in order to admit a small cord ; this
cord hangs down as far as the waist of the player, and a ball,
about the size of those used at billiards, is fastened to the end
of it. A circle, about six inches in diameter, is traced out on
the wall. The player takes the bail in his hand, and aims at
hitting the circle without altering the tension of the cord. To
reckon a point, the ball must not merely enter the circle, but
in rebounding must pass between the two rods without touch
ing them. The player who first gains twelve points is declared
the victor.
We arrived early at Cevo ; this village differs but little from
Gnegussi ; the country is even more open, and the soil, although
flint in most parts, is nevertheless cultivated and fertile. The
people of this village have a very wild appearance. They
differ widely from those of the inhabitants of Gnegussi, who
maintain daily intercourse with Cattaro. At Cevo, children
came to lay hold of the buttons of my coat, which appeared
strongly to attract their attention. Having perceived one of
them endeavouring to cut off one with a knife, I offered him a
piece of money, which he refused with disdain; I then gave him
a button, and he appeared highly gratified. A second presented
himself to obtain one, which I gave him. The chief of the es
cort then dispersed the crowd, and I escaped with the loss of
only two buttons. After considerable delay, an abode was
offered to us, and we entered the first house we came to ; we were
presented with wine as a token of friendship. We were lodged
at the house of an old soldier, who held the rank of brigadier at
the age of ninety-four ; this man had travelled through many
parts of Muscovy, and was perfectly well acquainted with Swe
den, Venice, and tbe principal towns of Italy, as well as the
south of France. He still remembered a little French, and
spoke Italian very well. He was a man of considerable infor
mation, having seen much of the world, and being naturally of
an active and intelligent turn of mind.

CHAPTER VIL

Remains of Roman Roads. — Dangerous Rencontre with a
Party of Turks.— Example of Courage in a Woman.— Mon
tenegrine Sun-dials.
During my stay at Cevo, I received the strongest marks of
kindness from my host; he supplied us abandantly with every

24 Travels in Montenegro.
thing, but especially with food, which, among the Montenegrines^
is a token of the greatest esteem. It being reported that the
Turks had shewn themselves on the heights of Lastovich, our
escort was doubled, and we departed at break of day. On the
road from Cevo to Rettichi, through the woods, are the remains
of a Roman road, which ran in K.he direction from Risano to
Constantinople, through "Montenegro. This is the via Penta-
guriana, of which Lucius Junius speaks. It extends by many
ramifications through the v/hole of Illyricum, where vestiges
of it still remain, principally in Bosnia, from the road between
Jani Serajevo to Pristina, and from Castel-Nuovo, where still
exists a Roman bridge, to the right of Spanish Fort, From
thence it runs along by ancient Neronia, towards the Point
of Vido, in the direction of the old convent, and leads into Is-
tria and Italy. We took every precaution, during our march,
to secure ourselves against any sudden attack, and always kept
a strong party both in advance and in our rear. About eleven
o'clock, we perceived several Turks on an eminence, which
commanded the passage. The Montenegrines instantly ex
amined their arms ; the chief gave orders for a prompt move
ment, which I did not comprehend, and said to me, " If they
wait for us, you shall soon see their heads at your feet." They
then darted forward, without giving me time to follow them, and,
in the twinkling of an eye, they reached the foot of the moun
tain occupied by the Turks; a brisk firing took place on both
sides, but the Turks, judging from our numbers that they would
have the worst of the contest, retired precipitately, and in the
greatest disorder, leaving one of their party dead and two
wounded ; the latter were immediately seized and decapidated,
and their heads were brought in triumph to me. This specta
cle caused me many painful sensations, and made me more than
once regret having undertaken this journey. I knew, indeed,
that it was conformable to the military laws of these people,
to cut off the heads of their enemies who have the misfortune to
fall into their hands. They fix them on poles on the tops of
mountains, and in the most frequented roads on the frontiers.
They would not shew any favour even to a sovereign in such
circumstances. Many of our . brave countrymen, and, among
others, General Delgorgues, have fallen victims to this barba
rous practice. At the siege of Castel-Nuovo, instances of sin
gular atrocity occurred ; some Montenegrines, in a fit of intoxi
cation, amused themselves by playing at nine-pins with the
heads of some Frenchmen, and, at the same time, directing in
sulting language towards them, " See, see," said they every
moment, " how roundly these Frenchmen's heads roll ;" — a
cruel irony on the imputed levity of the French nation. We

.Arrival ai Cfri-tli. 25
quickened our march, in order to arrive early at Ceretti, that
we might supply ourselves with provisions. At Ceretti I re
solved to visit a chapel in the neighbourhood of the mountains.
Our journey thither was agreeable, thouoh somewhat fatiguing.
We stopped for some hours at a village, where we found
the peasants disgustingly vulgar and ignorant on every sub
ject. We saw nothing worthy of notice here except an Ecce
homo in the church, painted by an artist named Martini. It is
by no means a contemptible production, and certainly the best
painting I saw in the whole country. The account which is
given of its discovery partakes of the errors of the earliest
periods of superstition. The picture, they say, fell from heaven
at the foot of a shepherd, who carried it to the citrate of the
village. We soon passed through a wild country; which as
far as Bichisi is almost inaccessible. During the whole jour
ney there is not a spot of verdure to relieve the eye ; no trace
of a living being; not even of a bird to interrupt the dismal
solitude. About eleven years ago this desert was the scene of a singu
lar act of presence of mind and determined courage. Four
Montenegrines, accompanied by their sister, aged twenty-one,
went on a pilgrimage to St. Basil. They were surprised by
seven Turks on oneof the defiles of the mountains, which was
80 extremely narrow, that only one person could pass at a time.
The Turks fired suddenly upon them, by which one of the
Montenegrines was killed, and another wounded. The female
seized the musket of her dead brother, and continued to fire
upon the Turks till her other brothers were also disabled. Tbe
Montenegrines, however, had defended themselves so well, that
only one Turk remained alive out of the seven. On seeing
this man approach her, the unfortunate girl stood still for a mo
ment, but suddenly affecting an air of terror and supplication,
she implored his mercy. The Turk, irritated at the defeat of
his companions, would only grant her life at tbe expense of her
honour. She hesitated, but at last pretended that she would
accede to his wishes; — when she suddenly plunged info his
bowels the dagger which she wore in her girdle, and left the
instrument of her vengeance in the body of the mussulman.
Though mortally wounded, the Turk was still bent on revenge,
and drawing the dagger from his body, he tottered towards the
wretched woman, who in despair threw herself on her enemy,
and by a sudden effort precipitated him into the neighbouring
^byss, at the moment when some shepherds, attracted by the
long continued firing, had come to her aid. The recital of this
interesting story occupied our attention, until we arrived at
Ceretti, We were presented on our entrance with wine and
^Voyages and Travels, No. 3. Vol, IV. E

26 Travels in Montenegro,
some fried potatoes in a wooden bowU We were lodged in the
house ofthe primate Zarelich, who immediately gave orders for
killing some lambs and kids, and making some bread and
cakes for our entertainment. From all I have seen I am con
vinced that the Montenegrines live well, though temperately.
They take their meals at the hours customary with Europeans,
All the family eat at one time, but the men and the women are
separated. They all sit on the ground in the Turkish manner,
or on very low stools. They have no table-cloth, and usually
make use of a small branch of a tree, divided at each end, inr
stead of a fork. Their food consists chiefly of herbs, seasoned
only with a little salt, or of milk, eggs, and salt-fish ; they like
wise consume a great quantity of onions and garlick, which ren
der their breath very disagreeable. The common drink is water,
but when the men make a journey of any length they carry
wine with them.
Every time that I took out my watch to learn the hour it
was regarded by the natives with a sort of stupid wpnder, and
I was asked a thousand questions concerning it. I found that
it was only within these eight years that watches had been used
in that part of Montenegro bordering upon Dalmatia. In the
,other parts they are totally unkndwn. The people of Zante,
especially, have no idea of them. A Montenegrine soldier, on
hearing the motion of a watch he had taken at the siege of Rar
gusa, was seized with terror, and believing that it contained an
evil spirit, threw it on the ground, and broke it to pieces with
stones. When I asked how they ascertained the time of the
day without clocks or watches, I was told that they did so by
means of sun-dials, which were made by a man named Zuano-
vich. The next morning I visited Zuanovich, who shewed me
one of his sun-dials. It was a stone lying horizontally, with
a polished surface, on which were traced three marks, denoting
sun-rise, noon, and sun-set. But, said I, the intervals leave
you iu uncertainty — " We judge of them by comparison," re-
Elied he. I inquired by what rule he was guided in making
is calculations. He said, •' I mark the place for the style, and
introduce it without fixing it, which I only do definitively aftep
repeated observations,"

CHAPTER VIIL
Singular Fountain, — Trait ofthe Montenegrine Character.r—
Attachment of the Men to their Wives.— Story of two young
Women. — Remarks on the Female Sex.
After three days stay at Ceretti we set out for Bichisi.
About a mile from Ceretti there is a curious fountain, called

Arrival at Bichisi. 27
Vodelizza. It flows abundantly io a column of about six
inches in diameter, during the night, but declines gradually
until the middle ofthe day, especially if the weather be warm,
and then rises again progressively as evening advances. We
had not proceeded above half a league when we were met by
two Montenegrines ofthe upper mountains. Many compliments
passed on both sides; but I observed that most of my escort
remained at a distance from one of the strangers, and treated
him with such contempt, that he at length retired in confusion.
When I inquired the cause of this, " he is a murderer !" ex
claimed one of my party indignantly. Without having re
ceived any offence, but merely from a spirit of savage cruelty,
of which, fortunately, this is almost a solitary example, perceiv
ing a man on a height whom he did not know, he said to one
of his companions ; " I will bet you a pipe of tobacco I kill him
at the first shot." — " Agreed," said the other. He fired, killed
the man, received the pipe of tobacco, and ran to plunder his
victim, when, horrible to relate, it proved to be his brother!
" Some time after," said another of my people, " while this
same man was living at Cattaro, he applied to an inhabitant of
that town for the payment of a debt."— ^" Will you pay or not?"
said he. " No, I cannof," was the reply. He then shot thie
man dead with his pistol, and instantly fled. It was consolatory
to observe the indignation which all my escort expressed on
this occasion. The same men whom the slightest offence pro
vokes to fury, revolt at the thoug^bt of murder, when not roused
by passion. On our arrival at Bichisi we were received by the
soldiery, the papas, and the primates. They were surrounded
by a multitude of spectators, and preceded by some women
and children, carrying bowls of milk, which they offered me.
I drank heartily of the first, supposing I should thereby fulfil
the laws of etiquette, but I found it necessary to partake of
the contents of four more bowls. This seemed to please the
people, and we entered the town amidst the loudest acclama
tions. We were taken to the house of the primate Jurovich, a man
of understanding and amiable manners. His conversation was
hio-hly instructive, and it enabled me to make many observations
on the customs and manners of the people, particularly re
specting their affection for their wives. Conversing one day
upon this subject, Jurovich complained of the opinion which
was generally entertained ofthe indifference of the Montene
grines towards their wives, and denied that the women were, as
was asserted, kept in a state of slavery. " We treat our wives,"
said he, " better than you treat yours." In the choice of a wife
you are often determined by interest, or sometimes by beauty.
L *

"J8 Travels in Montenegro,
We only marry from mutual affection. The charms of beauty
are merely the sport of fortune; the slightest illness may de
stroy theiu like a tender flower, which blooms and withers in a
day. Among the Montenegrines if an unmarried woman become
pregnant, it is a calamity, not only for her own family, but for
the whole nation. Prayers are offered up in 4he churches, and
people speak of.it as of an affair of state. The unfortunate
victim is driven from her paternal home, and no one dare
openly offer her an asylum ; she is compelled to seek conceal
ment in some cavern, where she probably perishes from hun
ger, or is devoured by wild beasts. Sometimes she leaves the
country; and, sometimes, resolved not to survive her shame,
throws herself from some high rock.~ A very beautifnl girl of
this country, named Nika, formed a connexion at Cattaro, with
a French Serjeant; she became pregnant, and for some lime
concealed her situation, but her sister and mother having dis
covered it, their natural affection was so overpowered by the
influence of public opinion, that they dragged the unfortunate
girl to the woods, tied her to a tree, and tore the child, living,
from her body. Fortunately, such acts of horror are very rare
in Blontenegro, The women are naturally of a mild disposi
tion. They are constant in their attachments, but they are also
very jealous, and will proceed to the greatest lengths to take
revenge on a faithless lover. Maria Glavinovich, a girl of good
family, was beloved by a young Montenegrine, Sava Jussicb.
After cohabiting with her for some time, the young man de
serted her. Maria employed every means in her power to
induce her betrayer to marry her. She wept and threatened
by turns, but in vain. At length the young man, to rid himself of
her importunities, said he would marry her at the expiration
of eight days. Maria instantly drew forth the image of the
Virgin, and entreated him to swear by it. The sight of this
revered image, by which the Montenegrines never swear in vain,
discovered the falsehood of her unfaithful lover. He became
confused; and, after some hesitation, declared he would not
swear. The frantic girl then snatched his poignard, stabbed
him to the hearfi and then plunged it into her own bosom.
Another girl, named Jane Stilicb, after a courtship of a year,
was about to be married to a young man named Dragho Col-
lorovich; but her lover was unexpectedly compelled to go
abroad. He was absent for six years; and, upon his return,
he refused to marry Jane, who had continued faithful to him,
and paid his addresses to another girl. Jane, broken-hearted
at the unkinduess of her lover, starved herself to death. When
this circumstance was made known, the parents of the ofirl

Sports and Amusements, 29
whom Dragho was courting refused to let her marry him; the
young men refused to associate with him ; and it was several
years before a girl would speak to Dragho.

CHAPTER IX.
Sports and Amusements of the Montenegrines. — Manner of
conversing at a distance practised in Montenegro.
The papa of Bichisi informed me, that the Montenegrines
were celebrated for the excellence of their skill in wrestling,
their pugilistic contests, playing at bowls, quoits, &c. I had
no opportunity of witnessing any wrestling or pugilistic con
test ; all that I heard on these siibjects appeared to me
improbable. The Bichisians have the reputation of being
the best players at quoits. They practice continually, but
their mode of playing 'differs from ours. Three hoops, of
different dimensions, are placed on the ground, before the
players, at tbe distance of a foot from each other. The
players stand at the distance of thirty feet from the hoops,
and a rope is placed so as to prevent them from overstepping
the mark; they rest the left foot on a little stake behind them,
which rises about four inches from the ground. In this posi
tion the player tries to throw the quoit into the first hoop. If
he succeed, besides gaining a point, he is entitled to throw at
the second hoop; and, if his cjuoit enter it, he marks double,
and throws again. Should he also throw it into the third, he
wins the game. In the event of the first player not succeed
ing, the other players throw successively, observing the same
rules. The quoit is almost large enough to cover the last hoop,
and it usually weighs eight, and sometimes ten pounds.
We left Bichisi at break of day for Comani. When we had
proceeded about half a league, we heard a voice which seemed
to be at a great distance. We, for a long time, endeavoured
to ascertain whence it proceeded, and at last discovered some
shepherds on a distant rock, who, surprised at that hour to see
a number of men marching towards them, wished to know who
we were. Our escort stopped, and we preserved profound si
lence, that we might be able to bear what was addressed to us.
The correspondence continued between our escort and the-
shepherds for five or six minutes, after which we advanced.
The Montenegrines are much in the habit of calling- to each
other when at a considerable distance. They place one of
their hands on each side of the mouth, as if to form a speak
ing trumpet; they then spread them out, and throw them for
ward at each syllable in order to propel the sound. Their

30 Travels in Montenegro^
mode of articulation, by interrupted syllables, affords the ne
cessary time for transmitting the sound from one place to
another. They have, besides, such clear voices, and such
strong lungs, that they are capable of maintaining a long con
versation at the distance of half a league. It has been said
of the islanders of the Archipelago, that they can discourse
with each other at the distance of a league; but I am con
vinced this statement is greatly exaggerated.
We conversed on this subject the greater part of the morn
ing, until we were at length interrupted by the prospect ofthe
valley of Saint Basil, which suddenly appeared before us, as
if by enchantment, through an opening in an enormous chain
of rocks which hang suspended in the air, as if ready to fall
and crush the passengers beneath.

CHAPTER X.
Journey to the celebrated Convent of Saint Basil. — Curious
Dances. — Extraordinary Strength of the Dancers. — Public
Games, Sfc.
Delighted with the beauties of this charming spot, I re
solved to stop for a short time, especially as our resting-place
for the night was not far distant. Whilst wandering about, I
discovered a beautiful plant, which grows spontaneously in this
part ofthe country. It is known by the Italian name of legno-
santo, (holy-wood); for the natives have not yet given it a name
in their own language. It is cultivated in the botanical gar
den at Paris, under the nameof lilas superbus, though it bears
no resemblance to the lilac. In the lower parts of the coun
try it grows as high as a forest-tree, and the branches spread
out like those of the ash; the leaves also resemble ash-leaves,
but are brighter in colour, and more deeply indented. The
flowers, which grow in bunches, have a most agreeable per
fume. The fruit is pulpy, and about the size of a sloe, or wild
plum. The stones, which are extremely hard, take a fine po
lish ; and the Turks of Albania make a sort of chaplet of them.
These chaplets have been supposed to be objects of religious
devotion with the Turks ; they are, however, mere play-things.
The Turks will twist them, for hours togeiher, between, their
fingers, at the same time preserving a profound silence.
We arrived early at Comani ; it was a holiday, and the whole
population of the neighbourhood was assembled there. As
we approached, the crowd advanced to meet us, and the
armed inhabitants formed themselves into two lines, leaving
a free passage to enable us to meet the knes, who came out
of Jiis house followed by five attendants, and received us with

Curious Dances at Comani. fll
marks of the greatest satisfaction. Before I could enter the
house, I was compelled to endure the embraces of about fifty
to sixty people, whose breath smelled so strong of garlick
and tobacco that it made me ill. I was obliged to return after
drinking two glasses of water. About an hour after, being a
little recovered, the knes pressed me to go and see the dances,
with which, he said, I should be much gratified. When I
arrived on the plain, the dancers suspended their amusement,
in order to pay their respects to me, I made the best return I
could, and requested them to resume their dance. The dresses
of both men and women appeared to be much better than
any I had hitherto seen, as they united neatness and splen
dour. I observed their mode of dancing very attentively;
it M'as extremely singular. There is, it is true, a great same
ness in the figures ; but it is not so with the steps. They
move their limbs in a thousand different ways. Frequently, in
leaping from the ground, they strike the calf of one leg with
the toe of the other foot, and the knee with the heel, whilst
they are in the air. Then, again, with one leg held up,
they dart over the field, frequently crossing their part
ners, who observe the same motion. Their leaps are so
burlesque and difficult, and their gestures are so extraordinary
and so animated, that the buffoons of Italy might derive
an useful lesson from them. But the most whimsical part of
the spectacle is, to see them in certain figures with one arm
before, and the other behind, the fists closed, the head held
down a little, and with a menacing air run towards each other,
as if about to fight, and on arriving close to each other, they
pass without even coming in contact.
To my no small astonishment the daughter of the knes came
to ask me to dance with her; amazed as I was at this mode
of dancing, which I had never before seen, I remained for a
moment uncertain how to act ; to decline the invitation would
have given offence, and to accede to it was merely exposing
myself to ridicule ; however, I boldly resolved to venture, and
acquitted myself with much applause. On my way home, I of
fered my arm to the daughter of my host ; she at first hesitated
to accept it, and informed me that she never yet had taken the
arm of a man, the practice not being usual until after marriage.
In tbe evening my host invited a large party to meet me, and
the time was passed in playing various social games, some of
which resemble our own. Next day being market-day, we early
repaired to the spot where the market was held, and beheld a
scene of much animation. On one side, men were seated on
the ground, smoaking, drinking coffee, and amusing themselves
by repeating merry stories ; pthers were sitting round a bottle

82 Travels in Montenegro.
of wine and singing lustily. Ou another side a party of young
women were seated round some performers on the monochord,
listening with deep attention and profound silence. Numbers of
people were playitigatgames of different kinds, and we joined in a
game at quoits. The Montenegrines, like all nations not far ad
vanced in civilization, are of opinion that all merit consists in
courage, address, and particularly in agility, and those who
wish to gain their esteem must prove themselves not destitute of
these advantages. That we might be the better enabled to ob
serve the Montenegrine character, we made it a rule to imitate
them in every thing which our bodily strength admitted of.
We conformed to all their customs, and, in particular, evinced'
the utmost respect for their religious principles and ceremonies.
They observed the deference we paid to their institutions, and
seemed gratified by it. We were tolerably successful in join
ing in most of their games and amusements ; but there is an ex
ercise in general use here, which we had never seen before, and
in which we failed every time we attempted.it. It consists in
throwing forward great stones in a peculiar manner; they
raise the lower arm until the hand is on a level with the shoul
der, keeping the other part of the arm close to the body.
Having placed a stone on the shoulder, weighing from thirty
to forty pounds, by a sudden motion they cast the stone for
ward, to the distance of about twenty-five feet. Of course, this
exercise required great strength and uncommon address.
We departed early from Comani, and arrived in the evening at
Bezzi, after a very unpleasant journey, it having rained during
the whole time; we retired to rest immediately. I had scarcely
awoke next morning, when my host and his eldest son came to
visit me, bringing with them some brandy distilled from pears,
and a cake kneaded with honey. Soon after, I was supplied
with pipes, tobacco, and coffee. My host entered into conver
sation with me, and appeared quite satisfied with the answers I
gave him, and repeatedly shook me by the hand in the most af
fectionate manner. In the evening, he invited a party to meet
me, and the next morning we departed to visit three hamlets,
situated immediately at the foot of the upper mountains. These
hamlets are not far distant from each other, and require no par
ticular observation.
In many places they are ornamented with very rich vines; in
one of the villages we were invited to form a party to catch
cray-fish. This is done in various ways, sometimes by gropino-
for them with the hand, in the cavities on the borders of streams,
and sometimes by fastening pieces of reeds to a circle of iron
tied by cords, in tbe form of a balance, suspended from a stick,
and in which a piece of rusty bacon is placet/- A third mode

Monastery qf St. Basil. 33
of catching them is by a flat basket, in which are placed some
fern-roots, covered with dung taken from the intestines of ani
mals newly killed. Another way is by bundles of long herbs,
with the intestines of animals tied up in them. These baits
are placed in the water at those places most frequented by the
cray-fish ; the reeds are drawn out every half hour, the basket
is left in for two or three hours, and the bundles of fern are
permitted to remain for half a day. If the latter be the most te
dious process, it is also the most profitable, for, when the bun
dles are drawn out the cray-fish are always clustered thickly
upon them. We were very successful in our fishing, and we
dressed and eat our provisions on the bank of the river. We
did not leave Bezzi for two days, because I wished to put my
notes in order, foreseeing that I should have much matter for
observation during my stay at St. Basil.

