Herzegovina | Page 4

more marshy character, which
renders it unhealthy in the summer. The Falls are approached by a long
straight reach, at the end of which they form a kind of semicircle, the
entire breadth being about 250 feet. In winter, or after heavy rains, the
effect must be very grand; but at the time of my visit they were, in
consequence of the great drought, unusually small. Below the falls is a
mill worked by a Levantine, who appears to drive a flourishing trade,
grinding corn for Sebenico, Zara, and many other places on the coast.
The Dalmatian boatmen are a very primitive set in everything save
money matters. One asked, Are the English Christians? while another
asserted most positively, that he had taken an Englishman to see the
Falls in the year _1870_. Their style of rowing resembles that in vogue
among the Maltese and Italians, excepting that they make their
passenger sit in the hows of the boat. This, at any rate, has the
advantage of keeping him to windward of themselves, which is often
very desirable. Another point of difference is, that they wear shoes or
slippers,--the latter being, in some instances, really tasteful and pretty.
The moon was high ere we reached the ship, where I found all the
passengers assembled upon deck. One after another they disappeared
below, until I was left alone. I know no spot so conducive to reflection
as the deserted deck of a ship at anchor on a lovely night, and in a
genial latitude. In this instance, however, my thoughts assumed more of
a speculative than retrospective character, large as was the field for the
indulgence of the latter. The shades of emperors and doges faded away,
giving place to the more terrestrial forms of living sovereigns; and the
wild shouts of the Moslem conquerors resolved themselves into the
'Vive l'Empereur' of an army doing battle for an idea. Let Austria look
to herself, that, when the hour of struggle shall arrive, as arrive it will,
she be not found sleeping. Should Napoleon once more espouse the
Italian cause, should he hurl his armies upon the Quadrilateral, who can
doubt but that a diversion of a more or less important character will be

attempted in the rear of the empire? But even though he should let slip
the notable occasion presented to him by a rising among the Italian
subjects of Austria, the evil day will only be postponed. I believe that,
not content with the humiliation of that power at Villafranca, he will
take advantage of any opportunity which disorder in the neighbouring
Turkish provinces may offer him to aim a blow at her on her Dalmatian
frontier, as a means to the gigantic end of crippling her, and with her
ultimately the entire German Confederation. It is a great scheme, and
doubtless one of many in that fertile brain. If Austria should resolve to
defend her Venetian territory, as it may be presumed she will, she
should spare no labour to strengthen her fortresses in the Adriatic. On
the Dalmatian coast, Zara, Lissa, Pola, and Cattaro are all capable of
making a very respectable defence in the event of their being attacked;
while, to quote the words of Rear-Admiral Count Bernhard von
Wüllersdorf and Urban, 'An Austrian squadron at Cattaro would be
very dangerous to any hostile squadron on the Italian coast, as its
cruisers would cut off all transports of coal, provisions, &c. &c.,--in a
word, render the communication of the hostile squadron with the
Mediterranean very difficult.... Lissa is the keystone of the Adriatic.
This island, the importance of which in former times was never denied,
commands the straits which lead from the southern to the northern half
of the Adriatic.... The naval force at Lissa ought to be a local one,
consisting of light fast gun-boats to cruise in the narrow waters, to
which might be added some plated ships to keep open communications,
on the one hand, between Lissa and the mainland, and on the other
hand acting with the gun-boats to bar the passage to hostile vessels.'
The publication of the article from which the above is extracted in the
'Oesterreichische Militar Zeitschrift,' proves sufficiently that the
Austrian government is aware of the necessity which exists for taking
precautionary measures; and the lesson which they learnt in 1859 ought
to have induced them to adopt a more energetic policy in their military
and naval affairs.
The defences of Sebenico consist of three small forts: St. Nicholas,
containing seventeen mounted guns, is at the entrance of the bay, while
San Giovanni and Santa Anna, situated on rising ground, command the
town, harbour, and land approaches. The precise number of guns which

they contain, I was unable to learn. The very meagre character of the
information which I