A group of armed militia men received us as we entered, and on regaining the daylight within the walls, we saw nothing but the usual spectacle of crumbling crenellated towers, abandoned houses, rotten planks, and unserviceable dismounted brass guns.  The doujou, or keep, was built on a detached rock, connected by an old wooden bridge.  The gate was strengthened with heavy nails, and closed by a couple of enormous old fashioned padlocks.  The Vayvode gave us a hint not to ask a sight of the interior, by stating that it was only opened at the period of inspection of the Imperial Commissioner.  The bridge which overlooked the romantic gorge,—­the rocks here rising precipitately from both sides of the Dietina,—­seemed the favourite lounge of the garrison, for a little kiosk of rude planks had been knocked up; carpets were laid out; the Vayvode invited us to repose a little after our steep ascent; pipes and coffee were produced.

I remarked that the castle must have suffered severely in the revolution.

“This very place,” said the Vayvode, “was the scene of the severest conflict.  The Turks had twenty-one guns, and the Servians seven.  So many were killed, that that bank was filled up with dead bodies.”

“I remember it well,” said a toothless, lisping old Turk, with bare brown legs, and large feet stuck in a pair of new red shining slippers:  “that oval tower has not been opened for a long time.  If any one were to go in, his head would be cut off by an invisible hangiar.”  I smiled, but was immediately assured by several by-standers that it was a positive fact!  Our party, swelled by fresh additions, all well armed, that made us look like a large body of Haiducks going on a marauding expedition, now issued by a gate in the castle, opposite to that by which I entered, and began to toil up the hill that overlooks Ushitza, in order to have a bird’s-eye view of the whole town and valley.  On our way up, the Natchalnik told me, that although long resident here, he had never seen the interior of the castle, and that I was the first Christian to whom its gates had been opened since the revolution.

The old Vayvode, notwithstanding his cumbrous robes, climbed as briskly as any of us to the detached fort on the peak of the hill, whence we looked down on Ushitza and all its environs; but I was disappointed in the prospect, the objects being too much below the level of the eye.  The landscape was spotty.  Ushitza, instead of appearing a town, looked like a straggling assemblage of cottages and gardens.  The best view is that below the bridge, looking to the castle.

FOOTNOTES: 

[Footnote 9:  This is a phrase, and had no relation to the occupation of Sind or Aden.]

CHAPTER XVI.

Poshega.—­The river Morava.—­Arrival at Csatsak.—­A Viennese Doctor.—­Project to ascend the Kopaunik.—­Visit the Bishop.—­Ancient Cathedral Church.—­Greek Mass.—­Karanovatz.—­Emigrant Priest.—­Albania Disorders.—­Salt Mines.