CHAPTER XI.
Arrival at the Monastery of St. Basil.
Wv. now approached the abode of a saint, celebrated for a
long series of miracles of all kinds, and enriched by the nume
rous offerings which the faithful bring from all parts, in grati
tude for the divine benefits which are lavished on the country.
The ministers of the temple are careful to maintain this religi
ous enthusiasm among the people by the pomp and grandeur of
the ceremonies, and by their mysterious mode of exhibiting the
venerable remains of the saint, to the eyes of an ignorant and
credulous multitude. St. Basil is situated in a district, of
which Comani is the chief town. As we approached, the Ar
chimandrite, or chief of the convent, who had been informed of
our arrival, came out to meet us, accompanied by three mouks.'
He received us very kindly, and conducted me to a chamber.
The convent consists of a number of massive buildings, scat
tered over a vast extent of ground, and built without any regu
lar plan ; the church is of a moderate size and well built, in a
simple style of architecture. The morning after our arrival we
went, accompanied by the Archimandrite, to visit the hermitage
of St. Basil, which is about a mile from the monastery. About
the middle of a high rock, a large natural opening forms an en
trance to the retreat, where the holy Patriarch St. Basil, by
thirty years of mortification and meditation, expiated tbe aber
rations of his youth, and the errora he had committed in this
world. On our way to the holy grotto, we ascended a wooden
staircase, with an arched roof, and then by some steps cut m
Voyages and Travels, JVo. 3. Vol. IV. F

34 Travels iii Montenegro.
the rock we reached a chapel, richly but confusedly ornanientecJ,
where, in a coffin formed of the trunk of a cypress-tree, St,
Basil reposes amidst all his miracles.
The means that have been resorted to for preserving the
mortal remains of the saint have perfectly succeeded. I never
in my life saw a mummy or an embalmed corpse in such a state
of freshness. It is not the Christian Greeks of Montenegro
alone, who bring their offerings to St. Basil ; the Bosnians, the
Servians, tbe Morlachians, and the Albanians, also repair to his
shrine. Many Catholics visit it, and the Turks themselves en
tertain a sort of veneration for the saint, though many affect to
ridicule him. The Archimandrite gave me a book entitled an ac
count of the life and miracles ofthe saint, printed in the Illyrian
character. A specimen of (he absurdities it contains will afford
a tolerable idea of the credulity of the people. One day the
saint was leaning on the parapet of his terrace on the rock
eating a pear, the pips of which he carelessly threw away.
Next morning it wasdisi^oyered that a large pear-tree had sprung
from the barren rock; it was covered on one side with flowers,
and on the other with a vast quantity of the finest fruit, per
fectly ripe. This was in the month of February; on another
occasion St. Basil had occasion for some parsley to perform
some cure ; for it must be observed he was also a skilful physi
cian. He could not find this plant he wanted, and he naturally
betook himself to prayer ; and, in a short time, a bird, with a
purple and azure plumage, appeared in the cell of the holy an
chorite, bearing some parsley-seed in its beak. St, Basil sowed
it on the rock, and next morning the parsley was ready for
use ; since that period parsley bas spontaneously grown every
year, in a corner of the rock, which is inaccessible both to suu
and rain.
Oo another occasion, an incredulous Turk visited the her-
mit£(ge, to obtain a sight of the remaiHs of the saint. When
the object of divine favour was exhibited, the Turk approachedi,
and pretending devoutly to kiss the hand of tbe corpse, bit the
fore-finger, probably to satisfy himself that the body bad once
beeu animated ; wheri, wonderful to relate, the saint, as sen
sible of tbe bite as of the religjous outrage, suddenly withdrew
his hand from the unholy gripe, and, applying it forcibly to
the head of the infidel, laid him dead on the ground. The
monk who shews the body takes especial care to point out
the mark of the bite, and woe to him who would seem to
doubt it.

[ 35 ]
CHAPTER XII.
Turks' Heads fixed Up in the JVeighhourhood ofthe Convent of
St. Basil. — Monks' Refectory.
We staid several days at the monastery. I walked about to
the distance of two or three leagues in every direction ; but
what a horrible spectacle I every where beheld ! Numbers of
Turks' heads fixed upon staves standing perpendicularly uport
the hills, bear witness ofthe blind frenzy of man, and his total
forgetfulness of Divine mercy. These are the heads of Turks
made prisoners by the Montenegrines. From their vast nutii-
bers it is easy to perceive that these cruel executions are by no
means unfrequent.
The monks rendered my visit to their convent extremely
agreeable. The conversation of some of the brothers who
had travelled was highly entertaining. The monastery is daily
visited by many straiigers. The wine is exquisite, and the
cheer good and abundant, which of course enables the monks
the better to endure the dullness of retirement. The archi
mandrite proposed that my meals should be sent to my quar
ters; but I expressed a desire to be admitted to his commu
nity. This seemed to please him, and he accordingly intro
duced me to bis refectory. Though the Greek priests of this
country are, generally speaking, extremely ignorant, yet those
who have travelled in Christian countries are very well-informed
men. Our conversation was at first of a general nature; but I soon
became tbe sole object of attention, and I was tinable to reply
to all the questions which v^ere Eiddressed to me. I excused
myself, by observing, Ihat I was not sufficiently faihiliar with
the Illyrian language. A Servian monk addressed me in
Italian. He began to discourse on our creeds, our religious
customs, and even on the conduct of the Catholic priests. The
monks seemed conscientiously to believe that they had at
tained evangelical perfection ; and in proof of this the^ a!d-
duced the sinrtplicity of their temples, their clothes, their tables,
&c. One day, in tbe course of an atiimated conversation, the
monk, drawing a parallel betweeii himself and Our bishops,
said : — " I have seen in France, in Ireland, and in Spain, cus
toms which none of us wodid imitaite. Our bishops are not, iti
contempt of the gospel, surrounded by a retinue of servants
like your ecclesiatetrcad princes. The peasantry are not op
pressed by contfrbutions oriauthiirized either by law or re
ligion, and above all, our priests do not flatter kings fpr th6
sake of worldly advantage." On another dccasioSi, orte of the
F2

36 Travels in Montenegro.
heads of the monastery, who had lived two years in Paris^
after some observations on several of our customs, said : —
V "you see yourself that our holy services are not degraded by
wretched accessories, which add nothing to respect or inward
conviction. Public piety is only diverted in your churches by
the presence of olKcers, beadles, &c. armed with staves. Why
should arms be introduced in a Christian nation, and in the
temple of the Lord, who recommends lowliness and humanity ?
Is it to attack or to defend ? Why the^e puerile precautions ?
Is it to honour the temple of the Almighty ? Wretched vanity,
which has banished the simplicity of the priniitive church 1
What do you hope to derive from this sacrilegious pomp? —
Respect ? No; the respect of holiness is not to be gained at
such a price." I was much struck with the tone in which this
monk expressed himself. His observations made a deep im
pression on me. I had many similar conversations, which iur
terested me, and seemed to please the monks; and by degrees
I acquired extensive information respecting the religion whi,Gli
is professed in the heart of Montenegro.

CHAPTER XIIL

Of the Religion of the Montenegrines^ — Their Priests and
religious Observances.
The Christian religion, as it is professed in Montenegro, is
the schismatic Greek, or rather the Servian Greek ritual^ which
differs materially from that of the Greek church, properly so
called, whence, however, it is derived. The following par
ticulars will afford a correct idea of the religious doctrines of
Jhe Montenegrines, with the exception of a few local differ
ences. The Montenegrines acknowledge the same sacraments, but
not the same doctrines as the Catholics ; their clergy are Dona-
tists, for they deny the validity of the baptism of the Catholic
church. For this reason they, re-baptize proselytes, and put to
them the three following interrogatories : — 1. Do you renounce
the pope ? — 2. Do you renounce the Catholic crucifix ? — 3. Do
you renounce fasting on Saturdays ? — Though an open enemy
to the heresy of the Socinians, who refuse to acknowledge
the mysteries of Christianity; and deny the divinity of Christ,
the Montenegrine priest, nevertheless, holds the Catholic
ceremonies in abhorrence. He will not consecrate on Ca
tholic altars till they are previously washed with holy water ;

Religion of the Montenegrines. St
but, in general, they are destroyed and others erected in
their stead. The Montenegrines baptize young children on the
second or third, or at latest the fifth day after their birth. With
respect to proselytes, they are not quite so rigid. They are
Iconoclasts, or enemies to images, yet they worship figures
painted on boards ; they affect the most supreme contempt
for the Catholic figures painted on canvass, or on walls, as
well as for all statues of saints.
In spite of these heterodoxical opinions, they worship cruci
fixes covered with sacred carved work, which they assert was
executed on the holy Mount, without tbe aid of art. By dint
of paying alms, they imagine it possible to draw sOuls from the
deepest abyss of hell, and make them ascend to the region of
bliss. This was part ofthe doctrine of Origen, and the'Vladika
of Montenegro avails himself of it in favour of criminals who
are put to death for theft or murder. Origin, it is true, assigns
the remission of sin, and the redemption of everlasting punish
ment, solely to the mercy of God; but the Servian bishop goes
still farther, and attributes these miracles to the effect of alms
and prayers.
The Montenegrines do not acknowledge the sin of thought,
in spite of all that is said of it in various parts of Scripture.
They pardon rape, and consecrate divorce. The clergy are
Simoniac, for they will absolve a robber, if he present them
with a portion of his booty : for a certain pecuniary considera
tion, the confessor undertakes to be responsible for the sin and
the satisfaction which a penitent owes to his God. In general,
the priest does not administer the viaticum until he is paid for
it, either in money or goods, &c.
Having been long unprovided with books, and knowing no
language but the Sclavonian, the Greek clergy lived in a state
ofthe most degrading ignorance: hence naturally arose the al
most general absence of education among the people. Even
now but few Montenegrines can repeat the common prayers of
their church ; and it is but rarely that the priest propounds the
doctrines of pure morality.
It may be proper to give the reader some idea of the rise
and progress of that church which has so frequently influenced
the fate of Europe. Stephen, King of Servia, having suc
ceeded his father in 1333, on the throne of Eastern Dalmatia,
became more than ever ambitious and jealous ofthe Greek em
perors. As soon as he had conquered the rich province of Bul
garia, his anxious wish to enjoy the title of Emperor induced
his subjects to proclaim him Imperator Romanorum et Ser-
viarum. Having modelled his court after that of Constanti
nople, he wished to grant new privileges to the clergy ; and

38 Travels in Montenegro.
lo deprive the Greeks of all influence, he changed the title of
the Metropolitan archbishop to that of patriarch, and declared
Mm the independent and absolute sovereign ofthe churches of
his empire. This separation, together with a language and books
different from those used by the Greeks and Catholics, the ig
norance of the clergy and the people, and the heresies of
fcoghmili (bigots), are the causes which mainly contributed
to stamp the Servian Greek church with the character of a
particular sect. Amidst the vast diversity of opinions, erro
neous interpretations, and incoherence of principle, which per
vade all sects, it must nevertheless be acknowledged, that
the Greek clergy present a fair side, worthy to claim the at
tention of the most rigid observer.
Confining myself merely to the most prominent points ofthe
faith ofthe Montenegrines, I may say that their positive doc
trine is the conviction of the existence of a Creator, the com
mon Father of all mankind ; and they acknowledge that the
world is the work of his all-powerful hand. In Montenegro, as
in all other countries, where the worship ofthe Supreme Being
is divided into two different rituals, nothing is more remark
able than the extreme aversion and repugnance which prevail
among tbe respective sectaries, and particularly among the
ministers of the two doctrines. Availing ourselves of the in
fluence our functions afforded us, we endeavoured to conciliate
the different sects, and our efforts were almost always attended
with success. We however observed, in general, more stiff
ness and pride among the Catholics than among the Greeks;
perhaps because the latter were the powerful party, and gene
rosity is one ofthe attributes of power; or perhaps because they
are the most ignorant, and virtue is nearly allied to tbe sim
plicity ofthe primitive evangelic ages. Be this as it may, con
troversy, in every sense of the word, is mild and tolerant among
the fathers ofthe Greek church, and no individual is exposed to
persecution for not professing their doctrines.
1 1 has often been remarked, that among the various classes ofthe
inferior clergy, especially country-clergy, are those who approach
nearest to the true evangelic character. In Montenegro, as else
where, I have invariably found that the curates, generally speak
ing, were real imitators of Christ, faithful depositaries of his doc
trine, and worthy organs of primary instruction. They are a
truly useful order of the clergy, and perhaps the only priests
worth preserving. If we consider the duties they fulfil, the la
borious functions they exercise, their resignation, their disin
terestedness, their retired habits, and their self-respect, it must
be acknowledged that they are the most venerable class of the
ministers of the gospel. Such is the esteem in which they are

Religious Ceremonies. 39
held by the people, that a Greek never meets a priest of this
class without lifting his cap; he places one of his hands on
his breast, and witb the other taking the priest's hand, kisses
it respectfully. When a curate enters a house, all the inhabi
tants, whatever be their rank, treat him with similar marks of
respect. Oftener than once I have availed myself of their
ascendency over tbe people, to maintain obedience in the pro
vinces with which I was intrusted.

CHAPTER XIV.
Of the Churches and Customs relating to Religion.
Like the Roman Catholic churches, the Montenegrine tem
ples are built so that the nave is to the west, and the choir to
the east. Their architecture is extremely simple. Over the
portico are three arched openings, in which are hung three
bells of different sizes, which are rung from the outside. In
tbe inside of the churches the walls are smooth, and kept
carefully clean ; ihey are not decorated by pictures. There
are neither benches nor chairs, except for the curates and aco
lytes, and they but seldom sit down. The choir is composed
of parishioners, who receive no payment for their trouble. The
altar consists merely of a large cubical stone, measuring about
three feet ; but it is not seen, or at least not easily, for the
chancel is screened from the eyes ofthe believers. It is con
cealed by a wretchedly painted wooden partition, which rises
to the ceiling. This partition has generally three openings, of
which the centre one is larger than the two side ones ; it
is closed by two folding-doors, while the others are only closed
by curtains. In a glass-case, which rests on two pillars, are
deposited the presents sent to the church, or to the Virgin:
among them are several splendid tokens of the munificence of
the Emperors of Russia and Austria, and the Venetian re
public. The ablulions and consecrations are performed with the
greatest ceremony : all the acolytes quit the chancel, and the
doors and curtains are carefully closed. It is impossible to
forbear participating in the pious sentiment which pervades
the congregation during the sacrifice. At the first elevation
one curtain is drawn aside, and the officiating priest appears
holding the chalice above his head; and at the second eleva
tion the. folding-doors suddenly open. It is impossible to
conceive the imposing effect produced by the holocaust and
the whole congregation prostrating themselves before the Su-

40 Travels in Montenegro,
preme Majesty. The communion is not the same as in the
Catholic church. The wafer is not employed, and the priest
makes use of unleavened bread, baked under the ashes of a fire,
kindled by the rays ofthe sun.
Festival-days are very frequent in the Greek church, and
particularly those consecrated to the Virgin Mary, whom all
the followers ofthe Greek ritual hold in great veneration. Thus
the principal apartment in every house is adorned with a figure
of the Madonna painted on a board, and on Sundays and fes
tival-days it is illuminated by a silver lamp. An oath taken
before this figure is rarely broken. Young women usually
swear by the Virgin to be faithful to their lovers^ and express
a hope that they may be sacrificed if they break their vow.
The extraordinary number of festival-days, together with the
sacra, or festival peculiar to each family, and those of the pa
tron saints, occupy a whole quarter of the year, and will, in the
end, prove essentially injurious to public morals, owing to the
bad use which is made of tbe rest of the day, after the fulfil
ment of holy duties. What singularly surprised me during
festival-days was a continued firing of musketry and ringing of
bells ; during divine service, however, the firing takes place at
a proper distance from the temple.
Young girls never go to church but twice a year, namely, at
Easter and Christmas. The women are separated from the
men in a railed gallery above the principal door, in that part
where the organ is usually fixed up in our churches. Men,
women, and children, stand from beginning to end ofthe cere
mony; the most rigid decorum prevails, and the congregation
seem almost immoy^dibXe. This is one of their religious pre
cepts ; the Greeks are extremely scrupulous on this point, and
two persons are seldom seen talking together at church.
Whenever I observed conversation I invariably found that it
was between two Frenchmen ; or some foreigner interrogating
a Greek, who was sure to reply in such a way as not to en
courage any further discourse. The Greek churches contain
neither organs nor ornaments of any kind that may tend to
divert the minds of the pious. In certain ceremonies great use is
made of tbe holy water, though there is not any particular vase
appropriated for containing it, as in the Catholic churches. But
how shall I describe the Greek mode of singing hymns? It is a
mere humming, and of the most discordant kind imaginable.
A very solemn ceremony of the Greek church is the blessing
of houses twice during the year ; once at the beginning of
spring and once in winter; which, corresponds with the festi
vals of Easter and Christmas. These are most important ce-
cemonies among the Montenegrines, as it is supposed that the

iL..,^n>n/^ (r/me^ CA^4/^A.

Religious Ceremonies. 41
prosperity or ruin ofthe house depends on the degree of fervour
with which the .act of benediction is performed. All tbe priests
of one parish or of one convent, dressed in their sacerdotal orna
ments, and followed by a thuriferary, a sacristan carrying holy
water, and the children ofthe choir, proceed to the bouses re
citing prayers as they go ; they sprinkle every apartment in the
house, from the cellar to the garret, the people always taking
care to throw some pieces of metal into the holy water.
The Montenegrines, as well as all other Greeks, entertain
a high respect for the dead. If, in digging a grave, they hap
pen to find any scattered bones, they collect them with the
greatest care, and deposit them in a hole, dug in the ground,
lined with stone-work, and covered with a wooden arch, in
the centre of which is an aperture for introducing the bones.
These tombs are situated near the churches, and are never ap
proached but with religious awe. It is no uncommon thing for
a person who may happen to have business in a direction
which would lead him to pass close to one of these monuments,
to go a hundred yards round about to avoid it. It is not now,
nor has it been for time immemorial, customary in any part of
Montenegro to bury the dead in churches. Light is accounted
the greatest ornament in the Greek church ; but the Montene
grines, in particular, attach the highest importance to it, and ima
gine that they honour the Deity more or less in proportion to
the number of wax-tapers they burn. This custom is of very
remote origin ; it is well known, that, among the Hebrews, fire
was accounted to have a divine origin ; the religious veneration
they entertained for that element, has been transmitted to the
modern Jews, who carefully keep lights in their synagogues.
The Egyptians, Babylonians, and Phoenicians, regarded fire
and water as the first of things; hence arose the use of both, in
nuptial and baptismal ceremonies, as the emblems of generation;
whilst, at funerals, they marked tbe imperishable nature of the
soul and its immortality. At Delphi and Athens, the fire
which had been used at sacrifices, was preserved with holy ve
neration ; the priests watched it, and would have been punished
with death, like the Roman vestals, if they had suffered it to
extinguish. It is strange that money should always be mingled with holy
things ; and that, in all religions, sordid speculations should
tarnish pious intentions. In civilized cities such anti-christian
practises are not very extraordinary ; but how could abuses of
this kind take root among the inaccessible mountains of Mon
tenegro ? The inhabitants are so constantly tormented by men
dicant monks, that no sooner has one been dismissed from the
threshold than another appears. '
Voyages and Travels, JVo. 3. Vol. IV. G

42 Travels Mi Montenegro.
Curates are permitted to matry ; a portiod ofland is assigned'
to them, and they cultivate it with the aid of their family ; they
areperfectpatterns of conjugal fidelity; they are suffered to eat
all kinds of food indiscriminately, but are subjected to frequent
fasts. The privilege of marrying, however, does not extend to
monks. The most rigid abstemiousness is imposed on the
latter. They eat no kind of animal food ; though some, oir
consideration of ill-health, obtain limited dispensations. The
Montenegrines have several Lents in the course of the year ;
and two very long ones are scrupulously observed. They
do not merely consist in abstaining from animal food, but also
from various other articles of subsistence ; these fasts are com
mon to both sexes. The Greek religion forbids the use of
frogs as being unclean animals, and a thousand absurd anec
dotes are related of them. Tbe Montenegrines, in particular,
regard them with the greatest horror, and treat with contempt
all who eat them, whatever religion they may profess. The
necessity of personal defence against the attacks of the Turks,
obliges the priests in those parts of Montenegro which border
on Turkey, to go constantly armed like the rest of the people.
Hence it has been alleged, that this is the general practice of
the Montenegrine priests ; an error which probably arose out
of the atrocious circumstance of a minister having, during
divine worship, shot one of his parishioners with a musket.
It is certainly true that such a crime was committed ; but,
instead of resembling this ferocious murderer, the Montene
grine priests regard him as a monster — an object driven
to insanity by the habit of intoxication. Another instance of
turpitude may be cited. A priest named Lazo, losing sight of
the venerable functions with which he was invested, for a long^
period excited discord and dissension among the people en
trusted to his care. But, from the crimes of a few, it is unfair
to draw inferences injurious to all.

CHAPTER XV.

Marriage among the Montenegrines. — Mutual Presents. —
Ceremonies. — Feasts.
In all nations of the known world, characteristic ceremonies
are attached to the three grand epochs of the life of man,
namely :— birth, marriage, and death. The ceremonies ob
served in Montenegro, on these occasions, are nearly similar
to those of the Servian Greeks, and those practised in Dal
matia, aad on the gulf of Cattaro-.

Marriage Ceremonies. 43
When a girl is sought in marriage by a young man residing
in a distant village, old people generally negociate between
them ; and it not unfrequently happens that the parties con
cerned never see each other until the affair is nearly concluded.
The father of the young man, or one of his nearest relations,
accompanied by two other persons, proceeds to the family with
whom he wishes to form a connection. All the daughters are
presented to him, and he himself chooses one, without caring
whether or not she may please her intended bridegroom. It
is, however, very seldom that a refusal takes place ; so little
attention is paid to situation, rank, or fortune, in these matters,
that it not unfrequently happens, that a rich Montenegrine
gives his daughter in marriage to a farmer, or even to a ser
vant. The person who comes to demand the girl in marriage,
after obtaining the parent's consent, conducts the bridegroom
to see her : as soon as they evince a mutual wish to be united,
tbe marriage is looked upon as concluded. It is not necessary
to draw up any contract ; a simple promise suffices, particu
larly, as a woman never brings any fortune to her husband
except her stock of clothes, &c. The priest goes to the house
of the bride as soon as her parents have consented to the
union. He shuts himself up with her in the most retired
apetrtment in the house, where he receives her general confes
sion, and grants her remission for all her sins, for the payment
of ten paras, (about a penny), which the parents give him,
on his assurance that she is fit for absolution. On the follow
ing day, the marriage is published in the church, with nearly
the same formalities as those observed by the catholics.
During the publication of the marriage, the relations of the
bride convey to the family of the bridegroom presents of corn,
a pot of milk, and a cake of maize, on which are stamped the
figures of a distaff, knitting-needles, and other emblems of fenlale
industry. This is a custom derived from the ancient Greeks,
among whom it was usual for the bridegroom's relations to
send to the bride the keys of her husband's house, accompa
nied by the distaff and spindle. With the Montenegrines, the
ears of corn denote the abundance, which, by dint of economy,
the wife will maintain in her husband's house; the milk ex
presses her mildness of temper ; and the cake marks the in
dustry which will render her worthy to superintend his family.
Ou the other hand, the young man's relations convey to the
bride's family a cake made of pure wheat and raisins, and if
the season permit, a few pots of the best wine, together with
some agricultural instruments, which are handed down from
father to son, to denote that the young man will prove indus
trious, and will honour the memory of Tiis forefathers, by using
G 2

44 Travels in Montenegro.
the instruments which procured them the means of living
comfortably aud happy.
On the first Christmas-day after the betrothing, both bride
and bridegroom invite all their relations and friends, who
assemble at the house of the bride's parents, whence the bride,
followed by a numerous retinue, proceeds to her husband's
house, where great rejoicing takes place. Her mother follows
her, carrying over her head a large veil or white handkerchief,
After receiving the blessing of her parents, the bride, thus
veiled, takes her place between her father-in-law aud the next
nearest relative of her husband, and proceeds to church fol
lowed by the bridegroom and all the retinue already men
tioned. At the door of the church they are met by the priest,
who sprinkles them with holy-water, and asks them a series of
whimsical questions. After several long prayers, he gives
them the nuptial benediction, which is followed by a very
tedious ceremony, accompanied by so many signs of the cross
that it is impossible to enumerate them. I have myself counted
as many as twenty-two signs, made in the short space of two
ininutes. The train of friends and relatives, joined by the
priest, then conduct the bride from church, amidst the firing
of musketry and the acclamations of the people who happen
to meet them by the way. She first proceeds to her father's
and then to her husband's house, where an abundant repast is
Erovided. She eats separately, at a small table with two of
er relations, and the whole afternoon is devoted to dances
and songs in honour of the wedding. At these festivals the
priest acts as master of the ceremonies ; he proclaims the
toasts that are to be drank in honour of the bride and bridor
groom, repeats the nuptial song-s, &c. The company soon
become animated, and a great noise usually ensues ; but the
whole passes off with the utmost order.
During these nuptial festivals, which last for several days,
the bride and bridegroom, accompanied by their friends,
parade regularly through the streets and roads leading to the
hamlets near the village in which they reside. This custom
does not arise out of ostentation, but is merely an act of pub
licity, necessary to ensure the legality of the contract.
Among the Montenegrines it would be reckoned a shameful
freedom for a woman to call her husband by his name in pub
lic during the first year of their marriage. A wife will even
scruple to do so when they are alone. The same reserve is
observed by husbands towards their wives. It sometimes
happens that the father, or the girl herself, refuses the person
who is proposed as her husband. In that case, the young
man, accompanied by some of his friends, proceeds to the

Ceremony of Adoption. 45
woman's house, and by force carry her to the priest, who
marries them for a trifling sum of money, in spite of every
protestation. If the betrothing takes place, and the nuptial
ring is given as a preliminary present, which is the common
practice ; and if, from any reason, the marriage is not solem
nized, the parties cannot enter into any other engagement
until the ring be restored. If a second person should ask the
bride in marriage, she must return the ring to her first suitor ;
but in case of his refusal to accept it, she has no alternative
but to continue single. If, on the other hand, a man who
has been betrothed wishes to marry another woman, he must
demand his ring, and if it be. refused, his marriage is sus
pended : no priest will perforni the ceremony, unless the ring
be produced and its identity proved. It frequently happens
that the refusal of the ring, by either party, is merely the effect
of spite. Hence arise scenes of dissension, in which the whole
family take part, and which often terminate in bloodshed.

z

CHAPTER XVI.

