very cold, and round it lay the others
sleeping, each with his rifle and revolver by his head. "And we are in
Europe!" I said to myself, as I lay down to sleep, which, in spite of
the mighty snoring of Dr. S., came almost immediately.

It seemed but a few minutes since I had closed my eyes when a shot
rang out, bringing me to my knees in an instant. It is not advisable
to rise quickly in these huts without taking the roof into
consideration, as I had learnt by bitter and repeated experience.
Everyone awoke, except Dr. S., who snored on peacefully. However, I
roughly awoke him, and we all dashed out, rifle in hand.

One of our sentries stood peering into the gloom, and swore that he
had seen a figure moving. We lay down and waited, but nothing came.

Then slowly the day began to dawn, and with it our anxiety diminished.
I went to get a cup of coffee, preparatory to climbing a part of the
Kom. One of our guards, of course, accompanied me. That is the worst
of these districts, we could never move a step without being followed.
It was like being under police surveillance. Furthermore, I should
have preferred to climb with a good stick; but no. Again that iron
control ordered me to take my carbine, and loaded too.

We reached a high ridge just in time to see the sun rise, and it lit
up the snow-clad mountain-tops with an indescribable beauty. But so
much has been written about the splendours of Alpine sunrises that it
is needless to say more about it. Yet it was as beautiful as anything
to be seen in Switzerland or the Tyrol. The ridge commanded a view in
both directions. The Albanian Alps and the mountains behind the Moraca
lay before us in one vast panorama, the latter looming up so close
that it was difficult to believe that so many days' hard riding lay
between us.

After climbing one of the lower peaks, we descended again to our hut,
which we reached shortly after six. Everyone was busy, washing,
packing up, or even sleeping, which is an equally important business.
To snatch half an hour's sleep here and there is an enviable art, and
cannot be overrated. But, perched on a low stone wall, sat a guard all
the time. Daylight does not imply safety.

After breakfast, luxurious with toasted bacon, I emerged from the hut
to find an excited group outside, one of whom was even lying down and
aiming.

"He is watching us. It is far better that we should finish him now
than allow him to go on and report our movements," sai