of times that I was compelled to say ‘ad salutem’ in the course of the evening was astonishing.  The old priest appeared more accustomed to these copious libations than his younger assistant, who before he left the table showed unmistakable signs of being ‘well on.’  Both vicar and curate wore moustachios, and the flat-topped red fez, which distinguishes their profession.  The curate had received a certain amount of education at one of the Bosnian convents, whence he had been sent to Rome, where he had, at any rate, attained a tolerable proficiency in Italian, and a few words of French.  Another occupant of the house, who must not be allowed to go unmentioned, was the priest’s mother, a charming old lady in her ninety-seventh year.  Age had in no way impaired her faculties, and she was more active and bustling than many would be with half her weight of years.

In the evening the nephews made their appearance, having dined with the domestics.  The remaining hours were devoted to singing, if such can be termed the monotonous drawl which constitutes the music of the country.  In this one of the brothers was considered very proficient:  the subjects of the songs are generally legendary feats of Christians against the conquering Turks, which, however little they may have conduced to bar the progress of the invaders, sound remarkably well in verse.  Sometimes, as in the present case, the voice is accompanied by the guesla, a kind of violin with one or three strings.

The priest, although a man of small education and strong prejudices, appeared to be possessed of much good sense.  He deplored the state of things in Herzegovina, and said that much misery would ensue from it, not only there, but in all the neighbouring provinces.  As an instance of the severity of the government demands, he mentioned that 1,400 baggage-horses had been recently taken from the district of Livno alone, as well as more than 400 horse-loads of corn, for all of which promises of payment only had been made.  For the accuracy of his statements I am not prepared to vouch, but I give them as they were given to me.  He did not, however, complain so much of the quantity, as of the injudicious mode of proceeding, in making such large demands at one time.

A few hours took me to the town of Livno, on the outskirts of which is the Catholic convent.  Mass was being performed at the time; but I found the Guardiano, ‘Padre Lorenzo,’ and one of the Fratri disengaged.  After keeping me waiting for some time in a very cold vaulted room, these two came to me, though their reception of me contrasted very unfavourably with that of the simple village priest.  The convent is for monks of the Franciscan order, of whom there were five besides the Superior.  It is a large, rambling, and incomplete building of white stone, and in no way interesting, having only been completed about six years.  After mass came dinner, which was provided more with regard to quantity than quality,