Of Adoption. — Of Intimate Connections, or the Fraternity of
Arms. — Of Divorce. — O/' Death, — Funerals.
According to Goar, adoption among the Greeks was a re
ligious ceremony accompanied by prayers. The child fell on
his knees before his adopted father, who pronounced the fol
lowing words : " You are my child ; I this day adopt you."
The same author adds, that the Greek church has very pro-
.perly admitted this rite, as adoption was authorised by the
Imperial laws. In Montenegro, however, no religious cere
mony accompanies the act. The Montenegrine, actuated by
pure benevolence, adopts a child because it is an unprotected
orphan, or because its parents have not the means of bringing
it up properly. If there happen to be several children of one
family, they are separated. It is sufficient to communicate the
circumstance to the Knes or the Curate. This simple cere
mony being observed, every one is eager to possess one ofthe
children. The adopting father, accompanied by several persons, con
ducts tlie child nome. On reaching the threshold of the door,
lie says: " I adopt you, for my heart tells me you are my
child. This house is yours, for all that is mine is yours ; may
nothing separate us till death." He places his hand on the
child's head as a token of protection, and kisses his forehead.
The child bows profoundly, kisses the hand of his adopting

46 Travels in Montenegro.
father; and placing his own hand on his heart, makes a
motion expressive of gratitude and affection. The adopting
father distributes to every one present, as well as to the child,
a coin, with a device similar to one which he keeps for himself.
These coins, at the death of the persons, are deposited in the
hands of the father ; and, when he dies, they are buried with him
in his coffin.
If there are no immense fortunes in Montenegro, there are
likewise no beggars. Mendicity, that scourge of refined
society, is not known here. Nobody is seen beg-ging except
monks, who lead that mode of life in fulfilment of their vows.
If the enmity of the Montenegrines be cruel and protracted,
their friendship is certainly inviolable ; they are sincere and
constant in their affections, and they frequently contract inti
mate connections, as they are termed. These connections are
entered into with great ceremony. Two friends appear at
church, attended only by their respective confidants ; they lay
their muskets across at the threshold of the principal door, and
make an invocation, calling heaven to witness the sincerity of
their intentions, A priest pronounces a blessing on their fire
arms, upon which they immediately raise them and hold them
across. They then lake each other by the right hand, place
the left on their hearts, and give the kiss of friendship. They
take a solemn oath to live and die for each other, and mutually
exchange arms ; on the death of either, the arms belong to
the survivor. The ceremony is concluded by a grand feast.
These friendships, which Goar, in his euchology of the Greeks,
calls unions, are not contracted as he describes in Montenegro.
He observes that the friends are blessed in church in presence
of the assembled congregation ; here only the arms are blessed ;
the number of friends is not limited ; two, three, or more, may
enter into the same engagement. It rarely happens that such
a friendship is violated ; it is proof against every trial. An
offence committed against one of the friends is common to all.
They literally live for each other's sakes.
In Montenegro a woman is not allowed to seek a divorce.
The husband presents a sum of money to the priest, Avho
assembles together the relations of both husband and wife,
and after delivering a long' account of the complaints which
the man prefers, judges biniself, without the concurrence of
any other tribunal, of the necessity and justice of the divorce.
All the ceremony observed in the dissolution of a marriage,
consists in presenting a flask of wine to the wife's relations,
who all drink by turns ; it is then presented to the husband,
who refuses to raise it to his lips, which is considered as a
proof that he persists in his intention of separating from his

Ideas of Death, — Funerals. 47
wife. The priest drinks the rest of the wine, and taking up
the woman's apron, he gives one end to her father or her
nearest relative, and the other to the husband's father ; he
cuts it in two with a sort of knife, kept for the purpose, and
pronounces with a loud voice the words, " Heaven has sepa
rated you."
The idea of death does not produce the same aweful sensa
tions on the Montenegrines as on the people of other countries.
They are wholly absorbed in sorrow at the thought of eternal
separation from their relations and friends. Thus, nothing
appears more incompatible than this strong attachment, and
the implacable resentment which sometimes urges them to
destroy their fellow-creatures.
When a Montenegrine dies, nothing is heard through the
house but moaning and lamentation. The women, in particular,
tear their hair and strike their bosoms in the most furious way
imaginable. The corpse is kept in the house for twenty-four
hours ; the face is uncovered, and it is perfumed with essences,
and strewed with flowers and aromatic shrubs, after the man
ner of the ancients. It must not be supposed that this is
merely an empty show of sorrow ; no, the grief of the Monte
negrines is vented in convulsive sobs, and heart-rending cries.
When the priest arrives, the lamentations of the femily are re
doubled ; and when the corpse is about to be removed from
the house, the relations whisper in its ear, giving it commis
sions to their departed friends in the other world. After
these singular addresses, the corpse, being lightly covered
with a napkin, with the face exposed, is carried to church.
On the way, women who are hired for the purpose sing songs,
narratiiig the history of the deceased's life. Before the
corpse is laid in the earth, the nearest relations tie a piece of
cake round the neck, and put in its hand a piece of money :
this is merely a continuation of the custom of the ancient
Greeks. During this ceremony, as well as on their way to
church, the weeping mourners thus apostrophize the deceased.
" Why did you leave your poor wife, who loved you so tenderly !
and your children, who were so obedient ! your flocks throve
well, and Heaven blessed all your undertakings,"
As soon as the funeral is concluded, the curate and all the
train of mourners return home, where a grand feas* is pre
pared. Bacchanalian songs are sung, and prayers offered up
in favour of the deceased. One of the guests makes an ora
tion, which usually draws tears from the whole assembly. He
is accompanied by three or four discordant monochords. The
men of Montenegro allow their beards to grow as a mark of
the women cover their heads with a blue or black

48 Travels in Montenegro.
handkerchief, for the first year after the deatli of a relative.
The women invariably repair, on every festival-day, to weep
on the tomb of their husband or children, and to strew it, with
fresh-gathered flowers. If, by chance, they should omit doing
so, they ask pardon of the deceased, and explain the reasons
which prevented them from fulfilling this pious duty.

CHAPTER XVIL

Superstition. — Popular Prejudices. — Of the Upper Mountains,
or Montenegrine Zenta.
It is painful to trace the lamentable consequences of the
ignorance and pusillanimity of half-civilized man, particularly
when, as in Montenegro, he is under the influence of priests
and monks, interested in holding him in that state of moral
imbecility which suits their owp purposes, No-where is the
belief in ghosts, magicians, and evil-spirits, so inveterate as in
Montenegro. The imaginations of the people are incessantly
haunted with phantoms, dreams, and forebodings ; but nothing
can equal the terror with which they are inspired by the bruco-
laques, or bodies of excommunicated persons, which are cast
away without burial. The ground where they lie is fatal ever
after ; no Montenegrine will venture to approach it ; and if
the spot should recur to their recollection, they fancy they are
pursued by ghosts. Others imagine they see the shades of
their forefathers hovering in the clouds above their heads ;
they speak to them in the silence of night, give them commis
sions to other deceased relatives, and think they are thus in
open communication with the other world.
When a Montenegrine dies from any unknown cause, whe
ther he is supposed to have died a natural death, or to have
fallen a victim to the vengeance of an enemy, his relations
have him proclaimed in every part of the village where they
reside, by three youths whose business it is to discharge this
office. It is only within a short period that the Montenegrines
and the Greeks, in general, have been in the habit of allowing
the dead to remain unburied for forty-eight hours. Ten years
ago, they were accustomed to bury eight or ten hours after
death. This practice proved the occasion of many humorous
resurrections. The following circumstance took place in 1813.
A man named Zanetto, returning home one evening in a
state of intoxication, threw himself on his bed, and was soon
seized with horrible convulsions. He continued for some time
perfectly motionless, and destitute of heat and respiration, and

Arrival at Comani. 49
tvas naturally supposed to be dead. In carrying him to
church, it was necessary to proceed by a very uneven road,
intersected with rocks and stones. The frequent jolting, occa
sioned by the irregular motion of the corpse-bearers, soon re
vived Zanetto, and starting up he pomed forth a volley of
abuse on the afflicted mourners. The bearers immediately
threw down the coffin and ran off, and the mourners fled to
the neighbouring village, were their strange story filled the
people with terror. The priests were the only persons who
remained with the coffin, and were ignorant of the real cause
of the confusion, until Zanetto thus addressed them. " Living
demons, you shall account for this : carry me back again in
stantly, or I'll throw you into the hole that has been dug for
me." The priests accordingly conveyed him back in his
coffin, with all due humility and patience.
During my visit to the convent of St. Basil, a numerous
deputation of the inhabitants of the Upper Mountains brought
me various presents, according to the custom of the country.
These presents consisted of twelve sheep-skins of the finest
wool, two Iambs, and two beautiful white goats, twelve cheeses,
a flask filled with hydromel, a gun, and a pair of pistols richly
ornamented with gold and mother-o'-pearl. I had not fore
seen this circumstance, and I had but few means of proving
my gratitude. I could not offer them money without offending
them, as they never receive it as a reward for voluntary atten
tions. I was totally destitute of any thing worth presenting
to them. I possessed nothing but a watch, a compass, a large
and small telescope, and a snuff-box inlaid with gold. The
three first articles were so necessary, that I could not possibly
think of parting with them, I presented my snuff-box and rny
pocket-telescope to the heads ofthe deputation ; and a ring of
trifling value, though exceedingly brilliant, to a priest who
was among the number, I never was more fortunate in per
forming an act of courtesy in my life : I received for these
paltry presents as many kisses on the hand as the most
coquettish Italian countess could wish to receive from all her
cavaglieri serventi.
We set out in the evening, in sufficient time to sleep at
Comani. The people were expecting us, and the principal
officers had ordered a stock of provisions for our use. On our
arrival, orders were given for fishing in the river of Schinizza.
In the evening I was called upon to decide a curious contest
respecting a hen which had been carried off from a barn-yard.
The farmer claimed it, and his neighbour refused to give it
up ; the mistake had apparently originated in the resemblance
of two hens, for each disputant referred to certain marks to
Voyages and Travels, JVo. 3. Vol. IF. H

50 Travels in Montenegro.
prove that the bird belonged to him. A wager of six Turkisllt
piastres was laid f and the farmer informed his neighbour that
if the dispute were decided in his favor, he would give him
tie hen on condition of his eating it without cooking it ; and,
added he, I will do the same should it prove to be yours.
The bargain was instantly agreed to. The hen was proved
to be the property of the farmer, and the person who had
detained it was condemned to pay the six piastres and to eat
the hen without cooking. He, however, contrived to eat it
cooked, bymeans ofthe following subterfuge, which would not
have disgraced the sophists of ancient Greece '. you told me,
said he, that I was to eat it without cooking it. That of course
did not imply that 1 was not to get it cooked by others. This
subtlety succeeded.
Next morning we departed about ten o'clock, and soon
arrived at Cliesopoli, which presents a striking contrast to the
country we had already passed through. The soil is fertilized
bythe waters of the Moraka and the Zetta, and the inhabitants,^
though more uncivilized, are much more industrious than
elsewhere, Cliesopoli is important for the number of its inha
bitants, and for its trade with Podgorrizza, I perceived in
the gardens abundance of the gazia plant : it is the species of
triacanthos. The sap which is obtained from it by means of
incision, produces an excellent gum, equal to the best Arabic.
The morning after our arrival we went to pay our respects to
the priest, who received me very kindly : in the course of our
conversation he related the following anecdote. An inhabitant
of Cliesopoli was unable to pay a debt, for which his creditor
was very importunate ; one of his friends, out of pity for his
misfortune, although he had no money, sold the only cow he
possessed, and immediately discharged the debt of his friend.
Many years passed away, during which the debtor grew rich,
but never thought of requiting his generous friend, who had
in his turn become poor. One day, as they were returning
from mass, the latter conjured him, if he wished to save him
from ruin, to repay the sum he had advanced. The debtor pre
tended that he had no money. Though this conversation was
maintained in a low tone, it happened to be overheard ; the
affair became public, and every one loudly condemned the
conduct of the ungrateful friend. He was forbidden to enter
the church for a year, and no person would associate with him.
The magistrate took no share whatever in this act of popular
justice ; it was the work of the citizens alone. At Cliesopoli
commences that long chain of Upper Mountains which run
parallel with the Schinizza as far as its source, and then, ex
tending as far as Lastovi, separate Montenegro almost into

The jilpper Mountains. ^
two equal parts. At Menussichi I lodged with a man named
Paolo Iranolicb, whose marked attentions towards me I could
not account for until he informed me that he was one of those
Montenegrines whose arms had been restored to them by my
orders, at CastelrNuovo. I may here mention a few particjulars,
which will confirm what I have before said of the gratitude of
the Montenegrine people. The commandants on the fiontiers
had for some time considered it necessary, as a measure of
safety, to compel the people to deposit their arms at the gates
of the towns which they might enter. As a Montenegrine is
never, even for 'a moment, without his arms, nothing could be
more irksome to them than this practice, against which they
loudly remonstrated. One day a party of Montenegrines pre
sented themselves at the gate of Castel-Nuovo, which I com
manded, and they were desired to leave their arms with the
soldiers on guard. They said they would rather not enter the
place than comply with the regulation. However, two of
the party left their arms, and came to me to beg that I would
allow them and their companions to enter armed, I con
sented, and told them that I would give orders that for
the future they should always enter armed. It is impossible
to describe the joy and gratitude these people expressed
for the confidence I reposed in them. The report of what
I had done was soon spread among the Montenegrines,
and to this proceeding I think I was iiidebted for the kindness
I experienced during my residence among them. We passed
rapidly through many villages and other places, until we ar
rived at Piessioni, where we were received by the ringing of
bells and a discharge of musketry. I was indebted for
this honour to the priest Jovevich, whom I had received with
marked distinction at Cattaro. During my stay here I was
constantly engaged in arranging my notes. The following
is the result of my observations; —
This important part of the Upper Mountains, which joins
Montenegro, contains many villages, the principal of which
are Cussi, Bielo, Pawluchi, Liesno, and Duboko. The two
last are the chief villages of the colony of the Ukoskis, a race
of people who emigrated from the territory of the Nicbshiech,
in Turkey, on account of the tyranny which was exercised
against them for their religion, Lagaras is also an important
commune on the Sussizza, at the entrance of a charming valley.
The principal products of this country are grain of all kinds,
and tobacco of a superior quality. Great numbers of cattle are
also fed here. The principal river is the Zetta, which rises at
the foot of the mountain of Piessiori, and joins the Moraka.
In the vicinitv of Podgorrizza the river Zetta abounds in trouts
' H2

52 Travels in Montenegro,
ofthe most delicate flavour ; it is not unusual for trout cajught
here to weigh from fifty to sixty pounds. The Sussizza is a
river of less magnitude, which has its source at the foot of the
mountain of Gratz, and falls into the Moraka, between the
communes of Budina and Spug. In Upper Maraccje there
is a large convent, and a magnificent church built aftei' the
design of Our Lady of Loretto; this church is the finest
building in the country. The political and judicial institutions
of Montenegro have been adopted in the Upper Mountains
since the unioii. between the two countries, which took place
about nineteen years ago. The inhabitants of the Upper
Mountains are in a state of greater servility than the people of
Montenegro ; and are also more completely enslaved by the
yokie of superstition. These wretched people would, on a fast-
day, assassinate any one without scruple, while they would
allow their throats to be cut rather than consent to eat food or
to suspend for a siii^le Saturday the homage .of light to the
image of the Virgin. They still place the most implicit faith
in the effects of excommunication. The ceremonies most
generally observed are those which precede and accompany the
festivals of Easter, and of Christmas. The custom of placing
a large blpck of wood in the fire on Christmas-eve is of very
ancient origin with them as Well as with us. They strip the
bark from apiece of wood about six feet long; it is then orna
mented with flowers and branches of laurel, and washed with
perfumes. The women, dressed in their finest clothes, place
it in the fire. Dancing and singing ensue; but these sports
are frequently interrupted, in order to observe the appearance
which the laurel-leaves assume when burnt, from which fore
bodings of good or bad fortune are derived.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Diseases— Physicians — Vaccination, SfC. — Continuation of Rer
marks on the singular Customs ef the Montenegrines, parr
ticularly in their Wars,
The mortality which prevails among their cattle is one of
the greatest calamities to which the Montenegrines are sub^
jected. But, in no case, not even in the absolute loss of
fortune, do they allow themselves to be reduced to despair.
This must not be attributed to insensibility ; it is because they
are exempt from that factitious uneasiness and false shame
which an unexpected reverse occasions in a more civilized
state of society: thus suicide is a crime never committed
among the Monteijegrines, Suicide is the vice or malady of

Departure frrnn Piessiori. 53
.civilized nations. The highest ambition and dearest wish of
the Montenegrines is, to die in their mutual combats, or
national expeditions. Should a father suspect the courage of
his son, or should he discover in him the least symptom of
timidity, he would load him with imprecations, and say con
temptuously: "Go wretch, you dishonour your family; you
will die in your bed." This is the strongest term of reproach
that can be used. It is a sentence that falls like a thunderbolt on
him against whom it is directed. There are no regular phy
sicians or surgeons in Montenegro; but certain peasants un
dertake, gratuitously, the cure of diseases. They use no
medicines, except juices extracted from particular plants, of
which they alone possess the secret. I had a long conversa
tion with two of these men, who, though quite ignorant of the
theory of medicine, did not reason badly on the causes of dis
ease. They were possessed of considerable information, the
result of long experience. Certain mountaineers also devote
themselves gratuitously to the cure of fractures and ruptures,
and to the practice of inoculation, which is managed here with
such skill and success, that there is scarcely any person to be
seen disfigured by the ravages of the small-pox. The vladika
had introduced vaccination previous to my arrival in Monte
negro, and he often discoursed with me on the subject before
the peasants, in order to afford me an opportunity of expres
sing my approbation of it, and expatiating upon its advan
tages. After many days' stay at Piessiori, I departed with my es
cort. After proceeding about four miles, we were overtaken
by a terrible storm of rain, which greatly retarded our pro
gress; and finding, at five o'clock in the evening, that it would
be impossible to reach the place of our destination that night,
we retreated to an old barn on tbe left of the road. Here
we made a fire and cooked our victuals. After the repast, our
conversation grew warm, and gave rise to a singular incident ;
to enable the reader to ut)derstand which, it will be necessary
for me to go back to a former period. Two months before I
set out on my travels (the 23d of August) the Montenegrines,
whose numbers amounted to 1,800, threatened the taking of
Cattaro. I received information of their design ; and, having
collected a force of 800 men, I occupied Mount Vermoz,
which commands all the country, and from whence I could
observe the least movement of the enemy. The Montene
grines, who knew the advantage of the post I occupied, soon
advanced to attack me ; but they were received by so warm
a firing, that they were obliged to retire precipitately. The
enemy again advanced, apparently with the intention of at
tacking me ; but my troops stood firm, and the Montenegrines,

54 Travels in Montenegro.
finally retreated, uttering the most dreadful imprecations.
Our conversation now happened to turn on the subject of the
above engagement, but it appeared that none of the escort
knew who commanded our troops on that occasion. One of
the speakers observed, that the commander was a colonel who
served under me at the time; I told him he was mistaken.
" It does not signify," replied he, " be the commander who
he may, he would have been beaten if we had attacked
him again. On hearing this, I could not remain silent. " I
know the commander," said I, " it was myself. Would to
God that you had returned to the charge ! My measures were
taken ; not one of you would have escaped." Upon this the
Montenegrine rose and advanced towards me. I rose also,
and when we were face to face, " Audacious man," said he,
" you are here in our power and you dare to brave us !" —
" What," replied I, " because you may dishonour yourself by
assassinating me, ought I to sacrifice my honour among peo
ple who so dearly prize their independence." — " Do you
forget that you are alone ?" retorted he. — " No ; but which of
you would commit a useless crime ? I can but die ; no matter
whether a little sooner or a little later. But see, I am with
out arms." Upon this the Montenegrine, embracing me, ex
claimed, " Brother, brother, your frankness pleases and ho
nours us. Why will so many of your countrymen still believe
that we are barbarians? May God preserve you!" The
spectators joined in the approbation which this man bestowed
oh me, and from that time they treated me with more respect
than ever, I slept soundly during the night, on some mantles
spread on the ground,' and in the morning the chiefs of the
escort of the Upper Mountains took leave of me with many
expressions of regret. We re-commenced our journey by a
very difficult route, and were obliged to cross many rapid
torrents; some of which flow during the whole of the year
and form beautiful cascades. The weather was fine, and my
escort amused themselves by relating to each other what they
had observed during their intercourse with the inhabitants of
the Upper Mountains, and comparing the habits of the latter
with their own, I took a share in this conversation, in the
hope of being able to obtain some information respecting their
manners and customs. The result of what I learned I shall
now detail.
In all countries, customs are derived from the wants of man
and from the nature of the soil and the climate. Many of the
customs of the Montenegrines differ completely from those of
the other nations by whom they are surrounded. I have al
ready observed, that, almost from the cradle, they receive the
arms they are destined to bear throughout their lives. When

Charactei- qf the Montenegrines. 55
the child is capable of using arms, his relations and friends
assemble to witness his skill in firing ; and when, after many
trials, he hits the mark, his father again placing the arms in his
hands, says : " Bring them back, or never again appear be
fore me." In war, the Montenegrines use neither horses nor
carriages : they sleep on the ground, and on rocks, uncovered
and exposed to aW the inclemencies of the weather, which
they endure without murmuring, and without experiencing
the least injury to their, health. As the country presents at
each step new and secure positions, they profit skilfully of
this advantage in carrying on defensive warfare ; and the
neighbouring countries so much resemble their own, that,
when they act on the offensive, they are enabled to advance
from rock to rock without being seen, until they come within
reach of the enemy. Their whole manoeuvring consists in
this, or in sudden, bold, and impetuous movements. Some
times, from a point where there appear to be only a few scat
tered sharp-shooters, a host of warriors will issue forth and over
whelm the astonished enemy. But these attacks are conducted
without order, judgment, or any sort of methodical arrange
ment. Having had an opportunity of observing the Montenegrines
for a long period, in all their different situations, and having
had frequent conversations with men of all classes among
them, I think I am enabled to form a correct opinion of their
character. They are cunning and passionate, but bold and
intrepid in combat. They are furious in revenge, and igno
rant and superstitious in religion. They are eager to obtain
information, but are amazingly credulous. In their dealings
they are interested, but very honest. They are kind and hos
pitable towards strangers who claim their protection, faithful
to their promises, constant in friendship, pious towards their
parents, strongly attached to their country, and jealous of their
independence. One of the most honourable traits in the
character of these people is, the profound veneration with
which they regard old age. When a young person perceives
an old man, he hastens towards him, kisses him on the breast,
and bows respectfully. The old man places his hand on the
head of the youth, and kisses him on the forehead. Into what
gross error have those persons fallen, who, without examina
tion, have described these people as little better than barba
rians and cannibals. The Montenegrines know too well the
bad opinion that many travellers have expressed respecting
them, and their pride is greatly offended by it. Conscious of
not having deserved this bad report, they seize every oppor
tunity of removing its ill effects by frequent explanations.

