The strong exercise which I had taken rendering me anything but disposed for a repetition of the sport on the ensuing day, M.G. left me on his return journey to Mostar, while I proceeded on my solitary way.  This, however, was not so cheerless as I had anticipated, as the two sons of the house expressed a wish to accompany me as far as Livno on the Bosnian frontier, where their uncle, a village priest, held a cure.  For several hours we remained on the left bank of the Drechnitza, which we forded close to its source.  On the heights upon our right, fame tells of the existence of a city, now no more; and it is certain that a golden idol weighing 23 lbs. was found in the locality.  Buoyed up by hopes of similar success, fresh gold-diggers had been recently at work, but with what result I am unable to say.

Bearing away now to the W. we entered the valley of the Druga, a little rocky stream.  Two roads were reported practicable, the longer taking a winding course past Rachitna, the other, which I selected, being more direct, but far more rocky and difficult; the ascent at one point was more severe than anything I ever recollect having seen.

Leaving Druga we descended into the plain of Swynyatcha, a small open space, which is again connected with Duvno by a pass.  The hills on the left of this pass are called Liep, those on the right Cesarussa.  Here, too, report speaks of the existence of a city in former days, and the discovery of a large hag of gold coins, like Venetian sequins, has induced some speculative spirit to commence excavations on a large scale.  But these, I regret to say, have not as yet been attended with any success.  A very fair road has been recently made through this pass, and the traffic which has resulted from it ought to convince the people of the utility of its construction.  We met many ponies carrying merchandise from Livno to Mostar, while long strings of carts drawn by eight bullocks were employed in carrying wood to the villages in the plain of Duvno.  These carts are roughly built enough, but answer the purpose for which they are intended, viz. slow traffic in the plains.  The axle-trees and linch-pins are made of wood, and indeed no iron at all is used in their construction.  The plain of Duvno is one of the largest in the province:  its extreme length is about fifteen miles, and villages are placed at the foot of the hills, round its entire circumference.  The most important of these is the seat of a Mudir, to whom I proceeded at once on my arrival.  Although afflicted with a hump-back, he was a person of most refined manners.  His brother-in-law, Mahmoud Effendi, who is a member of the Medjlis, was with him, and added his endeavours to those of the Mudir to render my stay at Duvno agreeable.  Having complimented the great man upon the appearance of his Mudirlik, he laughingly replied, ’Oh, yes, they must work because it is so cold’—­a statement which I felt anything but disposed to question.  The wind was blowing down the plain at the time in bitterly cold blasts, and I understand that such is always the case.  The vegetation appeared good, in spite of a seeming scarcity of water.