On the occasion of our leaving Gasko one of these was, as usual, absent without leave, and on his being discovered, the pack-saddle in which these long-suffering animals pass their existence had been removed.  Giovanni, whose pilfering habits were only equalled by his disregard of truth, replaced the missing article in the simplest way, by doing unto others as they had done unto him, and appropriated the first saddle he came across.  To allow the saddle to return to Gasko was impossible, as I could not have proceeded on my journey without it; so I induced the owner to part with it at a considerable profit, mulcting Giovanni of the same.  The following morning we descended into the plain of Nevresign, one of the seven or eight large plains in the province.

The road approaching the town passes between two cemeteries—­that of the Mussulmans on the right being the most pleasantly situated, for thus it was that, even in death, they were more regarded than their less-favoured Christian brethren.  On the outskirts I noticed a very primitive movable house, strongly characteristic of the kind of life led by the people:  it consisted of two skates, with a hurdle laid across for flooring and others for walls, the whole being thatched.  In this the shepherd sleeps when he pens his cattle:  this he does in a very small space, shifting his position every night, and thus practically manuring the country.  The town itself has little worthy of notice, save the new fortified barrack which the Turks are constructing.  No labourers were, however, engaged upon it at the time of my visit:  it consists of an oblong work, with bastions at the angles, on each of which it is intended to mount three guns.  It was proposed to build accommodation for 1,600 men, but the size of the work did not appear to me to warrant the belief that it would hold so many.  There will be no necessity for the townspeople to take shelter within its walls in the event of an attack, as it immediately overhangs the town, and is itself commanded by the hills in its rear.  The engineer officer who conducted me over it informed me that an earthwork would be thrown up on the most commanding position, and two block-houses built at other points.  The arrangements for obtaining a supply of water appeared simple; and as it is the only attempt at modern fortification which I have seen in Turkey, I shall be curious to hear of its completion.

Leaving Nevresign one crosses two mountains, which, with the exception of about an hour and a half distance, are traversed by a road.  Save one in course of construction from Mostar to Metcovich, it is the only attempt at road-making in the province.  It is bad enough, as all Turkish roads are, their engineers having not the slightest idea of levelling.  They take the country as they find it, apparently thinking that a zigzag, no matter at what slope the angles may be, is the highest triumph of their art.  Until our arrival at Blagai, six miles from Mostar,