66 Travels in Montenegro.
CHAPTER XIX.
Conclusion of our Journey, — Arrival at Dobro. — Act and
Festival qf Reconciliation.
Having bad adieu to the inhabitants of the Upper Moun
tains, we proceeded towards the large village of Dobro. The
place is perceptible from a considerable distance, being
situated on a barren hill, which commands a view of Katun-
skanahia, and Rieska, together with the beautiful plain of
Cettigne, Montesello crowned with larch-trees, and the rivers
Segliante and Rocovezernovich. The inhabitants of Dobro
immediately came out to meet us, as soon as the first gun was
fired by our escort.
The houses, chapels, and churches which I visited, supplied
me with materials for observation.^ But one circumstance in
particular afforded me the greatest satisfaction. A festival, to
which the people of Montenegro attach the highest import
ance, was to have taken place seven or eight days before my
arrival ; and the vladika gave orders for its delay, in order
that I might have an opportunity of witnessing it. It cer
tainly well deserves a detailed description.
The passions of all people who live in a state of freedom
are vehement. They love with ardour ; but should any cause
arise to change that sentiment, their hatred is no less violent.
The Montenegrines are revengeful, and nothing effaces from
their hearts the recollection of an injury. If a man be killed,
all his- relatives wage open war against the family of the mur
derer, until some of them forfeit their lives. Nothing satiates
their rage until blood is shed; and sometimes blood merely
adds fuel to the flame. Thus a vast field is open to all sorts
of attacks and recriminations. Revenge is transmitted from
father to son ; and after a long series of crimes on both sides,
it is only terminated by the payment of a fine ; the amount of
which is decreed according to the rank and number of the
victims. These fines are paid either in money, household
utensils, gold and silver trinkets, or valuable arms. The forms
which accompany these payments, and which are intended to
ensure the inviolability of the reconciliation, occasionally be
come the object of grand public ceremonies, which engross
the attention of the whole country, and excite the curiosity of
the most indifferent. These ceremonies are attended with
vast expence, and are therefore only accessible by the rich.
When two families, who, for a long period, have cherished
resentment, resolve to become friends, they solicit the convo
cation of a Kmeti, (a special tribunal) consisting of twenty-

Ceremony of a Reconciliation. 57
four old men of note, twelve of whom are chosen by each
family. The curate of the village of the person who has been
last attacked, or some other distinguished individual of the
place, is appointed the president ofthe kmeti, and it is his
duty to count the votes, if they be divided ; but this rarely
happens, for the affair is generally discussed and the result
decided before-hand. On the day of the convocation of the
kmeti, a solemn fast is observed. Flags are seen flying round
the church, and the bells ring incessantly; but it is remark'-
able, that on these occasions not a single musket is fired, until
the whole ceremony is concluded. The kmeti assembles one
hour after mass, to calculate the blood that has been shed.
They estimate a wound, which is termed a blood, at ten se
quins ; the death of a man, which is styled a head, is equiva
lent to ten wounds, and consequently to a hundred sequins ;
the head of a priest, or of the chief of a commune, is valued
at the rate of seven times higher than that of any other person.
This sort of estimates have existed from time immemorial,
though they are now occasionally altered by the mutual agree
ment of the parties. On the fines being paid, tbe kmiti has
the privilege of retaining forty sequins; but they are gene
rally restored to the party who paid them. After making a
correct estimate of the fines, the kmeti communicates uie
result to the parties concerned, who themselves fix the day
for the ceremony. They give notice to their neighbours and
friends, so that they may make the necessary preparations for
appearing in their best attire. Finally, the day, the hour, and
the place for the sanctioning of the public sentence are de
cided on. It is, however, necessary to give notice of the circum
stance to the vladika, or the governor, who frequently attends
in person, accompanied by a numerous retinue.
On the day announced for the payment of the fines, the
clerk of the kmeti sends twelve children at the breast, carried
in their nurses' arms, to the door of the person offended. Each
child is provided with a little handkerchief; they knock at
the door, and, by dint of their innocence, they are supposed ta
soften the indignation of the offended party ; who, after having"
for some time resisted their cries, at length opens the door,
and receives the handkerchiefs. A solemn mass is performed,
accompanied by a fast, a display of flags, and a ringing of
bells, as before. On leaving mass, the twenty-four members
of the kmeti assemble at the appointed place, which is usu
ally some enclosed spot near the> convent or church of the
village of the offended pa^ty, who makes his appearance, ac*-
companied by all his relations, and preceded by the papa.
At the extremity of the enclosure, they range themselves in a
Voyages and Travels, JVo. 3. Vol. IV. I

58 Travels in Montenegro.
large semi-circle, separated from the multitude; and within
tj(ie boundary the mesabere of the km&ti take their places.
The aggressor, attended by bis nearest rel^ives, now appears
on, his knees, 9X the entrance of tbe enclosure, carrying, sus
pended from his neck, the weapon with which tbe last murder
was committed ; he advances, crawling on his hands and
knees« and stations himself before the kmeti. The papa then
unties the murderous weapon, and throws it to as great a dis-
sance as he is able, and tbe spectators snatch it up and break
it in pieces. The criminal, addressing himself to the tribunal,
declares his readiness to submit to its decision : he then turns
to his adversary, and asks him whether he renounces ven
geance and enmity. Meanvi^bile, the offended person looks up
to heaven, weeps, hesitates, and sighs ; bis mind seems agi
tated by a thousand various sentiments. The friends of both
parties^ urge a reconciliation ; they seem to dread the refusal
Tvhich the offended party still has the power of pronouncing,
and tbe uaost distinguiished persons of the assembly gather
round him. After a few moments entreaty, they leave him
to bis own reflections ; while the aggressor, still in the humble
pasture before described, dares not rake his eyes for fear of
^ncoui^terii^g a reproachful glance.
Amidst thist pirofound silence, a priest advances to the of
fended person, and raising his band, points to heaven, without
ijittering a single word. His heart instantly relents, and his
anger vanishes ; with one hand he raises his prostrate enemy,
and with the other points to heaven, exclaiming :—" Great
God, bear witness that I forgive him." The two enemies
then mutually embrace, and the air resounds witb tbe accla
mations of the spectators. The person who has thus pardoned
his enemy, pronounces, in a loud tone of voice, in the pre
sence of the kmeti, a formal oath that he renounces all re
sentment and all his rights of vengeance.
In 4 few moments, the kmeti and the relations of both
parties, headed by the two new friends, proceed to the house
of the aggressor, where a grand feast is prepared, consisting
of maize-cakes, cheese, honey, and a profusion of meat of
various kinds, together with brandy and wine. It is generally
on these occasions that sheep, pigs, and even bullocks are
roasted whole in the open air. All the relatives and friends
of the parties, and even all chance-passengers, have a rig-ht
to. partake of the feast, for which an extensive piece of groundi
is. selectedi The utmost cheerfulness prevails among the as-^
sembled multitude, and the banquet is enlivened by heroic
songs and natiotial dances.
The fines previously agreed on are paid while the guests

Montenegrine Mode (f Fishing. 59
are at table ; the money, gold, and jewels, are deposited iu a
large basin, and the larger articles are presented by the hand.
Sometimes the offended party is generous enough to decline
receiving them. In course of the ceremony, a duplicate-copy
of the sentence is written out on one piece of paper, and it is
presented to the curate, in order that he may deliver a copy to
each party. The sheet of paper on which the sentence is
written, is divided into two pages, to each of which are affixed
the ends of a piece of cord, having a very thin Turkish coin
fastened in the middle of it : the curate or president cuts tbe
coin into two equal parts, and then separates the two pages,
so that each has one half of the coin attached to it, as a proof
of its identity. An instance never occurs of these reconcilia
tions being broken ; the same families may be engaged in
fresh quarrels, but any that may have taken place previous to
this formal decision is never renewed.
This individual reconciliation produces a general agree
ment throughout all the members of both families ; and the
agreement is ratified by mutual oaths, which among the Mon
tenegrines are held strictly inviolable.

CHAPTER XX.

Amusements qf the Montenegrines. — Fishing. — Arrival at
Cettigne. — Cantharides.
I HAD hoped to find the bishop at Dobro ; but, as the fish
ing season bad set in, he had departed to visit the banks of
the Schinizza and the Ricovezernovich. I was informed that
in the evening he was expected at Cesini, and I resolved to
proceed thither, lest I should lose the opportunity of seeing
nim. We left Dobro the day after the ceremony of the recon
ciliation. It was late in the evening when we reached Ce
sini, where we found the bishop, who received me with every
demonstration of joy.
During the evening our conversation turned on fishing.
The rivers above-mentioned are abundantly stocked with fiSi
of every sort; but particularly by a species called by the
natives Scuranzza. It is a small white fish, in size something
between the pilchard and the herring : it comes up from the
Lake of Scutari, twice a-year, in vast abundance, and forms
an important article of trade for the inhabitants. On the day
after our arrival the bishop invited us to joiii the fishing
party. The Montenegrine mode of fishing is extremely cu
rious, and is above all remarkable for the religious cereinotiim
I 2

.60 Travels in Montenegro,
which accompany it : nothing can more strongly prove the
superstition'of the people.
JDuring the fishing season a species of crow, resembling the
sea-gull, appears in great numbers on the banks of the
rivers: these bird>3, which are employed in fishing, are held
sacred by the Montenegrines, and woe be to him who should
by any accident happen to kill one of them. The fishermen,
priests, &c. proceed to those parts of the river where the fish
are supposed to be most abundant, where, solemn prayers are
offered up for the favour of Heaven. The fishermen place
iishing-nets and baskets, resting on reeds, on the edges of the
river, along the whole space occupied by the fshing-birds,
which are perched on the trees and neighbouring rocks. The
fishermen then scatter on the surface of the river grains of
corn, and other seed, mixed with honey: the fish dart up
wards to catch the bait, and immediately the birds pounce
upon them. The fish, alarmed at the sight of their enemies,
take refugie in the nets, which, in a few moments are abun
dantly filled, and the fishermen empty them into barrels pro
vided for the purpose. These operations are continued h^^urly
for the space of fifteen or twenty days.
Finally, on the la^t day of the fishing, which only termi-
fiates with the disappearance of the fish and the departure of
f:he birds, parties, consisting of tnep, women, and children,
assemble on the banks of the river, and the fish are abun
dantly distributed among them. Every one carries provisions
'jalong with them ; dancing and singing are prolonged until a
late liQur in the night, and fires are kindled. Independantly
pf fiiah being an important article of trade among the Monte-
pegrines, it is consumed by themselves in great quantities, on
account of th^ roapy |lays on which they are forbidden to eat
flesh. '
We remained only three days with the fishing party ; had I
been master of my time I shpuld certainly have staid much
longer. We proceeded up the banks of the river, which, in
some places, is so extremely narrow as to be almost imper
ceptible: fioiu^tiiiies it appears tq be buried in the bosom of
.the earth, and at other times it works its way across inacces
sible rocksf The whole pf the left bank is bordered with
beautiful pastures, gardens, and plantations of lime-trees.
We crossed the riyer by a wretched bridge, formed of trunks
of trees, resting pn two high points of rock, and in a qqarter
of an hour after wp perceived Cettigne on our right.
In the evening we reached Cettign^, where we were ex
pected, and where we experienced the warmest reception,
r^houg^h the vladika was not at the mo|iastery.; he did not

fe

Cettigne. 61
an'ive until next day. As we advanced, our astonishment
was excited by innumerable rays of light, which, with the ra
pidity of lightning, described circles rising up, as it were, be
neath our feet, and diverging in every direction. The natives
appeared much amused at the surprise we manifested. From
the celerity of the motion of the light, and the similitude of
its form, I concluded that it must be produced by winged in
sects. It turned out to be a species of cantharides or Spanish
fly, which shines in the dark with so much brilliancy as to
produce the effect of fire-works.
Cettigne is situated on a square plain. Though the soil is
not very fertile, it answers very well for the grazing of cattle.
This place produces great quantities of cheese ; and, on ac
count of its population, extent, and situation, (for it lies in the
very centre of the state) it is regarded as the capital of Mon
tenegro. It has been the constant residence of the vladika,
since the time of Ivan Czernovich, vvho for a long period
made it his abode. Like him the present vladika, who may
justly be styled the father of his people, declined inhabiting
a stately palace, or offending the faithful by a life of luxury
unworthy the fathers of the church. The pomp of his equi
pages is reduced to a single mule ; and his dwelling, furniture,
and dress, are as humble as his manners. The convent in
which he resides is a building of moderate size ; it is remark
able for being surrounded by a thick wall with loop-holes,
which gives it the appearance of a little fortress. One wing
of the building is set aside for the accommodation of travel
lers, and is furnished with every convenience. The table is
served in a style of abundance; and though the vladika, like
all other ecclesiastics, is prohibited from eating flesh, yet all
jsorts of meat are provided for strangers. The church is beau
tiful and well lighted ; it contains an abundance of rich offer
ings, which have been found to be useful resources in cases of
emergency.

CHAPTER XXL
The Vladika, or Bishop qf Montenegro.
Peter Petrovioh, the Vladika of Montenegro, is a native
of Gnegussi, and is now about sixty-five years of age (1813).
He is tall, well-made, wears a long beard, and altogether has
an air of dignity which commands respect. He is affable and
polite ; and not only charitable, but truly hospitable towards
all who visit him, whatever religion they may profess. He
understands Italian, German, and Russian, and knows some-

C2 Travels in Montenegro.
thing of English and a little of French. He constantly
speaks the Illyrian language. Having passed through all the
orders of the church, in the year 1777 he was anointed
bishop at Carlovich, under the"^ protection of Joseph 11.,^ by a
Greek Servian bishop of Hungary : he was then only thirty
years of age. At an early period of life he travelled through
all the principal cities of Europe. At Vienna the emperor
loaded him with presents ; from thence he proceeded to St.
Petersburgh, where he became acquainted with the Abbe
Francis Dobrotowich, known by the name of Dolci, a dis
tinguished literary character, whom the bishop took with him
in the quality of secretary to Montenegro. The prelate also
became connected with Count Zwanovich ; but all three hav
ing incurred the suspicion of the police of St, Petersburgh,
were accused of plots, and banished from Russia. The vladika,
however, subsequently returned to justify his character, and
the emperor being perfectly satisfied of his innocence, created
faim a member of the grand synod, and invested him with
the orders of St. Anne and St. Alexander Newsky.
The dress of the vladika is nearly the same as that worn
by thCiEastern Greek priests. It consists of a crimson dal-
matick, fastened down to the feet by gold clasps : it is con
fined round the waist by a long piece of azure or black velvet,
ornamented with diamonds, and embroidered with gold. Over
the dalmatick, which has long full sleeves, is worn a simar
with sleeves reaching only to the middle of the arm. The
simar is either of violet-colour or black satin, according to
the importance of the ceremony. The vladika wears on his
head a black velvet-cap, ornamented in front with a diamond-
cross : on the crown is fastened a large veil of lace, or any other
white transparent stuff, which hangs down on the shoulders,
ornamented with large gold acorns. The episcopal cross, set
with brilliants, is suspended from his neck by a gold-chain
which reaches nearly to the waist. He also wears the cross
of St. Anne of Russia, set with diamonds. An ebony-cane
and a valuable ring are the distinctive marks of his episcopal
dignity. On his left hand he wears another ring, which shews
him to be a member of the synod of St. Petersburgh.
Four archimandrites, that is to say, heads of convents, who
are the brothers or nephews of the bishop, constitute the epis
copal court, independently of the principal monks of the con
vent where the bishop resides. The brothers and nephews of
the bishop have no distinction in their dress, except a spencer
of embroidered black velvet, like those worn by the primates
and the knes : all assist at the council, though they exercise
no authority whatever.

^A& 0'XaeiUAay,or(:^e,^^;^,

The Vladika. 63
The vladika maintains his household on the produce of his
own private domains ; his revenue consists of corn, cattle, and
fish, and its value amounts to about three thousand gold se
quins. For some time past, bis income has been increased by
a grant from the Russian court. He is also possessed of con
siderable treasures : for the Czars of Russia have at various
times sent to his church magnificent presents of jewels, gold,
and silver. The court of Vienna has also occasionally added to
the treasures of the bishop ; and whilst the Venetian republie
flourished, he made frequent visits to that power, and never
returned without valuable presents.
The period of the first institution of the bishopric of Monte
negro is a matter of great uncertainty. The bishop must be
anointed by the Patriarch of Pech, the head of the Servian
Greek religion. He is elected by the monks of the convents
of St. Basil and Cettigne. This election bas, for a long pe
riod, been in favour of individuals of the same family : the
reigr' j vladika, as well as his predecessor, is a descendant of
the Petreviches.
The Bishop of Montenegro takes the title of Scandaria pri-
maria, that is to say, Archbishop of Montenegro, Albania, and
the countries situated on the sea-coast; including the mouths
of the Cattaro, and the Cadilicks of Antivari and Dulcigno.
This ecclesiastical prince has always shewn a strong disposi
tion to take part in the political events of his age. At the fall
of the Venetian republic, he adroitly rendered himself master
of Budua, in July 1797. Finding, however, that he could
not advantageously contend against the Austrian power, he
surrendered the place to the German general, who arrived to
take possession of it, in the name of his sovereign.
He subsequently took Miraz. This village, which had for
merly belonged to the Venetian government, yielded to the
Montenegrine yoke on the instigation of the bishop, who had
long been eager to possess it. It had been assigned by the
republic as a portion to the Catholic Bishop of Cattaro, who,
in consequence, took the title of Count of Miraz. In 1804, the
vladika was accused of corresponding with the French, who
were then meditating the conquest of Dalmatia, It was about
this period that the counsellor-of-state Sankoski prevailed on
the Montenegrines to swear allegiance to the Emperor Alex
ander, for whom they now entertain not only respect, but
sentiments of sincere affection. This predilection for the
Russian power is owing not merely to the religion^ which the
Montenegrines profess in common with tbe Russians, but also
to their national habits and tastes. Indeed, it is impossible to
imagine a greater similarity between two nations, situated at

64* Travels in Montenegro.
such a distance from each other. The Russian dei^orations
granted to the vladika, together with the titles and honours
conferred on distinguished Montenegrines, of whom several
have visited the court of St. Petersburgh, have contributed,
no less than the circumstances above-mentioned, to attach the
people to Russia.
The vladika relies so entirely on his policy, that, while he
is at war with the Turks, he does not seem at all anxious to
preserve friendly terms with his other neighbours. We have
seen him overwhelmed with the favours of Paul I. and court
ing the protection of Russia, while at the same time, when
the Illyrian provinces were in the power of the Germans, he
did not scruple to hint to the court of Vienna that he was
ready to yield to its dominion. In spite of all his demonstra
tions of friendship, the vladika incessantly continued to dis
turb the tranquillity of the Province of Cattaro, under the
Austrian government, (in 1806) by disputes respecting terri
torial boundaries, &c. It may also be remarked, that in all
the convulsions which have agitated Europe, since the period
of the French revolution, the Montenegrine bishop has con
stantly endeavoured to gain possession of the countries along
the coast. It will naturally be supposed that, in my conversa
tions with the vladika, I was cautious not to pronounce any
opinion on these delicate matters: besides, considering tbe
candour and sincerity with which he acknowledged all his
political manoeuvring, I could not with very good grace have
assumed the tone of irony or reproach.
It must certainly be .confessed, that the Montenegrine
bishop had little cause to hesitate in his choice between
Ausj:ria and Russia. Conformity of religion operated power
fully in favour of the latter. Had the vladika preferred serv
ing the interests of the German emperor, he would soon have
been tormented by the clergy of Vienna, who would have
made him feel the effects of their supremacy, and perhaps
have compelled him to adopt the Roman Catholic faith. Be
sides, the independence of Montenegro must have been more
endangered by the immediate neighbourhood of the Austrian
troops, than by the distant position of the Russian power,
which can never make a hostile movement without the whole
country being prepared to oppose it. These considerations
must have influenced the decision of the vladika.
Nothing is more amusing than to observe the air of stupid
astonishment with which these simple and unpolished ipoun-
taineers gaze on their vladika on festival-days, when he wears
a cap composed almost entirely of gold, and is covered with
Russian orders and ribbands. They surround and follow him.

The Vladika^ 65
atid seem to ask each other if it is possible he can be One of
their countrymen, an inhabitant of their poor rocks, a monk of
the monastery of St. Basil ? But it must be confessed that in
this respect nations, more civilized, are not much wiser* On
this point, perhaps, the Montenegrine bishop thought it neces
sary to sacrifice his own taste to that pf the general practice of
his equals in other countries. Should the reader be siirprised
that I dwell thus long on the character of the Montenegrine
prelate, I beg to observe that, since the accession of the pre
sent bishop to the clerical throne, a universal change bas t^ken
place. The governor is now only a secondary agent, without
influence, power, or any other prerogatives than mere external
honours. Every thing is executed by the order of the vladika,
and nothing without him.
The desire manifested by the vladika, for the augmenta
tion of his power, is not, however, so very extraordinary, or re
prehensible, considering the present institutions of Europe^
which are no longer governed by the strict principles of
Christianity. However, no one thinks of calling in. question the temporal
power ofthe Montenegrine vladika. He uses his authority with
all the moderation that can be expected, and people revere^
love, and obey him.

