the town.

The scene was altogether novel to a traveller from the West, and reminded one of what bonnie Scotland might have been in days of yore, when the blue bonnets had determined on crossing the English border. There were the gallant Arnouts in their picturesque costume, the braided jacket and white kilt, each separate phis or clan commanded by its own hereditary chieftain, and bearing its own distinguishing flag; they were armed, as usual, with their peculiar long gun, pistols and handjar; and now seated around blazing fires in the outskirts of the town, they made the woods and mountains re-echo with their monotonous songs, as if daring their hereditary enemies to the encounter.

Gousnee, a small town of about three hundred houses, and the residence of a Turkish Aien, is the most important place in this part of the country; the whole of the inhabitants are Mussulman-Arnouts, placed here as a military colony to defend the frontier against the incursions of the mountaineers of Tchernegora.

We cannot but admire the heroic bravery, constancy of purpose, and devotedness of the Christian tribes of Albania and Servia, who, on the destruction of all that was dear to a high-minded, patriotic people their altars and fatherland, found a secure retreat in the fastnesses of their native mountains,

and continued for centuries to maintain their wild independence, in spite of every effort of the Ottoman Porte, even in its best days, to subdue them; and now that the Turkish Government has commenced the difficult task of reforming the abuses of centuries, this very circumstance tends to retard the progress of improvement, and prevents the tranquillization of this important portion of the Turkish empire. At the same time it affords a constant pretext for Austria and Russia, under the plea of religious obligation, to interfere with the internal administration of the country. The free tribes of Upper Albania, the Miriditi, Malasori and Klementi, who inhabit the adjoining mountains of this singular country, profess the Latin ritual, rely on Austria, as a Roman Catholic power, for protection. the other hand their neighbours, the Tchernegori, who adhere to the Greek form of worship, look up to the Czar of Russia as their natural chief.

On

The existence of so many independent tribes and petty states as we find in this part of European Turkey, has had the effect of demoralizing the inhabitants of the adjoining provinces, who in possession of mountains equally inaccessible, are gradually becoming independent; nearly the whole of the mountain district through which we passed, although nominally belonging to the Turkish Government,

and forming part of the pachaliks of Novi-bazar, Ipek and Prizren, are subject to their native chiefs, and pay neither tax nor tribute to the Porte unless compelled by force. At Roujaia, Plava and Gousnee, we found a Turkish Aien, elected by the people as a semblance of submission; but the authority of these chiefs is powerless, when they attempt to carry into effect any ordinance of the Sultan at variance with the customs and manners of the people.

In the revolt of 1847, occasioned by the endeavours of the Pachas of Novi-bazar, Ipek and Prizren, to enforce the conscription, these dignitaries were obliged to submit to the dictation of the people, or quit the country. In several of the communes in the vicinity of Tchernegora, where the population profess the Greek ritual, they acknowledge the spiritual authority of the Vladica (prime bishop) of that little state, and are merely held in check by the forts of Spouge, Podgoritza, and one or two others, from making common cause with their free brethren of the mountains.

During our excursions in these mountains, we everywhere heard lamentable details of the marauding expeditions of the Tchernegori; within the last few years that part of Albania, in the vicinity of Scutari, has principally suffered. In Herzegowina, where the inhabitants are Slavonian, and adhere for

the most part to the Greek ritual, whole districts, with their forts and villages, have been added to the territories of the Vladika. Here, where the mountains are sufficiently elevated to form something like a frontier, the inhabitants, Arnout and Tchernegori, pursue an almost incessant predatory warfare on the property of each other; an armistice, however, is occasionally agreed upon between the belligerents, but as the slightest provocation is sufficient to cause a renewal of hostilities, they live in continued apprehension of a visit from each other. Perhaps the most interesting trait in the character of these people, whether Arnout or Slavonian, so opposed to each other in creed and race, is their wellknown chivalry. For instance, should a stranger be travelling in the country, who is not a party to their quarrels, hostilities are suspended till he is beyond the reach of their bullets. They behave with equal courtesy to a woman, whether Christian or Mahometan, who may pass through the ranks of either party without any fear of molestation; nay, so great is the influence of the fair sex over these fierce warriors, that a woman can at any time cause a suspension of hostilities, when the cause of dispute is left to the arrangement of the elders.

VOL. I.

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CHAPTER XXI.

The importance of Tchernegora as a military positionIts natural defences-Historical sketch of TchernegoraExtraordinary bravery of the mountaineers-Their wars with the Turks-How they recovered their independence -The Vladika Petrovich-Perfidy of the Pacha of Scutari -Massacre of the Turks-Peter the Great of Russia-His alliance with Tchernegora-Victories of the Tchernegori over Marshal Marmont and the French-Their wars with the Austrians-Form of government in TchernegoraReligion, customs and manners of the people.

THE importance of Tchernegora is entirely referrible to its mountain character, and the ill-judged suicidal policy of the Ottoman Porte, in oppressing and persecuting its Christian subjects for so many centuries (to whom the impregnable fastnesses of this mountain fortress have proved a secure asylum), has been the means of adding to the enemies of Mussulman rule. Approach this singular district