nsists of a red fez cap, a cloth jacket, and
just such baggy blue trousers as are worn by Greek sailors. The Miridites
are all Roman Catholics, and are as fanatical and violent in their
feelings on the subject of religion as the most ignorant peasants of
Galway or the _softas_ of Constantinople. They will allow no Mohammedan to
settle in their country, and their hatred of the Greek Church is hardly
less pronounced. Yet their religious observances partake of one or two
features which are entirely Greek, and would not be authorized by Romish
Church dignitaries in any other country. And, in fact, the zeal of these
pious mountaineers seems to be tempered with very little knowledge, for
they look upon Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of their country and race,
as an absolute deity, and are in the habit of praying to Christ to
intercede for them with Saint Nicholas.

Another remarkable thing about these people is that they will not, like
the other Albanians generally, fight as mercenaries. When they have
assisted the Turks in their wars--and they have done so repeatedly and
very effectively--it has been as auxiliaries and, as they claim,
independent allies. They take pride in tracing their descent from the
followers of George Castriote, or _Scanderbeg_, who was born at Castri in
their territory, and their prince, Prenk Bib Doda, confidently asserts
that the world-renowned Scanderbeg was his own ancestor. They consider,
therefore, that it would disgrace the memory of their heroic forefathers
to fight as mere hirelings.

But perhaps the most extraordinary custom of the Miridites is that by
means of which they get their wives. When a young man among them
contemplates marriage, he first goes to some Mohammedan locality and finds
out where the maidens are wont to stay. Then he returns, organizes a party
of friends and relatives, and, swooping down on the habitation of the
bride-elect, carries her off to his mountain-home and to a state of
wedlock. But the most singular part of the whole affair is that, in spite
of the appearance of violence, the matter is really devoid of any hostile
feeling, and is, in fact, a perfectly amicable arrangement; for the
husband afterward hands over to the bride's relatives the price that is
considered a bride's equivalent in that part of the world, and both sides
remain contented and on intimate and agreeable terms with each other. The
idea in giving this semblance of force to a courtship, and litera