CHAPTER XXII,

Political System qf the Vladika, or Bishop of thb
Montenegrines.
One morning early the vladika^ or bishop, came to my apart^
ment, with more than his usual earnestness of manner. " Do'
you know the news ?" said he. — " What news, my Lord ?" an
swered I.-—" Why," replied he, " the French are going to invade
Russia; and I am sorry for it, for I have really a regard for
you ; but all our desires and hopes are directed towards Rus-i
sia, and I foresee that your enterprize will be your ruin." — ¦" But
how can such a thing be, my Lord ? how can that be known
aiUtong the mountains in the interior of the country of which
we should be ignorant down on the coast? The Russian
squadron in the bay of Cattaro has received no late orders 3
the commander and I are om the very best terms together;
no act whatever seems to indicate the slightest misunderstand
ing between the two courts !"-— ^" The information has reached
me," said the bishop, " in a private way." — " In that case
I have nothing to say ; I have only to make haste back to my
Voyages and Travels, Xo. :^, Vol. IV. K

66 Travels in Mbnteriegro.
post." — " No, no, no such hurry: <vhat I have mentiotied is dt^ly
a project, and projects of that kind are not so quickly exe
cuted. But to speak fratikly, you Frenchmen understand
nothing in the madagemdiit of great public affairs in yOur
dealings with other states," — " PardOh me, my Lord ; 'hOiie^ty
is always between nations the best policy: by it the true ih-
terests of each are duly considered and respected : by'it dura
ble harmony is established and maintained," — " Right, my
friend; so it ought to be: but what is the conduct of tnore
coiirts than one in Europe now-a-days? Were we to judge
by their practice We should conceive modern politics to consiBt
in the art Of divertiiig the attention, or betraying the confi
dence Of a prince, iti order to concert our plans for seizing the
most valuable portion of his dominions, or by false pretences
to bebuitlb bis preparations for defence : by specious projects
to disarm his suspicions : to entangle him probably in some
speculation by which our secret schemes shall be prottiOfed,
and that at his own expence. The policy of these days is ih
fact only the school of delusion, in which is taught a system of
deception and trick." — " Alas 1 my Lord, all this is but too
trUe, as my own experience has shown to me : hence empires
haVe been Overthrown ; taations have been ruined ; the world
has been brought into confusion. Were all people, who have
a right to look up to their sovereigns for an example of political
conduct, to tread in the steps of my countrymen of France,
what would soon be their portion ? would it not be precisely
what we have experienced ? we of France by turns the inno
cent cause and the suffering object — the enthusiastic agent and
the deplorable victim. What have princes not to answer
for, who do not labour, by the probity and uprightness of their
intercourse with other nations, and by the wisdom, justice, aod
beneficence of their administration at home, to prevent the ap
proach of such disasters?" — " This is a siibject," rejoined ' thte
vladika,' squeezing rny hand, " on which we might expatiate for
ever: blitasforiis Montenegrines, who occupy but a point,
as it were, On ihe globe,. we conduct our political differences
just as differences are settled in private families."
In this way continued for two hours my conversation with
the bishop, who, nevertheless, expects to treat with other
powers as the chief of a state of importance in Europe. He has
his own system Of policy, his agents, and his envoys. They are
not, it is true, invested with external poitap ; they have no trea
sures at their command ; they seldom traverse distant reg'rolis,
to negOciate for a contemptiHe nook of land, the abode of
slavery and wi-etchedness. No; the envoys of Mobf^negro,
carryiug with them aOiorserof bread baked tknder the ashes.

Political System, Sfc, 67.
withojut parade, without attendants, without unnecessary ex-
pence, undertake and accomplish their embassies with the se
vere air and manners of ancient Lacedemon. Yet the objects
of their mission are of intrinsic, not imaginary importance.
Whatever relates to individual property, to the territory, the
independence and security of the state, is entrusted to their ne
gotiation. Such are the practices, such are the principles fos
tered and maintained by the vladika. At the head of a people
still little removed from the simplest ideas of society ; his ain-
bition, prompted and directed by his love for his flock, much
more than by a regard to his personal interests ; a man of slerl-
iog common sense, possessing complete authority over a race,
of men, not less independent in mind than intrepid in action ;
uo project does he form which he is unable to achieve. In
his intercourse with those ou whose friendship he cannot fully
rely, his conduct is extremely guarded, perhaps artful; but uo
sooner is the business arranged than hi^ demeanour is marked
by candour and frankness.
Zealously attached to the Greek system of Christianity, it is
pot surprising that the Montenegrines should turn their eyes for
protection to that prince who is at the bead ofthe professors of
the same system. By his relation with the government of
Turkey, the Emperor of Russia may render them important
services; while, by his local situation, and other circumstances, it
is out of his power to do them any injury.
In the course of a conversation one day with the bishop, re
lative to the situation of his people with respect to their neigh
bours of other states, he furnished me with the following infor
mation : —
" In our relations with the adjoining states our attention is
principally, indeed necessarily, drawn to our southern neigh
bours the Albanians, the country now under the rod of Ali
Pasha. — Albania is divided intp two regions — the mountains of
the interior, and the plains along the Adriatic. The Christian
population comprehends both the Greek and the Latin or Ro
man churches. The lattei^ have always preserved their alle
giance to whatever sovereign may rule among them. The
Greeks of the coast-districts, without openly declaring them
selves rebels, have nevertheless been less steady in their
fidelity. They are certainly disposed to favour the Emperor
of Russia, who professes their religion ; but being devoted to
trade and sea-alfairs, a sense of interest restrains them from a
public manifestation of their inclinations. Those of the Greek
chgrch who inhabit the mountainous region are of doubtful al
legiance to the Porte; because they have neither trade nor any
other superior interest to balance their aversion to the Turkish
K2

g8 Travels in Montenegro.
sway. In this diversity of character, their religious system
has a material influence; for among the multitude it is still
contaminated by the prejudices and errors ofthe dark ages.
Attached to their religion with sentiments of superstition
rather than of devotion, they reject decidedly whatever opi
nions or practices differ from their own; and yet externally
they profess the principles of toleration. Such was the ge
neral statement of the vladika.
The nature and character of the Montenegrines were per
fectly understood by the Venetian government : no inhabitant
of the mountains was therefore ever suffered to settle in their
province of Cattaro ; not even to pass the night in it, without
a special permission from the local government, on the secu
rity of some of the Venetian inhabitants. No Greek church
could be built within their bounds, without the consent of the
senate ; nor could the Greek bishop exercise but a very re
stricted portion of his spiritual authority. In accordance with
the same religious attachments has been the conduct of Russia,
which has long been in the habit of distributing presents
among the Montenegrine clergy. Natives of the country,
induced to enter into the Russian army, have been promoted
with extraordinary favour. Titles and money have been
plentifully bestowed on the bishop. These, and other marks
of predilection, from the haijd of the autocrate of the north,
have produced the intended effect on the unsophisticated and
ardent minds of the Montenegrines, The fall of the antique
and powerful republic of Venice, in 1797, exposed the pro
vince of Cattaro to the gTeatest danger. The Bishop of Mon-
Jenegro employed every art to engage his people to open their
arms to the Russians. He laboured to gain the Venetian
towns of Zuppa and Castel-Nuovo, both of the Greek church.
But neither ventured to declare in his favour. He took there
fore the resolution to declare himself and his people united to
the Russian empire. From that hour he assumed episcopal
fiowers over the Greek churches not within his own territory ;
le announced himself to be autokephalos, or episcopal chief;
fit the same time that he professed submission to the Greek
patriarch in Hungary. Availing himself of every method to
enlarge his authority and influence, the bishop or vladika
impressed on the minds of the Greeks of Albania, that their
country also ought to be placed under the protection of Rus
sia. By his skilful management be acquired possession of
several fortresses of the former Venetian government; and
from that of,' Stagnevich, where he now passes the winter, he
maintains his preponderance overall the surrounding districts.
This was the state of affairs in 1797, when, on the 1st of

Political System, SfC. 69
August, appeared in the bay of Cattaro a Russian squadron,
commanded by Rukawina, who loaded the bishop with his
attentions, and caressed or neglected the principal people of
the country, in proportion as they were the supporters or
the opponents of the vladika.
Soon afterwards the bishop was invested with the emblems
of an illustrious Russian order of knighthood ; and the Rus-f
sian ffag was solemnly displayed from the walls of Stagnevich.
By their local position and their religion, the Montenegrines
and the Turks mutually detest each other : the same feeling,
and for the same reasons, animates the Russians and the Turks.
Hence the importance of Montenegro to Russia, which is able
by that aperture to threaten, if not to harass, Turkey, on all
her European frontier. Hence, in 1805, the Montenegrines
zealously supported the Russians against tbp French, from
whom they had nothing to expect, but much, as they thought,
to fear for their religion, their commerce, Knd their inde
pendence. During the reign of Britain over the Mediterranean, the
commerce of the Adriatic could with great difficulty be car
ried on; the French armies in that i quarter were therefore
reduced to the greatest distress for provisions. The soil and
the climate of Dalmatia are alike favourable to the raising of
corn ; but from the mountainous nature of the country, all
the land applicable to cultivation will not furnish a supply for
five months in the year. In this state it became advisable to
endeavour to engage the Montenegrines to furnish some
supplies in the markets of the province of Cattaro, Notwith
standing their hostile prejudices, the sense of interest quickly
attracted abundance of necessaries. The women first appeared
alone ; but by their report of the good treatment received
from the French, the men also were induced to make their
appearance in the markets. This happy state of matters con
tinued without interruption until March 1809, when the
French troops were withdrawn for a distant service, and other
troops, not French by birth, took their place. Without in
tending the slightest reflection on those corps, it may be ad
mitted that several ofthe Italian soldiers conducted themselves
so improperly, with respect to the Montenegrines, as to excite
the bitterest hatred ; and the result was, that several of their
own officers, although wholly innocent, were cruelly mas-
jsacred.

[ 70 3
CHAPTER XXIII.
Trade. — Quarrels. — Pacification.
Were it even in my power I would not here specify the
various and multiplied acts practised by the Italian soldiers in
the French service, on the ignorant and unsuspecting moun-
taineers> who reported their injuries to the bishop. Gross fraud,
and every artful theft in dealing with them, roused all the
ancient animosities against the Italians; animosities which the
bishop restrained, until he should be ready to inflict the merited
punishment, naturally hastened on by misconduct of a still
more injurious kind.
On the 6th of August, 1809, several Montenegrines, who
had come into Cattaro on the market-day, were drinking in
the neighbourhood ofthe market-place. Two Italian soldiers
went into their company, and saying in the country language,
dobro jutro brate (good morning, brother) laid hold of the
moustacbio of one of the Blon tenegrines. Jealous of the
honour of his face, the mountaineer answered by firing his
pistol at the soldier, but missed him, and instantly made his
escape. , Some artillery-men hearing the report rushed for
ward on the fugitive, and wounded him with their swords.
Confusion ensued, and it was with the greatest difficulty that
peace was restored. But the Montenegrines no longer re
sorted to our markets : on the contrary, parties of them tra
versed the country round, to excite to revenge. Not only the
soldiers, but even the people of the town, who favoured the
French, could no longer venture without the gates. The
mountaineers intercepted our communications ; they broke up
the roads which we had formed ; they attacked our out-posts.
They were seen in great numbers on all the heights which
hang over Cattaro, observing all our motions, and prepared to
seize the moment to pour down upon our men.
The Italian officers were in the habit of dining at five o'clock,
in a casino or subscription club-house, a musket-shot from the
town on the sea-shore. A plan was formed bythe moun
taineers to surprize and massacre them in that place, on the
12th of Aqgust, 1809. A party of the Montenegrines, only
nine in number, had the boldness to come down under the
guns of the town, while the others remained on the hills, to
observe and take advantage of what might occur below. Tbe
small party dividing themselves took post at the two doors of
the mess-room, the one opening to the road, the other to the
garden. Arriving at their posts at the same instant, both
parties discharged their pieces on the officers at table, of

Quarrels, ^o. 71
whom five and a stJrgeon were killed, and some others were
wounded : the remainder made their escape in the utmost
consternation. It so happened, that not one of the Italian
officers was armed at the time ; and not one of them could pro
bably have escaped assassination, had it not have been for'the
neighbouring inhabitants, who had always evinced their at
tachment to the French and their cause. The alarm was
instantly given; the drum beat to arms ; the troops assembled j
some shots were fired from the fortifications, but to no effect,
towards the hills ; the assassins escaped, and the murder re
mained unavenged.
Notwithstanding this unfortunate business, the French go
vernor. Major-general Baron de Sivray, availed himself Of
every favourable circumstance, to restore the wonted good
understanding with the Montenegrines. A conference with
the vladika was therefore arranged, of which some notices
may be interesting, as explanatory of the manners of that
people. The place of meeting was the convent of Lastva,
whither the bishop repaired, accompanied by his nephews, by
the civil chief and his brothers, and by the other dhiefs ofthe'
nation ; all in their most splendid dress. The company were
preceded and followed by a guard of sixty of the bravest
warriors of the Montenegrines. The French governor was
accompanied by the principal persons of Cattaro, and escorted
by a company of grenadiers. The bishop was at the rendez
vous before us, for I was also of the party, expecting our
governor would have no attendants but his staff-officers. When
he saw the troops he withdrew from the convent and hid him
self behind the garden. His retreat, joined to our military
appearance, alarmed tbe Montenegrines ; but at last prevailing*
on the vladika to return to the place of conference, all appre
hensions Oil their part were dissipated. On our way back, " if
you mean only to compliment me, (said he,) what need of so
many troops? may I trust myself with your general'? for det
me tell you that, when armed, at the head of my braVe^people,
I fear neither battle nor death ; but I dread the loss of nay
personal liberty. Have I been inveigled in the view?" — "My
lord," hastily interrupted I, "we are too strong in this quarter
to be obliged to resort to treachery. Did you know us better,
you would think less injuriously of our disposition." — "'Well
then, I depend on your word." After the customary compli
ments at meeting, " I am the friend of peace, my lord," said
our general, "but I am not afraid of war. Always prepared
lo avenge myself of those who attenipt to make an ill use of
my confidence in thejr honour, I rejoice tliat on the present
occasion no steps of that kind are necessary. To form and

7^ Travels in Montenegro.
maintain a friendly understanding with you, my lord, and yoiir
people, is my earnest desire; and to convince you of my
sincerity, no sacrifice consistent with my duty will I refuse to
make." Examining with a keen and rapid eye the counte
nances of the company, and then seeming for a little time
deeply absorbed in thought, the vladika replied in Italian in
these terms: — " It is impossible for^e, your excellency, not
to be sincere on this occasion. The duties of my profession,
as a minister of religion, the interests of my fellow-citizens,
the respect I owe to my own station and character; and, above
all, the will of divine Providence, dispose me to peace. By my
readiness to accede to all your proposals of accommodation
and friendship, you will perceive the effect which your can
dour and manly conduct have produced on my mind." The
several articles of the convention were accordingly, through
the authority of the bishop, speedily arranged and ratified :
and our return to Cattaro was celebrated with joy by the in
habitants, who, during the interruption of good understanding
with the Montenegrines, had suffered much from a deficiency
of many supplies from the country, aud had scarcely ventured
to take the air beyond the walls.

CHAPTER XXIV.

Fresh Quarrels with the Montenegrines, — Amicable Arrange
ment with the Vladika.
Scarcely had I been settled in Cattaro, when I received a
letter in Italian from the vladika, expressing his regret at
the shortness of our intercourse in the convent of Lastva, and
inviting me to visit his country when the season should be
favourable. He desired also to leave notice of my movements,
that he might not only be at home himself, but provide suit
able company to receive me.
Harmony being restored between the Montenegrines and
us, mutual intercourse and visits became frequent. But in
1812 the political atmosphere seemed overcast; the clouds
were however dissipated by the moderation and management
of our commander, General Baron Gauthier, who brought
about a second conference with the bishop, or vladika, at
Miraz, a village on the limits of the Blontenegrine and our
countries. By the former convention of 1810, every precau
tion had been adopted, to obviate any dispute or dissatis
faction; but those precautions had not been always sufficiently
effective ; and we rather suspected the sincerity of the via-

Further Quarrels. 73
dika, when he declared his inability to restrain his people
within due bounds. The Montenegrines had on several occa
sions, in the markets of Budua and Cattaro, insulted the
town's people, who endured all with the greatest forbearance.
This forbearance was misinterpreted, and encouraged the
mountaineers to proceed to greater lengths.
Strong representations on the subject were made to the
vladika, who assembled the knes, or chiefs, in the plain of
Cettigne, and by his influence with them, affairs remained
quiet for some months. At last, however, robbery became
frequent and open, particularly in the district of Budua on
the coast. Mules, cattle, sheep, corn, hay, in fine whatever
was accessible, especially about the little town Of Zuppa,
became the prey of the ungovernable inhabitants of the moun
tains. Justly provoked by that conduct, the Zuppans resorted
to reprisals : the nearest flocks were carried aWay ; and in the
contests several persons fell on both sides. Two Montene
grines, taken prisoners in one of these incursions, were sent
back by our commander to the vladika ; with a temperate
representation of their conduct, a manifest infraction of the
treaty. The bishop, duly affected by that proceeding, in the
name of the assembly of the people, as he expressed it, sug
gested the propriety of renewing that treaty, in some manner
more formal and impressive. For that purpose a day was
fixed in June 1812, for a meeting of both parties at Miraz.
On that day General Gauthier, with all the principal officers,
civil and military, M. Descarnaux, French vice-consul, &c.
proceeded to Miraz, under an escort of fifty men, twelve
men-at-arms, and a company of Pandours. The boundary
between our territory and that of Montenegro is indicated,
within a few yards of Miraz, by an enormous block of stone,
which has rolled down from the mountains. Behind that rock
stood a small Greek chapel ; and in it the conference was to
be held. As the general drew near, the bishop ordered a
discharge of musketry in front of the rock, and then advanced
to meet him. Setting his right foot tm the French territory, he
took the general by the hand and invited him to honour, by
his presence, the territory of Montenegro. Then he presented
to tbe general, the governor of his country, the president of
the Montenegrine union, that is, in the Illyrian or Sclavonian
language, Glavar Governador od skupa Czernogorskoga.
Holding General Gauthier still by the hand, the bishop led
him and his suite forward between two deep bodies of armed
mountaineers, not fewer than seven hundred men in number,
who rent the air with shouts of joy and welcome. The ge
neral's escort, excepting the men-at-arms, remained within the
Voyages awrf Travels jA'o. 3. Vol. IV. L

74 Travels in Montenegro.
French boiinds. Entering the little chapel behind the rock,.
we found it ornamented with carpets and Russian colours.
Two long stone benches were covered with the same colours,
and on each were two large silk cushions. No sooner had we
entered than breakfast was introduced, consisting, according'
to custom, of an abundance of meat, with butter, cheese, milk,
and wine. While we were busy at our meal, to the bishop
was brought in a large locked box, an indispensable part of
his baggage when on any expedition. This box was filled with
fish dressed in the country-fashion, on which the bishop made
a hearty repast; excusing himself to us for not eating with us,
by the rules of his profession as a prelate ofthe Greek church.
Placing the box on his knees, he dispatched his breakfast
without delay, making use of his fingers instead of a knife and
fork. When the entertainment was finished, " I am glad," said
the bishop to the general, in the Illyrian tongue, " to see you,
that I may gratify the desire I had to be acquainted with you,
and to concert with you how best to fulfil my earnest wish to
live in peace with the noble French nation." It was observed,
that as the bishop spoke Italian fluently, it might be conve
nient for all that he should employ that language. " General
(said he) I must speak so as to be understood by my own
people, for whom and in whose name I now act: but you
may choose an interpreter." Our vice-consul, M. Descarnaux,
was accordingly appointed. The bishop and the general,
selecting each three principal witnesses for the conference,
all tbe other persons withdrew. The treaty of 1810 was then
formally renewed, and enlarged by some explanatory articles,
of which the flrst it required no little address to carry. The
purport of it was, that all Montenegrines who should be guilty
of theft or robbery, or who should insult any person within
the French bounds, should be tried and punished according
to the French laws, without appeal to the tribunals or
rulers of their own country. The bishop then standing up
took in the one hand General Gauthier and in the other the
vice-consul, and going out before the chapel, where the
mountaineers were in attendance, he pronounced with a loud
voice this address: — " Ye chiefs ofthe state, and all ye people
of the Montenegro, give attention. I have uow concluded
with the French general, by means of the interpreter now
before you, a convention of the following tenor." (Having
read it over he proceeded) " this convention made for you ana
in your name, secures your tranquillity as well as that of our
neighbours, our old and good friends. Swear, then, by the
Holy Virgin and by Saint Spiridion, to observe and maintain
this convention; and that you will punish the first personsi

Agriculture, ^c. 75
who shall dare to infringe what you have voluntarily stipu
lated and ratified, be those persons whoever they may."
Then desiring the interpreter to recite aloud, in Italian and
French, as well as in the language of the country, the con
tents of the treaty, the bishop, conducting the general by the
hand a few steps on the outside ofthe boundary rock, embraced
him and took his leave. Turning next to the interpreter,
M. Descarnaux, " Sir," said he, with a very affectionate air
and tone, " I am perfectly satisfied with your manner of seiz
ing and expressing my sentiments. I desire to be your friend ;
and never forget it, that you may also be mine." Repeated
discharges of musketry from both parties resounded among
the mountains till we returned into Cattaro, where we were
received by the town's people with every expression of joy.

CHAPTER XXV.

Private Character qf the Vladika. — Agriculture in Monte
negro. — Plants. — Trees. — Fruit.
The vladika, or bishop, is peculiarly fond of agricultural
occupations ; and his efforts to introduce useful improvements
have been strenuous and unremitting : but his people, (as he
styles the mountaineers,) are rigidly attached to the ancient
practices of the couritry. He has always been a lover of the
mechanic arts, and has successfully studied their principles.
He has also shown a strong taste for geography; and he has
collected several good paintings on historical subjects, sacred
and profane. In his private life he is methodical and syste
matic, particularly in his devotional exercises ; but, above all,
in discharging the various duties of his offices and station.
To each hour of the day are allotted certain invariable occu
pations ; but although a man of extraordinary activity, he still
laments that he has not time sufficient for executing his multi
plied enterprises and projects. Having observed my predilec
tion for botanical and agricultural pursuits, we made several
excursions together in the environs of his usual residence.
The land is certainly not very favourable for the husband
man ; but the bishop, had he discovered a proper disposition
among his people, would have endeavoured to introduce such
objects of cultivation as seemed to be the best adapted to the
several soils and exposures. His gardens are laid out and
mana"-ed in the Italian taste : but having been unable, by his
raanv'avoGations, for some years past, to attend to them in per-
^ L 2

76 Travels in Montenegro.
son, and even with his own hand, the effects of his absence are
now very perceptible.
Although the advanced or retarded state of husbandry in
a country be no standard by which we can ascertain the date
of its exercise, yet it furnishes an evidence of the condition of
the population, and of the progress they have made in all
branches of industry. This remark is peculiarly applicable
to the Montenegro, a region still, in three-fourths of its
extent, left entirely to the unassisted operations of nature.
Many portions of the country, however, according to their
respective elevation, possess a climate highly favourable to
vegetation. But the male-population have transferred the
principal and the most laborious operations of agriculture to
the females, who exert themselves with admirable courage and
perseverance ; with less skill, however, and consequently with
less success, than ought to be expected from the men. It is
a matter of regret that the unbounded notion of liberty which
animates the mountaineer, incapacitates him for the labours of
the husbandman, or even for steady occupation of any sort in
one place for a single day. Restless and impatient of re
straint of even his own imposition, he saunters about among
his mountains, from break of day, till night or fatigue compel
hini to return to his home.
The agriculture of the Montenegrines is confined lo the
raising of the most common articles. The colder districts
furnish rye, barley, maize, or Indian-wheat, buck-wheat, hemp,
&c. Winter-crops are seldom successful. Other productions
iare potatoes, yams, cabbages, and carrots. Pease and French-
beans answer very well : and all furnish to the inhabitants
articles of exportation to their neighbours. Many excellent
culinary productions, so abundant and so useful in other parts
of Europe, are wholly unknown ; but the people indemnify
themselves by prodigious crops of onions, shallot, and garlick,
of which their constant use renders their approach not the
most agreeable. In the lower tracts of country, towards
Albania, on their southern boundary, wheat grows to great
perfection ; and the vine, of which they reckon no fewer than
forty-two different kinds, affords exceedingly good wine. The
grapes of Czerniska-nahia are peculiarly beautiful and rich.
The same quarter produces the olive, as do also certain tracts
along the coast. The fig grows spontaneously in various
places. A few oranges, lemons, and bergamot citrons,
spring out in the sheltered bosom of the rocks. But the
fruits are in general in their natural state; for the art of en
grafting is wholly unpractised, notwithstanding the attempts
of the v|adika to instruct his people, by exaniplq as well a^

Cultivation, ^c. 77
by counsel. Nature has occasionally, however, produced very
extraordinary specimens of fruit. One year I received a pre
sent of peaches, weighing from fifteen to eighteen ounces, and
a cedrat, or bergamot citron, weighing upwards of two pounds.
Near the sea, or in the lowest vallies, are seen artichokes of
extraordinary size ; also the melongena, or, as it is absurdly
named, the mad-apple, there juicy and agreeable, a common
article of food in the Montenegro, both fresh and dried for
winter. In the lower districts are also found many varieties
of the gourd and melon ; what the Italians call the zuccba-
santa is particularly esteemed. Of all the cucurbita kind, the
most curious is a small melon, about the size of a hen's egg,
striped with white, yellow, and green, of a most grateful
odour, which adheres to the clothes and even to the apart
ment, long after the fruit has been removed ; the taste is how
ever insipid ; cotton is raised by a few persons ; but the soil is
unfavourable, and the necessary cultivation is not well under
stood. The favourite cultivation of the Montenegrines, is
that of tobacco, of which they make great use; and which
grows to a good size, with a flavour not inferior to that of the
best tobacco of Albania.
Of late years the Montenegrines begin to cultivate a plant
unknown in France, or at least which I never saw in France,
nor in any part of the low countries, Germany, Hungary, or
Italy; although my inquiries were directed to the most emi
nent botanists, and the most celebrated botanic gardens in
those quarters of Europe. This valuable plant is the bamia,
which comprehends two species, the great and the little. It
is a native of Egypt, and along the western shores of the Red-
Sea, where it is much used. The bamia belongs to the class
of alcaea, (holyhock), and the stalk, although not woody, is
able to support itself. The leaves, which are downy, resemble
those ofthe vine, but of a paler green. The flower, like that
of the althaea frutex, is of a sulphur colour. The fruit, when
the flower falls off, resembles an acorn ; but when fit to be
eaten is about five inches long by one in diameter; when
fully ripe, the length is from six to eight inches, by an inch
and a half in diameter, channelled lengthwise. Internally
the fruit is separated by membranes, into eight longitudinal
divisions, filled with an innumerable quantity of small seeds,
containino- a sweet greenish pulp. The fruit is fit for eating
only when green, when it is generally employed in ragouts ;
to which it communicates a most delicious flavour. Besides
the use of the bamia on the table, it is valuable in medicine;
for it is emollient, resolutive, and pectoral. A decoction of
ihe leaves is singularly useful in cases of ophthalmia, a com-

78 Travels in Montenegro.
plaint too frequent in certain hot countries.* The onagra,
too much neglected in other countries, is of great value to the
Montenegrines, who eat the leaves as we do spinage, and the
roots as we do scorzonera. The culture of this plant would be
an excellent resource for cattle ; for the crop is plentiful, and
it grows in soils and situations unfit for more valuable objects
of culture.
From what has b«en said, it will appear that husbandry is
not far advanced in the Montenegro ; for the whole productions
are scarcely sufficient for six months' subsistence. Nature
however is not niggardly in her compensation for vegetable
deficiencies. The mountains, the forests, swarm with small
game of every description, deer and goats. Tbe lakes and
rivers abound in excellent fish, among which are distinguished
the trout, one ofthe most delicate of its kind in Europe.

