The people of the district are nearly all Catholics, which may be attributed to its proximity to Dalmatia and the convents of Bosnia.  They are orderly and well-behaved, according to the Mudir’s account; but I also gathered from some Catholics to whom I spoke that this good behaviour results from fear more than love, as the few Turks have it all their own way.  In the centre of the plain are some old tombs, some of a sarcophagus shape, others merely rough flat stones, whilst here and there interspersed may be seen some modern crosses—­a strange admixture of the present and the past.  After a somewhat uncomfortable night in the one khan which the town possesses, I presented myself with early dawn at the house of the Mudir.  Although not yet 8 o’clock, I found him with the whole Medjlis in conclave around him.  Thence the entire party accompanied me to inspect the fort, or such part of it as had escaped the ravages of time.  It was rather amusing to see the abortive attempts at climbing of some of these fur-coated, smoke-dried old Mussulmans, who certainly did not all equal the Mudir in activity.  The fort is a quadrilateral with bastions, and gates in each of the curtains; in two of the bastions are eight old guns, dismounted:  these are all of Turkish manufacture, some having iron hoops round the muzzles.

In the SW. corner is a round tower, evidently copied from the Roman, if not of genuine Roman origin.  For what purpose the fort was built, or by whom, I was unable to learn.  It is said, however, to have been constructed about two centuries ago[U], and there is a Turkish inscription on it to that effect; but, as I have said before, no reliance can be placed upon these.  There are many buildings within the walls, and one mosque is reputed to have existed a hundred years before the rest of the fort.

Shortly after leaving the village we arrived at the frontier line of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is, however, unmarked.  Already the country presented a greener and more habitable appearance, which increased as we continued our journey.  Towards evening we stopped at a little village named Vidosa, where the uncle of my hunting companions held the post of parish priest.  Having sent one of his nephews in advance to warn him of my arrival, he was waiting to receive me, and invited me to stay at his house with great cordiality.  Notwithstanding that the greater portion of it had been destroyed by fire a few months previously, I was very comfortably housed, and fully appreciated a clean bed after the rough ‘shakes down’ to which I was accustomed.  That the kitchen was luxuriously stocked, I am not prepared to say; but the priest was profuse in his apologies for the absence of meat, proffering as an excuse that Roman Catholics do not eat it on Friday, a reason which would scarcely hold good, as I arrived on a Saturday.  Of eggs and vegetables, however, there was no lack.  Vegetable diet and dog Latin are strong provocatives of thirst, and the number