the regular attack of our battalions. The Russians, who had placed great reliance on the Montenegrines, were, in consequence, obliged to re-embark precipitately; renouncing, on the one hand, the advantages of an excellent position, and, on the other, the aid of a numerous squadron, which, while it intercepted the entrance to the mouths of the Cattaro, would have dealt destruction along the plain of the Salterns, which we occupied. Forty-eight hours sufficed for the retreat of the enemy's force. The Vladika, who, two days before, had been animating the courage of his hordes, and leading them on with extraordinary courage and skill, now hastily retired to the convent of Savina, which was covered by the line of Castel-Nuovo, and the Spanish fort. There he. rallied his forces, and, on the third day, commenced his march towards Montenegro.

The Montenegrine troops being chiefly trained to act as sharpshooters, and to fire from behind rocks, were consequently very ineffective in the engagements of the Salines, which is a plain of tolerable extent. Our troops had but little intercourse with the natives, and even our generals and principal officers seem to have regarded it as a matter of no great importance, to make observations on their character.

Having been intrusted with the government of one of the provinces of Montenegro for the space of six years, I enjoyed ample time and opportunity for forming a correct notion of the manners, customs, and character of the natives. I penetrated into the heart of their mountains, visited their villages and habitations, attended their ceremonies and festivities; thus have I been enabled to observe attentively their way of life, and to mark the various characteristics which distinguish them.

The Montenegrines inhabit that chain of high mountains extending from the valley of Garba, along Herzegovina, as far as the confines of the district of Castel-Nuovo, from north to south, and over the whole of the province of Cattaro, from east to west. Montenegro derives its name both from its situation and its aspect. Those enormous mountains, which were formerly overgrown with fir-trees, appeared black on all sides, and from every point; this circumstance determined their denomination among a people guided by nature alone; and the country was called, in the Illyrian language, Czernogore, or Czernogora, black mountain. It is situated between 18 and 19 deg. of longitude, east from Greenwich, and the 42 and 43 deg. of latitude. It is bounded on the east by the Cadalik of Antivari, and Upper Zenta; on the south by the mouths of the Cattaro, from Pastrovichio, to the province of Herzegovina; on the west, by Herzegovina; on the north, by Herzegovina, as far as the Bosnian Vizirate, and by the mountains of Albania Proper; it is consequently surrounded on

three sides by the Turkish territory, and on the fourth by what was formerly Venetian Albania. The country is divided into five parts, called Nahia, or departments, namely:-Katunska, Rieska, Piessivaska, Liesauska, and Czerniska. Each of these departments forms various counties, and these counties are again divided into communities. The principal rivers of Montenegro are: 1st. the Ricovezernovich, which has its source in the ravines, between Lovehein and Coloxum, and flows into the lake of Scutari; this river abounds in fish. 2d. The Schimzza, which is formed of several streams, rising in the ravines of the upper mountains, and uniting together at Bichisi; it falls into the Moraka, one mile above the mouth of the Limi. 3d. The Zetta or Poria, which takes its source among the Piessori mountains, and flows into the Moraka, opposite to the town of Podgorizza. And 4th, the Sussiza, which rises to the north of Mount Piessiori, and falls into the Moraka below Budina.

The situation of Montenegro, which is every where intersected with mountains and valleys, resembles that of the Alps of Switzerland;-the scenery is, however, in a more rude style, and, at first sight, the multitude of rocks gives the country an appearance of sterility, which does not in reality belong to it. The climate is milder than Switzerland, and may, generally speaking, be compared to Macedonia. Montenegro is the only country in Europe which does not contain a town, or even any cluster of habitations, large enough to be compared to one. The country, including Upper Zenta, measures in circuity about 100 miles, of sixty to a degree, containing a surface of 418 such square miles.

In the time of the lower empire, under the dominion of the Greek emperors, Montenegro was included in the province called Nahia Prevaljtanja, which extended from the mouths of the Cattaro to the river Drino. It consequently embraced a portion of Dalmatia, Albania, and that part of Macedonia known by the name of Salutaris. Before it became subject to the Romans Montenegro had been governed by the kings of Illyricum, who resided at Scodra, now Scutari, which was the capital until the defeat of Gentius. Montenegro afterwards became a federal government, or more properly formed a federal republic, until, under Augustus, it was once more united to the Roman empire. The country, after being at various periods a prey to the incursions of the Goths, finally became subject to the Sclavonians. After the fall of the Sclavonian kings Montenegro again became a part of the Greek empire, and was afterwards subjected to the Kings of Servia; but, on the destruction of that kingdom, it fell under the dominion of various princes, who, from being

simple governors, acquired such power as enabled them to dispute for the territories of their sovereigns.

This order of things continued until the close of the fourteenth century, when George, king of the two Zentas, sought refuge in Russia against the attacks of the Venetians. He surrendered the two Zentas, as well as Montenegro, and the latter became a prey to the enterprises of petty princes. At length, with the assistance of the inhabitants, George succeeded in re-conquering a part of the Zentas and Montenegro. But he did not long enjoy his success, for he was obliged to flee, to avoid falling into the power of the despotic prince who then ruled Montenegro. Finally, after various political changes and civil wars, the descendants of this last-named prince lost the sovereignty, and were conquered and driven away by the Turks, about the end of the fifteenth century.