CHAPTER XXVI.

Fruit. — Garden Vegetah les. — Flowers.-r-Forests. — Extraordi
nary Vegetation.
In the Montenegro and the adjacent districts, to the north
ward along the Adriatic, apples, pears, plumbs, cornel-berries,
wild-cherries, are found in great abundance ; and with them
various kinds of liqueur are formed. With a particular kind of
small cherry, both red and black, is made tbe famous maras-
gnin of Venice. Service and medlar trees are also frequent.
The mulberry prospers in some districts, and the silk-worm
might be reared to great advantage ; but a few only are kept
for amusement-sake, and tbe fruit goes to tbe table. On
southern exposures and along tbe coast grow the arbutus, or
strawberry-tree, and the ceratonia or siliqua-dulcis, called in
Spain garrofa, in France caroube, and in England locust-tree
or sweet-pod. It is also called St. John's Bread, as having
been a part of the Baptist's food in the wilderness. If the
* The bamia is not quite so little known as the author seems to suppose.
The following brief account of the plant is given by Dr. Hooper, in his
" New Medical Dictionary, Lond. 1811." — " Bamia-moschata, or abel-
moschus, alcea, eegyptiaca, abeltnusk, musk-mallow. The seeds of this plant
have the flavour of musk. The plant hibiscus, abelmoschus, of Linnaeus, is
indigenous in Egypt and in many parts of both Indies. The best comes
from Martinico, By the Arabians, who call the plant abelmoseh, the seeds
are esteemed cordial, and are mixed with then coffee, to which they impart
their fragrance. In England they are used by the perfumers." — [Note of
Translator.']

Flowers. — Forests, 79
ceratonia be neglected in the south of France, it is because its
properties are not generally known. A decoction of the pod is
found to be of great service in the hooping and other obstinate
and asthmatic coughs ; for children accustomed to eat the fruit
are seldom if ever afflicted with the hooping-cough. In the
Montenegro, as in Italy and Spain, the mules eat the fruit
greedily. Thyme, lavender, mint, hyssop, cover the ground
under those trees. Sage, myrtle-berry, thrift, heath, wild-
thyme, afford plentiful and delicious food for very numerous
flocks, the main object of rural attention among the Montene
grines. Along with the capre, the amaranth and the broom
shoots up the aloe, of the leaves of which, steeped in water, the
fibres are wrought into cloth, cord, &c. The laurel, oleander,
myrtle, rosemary, besides the beauty of their perpetual verdure,
supply a grateful article of fuel. The clematis, the honeysuckle,
the smilax, spread around their perfume, in union with the
mastich-tree, the agnus-castus, and the hop. The passion
flower, the convolvulus, and the briony, suspend their rich
festoons, with the hart's-tongue and aristolochia, on every
humid bank. The buck-thorn, the spurge-flax, the raspberry-
tree, shield the gentiau, the humble cyclamen, the alkekengi,
and the periwinkle. In vain, however, even among their kin
dred shrubs, do you look for the gooseberry or the black cur
rants, neither of which are known by the Montenegrines. Wild
asparagus is eaten plentifully, as also a species of convolvulus;
and the country is famous for its pine-strawberries, which are
of an uncommon size, a beautiful scarlet and a delicious
flavour. The amaryllis and asphodel, and a number of bulbous
flowers, adorn the fields.
The forests of the Montenegro may be divided into three
kinds. The most elevated situations produce pine, larch,
cypress, evergreen, oak, yew, box, juniper, holly, fir, &c. Lower
down on the mountains are found beech, horn-beam, ash, chest
nut, oak, maple, plane, service, wallnut, lime, &c. which arrive
at a prodigious size. The deep bottoms and vallies are clothed
with aspen, willow, alder, hazel, poplar, birch, elder, &c. But
this mode of division is not sp distinctive as that each portion
may not exhibit productions of the other portions, sometimes
ia considerable quantities. From the great variety of trees and
shrubs on the Montenegrine mountains, proceeds the great
abundance of honey in the country, which being of an excel
lent flavour and consistency, furnishes a valuable article of
trade. In mentioning the composition of the forests, it must
be understood that the trees and shrubs are all the production
of nature ; for art has never yet been called in to aid her oper
ations in their propagation. I had collected the seeds of thirty-

80 Travels in Montenegro,
two plants, all different from any which I had ever before seen
in other parts of Europe, with the view of cultivating them in
my garden at Cattaro; but my unexpected departure for the
army, before the proper season for committing them to the
ground, frustrated my project.
In the lowest tracts of the Montenegro, particularly in the
southern parts, vegetation proceeds with inconceivable rapidity
and vigour. In the course of a single night, in the proper time
of the year, a striking alteration appears on the face of the
garden. When I was commandant in Castel-Nuovo, a pink
grew in my garden nearly twelve inches in circumference. It
belonged to the family ofthe white dianthus or pink, a natural
production of Corfu, an island in high repute for productions of
that kind. I was also assured by persons of Cattaro, that they
had raised carnations fifteen inches round. A proof this, that
since the days of the younger Aristotle and Propertius, no
change has taken place in the soil or the climate of these
regions.

CHAPTER XXVIL
Commerce of the Montenegrines.
Commerce is the younger but the favourite sister of agricul
ture : what the elder can spare of her productions, the younger
transports and exchanges for other commodities of utility or
accommodation. In the course of my inquiries respecting the
commerce of his country, the vladika expatiated with much
warmth, and with an extension of ideas on the subject which
surprised me. The result of the whole was the energetic ex
clamation, " when shall I behold the seas, or rather the com
merce of the world set at liberty!"
The Montenegro possess, in proportion to its extent, little
ground brought into cultivation. It possesses neither manu
factures, nor any other means of furnishing articles of exchange
with other countries. Exportation, and consequently importa
tion, are very limited. Yet the people are in general well
clothed and fed, and few of them do not possess some little
store of money, the produce of their economy. No beggar, no
person in rags, is ever seen in the country ; for every man en
joys complete liberty to transact his mercantile affairs without
restraint. The principal trade ^nd wealth of the country arise
from the numerous flocks of sheep. From the port of Cattaro,
the Montenegrines export annually, at the lowest estimation,
115,000 sheep, and 20,000 goats. The whole are carried to

Commerce. 81
"Venice, not only for the consumption of the town and its vici
nity, but for the use of the shipping. The meat, when salted
and fit for use, called castradina, weighs above 3,600,000
pounds. When duly prepared, the meat may be kept in good
condition a considerable time. The salting begins in Sep
tember ; but the meat prepared later in the year is always to
be preferred. Considerable quantities of wool, hides, and
tallow, are also exported to the adjoining district of Cattaro,
or beyond sea. Shipmasters lay "in about 600,000 pounds
of the Montenegro cheese, which although by no means rich,
is of a good quality, in consequence of a management, which is
kept secret, and which I in vain attempted to discover. The
rivers Schinizza and Ricovezernovich swarm with fish of many
kinds, which mount up from the great lake of Scutari on the
southern frontier. A few oxen and mules are also sold out of
the country. Besides this kind of wholesale traffic, a daily
business in small articles brings in no small profit. These are
fire-wood, charcoal, fruit, maize, honey, wax, calvesj lambs,
butter, new cheese, eggs, game of all kinds, prodigious num
bers of fowls and birds of various sorts, vegetables for the
table, among which the potatoes and the cabbages are of ex
traordinary size, French-beans, white-pease, fresh and dry,
onions, garlick, shallot, &c. The Montenegrines trade with
several towns on the coast, as far northwards as Ragusa; and
to the interior countries of Morlachia and Herzegovina. In
times of peace they also resort to the markets of Xabiak, one
of the most considerable of Turkish Albania.
The women are specially charged with the business of the
market of Cattaro, whither they carry loads, which a stout
French peasant could scarcely carry for an hour together; and
with their enormous burthens they descend their steep and
rugged mountains, with astonishing agility. What is most
curious is to see those women arrive at the bottom of the moun
tain, on the one hand pending under their load, and on the
other driving five or six mules loaded with goods for the
market. At certain steep passes of the rocks, the women lay
hold of the tail of the hindmost mule in the string, and twist
it round their arm ; holding themselves stiff, they hend back
wards, and resign themselves to tbe action of the mule, who,
being trained to the operation, conveys his mistress in safety to
the bottom of the descent. Were the mechanic arts farther
advanced in the country, the full-grown forests would be of
most important advantage ; by means of roads opened to the
coast, or to the rivers which discharge themselves into the lake
of Scutari. But to avail themselves of this last opening, it
would be requisite to maintain peace and good-understanding
Voyages and Travels, JVo. 3. Vol. IV. M

82 Travels in Montenegro,
with the Turks of the vicinity. Nothing however of this kind
is done ; and it is lamentable to heboid a race of men, adapted
by nature for every sort of labour, abandoned to a life of abso
lute idleness, and devoid of every view and project of utility,
beyond the gratification of their daily indispensable necessities.
The money circulating -in the Montenegro, consists of Venetian
sequins, Turkish and Ragusa piastres.
In their mercantile transactions, the Montenegrines display
the greatest candour and good-faith; nor will they ever take
advantage of any circumstance to infringe or delay the per
formance of their engagements. With a stranger they are, if
possible, more punctiliously correct in their dealings than witir
one another. As they cannot write, their bargains are ratified
by laying one hand on the breast, and giving the other to the
contracting party.
During the misunderstanding between them and us, many
Montenegrines, indebted to the people of Cattaro and the
neighbourhood, embraced various ingenious modes of fulfilling
their engagements at the due times. More than once they
have been known to give notice by a messenger, who passed
by the most dangerous paths through the mountains, to their
creditors below, to be ready at a certain day and hour to ob
serve their appearance on some hill. There the Montenegrine,
exhibiting a purse or some settled signal, has deposited th&
money on the spot ; which has been found by the creditor
without the least deficiency. A peculiar kind of barter is car
ried on between the Montenegrines and the neighbouring
tribes who inhabit the coast. In the summer, when the pas
tures on the coast are burnt up, the flocks are received in the
fresh grounds of the mountains; and in winter, the Montene
grine flocks are sent down to the warm vallies and plains ob
the Adriatic. From this interchange, travellers have concluded
that the mountaineers were compelled by superior force to feed
the cattle ofthe plains.
It is with regret that I mention another species of commerce
carried on by the Montenegrines, of a nature highly to be re
probated. Being constant and irreconcileable enemies of tbe
Turks; to do them the greatest possible injury is the invari
able object of the schemes of the mountaineers. In their ex
peditions to carry off the Turkish cattle or other moveable pro
perty, they proceed in several strong parties. Pretending
attacks on various points at the same time, they appear in
earnest on one only ; lo defend which, the Turks draw off their
forces from the others. When the Montenegrines find this to
be the case, their out-parties rush forward, secure the cattle,
and drive them up into the mountains, through narrow passes.

Language, Sfs. S3
where a few men are sufficient to oppose numerous bodies.
Similar inroads have occasionally been made into the province
of Cattaro, since the French occupied it ; but the inhabitants,
supported by their allies, have successfully repelled all their
attacks. In order to dispose of their plunder, of which the
acquisition is accounted meritorious, the mountaineers freight
vessels of the description called by tbe Italians trabaecolo, and
dispatch them to different ports of the Adriatic. That such
transactions should be conducted under a Christian govern
ment, iu the centre of Europe, in the nineteenth century, can
scarcely be credited. When however we consider that against
such practices no law, no public opinion exists, that such acts
should be frequent need not surprise us. Among the Monte
negrines it is a fixed maxim that to injure a Turk is not only
permitted but commendable. Their sole care is to secure their
plunder from the Mahometan pirates, who follow a similar
trade. Never would it enter the head of the priest to refuse
absolution to his penitent for having robbed a Turk. He is
much more likely to hold out his hand to receive a share of |the
spoil. That the Montenegrines are far from regarding their
predatory incursions and piracies against the Turks to be cri
minal or illicit in time of peace, is proved by the scrupulous
punctuality with which, even during hostilities, as was before
stated, they fulfil every commercial or pecuniary engagement
with their neighbours.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Sciences and Arts. — Language. — Poetry. — Trades, — ^
Professions.
On all these topics among the Montenegrines very little can
be said. Science and art can prosper only under the protec
tion of established laws, especially during peace, which pror
cures tranquillity to the mind, time to the researches of stpdy,
and scope for the . elasticity of genius. Languages being the
agent of thought, as alphabetic characters are its visible em
blems, no one will deny their influence on the progress of
civilization. But these principles, true in general, are in some
sort in contradiction with the Illyrian language. Partaking in
some measure of the Greek, it is, however, formed on the
Sclavonian of the ancient Sarmatia. Rich, but laconic, ener
getic but harmonious, it is equally adapted to express the feelT
ings and ideas of both sexes, It is, and must be deficient in
terms adapted to objects of science and art, matters themselves
M 2

84 Travels in Montenegro.
little known in the country. On all those subjects, notwith
standing their vicinity to Greece, the Montenegrines are la
mentably ignorant ; nor are the modern Greeks themselves
much before them on various subjects. The greater portion
ofthe people ofthe Montenegro can neither count,write, nor read.
Their accounts are kept by notches on a stick or tally. At the
small end are marked the units and tens ; at the other the
hundreds and thousands. They are ignorant of the history,
not ofthe world in general only, or ofthe neighbouring statesi
but even of their own country. With all this ignorance the
Montenegrines will still talk to you of ancient images or idols,
of remains of antique monuments, of hidden treasures in ca
verns, which the guides take special care to keep from the eyes
of the few strangers who visit their country. Notwithstanding
all these assertions, almost the only antiquity they can point
out consists of the remains of a Roman road. But this igno
rance is only the effect of a long lethargy ; the people still
exist, and they require only to be roused to action by a proper
education. This, however, is ^woefully wanting. No school,
public or private ; no trade ofthe artizan, exists. The imple
ments of agriculture are of the rudest construction ; nor do
we hear of a single individual in the country who attempts to
second the laudable schemes of improvement proposed by the
vladika. The cloth made by the Montenegrines, all of the
coarsest sort, is niade of goat's hair, without the requisite pre
paration ; hence their clothing is rude, clumsy, heavy, and in
convenient. Even among the females the art of spinning is
extremely imperfect; the first stick they find serves for a spin
dle. The baker, the butcher, the carpenter, the smith, are un
known. Every mountaineer makes his own coat and shoes;
the latter out of the goat-skin; prepared with only a little salt.
In fine, every man lahours for biniself alone. With respect to
the finer arts, T have nothing to say. Their painting is con
fined to figures of the Virgin and saints; to representations of
miracles, &c. of the most extravagant description ; the whole
executed on boards in the most discordant and ridiculous
manner. 'Of written musical notes the Montenegrinesihave no know
ledge; although some portions of their liturgy be so expressed,
in the books employed by the priests, who alone can use them.
The country songs are all therefore transmitted from genera
tion to generation by the ear alone. Much, however, as they
are behind other nations it cannot be doubted- that the Monte-
grines have within these few years past made considerable pro
gress, under their present bishop, or vladika, Peter Petrovicb.
Whether that progress was retarded by their priests, or by

The Ragusans. 85
their own aversion to application while at home, certain it is
that those individuals who have travelled or settled in foreign
countries have never failed to distinguish themselves by their
talents and acquirements. The mountaineers have all a na
tural taste for singing, whatever be their aptness for it : their
mountains and vallies continually resound with their song. The
singer is usually accompanied by his own hand, or by that of
some other on tbe monochord, or the bag-pipe. Some perform
with tolerable skill on Pan's pipe. Ignorant of all rule of art,
the Montenegrines, nevertheless, possess their poetry. Their
compositions turn upon love, or upon the grand phenomena of
nature ; the meteors of the heavens, the shakings of the earth,
or the devastation of the tempest. Their ideas and expres
sions are highly figurative, the natural fruit of the state of so
ciety, and ofthe sublimely impressive objects among which
they live. They are by nature eloquent, as all must be con
vinced who are present in their political consultations, in cases
which affect their character, or in determining and arranging
their military expeditions. Having among them neither au
thors nor compilers, the critic is unknown ; nor are they ex
posed to the mortification of seeing their country subjected to
tbe decisions of certain individuals, who, doing violence to their
own convictions, condemn without mercy, all discourses and
sentimerits which oppose the system of persons in power. The
whole literary stock of the Montenegrines consists of a single
volume; a history ofthe country, written in 1754, by one Vas-
silia, coadjutor of the Bishop Sava Petrovich, printed in Russia,
and dedicated to the grand-chancellor Count Woronzow. But
in that vain-glorious indigested production the reader finds
only an absurd collection of old stories, apparently without
foundation, of imaginary occurrences, pretended instances of
magnificence and splendour among the Montenegrines. What
has most the air of truth, or at least of probability, relates to
signal exploits of intrepidity and valour, performed by various
inhabitants ofthe mountains.
During my residence with the vladika in the monastery of
Cettign6, I received every attention on the part of the monks
of the order of St. Basil, founded in the fourth century, which
predominates in the Greek church. Their contest among them
selves was, who should contribute the most to my information,
by pointing out the caverns, cascades, points of prospect, and
other curious features of their romantic country.
The people of Ragusa have a powerful influence on the
manners and opinions of the Montenegrines and other nations
in the vicipity of the Adriatic. The Ragusans deserve to pos
sess a territory much more considerable than that subjected to

j6 Travels in Montenegro,
their little republic, which abounds in men of information. The
Patricians or nobles distinguish themselves by their acquire
ments in various branches of knowledge. Public education,
particularly in the study of the law, is extremely well conducted.
The men of rank in the state are educated in a manner very
opposite to that adopted in certain other countries, where
vanity, conceit, and presumption, seem to be the main objects
of cultivation. The clergy of Ragusa are much more devoted
to solid and useful, than to Specious and sophistical pursuits in
literature and science ; and to all they add the honourable ad
vantage of maintaining a conduct truly exemplary : on no oc
casion do they ever interfere with the political affairs of the
state. The Ragusans are well-bred, hospitable, aud com
plaisant: they consequently are highly respected by all the
surrounding states.

