egovina and a holy man of
great repute. About a century ago he had a vision telling him to
travel to Montenegro, and there to found a monastery. Accordingly he
set out, taking with him a great quantity of building material, and
chose a spot not far from Podgorica, on the right bank of the Zeta.
But in the night the material disappeared, and S. Vasili hunted high
and low. After a weary search it was found at Ostrog, and there he
built his place of retreat, living many years, working many miracles,
and dying as a saint. He is buried there, and it is said that any
believer has but to visit the shrine, and whatever his wish may be, it
will be fulfilled. Thus cripples have walked back the way which they
were carried, sick have been made whole, and the mentally afflicted
have gone away rejoicing. Certain it is that many wonderful cures are
yearly effected there.

Furthermore, the name of Ostrog appears often in the glorious annals
of Montenegrin history. The oft-told tale of Prince Nicolas' father,
Mirko, "The Sword of Montenegro," who was besieged in that
inaccessible cleft in a precipice with a handful of men, is one of the
most famous feats of Montenegrin arms. The charred cliffs still bear
silent witness to the efforts which the Turks made to burn out the
little garrison by throwing bundles of flaming straw from above.

Ostrog is about six hours' drive from Podgorica. The road passes along
the River Zeta, leaving the village of Spuz on the right, and past the
flourishing little town of Danilovgrad, soon to be the connecting
town between Cetinje and Niksic on completion of the projected road.

There is nothing of interest in Danilovgrad, though the market is of
some importance. A little way beyond the town a nearly complete
building can be noticed. It is the lunatic asylum.

From this point onwards the road ascends slowly but steadily until a
deep valley lies to the right, and the Zeta assumes quite diminutive
proportions. The mountains opposite rise to an ever-increasing height,
until a few tiny buildings can be made out by the help of
field-glasses. It is Ostrog. That morning we could make out the tents
and booths of the pilgrims, and a dark mass of surging humanity. But
it is still a very long distance away. The road climbs up to the head
of the valley to the village of Bogetic, full that morning of the
carriages of the wealthy pilgrims. During the Whitsun festival
carriages are scarcely to be procured in the whole