products.  Gold, silver, mercury, lead, copper, iron, coal, black amber, and gypsum, are to be found in large quantities; silver being the most plentiful, whence the province has received the name of Bosnia Argentina.  The manifold resources of the country in this respect have unfortunately been permitted to remain undeveloped under the Ottoman rule, while the laws laid down relative to mining matters are of such a nature as to cripple foreign enterprise.  In this proceeding, the Turkish government has committed the error of adhering to the principles and counsels of France, which is essentially a non-mining country.  In three places only has any endeavour been made to profit by the secret riches of the earth, viz. at Foinitza, Crescevo, and Stanmaidan, where iron works have been established by private speculation.  The iron is of good quality, but the bad state of the roads, and the difficulty of procuring transport, render it a far less remunerative undertaking than would otherwise be the case.  Good wrought iron sells at three-halfpence the pound.  Were a company formed under the auspices of the British government, there is little doubt that they might be successfully worked, since there is nothing in the nature of the country to render the construction of a road to the coast either a difficult or expensive operation.  Continuing our course on the right bank of the Narenta, we arrived at a lofty mound, evidently of artificial construction, situated at a bend of the river.  Traces of recent digging were apparent, as though search had been made for money or curiosities.  It was just one of those positions where castles were built of yore, its proximity to the river being no small consideration in those days of primitive defences.  A short distance from its base were two tombstones, sculptured with more than ordinary care and ability.  One of these represented a man with a long sword and shield, faced by a dog or fox, which was the only portion of the engraving at all effaced.

At a spot where a spring issued from the rocks, we were met by a party of Irregulars, shouting and firing their matchlocks in a very indecorous manner.  They were doubtless going their rounds, bent on plunder, as is their wont; and living at free quarters.  The place where we encountered them was wild in the extreme, and well adapted for deeds of violence.  It was indeed only in the preceding spring, that a murder was committed on that very spot.  Nor was it the first murder that had been done there.  Some years previously two Dalmatian robbers concealed themselves behind the adjacent rocks, with the intention of murdering two Turks, who were carrying money to Bosna Serai.  These Turks, however, detected the movements of the assassins, and as one of the Christians fired, one of the Turks returned the shot, each killing his man.  Sequel:  the second Christian ran away; the surviving Turk carried off his companion’s money in addition to his own.