CHAPTER XXIX.
The Upper Zenta. — War with Ali, Pasha qfJanina.
Having fixed my departure from the monastery of Cettigne,
I availed myself of my remaining stay with the bishop, to gain
some information respecting the country of the Upper Zenta,
closely connected in every way with the Montenegro. The
Upper Zenta, according to the statement of the Montenegrines,
is bounded by the Castratico, which falls into the lake Othi, by
the chain of mountains called Mount Vistori, and thence north
ward as far as Drobgnacia, where the river Moraka, in the
whole length of its course, as far as to the lake of Scutari,
divides it from the old territory ofthe Montenegro. The Mon
tenegrines pretend, that to their state belongs not only the
Upper Zenta but the Lower, which extends to the gates of
Scutari. In tracing their claim to those countries they go back
to the close ofthe fifteenth century, under the family of Czer
novich. Of modern titles they recount the exploits of 1785
and 1796, against Mahmoud Busaklia : but they dwell with
exultation on the memorable transactions of the 22d of Sep
tember 1798, against Ali, Pasha of Janina. On that day se
venty thousand of Ali's troops were completely routed by a few
thousand Montenegrines. Twenty-six thousand Mussulmans
fell in the action, and such numbers fled in all directions, that
on the following morning Ali could muster only four thousand
in all. To complete his disgrace the victorious Montenegrines
pursued him into the territory of his own Albania. This affair,

Ali, Pasha of Janina. 87
of the utmost importance in itself, was conducted with so much
circumspection, activity, and ability as to constitute a memorable
epoch in the history of a resolute people contending for their in
dependence. All, Pasha of .lanina in Albania, the ancient Epirus, is fa
mous over all the East.- By his political management his
wealth, his numerous forces, he has carried his original power
and authority to an inconceivable extent. Become master of
Macedonia, Epirus, and Albania, his progress excited serious
alarm in the seraglio of Constantinople itself. Deeming it
hazardous to irritate the man whom they were unable to sub
due, the divan attempted to secure at least his forbearance by
the most gratifying marks of distinction : he was even con
firmed in the possession of all his acquisitions. Ali, in the
course of a few years, became the happiest of men, if ever an
unprincipled tyrant can be happy: but all his happiness was in
terrupted by the energy of an obscure tribe, whom he had scarcely
deigned to notice. Ali had extended his frontiers northward
along the Adriatic to Dalmatia. The Montenegro, a range of
lofty mountains, separated the country of the Arnauis, or Al
bania from Dalmatia and Bosnia. The population of that
mountainous tract scarcely amounted to sixty thousand souls.
The men, tall and robust, were as rude as their mountains.
Like th« inhabitants of all similar countries, they were uncon
querably attached to freedom. They had neither towns nor
villages; every Montenegrine family lived by itself in the midst
of its possessions. Invincible when an attempt is made to bring
them within the ordinary rules of social life, they blindly sub
mit to the guidance of their priests: such were the people whom
Ali proposed to subdue. Deputies had been sent to Janina to
complain of his encroachments, and to declare their determina
tion in future to defend their territory by arms. Dissembling
his indignation at their spirited deportment, Ali promised to
issue an order to his officers to abstain from attacks on the Mon
tenegro ; and the deputies returned with joy to their native
land. The order was indeed publicly issued ; but secret in
structions directed his commanders, under different pretexts,
gradually to approach the entrance into the Montenegro. One
man alone, among the confiding mountaineers, penetrated the
plans of Ali, and resolved to save his country, or perish in the
attempt. This man was no other than the Bishop of Monte-
neo'ro, the noble-minded vladika. His repeated journies and
long residence in foreign countries had matured the valuable
qualities bestowed on him by nature. By his travels aud his
assiduity in study he hadmade very considerable progress in lan
guages and science. His first step was to convince the Mon-

88 Travels in Montenegro.
tenegrines that life without freedom was unworthy of men ; and
that to maintain their freedom no sacrifice ought to be refused.
His. eloquence, supported by the sacredness of his character,
vanquished all opposition; andasort of theocracy was established,
of which the clergy were intrusted with the administration, —
Habituated from their infancy to the use of arms, the Montene
grines, like the Turks, are never seen unarmed. TheAustrians
were kept in continual agitation by an attempt to deprive of
their arms, the people of Istria, Dalmatia, and Albania. The
able prelate took a very different course : he by every method
encouraged the national taste for military exercises. He in
person, fully armed, presided at those exercises: he led his peo
ple to the field, instructed them in the war of posts, in am
buscades, and surprizes against an enemy ; showed them how
With rapidity to support one another in attacks on their de
tached positions. Whilst the people were occupied in this way
mortars, bombs, and other stores, arrived in secret at Castel-
Nuovo, in the bay of Cattaro, and were transmitted on mules
into the interior of the country. Some discussion arose with
Mustapha, the Turkish commandant, respecting the limits of
the two countries. This furnished the first opportunity for the
display of the valour and newly- acquired discipline of the
mountaineers. Suffering the Turks to advance into the heart
ofthe mountains, they attacked them in front, in flank, and in
rear. Scarcely a man escaped ; not a few fell by the hands of
the bishop himself. Devouring in secret his mortification, AH
disavowed the attack of Mustapha, and professed his desire to
live on good terms With Ijiis neighbours of the Montenegro. He
required them only to furnish bira annually about 5,000/.;
a sum which he well knew it was impossible for the Montene
grines to raise. Ali in this proposal seemed to have forgotten
his usual dexterity; for the mountaineers, enraged at his con
duct, instantly adopted the advice of their patriot bishop, and
publicly declared themselves a free and independent"people.
When this* was known Ali, in order to discover what was
doing, dispatched agents to receive his tribute, who were in
debted to the influence of the bishop for being permitted to re
turn in safety. A new force was sent against the mountaineers,
who inveigled the Turks among their narrow passes, and
utterly defeated them. A third attack being equally unsuc
cessful', the terrible Ali undertook in person to subdue the
heroic Montenegrines; vowing the most, signal vengeance on
the Christian dogs for the destruction ofthe multitudes of true
believers. Preceded by the three horse-tails, the emblem of his
high office, Ali led his troops in person. The formerly victo
rious standard of Mahomet adorned his tent. By the prophet

Alliance with Russia. 89
and by his beard he swore to inflict the most horrible tortures
on every Montenegrine. Tbe 22d of September 1798 was to
decide their fate. The Turks push forward among the fast
nesses ofthe mountains, never to return; fresh troops advance
to the same ground, but meet with the same fate. From post
to post the bishop hastened ; the crucifix in one hand and the
sword in the other. In execution of his plan he abandoned his
first line of posts, and retired behind intrenchments thrown up
at the head of a valley, broad but deep. Giving into the snare,
the Turks push blindly forward. Arriving on confined rugged
ground, where the cavalry could no longer actj Ali dismounted
his men and then ordered a general and rapid assaiilt. They
had not advanced far when a tremendous explosion in the
midst of the army filled them with consternation and dismay.
One of the mines prepared by the bishop had exploded ; and
the ground yawning in many places, swallowed up the devoted
mussulmans. Rushing out from their concealments, the Mon
tenegrines inflicted horrible slaughter on theTurks, overwhelmed
with terror, Ali himself who, posted on an eminenccj beheld
the disaster, turned round and made all baste back into Alba
nia with the wrecks of his vast army. Thus was a most signal
defeat of seventy thousand Turkish troops inflicted by a few
thousand mountaineers, without generals, without artillery pro
perly so called, without allies, or any of those resources by
which great nations are now rendered formidable ih war.
Become absolutely independent from that memorable dayj
tbe bishop, to secure that independence, solicited the protec
tion of the court of Petersburgh ; and by the Russian influence
in Constantinople, that independence was formally acknow
ledged by the Porte. From that day the name alone ofthe bishop
has always been sufficient to overawe the neighbouring Turks,
and to restrain their customary depredations in the Mon-
tenegroi Ali Pasha having acted a very important part in the concerns
of the Montenegro, it is necessary to notice a few incidents in
which he is concerned in the present time. In one of the Paris
newspapers Ofthe 22d May of this year, 1820, is a letter from
Constantinople, dated the r2th of the preceding April, con
taining tbe following statements: — "Among the remarkable oc
currences of this place, ought to be mentioned the preparations
against Ali, Pasha of Janina, commonly called Depelenli, as
being a native o( Depelen, in the district of Avion or Valona,
on the Adriatic. His son has been removed from the impor
tant government of Lepanto, conferred on Baba Pasha, a man
of high military talents. Mehemet Bey, whose father was put
to death by Ali, is appointed to the command of Durazzo, a
VoYAGES.awd Travels, JVo. 3. Vol. IV. N

90 Travels in Montenegi-o.
town and port of consequence in Albania ; a severe stroke on
the ambitious projects of Ali. Another Pasha, Suleiman, no
friend of Ali, is also placed in his vicinity; and Mustapha,
also an opponent of Ali, has been favourably confirmed
in his government of Scutari, long the theatre of Ali's
intrigues. Besides these measures by land, a squadron
is now fitting out to act against Ali by sea." A letter
of the 15jh of the same mouth bears that Ali, Pasha of Ja
nina, had been summoned to Constantinople, to render an
account of his conduct for many years past. But be bas now,
it is reported, thrown away the mask, and declared himself
King of Epirus; he bas, consequently^ refused to obey the
order ofthe court of Constantinople. It is also said that, with
the view of strengthening his party, he has embraced the Greek
religion, and/been baptized. In this resolution of^the Pasha of
Janina, we can see nothing extraordinary : it is perfectly con
formable to his general character. To repair to Constantinople,
would be to go to his destruction : he has boldly chosen rather
to declare himself in open revolt. And why should not Ali
become a king? Does not success authorize the abuse of
power? Does not success determine who is tbe rebel? If he
succeed in establishing his independence ; if his son follow
him in the same independence, and transmit his usurped domi
nion to his posterity ; have we not here an established race of
sovereigns, a dynasty, just as respectable as any other, when
a few centuries have passed away ? Can we tracCback any to
a more justifiable origin? When time has effaced every impu
rity in the blood, may not the august descendants of Ali quote
their legitimacy, their appointment by the will of heaven itself?
May not ministers, and even prelates (Greek bishops that is to
say,) be found to proclaim the justice of their pretensions?
To give my readers a specimen of the character of Ali Pasha,
I think the following anecdote may be sufficient. Of its au
thenticity no doubt can be entertained ; for Ali himself often
relates the story ; and it comes to me from an ear-witness, a
Frenchman long resident at his court.
In the summer of 1805, the Ottoman Porte, tired out with
the audacious conduct of Ali, despatched to a town in his
neighbourhood, a person of confidence and of high rank, with
the title of Pasha and a numerous suite. His ostensible mission
was to inspect and report on the state ofthe district; but by no
means to give any umbrage to Ali, His secret instrocrtions
however were to visit Ali, and to endeavour to iesinuate himself
into his good opinion. ' Then seizing the proper opportunity,
the envoy was to present to Ali the fatal bow-string, which no
true Mussulman ever refused fyom the hand of the vicar of the
prophet, and to strangle him himself, without further ceremony.

Anecdote of Ali Pasha. 91
All, by his spies in the seraglio itself, was informed of all the
project before the envoy left Constantinople. No sooner was
the envoy arrived at his post than Ali overwhelmed him with
civilities, paid him even a visit of ceremony, staid a night or
two in his new residence, (armed however himself, and his
faithful attendants, to the teeth) and invited him to return the
visit in the spirit of friendship, and good neighbourhood. That
the new friends might enjoy themselves free from the restraints
of business or state, Ali appointed for the place of meeting a
pleasant country-house, on the shore of the gulf of Venice,
where he was in the habit of giving entertainments to tbe ladies
of his harem. The envoy, overcome by his proceedings, obeyed
the summons, and every art was employed to make the time
pass agreeably. In the evening Ali's people, who were in the
secret, attached themselves to the attendants of the envoy.
Leading them round the garden and grounds, the attendants
were insensibly separated from each other. A signal was
given, and each man was suddenly seized and disarmed by
Ali's people. Binding them hand and foot, they were conveyed
to a boat on the shore. Carrying them out to sea, stones were
fastened round their necks and all thrown overboard. Whilst
this was known to be going forward, Ali, who had never taken
his eye off his guest, conducted him gently through the several
apartments, displaying the furniture, ornaments, &c. Arriving
at last at a cabinet, in a remote quarter of tbe house, the doors
were instantly shut, and six men with drawn sabres seized the
unlucky envoy, whom they disarmed, bound, and set down on a
sofa. Seating himself beside him, " Gome come Pasha," said
Ali, " show us the cord you have brought for me,''and slip it
round your own neck. Your visit is now over. Make haste ;
I have no time to lose."
Caught in his own snare, the poor Pasha solicited a moment's
delay, but in vain ; and at a signal from Ali, the envoy's head
bounded on the floor. The head, placed in a bag, was des
patched to Constantinople to the grand-vizir, who since that
day has sent no more cords to the mighty Ali.
Should Ali be successful in his present contest he will fake
his place among the great men of the world ; every trumpet of
fame will be occupied in announcing his glory, even his virtues-
Such praise costs little to writers from Homer down to oiir own
days. But if, Ali be vanquished ; he will then be "a villain, a
monster of impiety and wickedness. Let us then wait for the
result ofthe contest, and let us revere as we ought the infalli
bility of the judgments of men. But to return. — ^Profoundly
versed in human Nature, after the victory over Ali on the 22d
September, 1798, the bishop of the Montenegro erected, on all
the works of defence thrown up on the frontiers against the
N2

92 Travels in Montenegro.
enemy, standards containing the date of the action, and the
following inscriptions, " We swear to die around this standard,
rather than suffer an enemy to penetrate by this path into our
country," — " Glory and honour tp our fellow-citizens : love and
assistance to all neighbours who show tbem^elyes our friends."
The Zentines, having often occasion to pass that way, struck
with the memorials and their cause, have ever since, particu
larly being of the same system of Christianity, made common
cause against the aggressions of the Turks, with the Monte
negrines, whom they regard^^a^ their natural ajlies and de
fenders.

CHAPTER XXX.
Departure from the Residence qf the Vladika.
At last I was constrained tp take my leave of this cele
brated bishop, frorri whom I capnot fvithhold my testimony of
respect and veneration. He carried his politeness, I may rather
say his regard for me, so far as tp convoy me, together with the
body of his clergy, for a good mile from tbe monastery. My
route led along the course of the Seglianta, crossing the Ri
covezernovich, a river at the foot of Mount Caaravizza. In
descending fropi the icy region, in tlie heart of the mountains,
into the climate of the fair and fruitful Albania, the appear
ance of objects on every side is gradually, but materially
changed. The course of the Seglianta, between gentle hills
finely wooded, and pastures in constant verdure, presents thou
sands of cattle spread over the broad fields, enlivened by the
sound of the flute or the bag-pipe, and the song of the fortu
nate peasant. We arrived at Agna, a little town finely situated
near the summit of Mount Gliubotna, where it commands the
valley of Cettigne ; seated in the midst of gardens, orchards,
and inclosures reserved for the cattle in the winter. 'Hus
bandry seems to be negligently performed, and the people
indolent and inactive ; yet both men and women are remarkably
handsome. In this short journey we experienced the good
effects of the vladika's kind attention ; every where we were
received with marked respect. Priests, chiefs, women, chil
dren pressed round us to evince their regard for the worthy
vladika: every where we found beds prepared for us, covered
with pieces of new linen. We were lighted with candles or
lamps, sent forward by the bishop, for the nearest four vil
lages ; and brought from the town of Budua, on the coast, for

Czerniska — Its Products. 93
the four more distant. Feasts were provided, butter was
churned, the environs were scoured for game, to entertain us.
Leaving Agna, we traversed a spacious valley and mounted
Glavizza, to reach Ochinichi, by very bad roads. Here the
climate was sensibly milder, and the eye was delighted with
hill and dale, with groupes of oak and fir and old cypress
crowning the summits. The valley was filled with pasturage,
intermingled with vines, olives, pomegranates, myrtles, olean
ders, &c. The surrounding district of Czerniska contains
mines of iron, gold, silver, and sulphur. The bottom of the
valley is calcareous, and from time to time you meet large
masses of marble and grey granite. Approaching Mount
Resvich, you see two deep caverns, containing a vast quantity
of fragments of talc. Several small eminences are covered
with flints. The inhabitants, for various disorders, make much
use of the flesh and oil of snakes and serpents, which are not
poisonous, and are easily tamed. All along the road, madder
and other dyeing plants grow abundantly. Generally speaking,
the territory of Montenegro furnishes plentiful stores for the
admirers of botany ; but all may be considered to be wasted on
ihe present race of inhabitants. In Czerniska are found earth and
water evidently impregnated with blue vitriol, indicatitig the
presence of copper, I cannot quit the territory of Czerniska
without noticing a tree, the most interesting of all which, in
my different journeys in various countries, I have ever seen :
by its stature, its foliage, and its blossoms, this tree is particu
larly calculated to attract attention : it appears to me to be
long to tije class of acacia ; but I have named it mimosa ar-
borescens, because it has all the characters of the sensitive
plant. Not, however, that the same effects are produced when
it is touched; but, like the sensitive, it is effected by the ab
sence of the sun, even when suddenly obscured by a cloud,
and by his re-appearance above the horizon in the morning.
The stem of the tree is of an elegant forni ; the bark grey, and
smooth as parchment; the leaves like those of the acacia, ar
ranged on a common pedicle in the same order; the flowers,
of a delicate rose-colour and about the size of an anemone, are
so numerous as to give to the tree, in blossom, the appearance of
an immense nosegay. The seed, which resembles a very thin
lentil, is inclosed'in a pod an inch and-a-half long by an inch
broad : it is remarkable that this tree thrives only in a western
exposure. It the vicinity of Grabogliani and Dobarcelli, two
of the most populous and wealthy villages of the valley of
Czerniska, is produced a kind of malmsey wine, not inferior to
that of Breimo, so much esteemed in Ragusa.
During my stay in the village Ochinichi, I was fortunate

S4 Travels in Montenegro.
enough to save the lives of three deserters from the French
service, and by that act to gratify a worthy family in whose
house I lodged. Being at supper one evening, the master of
the house, who was the papas or parish-priest, and his family
were evidently in great anxiety on some subject, which they
seemed unwilling to communicate to me ; and I was too well
acquainted with the manners of the Montenegrines, naturally
very suspicious of strangers, to press them to open their minds
to me. After supper; " Speak ,to him," says the papas' wife
in a low voice." — " No," answers the eldest son, " you had
best do it yourself." — " I dare not." — *' Gtiod heaven !" ex
claimed thedaug"hter, " they are such fine fellows — he has not
the look of an ill-natured man — speak lower — if he wei-e once
to know." It was no longer possible to aff'eot ignorance of
what was. (passing around me; and I observed that they were
not yet quitje my friends, since they abstained from informing
me of the cause of their uneasiness. " No, no," said the good
papas, " that is not the reason ;" and taking me aside with his
wife and eldest son, " it is in your power, said he, " to re
store life and character to three unfortunate brothers. I know
the severity pf your discipline, and I tremble in entrusting
jfow with the secret. — Well then, my friend ; in my parish are
at fcliis moment three young men, Creates from our neighbour
hood, who have deserted from your service. They dare not
return home ; taor dare they go back to their regiment, which
tb,ey. now deeply lament that they quitted." — " If they siur
cerely retpent," said I, " let them come to me; I will protect
them and take them along with me." Reflecting on what I
had undertaken to perform, my looks again alarmed my wor
thy landlord. To comfoit them all — " Absolute silence on
this business," resumed I, " must be preserved. The secret
service of the'province is intrusted to me : by pretending that
I had employed these unhappy brothers, to procure for me in
formation on several subjects in the coun'try, I can account for
their being absent without customary leave. By this I shall
save the lives of three useful men, who have probably erred in
a moment of thoughtlessness." — " Run, my son," cried the
papas, wiping off the tears of joy, " die poor fellows will now
sleep in peace." The three Creates, throwing themselves at
my feet, confessed their fault and implored my protection.
Reprimanding them severely for their misconduct, I directed
them to retire from the village, and not to appear there until
they should be ordered. At my departure I took them with
me to Cattaro, and the matter was never more mentioned.

[ 96 ]
CHAPTER XXXL
Stagnevich. — Return to Cattaro^
Six days after the affair of the deserters, having concluded
illy observations on the valley of Czerniska, we continued our
journey to Stagnevich, where We arrived late in the evening.
Our walk (for all my travels in the Montenegro were performed
on foot) from the valley was extremely laborious, over Monte
Nudo and Monte Orlich. The route we followed, which was
the most direct, was traversed by a succession of deep ravines
and lofty precipices, and the path led through a continued
range of bushes and brushwood. Proceediog in this manner
for three days, we reached the monastery of Stagnevich, ex
hausted with fatigue ; but a good supper, and a good bed,
vvith the kind attentipns of the monks, soon revived us.
Stagnevich was originally only an advanced post, con
structed by the Venetians, on the south slope of the Mountain
Giurgevo-Idrido, on the limits of the district of Cattaro : there
they had a .small garrison, to prevent or check the incursions
of the Montenegrines themselves. When the Venetian re
public was overthrown by the French armies in 1797, the
Montenegrines took possession of the fort. Some years ago
the vladika erected, at the same place, a building for his own
occasional residence, of which Jthe several stories are vaulted,
and in it placed a few monks : before that time his sole resi
dence was at Cettigne, where bis predecessors had lived, and
where he still passes the summer, but in winter he resides at
Stagnevich. Near the walls of this monastery spring out two
fountains, which, a little lower down, form two little rivers ;
the Dremostizza on the right, which falls into the bay of
Jassy, below Budua, on the Adriatic ; and the Belastizza on
the left, which opens into the bay of Budua itself, distant
asunder nearly a mile. The monastery of Stagnevich has
more the air of a fortress than of the humble abode of
Cenobites. From it, when any misunderstanding arises
with Cattaro, parties of Montenegrines are detached in dif
ferent directions, to intercept correspondence, to cut off com
munication, and even to seize and occupy small advanced-
posts. Before the Venetians had ceded the position to the
Montenegrines, the latter had thrown up a small dry-stone
post, within musket-shot of the monastery. The practice of
rendering convents fit to serve also as fortresses, is quite com
mon in Greece and in the east. It is done by both Christians
and Mahometans. The celebrated monastery on Mount Car
mel, in the Holy Land, is also a most important fortress, com-

96 Travels in Montenegro.
manding the whole country round, and always well furnished
with military stores. When I was at Stagnevich, the monastery
contained but three monks, all men of much information.
Father Juletich devoted himself successfully to the study of
Natural History.
The environs of the monastery afford nothing attractive, for
it is erected on a naked spot, containing only a few patches of
garden among the rocks : but the view from it is magnificent,
stretching over the coast and the Adriatic, as far as the sight
can pierce.
Having refreshed ourselves for some days at Stagnevich,
we continued our journey towards Cattaro. Descending
Mount Coloxum, we halted at the fountain Tipoglievar, within
three miles of the frontier of Cattaro. This is the second
spring of potable mineral water which I saw : the water is
extremely limpid and light, without taste or smell, cold and
promptly laxative. The multitude of mineral springs, scat
tered over the country, demonstrate the internal riches of
the Montenegro. Vestiges of ancient excavations are seen in
various quarters ; but their date is now unknown ; nor is it
easy to discover the epoch when the inhabitants of that tract
were sufficiently civilized to carry on such operations. The
vestiges may perhaps indicate the works of the Romans, who,
we know, drew from Dalmatia valuable mineral substances.
We arrived early in Miraz, the place where the second
treaty with the Montenegrines was arranged in 1812, there to
recruit our dress as well as our persons, before we entered
Cattaro. Miraz is the nearest place to the boundary of the
province : the environs are not unpleasant, and agriculture is
productive. The inhabitants, in consequence of their daily
dealings with the people of Cattaro, are less rough and un
polished than their country-folks of more remote situations.
Upon a review of my journey, compared with the map, it
will be evident that the general inclination ofthe Montenegro is
from west to east; and that that of the two Zentas' is from
east to west: also, that all the brooks and rivers discbarge
their waters into one common bason, the lake of Scutari, the
Labedtis Palus of the ancients. The Montenegro, considered
in its totality, is a mass of mountains, in many quarters inac
cessible ; intersected by prodigious precipices, which the eye
is unable to fathom; by furious torrents, which sweep before
them whatever opposes their course : thus changing the face
of nature, and at last throwing themselves headlong into deep
and dark gulfs amid the mountains. Hence, in the highest
ranges, especially in that which impends over the gulf of
Cattaro, scenes romantic and awful beyond description, are

Springs, SfC. 97
frequently discovered, Those profound gulfs communicate
with internal reservoirs, to supply the numerous springs which
eject their water with incredible force, along the margin and
even in the midst of the channel or bay of Cattaro, Of those
springs, the most considerable rise at the foot of the mountain,
which, ascending gently from the edge of the sea to the lofty
summit, seems to preserve the same inclination in sinking
under the surface, to a great and unknown depth. The quan-
.tity of water collected in the bowels of the mountains must be
prodigious ; for even after a continuation of dry weather, for
five or six months, the springs on the shore announce no de
ficiency of supply. But this observation is not confined in its
application to the Montenegro ; similar facts are ascertained
in many other places of the mountains which bound the
Adriatic to the northward. Another circumstance, seldom if
ever observed in other countries, draws the attention of the
visitor of the Montenegro: in the midst of the most steady
season of the year, of the finest day, of the purest and brightest
atmosphere, when not a speck of vapour can be ^discerned on
the sea, or in any other quarter of the horizon, on a sudden
thunder is heard to roll through the heavens, in a direction
towards the centre of the mountains. The repercussion from
the multiplied inflexions of the mountains without doubt pro
duces the awful sounds we hear; but whence comes the origi
nal cause in an atmosphere such as has been described ? Were
it more commodious to penetrate into the Montenegrine
country; could men of science reside in it for some length of
time in security ; were it possible to conquer the aversion of
the people to new faces and new modes of life; a most inter
esting field would be laid open to the naturalist, and many
advantages might result to the people themselves. But
neither the people nor the clergy would encourage such pro
ceedings. The latter would rather tremble themselves during
a thunder-storm than hazard the loss of a few piastres, drawn
from their simple flocks, for imaginary services in averting the
tempest, or guarding them from its effects. Five or six hours
after one of these dreadful explosions, the water rushes out of
the springs in the bay of Cattaro with prodigious force. The
contest between the salt-water and the fresh, bursting up in
the midst of it, is evident and interesting. At the same time
the basin, at the gate Gordizzio of Cattaro, boils up with the
utmost violence: the waters of other springs, of tbe Glinta
particularly, on a level with the surface of the sea, pour out
with such force, that the mountain itself seems to shake. The
Fiumera, which rises immediately at the foot of the mountain,
is of siich a body that, at twenty steps from its source, it turns
Voyages and Travels, JVo. 3. Vol. IV. O

