GLIMPSES OF MONTENEGRO.

Mataura Ensign, 30 November 1912, Page 8

GLIMPSES OF MONTENEGRO.

SIDELIGHTS ON SIDELIGHTS. Some vivid glimpses of Montenegro, its people and their enemies are given by the well-known traveller, Mr Harry de Windt, in the 'Evening Standard/' The country he describes as a chaos of mountains, almost as desolate and sterile as the Arctic, save in its lower-lying parts. Pedgoritza, which, with its ruined walls and towers, its mosques and minarets, is reminiscent of some old Oriental town, is known commercially for the "Pyrethrum flower," usually known under the name of "Persian insecticide," a commodity—adds Mr de Windt —which travellers in the country, occasionally find useful. Montenegro differs from Greece and Albania in having no brigands, the crime of theft being almost unknown in a land where a commercial civilisation has not yet succeeded in drying the springs of generosity and hospitality. The poorest peasant will entertain a stranger to the best of his ability without a thought of pecuniary reward. To offer payment for food or lodging, or to refuse an offered present, is esteemed a gross insult. M. de Windt said that on one occasion he refused a. dagger which his host pressed upon him, but found it several hours later cunningly concealed amo.ng his rugs. When a visitor enters a Montenegrin's house he .is told that all that is in it is his and the owner means what he says. The Montenegrin dress is picturesquely medieval. It consists of a tunic of coarse white serge, embroidered with black braid, and baggy breeches, with the a sandal secured by a network of string. On the head is worn a black silk forage-cap with scarlet crown, bearing the initials of the ruler, and round it five semi-circles in gold thread, symbols of five centuries of independence. The women are described as mostly plain, according toTEnglish standards of beauty, their shapeless white skirts and long dark coats doing little to enhance their appearance. Although Christians, they are treated as mere beasts of burden. In this primitive country human life is not held at any high value. Mr de Windt relates an episode of which he himself was an eye-witness. He was standing in the central market-place of Cettinje, idly watching the haggling crowd of buyers and vendors, when a sudden shot was fired, and the corpse of a man was rapidly borne past him on a rude shutter. He had not been murdered, a bystander explained, he was only the victim of a vendetta. ' 'He carried arms, but he did not use them—silly fool!" The writer gives an interesting pen-portrait of King Nicholas—a tall, broad-shouldered man, with stern, handsome features and piercing grey eyes, straight as a gun-barrel despite his years, moderate in drink and diet, although the smoker of as many as 100 cigarettes a day, an unerring shot, in addition a playwright who has, had his plays produced in Vienna—certainly the cleverest and most most versatile of Balkan sovereigns.

A family named Rix, at Bawdeswell (Norfolk), consists of two sisters and three brothers, all receiving okl-a< r e pensions. °