easily be avoided for the future, always providing that the Porte
be sincere in its oft-repeated protestations of a desire for genuine
reform. Ali Pacha was at Mostar in the beginning of 1858, when the
movement began, but was afraid to venture into the revolted districts to
collect his tithes. The Governor, therefore, made him Commandant of the
Herzegovinian irregulars, in which post he vindicated the character
which he had obtained for cruelty and despotism. Subsequently he was
appointed Kaimakan of Trebigne, but the European Consuls interfered, and
he has now decamped, owing a large sum to government, the remnant of his
contract for the tithes.

The sides of some of the mountains are covered, as I have before said,
with dense forests of great value. There the oak, ash, elm, beech,
walnut, red and white pine, and the red and yellow maple, grow in rich
profusion, awaiting only the hand of man to shape them into 'the tall
mast' and the 'stately ship.' But man, in these benighted lands, is
blind to the sources of wealth with which his country teems, and to
nature it is left in the lapse of years to 'consume the offspring she
has herself produced.' The difficulty of transporting the timber to a
market has been always alleged by the natives as their reason for
neglecting to turn the forests to account; but this is a paltry excuse,
for with abundance of rivers to float it to the coast, and a neighbour
so anxious to monopolise the trade of the country as Austria has shown
herself, little doubt can be entertained of the possibility of its
advantageous disposal. As far back as 1849 an Austrian Company,
foreseeing the benefits which would accrue from the employment of
capital in these parts, obtained a concession of the pine forests for
twenty years. Saw-mills were built near Mostar, and roads and shoots
were constructed. About 5,000 logs had been cut and exported, when the
works were stopped by Omer Pacha on his arrival to suppress rebellion in
the country in 1850. This arbitrary measure on his part has been much
reprehended, and does without doubt require explanation.

It should, however, be remembered that the contract, which was likely to
prove most remunerative to the Company, and of but little advantage to
the Turkish government, had been granted by Ali Pacha of Stolatz, the
last Civil Governor, to whom a tithe of the products was being paid. He
had in the meanwhile thrown off his allegiance, and consequently the
only bl