Colonel Hodges, her Britannic Majesty’s first consul-general in Servia, a gentleman of great activity and intelligence, from the laudable desire to procure the establishment of an entre-pot for British manufactures in the interior, got a certain chieftain of a clan Vassoevitch, named British vice-consul at Novibazar.  From this man’s influence, there can be no doubt that had he stuck to trade he might have proved useful; but, inflated with vanity, he irritated the fanaticism of the Bosniacs, by setting himself up as a little Christian potentate.  As a necessary consequence, he was obliged to fly for his life, and his house was burned to the ground.  The Vassoevitch clan have from time immemorial occupied certain mountains near Novibazar, and pretend, or pretended, to complete independence of the Porte, like the Montenegrines.

While I returned to the quarantine, and dismounted, the Director, to whom the over-rider related our adventure, came up laughing, and said, “What do you think of the rites of Novibazar hospitality?”

Author.  “More honoured in the breach than in the observance, as our national poet would have said.”

Director.  “I know well enough what you mean.”

By-stander.  “The cause of the hatred of these fellows to you is, that they fear that some fine day they will be under Christian rule.  We are pleased to see the like of you here.  Our brethren on the other side may derive a glimmering hope of liberation from the circumstance.”

Author.  “My government is at present on the best terms with the Porte:  the readiness with which such hopes arise in the minds of the people, is my motive for avoiding political conversations with Rayahs on those dangerous topics.”

FOOTNOTES: 

[Footnote 12:  Most of the gipsies here profess Islamism.]

[Footnote 13:  I presume Messrs. Boue and party.]

[Footnote 14:  The Austrian zwanziger goes here for only three piastres; in Servia it goes for five.]

CHAPTER XIX.

Ascent of the Kopaunik.—­Grand Prospect.—­Descent of the Kopaunik.—­Bruss.—­Involuntary Bigamy.—­Conversation on the Servian character.—­Krushevatz.—­Relics of the Servian monarchy.

A middle-aged, showily dressed man, presented himself as the captain who was to conduct me to the top of the Kopaunik.  His clerk was a fat, knock-kneed, lubberly-looking fellow, with a red face, a short neck, a low forehead, and bushy eyebrows and mustachios, as fair as those of a Norwegian; to add to his droll appearance, one of his eyes was bandaged up.

“As sure as I am alive, that fellow will go off in an apoplexy.  What a figure!  I would give something to see that fellow climbing up the ladder of a steamer from a boat on a blowy day.”

“Or dancing to the bagpipe,” said Paul.