98 Travels in Montenegro.
three tnills. During these eruptions, if you lie with your
breast on the mountain side, at the distance of sixteen or
eighteen yards above the spring, the tremulous motion of the
ground is not only sensible but painful. During tbe thunder
storms, a noted well at Cattaro, usually filled with stones
thrown in by children, is at once cleared of its burthen by the
water, vi^hich springs up two or three feet above the brim.
I have myself at those times thrown into the water stones
from one gradually up to ten pounds in weight, but not one
ever sunk three feet under the surface ; at particular times,
such is tho force of the spring that they never enter the water
at'all. These curious phenomena have led persons to imagine
the ground on which Cattaro is built to be hollow, and that
therefore the town is daily exposed to be swallowed up. To
strengthen this opinion, the example of Risano, (a town
fifteen miles to the northward of Cattaro) formerly Rhizinium,
from which the bay was called Sinus Rhizinius, is adduced.
Rhizinium, situated on the north-west of the present monastery
of Our Lady, was many ages ago overwhelmed by an earth
quake. The surviving inhabitants withdrew to Teodo, a
fertile tract, the Eden of the province of Cattaro, and there
constructed a new city. Rhizinium was the residence of the
celebrated Queen Teuta, widow of Argon, King of Illyricum;
the same lady who, whilst to defend herself against attacks by
sea, she extended a chain across one ofthe narrows ofthe gulf of
Cattaro, still retaining the name delle catene, (pass of the
chains) encouraged her own subjects to push their piratical
expeditions to an extraordinary extent. The same lady, in the
year of Rome 523, caused to be assassinated the Roman am
bassador*, Cains and Lucius Coruncanius, for the boldness
with which Caius had discharged the duty of his mission, in
warning the queen against her unlawful enterprises. Of the
ancient Rhizinium, considerable relics are still to be seen :
vast remains of an antique fortress, on the side of the hill,
seem to shew that it was intended to protect a city of import
ance, or to be the abode of som" person of high distinction ;
perhaps of the sovereigns of Illyricum, of Teuta herself. The
general opinion is, that Rhizinium was ingulfed by an earth
quake ; but had that been the case, some indenture of the
shore would have indicated its position, which is not the fact:
nor would the antiquities still discoverable on the ground
have now been in existence. It is, therefore, most probable
that the city was not overthrown by an earthquake, or by an
irruption of the sea, but by some hostile attack, in which it
was burnt and destroyed. In support of this notion, it may
be mentioned that, among the ruins may be seen a portion of

Forests, ^c, 99
beautiful mosaic, about thirty-three feet in length, by ten feet
in breadth ; but the extremities are deeply covered with rub
bish, Tbe design is complicated, and the colours, when the
f lavement is wet, are very disiinguishable. It may have be-
onged to a gallery in the palace, of which one side has been
built parallel to the course ofthe torrent of Risano, Learning
that vases, containing a very fine dust, had been found by a
peasant labouring in his vineyard, I repaired thither with some
friends acquainted with such matters. We saw many frag
ments of cinerany urns, but none entire : nor were our own
researches more successful. The urns were all of the form
commonly termed Etruscan, of very coarse clay, incrusted with
rough reddish grains of sand. The handles were pairs of ser
pents ; the tails ending at a buff'alo's head, having an ellip'ic
ring in tbe muzzle. In the same spot were two funeral stones:
a few Roman characters alone remain of the inscriptions, but
unintelligible. Other evidences of Roman occupation of the
country, are the vestiges of roads in various parts, in some
places in tolerable preservation, but fast hastening to destruc
tion, unobserved, unknown by men capable of tracing them for
any useful purpose, to ascertain the positions of places once of
importance, in a region now in the lowest station of rudeness
and ignorance. In two spots on the shore of Risano are visi
ble under the sea the remains of an antique monument, which,
from their present position, must have been overthrown by an
earthquake, or by the undermining of the sea. Such may
doubtless have been the fate of Rhizinium; but to thp present
Cattaro nothing of the kind can possibly happen ; for Cattaro
is evidently founded on the solid rock, a portion of the grand
range of mountains, of which the region of Montenegro is en
tirely composed.
The whole country rising over the coast of the Adriatic is
covered with forest, on the northern exposure of every^moun-
lain and hill. Of these the most important parts, namely Ka
tunska, Rieska, and Piessivaska, are clothed, for two-thirds of
their height, with timber in its full growth, which might be ren
dered of vast service to the Montenegrines. But the inba-
biiants are averse to regular labour; nor does it seem possible
to conquer their inveterate hatred to the Turks ; otherwise a
great portion of the timber might be conveyed by the rivers to
the lake of Scutari, and thence by the Boiana to the Adriatic,
With no great trouble, the Schinizza and the Ricovezernovich
might be rendered fit to float timber to the lake. In another
point of view, the bare rocks, precipices, and ravines, occupy
so large a proportion of the country, that little comparatively is
Jeft for agricultural operations. The feeble population of the

100 Travels in Montenegro.
Montenegro is not therefore a wonder ; for »he villages are
dispersed over the country far asunder, and the communication
between them is extremely difficult. It is not, however, by tbe
numbers of a people, nor by the extent of the country they
inhabit, that we are to judge of their military talents. Often
has a tribe in a remote, an unknown corner of the world, sprung
forth from its obscurity, and by its appearance, its energy, its
exploits astonished the universe. Tbe only thing wanting is a
chief; in applying this remark to the Montenegro, tbe parturiunt
montes may perhaps be applied to me. But if some great
European power, forming a permanent but voluntary connec
tion with the people of that region, have the address to carry
into action the enterprise and intrepidity of that people, the adage
may be successfully controverted. In this supposition it will
be evident that I turn my eyes towards Russia ; especially
under such a vladika as the bishop of whom I have spoken.
Should the Emperor Alexander ever attempt to fulfil the projects
of Catherine II., no where could he find fellow-labourers more
ready nor more resolute. Twenty thousand Montenegrines,under
leaders of their own nation, but commanded by such a man as
Suvarov, would rush down into European Turkey, irresistible
as their mountain-torrents. In its progress the stream would
be augmented by the accession of 60,000 Greeks, whose ancient
hatred of their oppressors slumbers, but will easily be awakened.
Then might we look forward to the restoration of liberty, of
genius, of the arts, of knowledge, of the antique inhabitancy,
in that most interesting portion of the globe. In the present
state of Europe ; now that knowledge and information on the
subjects of the highest importance to society at large are no
longer locked up in the bosoms of a few, but pervade and are
cherished by persons of all ranks in the principal states; in such
a condition of things, it is impossible to believe ihat a revolution
in modern Greece could turn out for the advantage of despo
tism alone, whether exercised over the bodies or the minds of
met). Respect for the rights of nations, of human nature itself,
will gradually extinguish the antiquated notions of oppression
of every sort. That it is not the mere restlessness of anarchy,
the desire of disorder, by which so many important states of
Europe are now agitated, is undeniably proved by the universal
voice, requesting and demanding regular syi»tems of constitu
tional la,w, in wnich the duties of every member of the society
shall be clearly defined and determined. Now about lo return
to my post, furnished with a stock of new facts and observa-
tigns, illustrated by remarks and sketches made on the spot,
and possessing various valuable or curious seeds, I set out from
Miraz about noon, for Cattaro, where the inhabitants, as well

Return to Cattaro. 101
as the garrison, expressed great surprise at my return. For
such was their prejudice, (not altogether groundless) against
the Montenegrines, that no one expected ever to see me again
in safety and health. As a marked feature of the people whom
I had just left, I must give this concluding anecdote. Having
been every where received and treated by the Montenegrines
with peculiar kindness, it appeared but my duty not to dismiss
my escort just when I arrived at my own door. Wishing to
show my defenders some sense of their attention, I pressed
them to accept of hospitality under my roof. Long did they
positively resist my solicitations, speaking softly among them
selves, and giving manifest signs of their fears. Several of
them had figured in our former quarrels, but being among the
most resolute, the Montenegrine governor had given them to
me as the best protectors he could furnish. Knowing all this
before I set out, it has often caused my wonder how I could
venture myself alone among such men in such situations. In
the course of my wanderings through their country, I know
they were often warned to be on their guard ; because my
object was believed to be very different from that which I pre
tended ; and that I might perhaps inveigle them within the
walls of Cattaro, there to take vengeance on them for the assas
sination of the Italian officers in our service. Several of my
guides and protectors were leading men in their community,
and highly considered : it is not surprising, therefore, that they
shoufd hesitate when invited to enter our principal garrison.
As we drew near to Cattaro, their alarm became more and
more evident: slackening by degrees their pace, and looking
often behind them, the moment was, come, I thought, when
they would certainly quit me. Not one of them had ven
tured into Cattaro, since the last arrangement with the vladika.
Perceiving that I read their thoughts ; " It is not you, com
mandant, whom we fear," said one of them ; " were it necessary
to fight in your defence, we would all do it with the greatest
alacrity : but you yourself may be ignorant of the plots con
trived against us." — " No, no, (answered I,) our troops are men
of honour, incapable of forming or harbouring any project con
trary to their duty as well as to my orders. Besides, my
friends, did not I enter into your country alone, a stranger, and
if you look back a little, what you might call an enemy. Have
I not placed my life wholly in your power, in situations where
you might have done with me whatever you chose? Can you
suppose that I will be less generous than you have been ?
Trust me, you will find my soldiers neither less spirited, nor
less frank and hospitable than yourselves." — " Give me your
hand, commandant," said one of the company. " Your hand,"

102 Travels in Montenegro.
cried another: embracing them all round, we walked into
Cattaro in high spirits together. Having entertained my guests
in the best manner in my power, I furnished to each a written
certificate by which they were enabled to go about the town,
to visit their former acquaintances, and to transact business of
every kind.

CHAPTER XXXIL
General Observations.

When that portion of the mountainous region, on the north
east coast of the Adriatic, called by the Italians, and from them
by other Europeans, the MontenegTO, obtained that name, is
unknown. The name is merely a translation of the term Czerna-
Gora, ofthe language still spqken in the country. The epithet
black denotes the vast extended tracts of forest which even at
present, and still more in ancient times, covered the mountains.
The Schwarts-Wald, or the Black-Forest, in Suabia in Ger
many, to this day proves the pi'opriety of the appellation. The
northern portion of the country washed by tbe Adriatic on the
south-west, was in ancient times called Illyricum, and the
southern portion Epirus. The boundary between them was
the river Drilo, now the Drin, which falls into the Adriatic, to
the northward of Durazzo, formerly Dyrrhachium, celebrated
in the history of Rome as the scene of the magnanimous,
although unsuccessful, attempt of Julius Csesar to enclose and
reduce his rival Pompey. Illyricum was also subdivided into
Liburnia on the north, and Dalmatia on the south; in which
last portion the Montenegro was included. In ancient
authors we find in general that the mountaineers of Illyricum
led an unsettled unconquered life, firmly attached to their ori
ginal customs, and acknowledging no other laws. They were
also eminent for a courageous, bold, and independent spirit.
Of the persons who, even amongst such a people, must have
risen above their fellows we know nothing. A few individuals
have indeed been mentioned in the Grecian and Roman histo
ries : but no Illyrian historian has come down to our days ; and
in ancient as in modern times the people have been chiefly
noticed for their predatory partial expeditions by sea as well as
by land. That in the army of Persius, King of Epirus, who in
473 of Rome carried his forces into Italy, were natives of the
mountainous region beyond the Drilo, the northern boundary
of his dominions, may not unreasonably be supposed. His

Language of the Montenegrines. 103
father having exhausted the endurance of the Epirotes, by his
incessant wars, was most justly driven from the throne, and
Pyrrhus, then an infant, was placed for protection by his
friends under Glaucus, King of Illyricum, Affected by the
infantile blandishments of the boy, Glaucus not only adopted
him, but aided in restoring to him the throne of Epirus. The
lawless depredations of Teuta, Queen of Illyricum, have al
ready been mentioned. Her country was among the first to
be initiated into the doctrines of genuine Christianity, by
St, Paul himself, as is recorded in his Epistle to the Romans,
Of much later times, the personage who chiefly attracted
public attention to the eastern shores of the Adriatic, was
George Castriot, best known by the appellation Scanderbeg.
This extraordinary man was neither indeed a native, nor a
chief, nor the sovereign of the Montenegro : but his dominions
were a prolongation of that mountainous region, and the inha
bitants were people of a similar character, spirit, and habits
of life. To read, therefore, the history of the Albanians, and
Epirotes of Scanderbeg, is in some measure, mutatis mutandis,
to read the history of the Montenegrines.
The language of the Montenegro is a dialect of the antique
Sclavonian, (properly Slavonian,) which for copiousness and
force of expression, and for the extent of countries in which
it is spoken, is without a fellow in Europe, For the Sclavo
nian is the mother of the various tongues employed in Bohe
mia, Poland, Russia, Hungary, Turkey in Europe, &c. In
its genius, this language resembles others of the greatest anti
quity. In speaking to a single person, the plural number is
never employed, nor are titles of honour; nothing but thou
and thee. Hence were Caesar and Pompey, Cicero and Ovid,
to revisit Dalmatia, they would still find themselves addressed
by their proper names, and in the singular number, as in the
best days of the Roman state. Of all the nations who still
employ the Sclavonian tongue, the Muscovites are reckoned
to have preserved it in the greatest purity. For, in the first
place, they have succeeded to the Sarmatians, who originally
spoke that language, and in the second place, the Muscovites
have been but very little intermingled with foreign nations
possessing a different dialect. For reasons of the same kind,
and nearly of equal force, the Montenegrines and the other
inhabitants of the mountainous regions which border the
eastern shores of the Adriatic, are believed to possess the Scla
vonian in great purity. This remark is not however strictly
applicable to the inhabitants of the coast-towns, such as Cat
taro, Ragusa, &c. where the native dialect is necessarily more
or less corrupted by the introduction ofthe Italian. So much

104 Travels in Montenegro.
is this now the case, that Italian terms are employed, not only
to express conceptions and objects formerly unknown to the
Sclavonians, but also to denote ideas and things for which ap
propriate terms do actually exist in the old tongme.
It was already observed, that an absurd pronunciation has
long prevailed relative to the name of the Sclavonian nations.
The name is formed from slava, a term signifying glorious,
adopted by the people themselves, in allusion to some signal
but now unknown success in battle. Hence many proper
names, in countries where the Sclavonian is spoken, contain
the term. Thus Stanislavus, corrupted into Stanislaus, de
notes a person who stands firm for glory ; Radoslavus, one
who labours for glory; Vladislavus, one who reigns with
glory. From this circumstance it has been inferred, that the
proper name of the nation was Slava; and if we sometimes
meet with Slova and Slovinska, the variation arises from the
practice of certain districts, where o is substituted for a in
many other words. Besides these names having peculiar
meanings, many others are found in Russia, Poland, &c.
formed from terms significant in Sclavonian. Thus we find
Radimir, the maker of peace; Zuonimir, the herald of peace;
Cascijwiy, improperly Casimir, the declarer of peace; Budimir,
the imposer of peace.
In the modern history of the countries adjoining to Monte
negro, frequent mention is made of several cIeisscs of men
whose names, in general not understood, are significant in
Sclavonian, The hayducs (or, as it ought to be written and
pronounced without an aspiration, diducs) hav^ latterly been
considered as a race of desperate robbers and murderers. In
this way they were distinguished from the lupexi, or petty
thieves, who carry on their depredations by private stealth.
The diducs glory in being men of heroic valour, who look on
the lupexi with equal hatred and contempt. The diducs are
bold, valorous, enterprising, ready to encounter every danger,
and to engage in the most desperate, however iniquitous, ad
ventures. They usually commence their career by expedi
tions against their Turkish neighbours, but too often end it
by becoming a pest and a terror to their own people. Their
object is not to carry off cattle and sheep, a species of plunder
which they leave to the dastardly lupexi, but to seize money,
silks, spiceries, and other articles of value easily transported.
Their usual course, therefore, is ,to way-lay caravans or com-.
panics of Turkish merchants on their way to or from the towns
on the coast. Much resistance is seldom made by the mer
chants, even when in force. Quite unfit to cope with the
diducs, they usually discharge their pieces and make their

Observations, ^c, 105
escape, leaving their goods and cattle to the assailants. The
diducs do not always confine their operations to public rob
bery. In the year 1775, the renowned chief Bussich, with a
party of twenty heroes, broke into the Turkish territory, and,
making a circuit of many miles, compelled the people to fur
nish the haratch, or capitation-tax, as if they had been really
Turkish officers appointed for its collection. For the adoption
of such a mode of life various causes have been assigned.
Their situation, amidst almost impassable mountains, abound
ing in forests, caverns, and other secret recesses, in some mea
sure invite the inhabitants to rank themselves among the
diducs. The same character of the people was given by the
Roman historian, Florus. — " The Dalmatians," says he, " ge
nerally dwell ia the forests, and thence are extremely addicted
to robbery," From this circumstance arises the saying com
mon among the mountaineers on the north of the Montenegro :
lurvev dance, Aiducki sastance : " Oh for St. George's day,
and the meeting of the Aiducs!" For at that time the woods
begin to be so clothed with foliage as to afford shelter to the
adventurers. It is not, however, to be supposed that this or
any other single reason induces men to engage in such a
trade. Some are criminals who have escaped from justice;
some have failed in lawful business ; many are driven to des
perate courses by the vexations and extortions of the collectors
of the public revenue; many are instigated by a restless dis
position that disdains all controul. An diduc was apprehended
by the officers of justice, or rather tbe soldiers of the police,
iu the Austrian and Venetian dominions; being ,isked by the
magistrate why he had entered on the life of a robber and
murderer? "Why have you," answered he, " chosen to be
come a magistrate'?" Those police-soldiers are styled ban-
dours, a name commonly corrupted into pandours, a class of
troops often mentioned in the history of Austrian campaigns.
Attempts have been made, but always in vain, by the Austrian
and Venetian governments to restrain, if they could not sup
press, those lawless depredations: but both have, perhaps, been
secretly pleased to observe the maintenance of a spirit of
invincible hatred against the Turks, in those natural bounda
ries of their several states.
Another class of Dalmatian mountaineers are the uscocs, a
term denoting originally foreigners or emigrees, but latterly
applied as a name of reproach. The term was first given to
persons who, fleeing from the oppression of their masters,
particularly from Turkey, withdrew into the neighbouring
countries. Having little or no property of their own, many
of them resorted to theft and robbery for subsistence; hence a
Voyages and Travej,s, JVo. 3, Vol. IV. P

106 Travels in Montenegro.
foreigner or emigree, (uscoc) and a robber came to be nearly
synonymous terms.
That diducs and uscocs, as well as lupexi, formerly might,
and perhaps still may be discovered in the Montenegro, it
would be rash in me to deny: I can only say, I heard nothing
of them; nor would it have been either prudent or civil in me,
whatever might be my curiosity or ray suspicions on that head,
to make enquiries on the subject.
The following lines are literally translated from a song in
general use in tbe Montenegro, It is the complaint of a young
damsel, who in one day lost both her father and her lover ;
and expresses, with characteristic simplicity, the anguish of a
heart for ever closed against all hope of happiness. Unable
to enjoy repose she wandered about in the night ; and arriving
at the summit of a mountain, accompanied by a female friend,
at the moment when the morning began to break forth, she
thus addressed her : —
MONTENEGRO SONG.
Hearest thou the warbling,
The sweet chant of the birds,
On our delightful hills?
Reclcless of the storm
They taste, each in his turn,
The sweets of tenderest love.
In midst of his young brood
Each, as he bops around,
At break of day
Of kindest warmth
The moving proof displays.
Through nature's wide domain,
Of their still changing notes
The melody so pure
Th' enchanting concert forms,
To tlieir Creator's power
His homage each pours forth.
Their song the presage yields.
The pledge of days of joy,
The proof of their return.
The morning in her prime,
Now the bright heaven adorns
With every gayest tint
In Flora's fairest realm,
Enlivened by the breeze
Each floweret now unfolds
Its bosom to the sun
From whom its shades proceed.

Stanza of their Language. 107
Alas ! of such delight
For me, for nie alone
The source has ceased to flow !
How the lot of tlie herb,
How the lot of the flower,
My broken heart now rend
AVith envy's bitterest pang !
In translating this piece, I have studied as much as possible
to give a correct imitation of the original. The following
lines are a specimen of the language, in a stanza frequently
annexed to the warlike songs of the mountaineers, alluding
to the exploits of a famous warrior, Mark Kraglievich, to
whom the most extravagant actions are ascribed : 
Jasce kogna Marco Kraglievichiu :
S'iednom smiom kogna zaudaie ;
A drughamu za kansciu slusci,
IN ENGLISH.
" Mark Kraglievich," (i e. Mark, the son of kings,) " rides on his charger :
one viper in his hand serves him for a bridle ; another serves for a spur and
a whip." The adventures of George Castriot, or Scanderbeg, employed,
as might naturally be expected, the pens of the most eminent
historians of his age, Volaterranus, .^neas, Silvius, Piccolo-
mini, Pope, under the title of Pius II., Paulus Jovius, &c.
But the most complete and interesting account of the modern
heroes of Epirus, was composed by Marinus Barletius, a Ro
man or Latin priest of Scutari, and afterwards a professor in
the university of Brescia in Italy. His work de vita moribus
ao rebus, pracipue adversus Turcas, gestis. Georgii Castrioti
clarissimi Epirotarum principis, qui Scanderbegus, hoc est.
Alexander Dominus sive Magnus, cognominatus fuit, was first
published at Strasburgh, in folio, in 1537. The work of Barle
tius is little known ; consequently, the history of Scanderbeg
has been chiefly collected from a compilation in French, by
Jaques de Laverdin, seigneur du Plessis, dedicated to the
noble Henry IV. of France, in 1597, but not printed till 1604.
The principal families of the northern part of Epirus, now
a portion of Albania, extending from the river Drino, south
wards to Corfu, were three in number, of which the second
was that of Castriot. John of Dibra, the chief of this family,
whose principal residence was in Croia, a strong position in
the mountains twenty miles eastward from Durazzo, having
been defeated by Amurath (father of Mahomet II. the conque
ror of Constantinople) in the early part of the fifteenth century,
surrendered his three sons as hostages for his submission. Being
carried to Adrianople the youths were, in violation of the

108 Travels in Montenegro.
treaty with their father, initiated in the religion of the con
queror, and instructed in all the knowled'ge and exercises
of the Turkish court. George, the youngest^ by his quali
ties natural and acquired, soon gained the affections of Amu
rath, who promoted him to tbe command Of important
divisions of his army, in various expeditions. Learning the
death of his father, and that his two brothers had been secretly
cut off by Amurath, who had caused Croia and Albania to be
occupied as part of his dominions, George or Scanderbeg, as
he was named after Alexander of Macedon, after many pro-
jectsat last succeeded in withdrawing from his gilded slaveJ'y,
and repaired to his native land. Acknowledged and cordially
welcomed by his brave Albanians, he declared himself and his
country free and independent. His whole life-time, down to
his death in 1466, in his sixty-third year, exhibited an unin
terrupted chain of warlike exploits in successful defence of his
country, against the utmost exertions of the mighty Amurath
and Mahonaet, of which we of modern times can with difficulty
credit the relation. Well was it said by a French officer, not
a hundred years ago; " A plague on gun-powder 1 it has
driven bravery and courage out of the world." Artillery, as
applicable to sieges, was but just introduced into practice
when the Turks invaded the dominions of Scanderbeg. Per
sonal ingenuity, intrepMity, and perseverance in the field of
battle, were therefore still in the highest request. The details
ofthe warfare conducted by Seanderbeg consequently abound
in acts aud incidents of which examples can rarely occur in
modern times, among the nations of Elirope; but which may
be found in tbe heroic or fabulous ages of antiquity, or in the
personal exploits of the present race of mountaineers of Al
bania and the Montenegro.

FINIS.

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