Niksich, we—­that is, Osman Pacha’s principal staff officer and myself—­paid a visit to the Mudir, whom we found sitting in dignified conclave with his whole Medjlis.  The Mudir, a magnificent Albanian, standing about six feet four inches, and of proportionate girth, welcomed us most cordially, and appeared a person of far greater intelligence than most of his class.  He bitterly lamented the increase of suffering, resulting from the change in the line of frontier.  ‘Attacks by the Montenegrins and their friends,’ said he, ’are now of daily occurrence, and there seems to be no chance of any improvement in our condition.’  He expressed great confidence, however, in the advantages to be derived from Omer Pacha’s arrival, and took a clear and sound view of things generally.  He argued, correctly enough, that the rebels would stand a good chance of being literally starved into submission during the ensuing winter and spring, since the occupation of the country by the Turkish troops had prevented them from getting in their harvest, while the benighted frenzy which they had themselves displayed in the wanton destruction of the crops had deterred the neighbouring landowners from cultivating their fields.  But the open intelligent face of our friend, the Mudir, lit up, more especially when telling us of some of the dours which he had made against the rebels; and in good sooth he looked better fitted for such employment, judging from his great length and breadth, than for sitting hour after hour on his haunches, emitting clouds of tobacco-smoke, and reflecting upon the individuality of God, and the plurality of wives, reserved in the next world for all those who say their prayers regularly, and kill a sufficient number of Feringhees in this.  These stereotyped notions, however, regarding the tenets of Mahometanism are fast losing credence, just in proportion as the growth of European ideas is undermining its very foundation.  I do not say that Mussulmans are becoming more religious or more elevated from their contact with Christian peoples.  Indeed, I rather incline to the opposite opinion; but the European tendencies which prevail are marked clearly enough by the facile adroitness with which the followers of the Prophet contrive to evade the injunctions of the Koran, whether it be in the matter of wines and strong drinks, or the more constitutional difficulty touching loans, debts, and the like.  For myself, I rather incline to the view of the old Pacha, who, after listening with his habitual patience to the long-winded arguments of a Protestant missionary, completely dumb-foundered that excellent divine by remarking that he (the Pacha) felt quite convinced of the similarity of their creeds, since the only apparent difference was, that the Christian has three Gods and one wife, while the Mussulman has three wives and one God.  Even in this last matter, the plurality of wives, a marvellous amendment is visible.  It is probably owing to the expense attendant thereon, and also to