e the establishment of an entre-pot for
British manufactures in the interior, got a certain chieftain of a
clan Vassoevitch, named British vice-consul at Novibazar. From this
man's influence, there can be no doubt that had he stuck to trade he
might have proved useful; but, inflated with vanity, he irritated the
fanaticism of the Bosniacs, by setting himself up as a little
Christian potentate. As a necessary consequence, he was obliged to fly
for his life, and his house was burned to the ground. The Vassoevitch
clan have from time immemorial occupied certain mountains near
Novibazar, and pretend, or pretended, to complete independence of the
Porte, like the Montenegrines.

While I returned to the quarantine, and dismounted, the Director, to
whom the over-rider related our adventure, came up laughing, and said,
"What do you think of the rites of Novibazar hospitality?"

_Author_. "More honoured in the breach than in the observance, as our
national poet would have said."

_Director_. "I know well enough what you mean."

_By-stander_. "The cause of the hatred of these fellows to you is,
that they fear that some fine day they will be under Christian rule.
We are pleased to see the like of you here. Our brethren on the other
side may derive a glimmering hope of liberation from the
circumstance."

_Author_. "My government is at present on the best terms with the
Porte: the readiness with which such hopes arise in the minds of the
people, is my motive for avoiding political conversations with Rayahs
on those dangerous topics."

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 12: Most of the gipsies here profess Islamism.]

[Footnote 13: I presume Messrs. Boue and party.]

[Footnote 14: The Austrian zwanziger goes here for only three piastres;
in Servia it goes for five.]

CHAPTER XIX.

Ascent of the Kopaunik.--Grand Prospect.--Descent of the
Kopaunik.--Bruss.--Involuntary Bigamy.--Conversation on the Servian
character.--Krushevatz.--Relics of the Servian monarchy.

A middle-aged, showily dressed man, presented himself as the captain
who was to conduct me to the top of the Kopaunik. His clerk was a fat,
knock-kneed, lubberly-looking fellow, with a red face, a short neck, a
low forehead, and bushy eyebrows and mustachios, as fair as those of a
Norwegian; to add to his droll appearance, one of his eyes was
bandaged up.

"As sure as I am alive, that fellow will go off in an apoplexy. What a
figure! I would give something to see th