ted into the very fastnesses of that wonderful little land.
These chosen few have at least seen that all is not bare and rocky,
that there are rich green valleys, rushing mountain torrents, and
pleasant streams.

If they are very observant they will likewise notice that the men of
these parts are more wildly clad and fiercer-looking than their more
polished brethren of the "residence." Rifles are carried more
universally the nearer lies Albania, and in Podgorica itself they will
have seen--particularly if chance has brought them there on a
market-day--crowds of savage-looking hill-men, clad in the white serge
costume of Albania, standing over their handful of field produce with
loaded rifles; stern men from the borders with seamed faces; sturdy
plains-men tanned to a mahogany tint by the almost tropical sun of the
valleys; shepherds in great sheepskins, be it ever so hot; and haughty
Turks, hodjas, and veiled women, all in a crowded confusion, haggling
and bartering. Quaint wooden carts drawn by patient oxen, their huge
clumsy wheels creaking horribly; gypsies with thunderous voices acting
as town criers; madmen shrieking horribly; blind troubadours droning
out songs of heroes on their guslars. If the tourist has witnessed and
understood all this, then he has seen something of Montenegro. But
beyond those lofty mountains which rise on either side of the carriage
road, live these same people in their rude villages. There are towns
far away, unconnected by any road, to reach which the traveller must
journey wearily by horse and on foot, over boulder-strewn paths, by
the side of roaring torrents, through the cool depths of primeval
forests, and over the snow-clad spurs of rugged mountains. There he
will find men accustomed to face death at any moment, who delight in
giving hospitality, and who talk of other lands as "the world
outside." These are the Montenegrins to whom we owe some of the most
pleasant reminiscences of our lives.

Our book does not describe the whole country, as unfortunately we were
unable to visit the northern districts and the lofty Durmitor, but we
certainly saw the more interesting half, namely, the whole of the
Albanian frontier.

Amongst those hardy borderers we made many warm friends, but it would
be invidious to mention names amongst so many. We came to the country
with a single introduction, to Dr. Stefanelli, the companion of many
of our journeys, and we left at the conclusion of six months