Return to Gasko—­Thunderstorm—­Attacked by Rebels—­Enemy repulsed—­Retrograde Movement—­Eventful Night—­Turkish Soldiers murdered—­Montenegrin Envoy—­Coal-Pit—­Entrenched Camp assaulted—­Return of Omer Pacha to Mostar—­Distinctive Character of Mahometan Religion—­Naval Reorganisation—­Military Uniforms—­Return to Mostar—­Dervisch Bey—­Zaloum—­Express Courier—­Giovanni—­Nevresign—­Fortified Barrack—­Mostar—­Magazine—­Barracks—­Wooden Block-houses—­European Commission—­Tour of the Grand Vizier—­Enquiry into Christian Grievances—­Real Causes of Complaint—­Forcible Abduction of Christian Girls—­Prince Gortschakoff’s Charges—­The Meredits—­Instincts of Race.

On our return from the town we found the leading battalions in the act of crossing the stream which separates the valley from the overhanging woodland.  The 900 ponies, now deprived of their burden, carried in lieu thereof sick soldiers from Niksich, or such as preferred riding to walking.  Little order prevailed, and it is only wonderful that the consequences of entering a defile more than an hour after midday should not have proved more disastrous than they actually did.  In vain I added my remonstrances to those of some of the staff, who were intelligent enough to predict evil.  The order had been issued.  The advance guard had already marched, and it was too late to countermand the departure.  Thus saying, Osman Pacha crossed the stream and ascended to the high ground, now covered with a confused mass of bipeds and quadrupeds.  At this moment the rain, which had ceased during the past hour, began to descend once more in torrents, accompanied by vivid flashes of lightning and thunder, which, though still distant, reverberated through the woods with grand effect.  In the midst of this we retraced our steps until about 4 P.M., when the centre of the column, with the baggage and head-quarters, defiled from the woods into one of the open spaces, of which mention has been made.  The General informed me of his intention to halt there until the morning; and he could not have found a spot better calculated for the purpose, since, by massing the troops in the centre, they would have been out of range of the surrounding heights, and a double line of sentries would have been the only precaution absolutely necessary.  For some reason he, however, subsequently changed his mind, and the delay which had taken place only made matters worse.  The advance guard of four battalions, under Yaya Pacha, had continued the march in ignorance of the halt of the main body, and were ere this out of hearing or chance of recall.  Scarcely had we recommenced our advance when a dropping shot in the rear gave us the first announcement that the enemy had taken advantage of our false step, and was bent on harassing what would now assume the appearance of a retreat.