From that period the Ottomans extended their dominion over the whole country. They, however, maintained but a feeble sway over the Montenegrines, who were in a constant state of insurrection. During the reign of Peter the Great, Russia had shewn a disposition to subdue Montenegro to her influence, doubtless with the view of effecting useful diversions in her wars with the Turks. The Czar attained his object, and the Montenegrines, instigated by skilful emissaries, openly took up arms against the Turks, in the year 1692. They declared themselves independent, and maintained their supremacy until the year 1718, when they offered to surrender to the Venetians, in order to rid themselves of the Ottoman yoke. But this plan was not carried into execution, on account of the peace of Passarovichtz, which was concluded the same year, and which annulled the reciprocal arrangements of the two nations. At length the Montenegrines, irritated by some outrages_committed against them, attacked the Turks, and re-took Upper Zenta, in the year 1761.

This action was succeeded by a truce of short duration. New cruelties, on the part of the Turks, again excited a storm, and the Montenegrines recked their just vengeance on the Porte, in the war which ensued between the Empress Catharine and the Turks in 1768. The Montenegrines experienced some reverses; but, though they may have seemed occasionally to bow to the Ottoman power, their homage has been a matter of form, rather than real dependence. In the year 1770, they succeeded in freeing themselves from the Turkish yoke; but, in the following year, Mehemet, Pashaw of Scutari, penetrated into Montenegro, and committed the most dreadful ravages.

The Vladika, who was attached to Russia, and relied on her

support, took up arms against the Turks, in 1788. In the following year he united his force to 400 imperial troops, under the command of Major Vinkossovich, attacked Albania, and ravaged the states of the new Pashaw of Scutari, who was meditating an incursion on Montenegro, whence he had carried off women, money, and cattle, in revenge for the union of the Montenegrines with the enemies of the Porte. Having thus openly manifested themselves alternately for the interests of Russia and Austria, it appeared both natural and just, that the Montenegrines should rely on the protection of one or other of these powers; but, on the contrary, the peace of Sistow, which was concluded in 1791, acknowledged them to be the subjects of the Porte, and delivered them over to the barbarity of their enemies. The people, indignant at this policy, swore to pay no tribute, and men, women, and children, took up arms to resist the orders of the Pashaw.

The Turks, irritated by this persevering opposition, combined their forces, and marched once more to reduce the Montenegrines to obedience. But, on this occasion, the powerful voice of liberty was heard, and its echoes resounded even to the cell of the Vladika, who joyfully joined the people in this struggle for their independence. In 1795, he united his force to the subjects of the Pashaw of Scutari, attacked the Pashaw, and wrested from the hands of his mortal enemies the remainder of the district of Upper Zenta. He fought in person, with heroic valour, against Mahmoodh Busacklia, a Pashaw, who commanded a corps of 12,000 men. In the first action the Pashaw was repulsed with considerable loss, and, at last, having imprudently charged the Montenegrines among the passes of Cettigna, he was taken prisoner, and beheaded, and his head is still to be seen in the Vladika's chamber in the convent of Cettigna.

After the defeat of Mamoodh Busacklia, the government of Montenegro approached to democracy; though, at the same time, the Vladika acquired such an ascendancy over the people that he was named Over-King. The Montenegrines have since invariably contended with the neighbouring Turkish commanders, whenever the least encroachment has been made on their liberties or the boundaries of their territory. Thus, they have never in reality been tributary either to the Turks or the Venetians. A few detached frontier villages have, it is true, been momentarily subjected by the Turks, since the year 1804; but, though the Montenegrines are under the special protection of Russia, they boast of enjoying absolute independence.

CHAPTER II.

Admission to the Territory of the Montenegrines.-Their Mode of receiving Strangers.-Difficulty of obtaining an Asylum.-Security when once obtained.

We have now arrived at that period of the history of the Montenegrines when I entered among them. I left Cattaro on the 10th of November, 1810, having previously written to the governor to announce my arrival, a measure which was indispensable, both for my own safety, and to remove all apprehension on the part of the Montenegrines. As I approached the frontier, a detachment of twenty-four armed men saluted me with a discharge of musketry. The chief of the detachment came to meet me, leading a child who carried two flasks of wine, one white and the other red. "We will drink that which you prefer," said he. I chose the white. I observed, indeed, that they drank a great deal of white wine, of which they had an abundant supply.

The detachment of honour formed itself into two divisions; the commandant ranged himself next me, and we marched on to Verba. We advanced slowly, being frequently impeded by the state of the soil, and, besides, every object around me excited my astonishment and attention. I was soon convinced that Montenegro is not, as some writers have alleged, a country surrounded by mountains; but, on the contrary, it is itself a mountainous country, interspersed with what are called plateaus, or level heights. It rises above all the adjacent territories, and one moun. tain towering above all the rest is called Monte-Sella or MonteColo. The common people give it the former name, because, when viewed from Castel-Nuovo or the point of Ostro, it presents the appearance of a saddle. The better-informed class of people, however, call it Monte-Cœlo, as, from its extraordinary height, it appears to tower to the very heavens. Montenegro is on every side extremely difficult and dangerous of access. The only regular road is by the way of Czerniska. On every other point it presents a confused mass of rocks, intersected with frightful chasms, which seem to penetrate into the interior of the earth. The most frequented road from Cattaro to Montenegro, is by the village of Scagliari, leaving Mount Vermoz and Trinity Fort on the right, or through the hamlets of Spigliari. The latter road leads to Verba, the first Montenegrine village, and is the shortest though the most difficult course.

To form an idea of Montenegro, the reader must picture to himself three immense ranges of mountains, rising almost perpendicularly from the bosom of the ocean, and exhibiting no