The Land of the Black Mountain | Page 3

of many of our journeys, and we left at the conclusion of six months
with a host of friends. Still to two we wish humbly to express our
gratitude for many acts of, at the time, unknown courtesy, namely,
H.R.H. Prince Nicolas, and the Metropolitan of Montenegro,
Mitrofanban. As a slight token of our thanks to, and admiration of, that
true father of his people, Prince Nicolas, we respectfully dedicate this
book to the soldier-poet and prince of the Land of the Black Mountain.
Since we finished the story of our travels, I have had the honour of
speaking long with Prince Nicolas and of seeing him on many
occasions; for during our first travels in the land we were always
strangely unlucky in this respect. I then learnt how our progress
through Montenegro had been watched over, and contingencies
provided for, which we had taken as a matter of course.
Some, alas! of our friends are now no more. The Governor of
Podgorica was shot down in broad daylight a short while ago whilst
taking his midday promenade in which we so often shared. Others, too,
have fallen on the borders. Friends are easily lost in Montenegro, where
a charge of powder and a bullet settle differences.
Disagreeable episodes happened to us--they happen everywhere--but

these we have rightly or wrongly omitted. The good that we
experienced certainly outweighed the bad, and that shall be our reason
for so doing.
And again, throughout the book we have given our first impressions,
much of it was written during our actual progress through the land. It
may be that our feelings will thus be more interesting than a
cut-and-dried treatise of the land and its inhabitants.
In conclusion, it will not be amiss to add an explanation of the Serb
names which appear throughout the book in the original spelling. The
names have often an unpronounceable appearance, and look harsh and
forbidding. This is far from the case, for the Serb language is full-toned
and musical.
In common with the Slav languages it has a sixth vowel, viz. "r"--hence
such words as "Srb" (Serb), "trg" (place or square), and "Trst" (Triest).
It is only necessary to roll the "r" to overcome this seeming anomaly of
a collection of consonants. The language is spoken exactly as it is
written, as for instance Italian, but the consonants s, c, and z vary
according to their accents.
"s" is our sharp s; but with inverted circumflex
"s" it becomes "ssh," as in "show."
"c" is pronounced "tz": thus Cetinje is spoken Tzetinje; Podgorica as
Podgoritza.
"c" and "c" are accentuated "tsch": as Petrovic, Petrovitsch; Moraca,
Moratcha.
"z" is soft, as "s" in "rose."
"z" is sounded like the French "j" in "journal."
"dz" is sounded like the "j" in "James."
"nj" is sounded like the "gn" in French "campagne": Tzetigné (Cetinje),

and so on.
We are fully aware of many shortcomings, and for these we crave
pardon, but if we benefit little Montenegro by the publication of our
work, then we shall not have written it in vain.
England has once before proved the friend of Montenegro; the fighting
instincts of that brave race, their love of freedom, and the possession of
their most glorious of histories appeal to all of us.
I fear there are troublous times ahead for that gallant little nation,
perhaps another bitter disappointment is in store for them, when they
will need a friend.
Times have changed now, personal valour avails but little against
overwhelming armies and modern artillery.
"We little nations must beseech the Almighty to give us peace," said
Prince Nicolas to me not so very long ago.
May it be His will!
R.W.
VIENNA, February, 1903

THE LAND OF THE BLACK MOUNTAIN
CHAPTER I
Montenegro's geographical position--Character of the people--Their
honesty, patriotism, and love of arms--Likeness to the Homeric
Greeks--The women--Montenegrin manners, vices, heroism, lack of
privacy, police--Goodness of the Prince--The national
costume--Religion--Hatred of Austria--Russia's friendship.
Roughly Montenegro is diamond-shaped, with its points towards north

and south, east and west. To the north-east it is bounded by the Sandjak
of Novipazar, held by Turkey and Austria jointly, and dividing it from
its parent country, the kingdom of Servia. To the south-east lies
Albania, while Austria again borders Montenegro in Bosnia and the
Hercegovina in the north-west and in Dalmatia to the south-west.
Dalmatia and a narrow strip of the Adria complete the circuit, so
Austria practically surrounds Montenegro on three sides.
The land may be said to possess three distinct belts of vegetation, each
of an entirely different character. It is divided from north to south by
the River Zeta, and the low-lying plains are fertile and rich, and this
district also comprises the sea coast. To the west is the Katunska or
"Shepherds' huts," those barren and rocky