eing softer and more
melodious than the Russian. My stay was unfortunately not long enough
to obtain much knowledge of it, and this want will sufficiently
account for any errors that may appear in my descriptions of what I
did not personally witness; for it prevented that free intercourse
with the people, by which a true insight to their manners can alone be
acquired. Their laws seem very simple; he who kills is killed--shooting
being the mode of execution. He who robs must make good; and, as few
of the people are in abject poverty, this is usually done. Should they
fail, a summary flogging is inflicted. At Cettigna is a small prison;
I believe there is no other. When any one is there confined, he trusts
entirely to his friends for subsistence. They are good-humoured,
obliging, and extremely loquacious; but their continued spitting is
very disagreeable. I witnessed no games or diversions among them
except the one-stringed fiddle; but I understood that they have a few
athletic sports, such as wrestling and putting the stone. They often
go to sea. I encountered two among the crew of an Austrian packet.
They all profess the Greek faith, and are in their way very religious.
When passing a church they bow and cross themselves, and perform all
sorts of pious movements, which sometimes border on the ludicrous.
Before going to sleep they make long prayers. Previous to visiting the
Vladika, an armed Montenegrian entered in the morning the house where
we slept, and casting aside his gun and cloak, commenced reading mass
to the assembled party. This was the priest of the parish. The older
members of the community are not usually very enlightened; but through
the schools established by the Vladika, where instruction is dispensed
gratuitously, most of the rising generation can read and write their
native language, and a sufficiency of neatly printed books are issued
from the press he keeps employed at Cettigna. No social distinctions
are yet known among them, and the most perfect equality prevails--even
the sons address their father by his Christian name. The only
exception is in the person of the Vladika--his lot on the whole is not
an enviable one. The only educated mind among the many--the only
polished gentleman among simple peasants; he is indeed an isolated
being. Handsome and in the prime of life, yet there must be none to
cheer his lot, or lighten his solitude, nor any to whom he would love
to transmit his mountain throne. In