Herzegovina | Page 6

It at one time acquired a certain importance in a
mercantile point of view, sardines being the staple article of commerce.
The same night we touched at Curzola, and at 4 A.M. on September 3
anchored at Gravosa, the port of debarcation for Ragusa. Taking leave
of my friends on board, I landed at about 5 A.M., and, having
committed my luggage, a small bullock trunk, saddle-bags, and a
saddle, to the shoulders of a sturdy facchino, and myself to a very
rickety and diminutive cart, I proceeded on my way to Ragusa. The
drive, about a mile and a half in distance, abounds with pretty views,
while the town of Ragusa itself is as picturesque in its interior detail as
it is interesting from its early history. The grass-grown streets, the
half-ruined palaces, and the far niente manners of the people, give little
indication of the high position which the Republic once achieved. Yet,
despite all these emblems of decay, there are no signs of abject poverty,
but rather a spirit of frugal contentment is everywhere apparent.
Arriving at an hour when, in the more fastidious capitals of Europe,
housemaids and milkmen hold undisputed sway, I found groups of the
wealthier citizens collected under the trees which surround the café,
making their morning meal, and discussing the local news the while.
Later in the day ices and beer were in great demand, and in the evening
the beauty and fashion of Ragusa congregated to hear the beautiful
band of the regiment 'Marmola.' The hotel, if it deserve the name, is
scarce fifty yards distant; it possesses a cuisine which contrasts
favourably with the accommodation which the house affords.
The _table d'hôte_ dinner is served in a kind of vaulted kitchen, the
walls of which are hung round with scenes illustrative of the Italian
campaign. The series, which comprises desperate cavalry charges,
death wounds of general officers, and infantry advancing amidst perfect
bouquets of shot and shell, closes appropriately with the pacific
meeting of the two Emperors at Villafranca.
Here, then, I proposed to take up my quarters, making it the
starting-point for expeditions to the Val d'Ombla, the beautiful Bocche
di Cattaro, and Cettigne, the capital of Montenegro; but it was destined
otherwise, and night found me on board a country fishing-boat, the

bearer of despatches to Omer Pacha at Mostar, or wherever he might
happen to be.
[Footnote A: Gibbon, chap. xiii.]
[Footnote B: Adams' 'Ruins of Spalatro,' p. 6.]
CHAPTER II.
Military Road to Metcovich--Country Boat--Stagno--Port of
Klek--Disputed Frontier--Narentine Pirates--Valley of the
Narenta--Trading Vessels--Turkish Frontier--Facilities for Trade
granted by Austria--Narenta--Fort Opus--Hungarian
Corporal--Metcovich--Irish Adventurer--Gabella--Pogitel--Dalmatian
Engineer--Telegraphic Communication--Arrival at Mostar--Omer
Pacha--Object of Campaign.
The change in my plans, and my precipitate departure from Ragusa,
were the results of information which I there received. From M. Persich,
the Ottoman Consul, whom I take this opportunity of thanking for his
courtesy and kindness, I learned that the Turkish Generalissimo might
be expected to leave Mostar for the frontier at any moment, and that the
disturbed state of the country would render it perilous, if not impossible,
to follow him thither. This determined me to push on at once,
postponing my visit to Montenegro to a more fitting season. To make
some necessary purchases, and to engage a servant, was the work of a
few hours, and, being supplied by the Captano of the Circolo with the
necessary visés and letters of recommendation to the subordinate
officials through whose districts I should have to pass, it only remained
to decide upon the mode of travelling which I should adopt, and to
secure the requisite conveyance. My first point was Metcovich, a small
town on the right bank of the Narenta, and close to the frontier lines of
Dalmatia and Herzegovina. Three modes of performing the journey
were reported practicable,--viz. on horseback, by water, or by carriage.
The first of these I at once discarded, as both slow and tedious; the
choice consequently lay between the remaining two methods: with
regard to economy of time I decided upon the latter. But here a

difficulty arose. The man who possessed a monopoly of carriages, for
some reason best known to himself, demurred at my proceeding,
declaring the road to be impassable. He farther brought a Turkish
courier to back his statement, who at any rate deserved credit, on the
tell-a-good-one-and-stick-to-it principle, for his hard swearing. I
subsequently ascertained that it was untrue; and had I known a little
more of the country, I should not have been so easily deterred, seeing
that the road in question is by far the best which exists in that part of
Europe. It was constructed by the French during their occupation of
Dalmatia in the time of Napoleon, and has been since kept in good
order by the Austrian government. Being