extent
that I can absolutely rely on them. The hospital costs a lot of money,
for we only charge a krone (about a franc) a day, and then they
petition that they cannot pay."

After inscribing our names in a book we went back to our midday meal.

The hospital, from a medical and surgical standpoint, is extremely up
to date, and at its head is a doctor who may be counted as one of the
finest operators in Europe; at his own request his name has not been
mentioned. It is another instance of Prince Nicolas' benevolence to
his people, another of the progressive movements which he is ever
introducing into the country. Every district has a doctor, all of whom
are under the head doctor at Cetinje, who directs all treatment in the
case of an epidemic. Serious cases are sent to Cetinje and treated
there, but these are largely surgical. The fame of the doctor at
Cetinje has reached the furthermost village; men who have suffered for
years now troop joyfully to the capital, and the number of operations
increases yearly.

May the hospital and its capable chief flourish and continue to bring
the blessings of science to the worthy sons of the Black Mountain!

CHAPTER XXI

The Law Court in Cetinje--The Prince as patriarch--A typical
lawsuit--Pleasant hours with murderers--Our hostel--A Babel of
tongues--Our sojourn draws to a close--The farewell cup of coffee and
apostrophe.

The Law Court in Cetinje is distinctly quaint. All civil cases are
conducted in public, and the method of procedure is simplicity
itself.[9] Firstly there are no lawyers and no costs, the rival
parties conducting their case in person--that is to say, they are
present, and are examined and cross-examined by the judge and his six
assistants. All the preliminaries have been committed to writing and
are read out by the clerk of the court, the only other official
present. In a small inclosure sit the plaintiff and defendant and
their witnesses; behind a railing, stand and sit the audience of
admiring friends and relations.

[Footnote 9: This is all altered now since the end of 1902, when a new
code and system was introduced, more up to date.]

The room is long and low. At the further end on a raised dais sits the
judge, behind whom is a lifesize reproduction of the Prince's
photograph. At a horseshoe-shaped table sit the other judges, three on
each side, and in the middle is another table holding the Bible,
crucifix, and two candles. The candles are li