Andrievitza was the prettiest village we had yet seen in Montenegro, and was full of more “Americans.”  In the street a small boy urged us to go to “Radoikovitches,” but we went to the hotel.  The hotel was full, because a Pasha from Scutari had arrived with his three wives, and all their families.  So we permitted the little yellow-haired urchin to lead us to “Radoikovitches.”  A woman received us, without gusto, till she learned that Jo was Jan’s wife, when she cheered up.  A charming old officer stood rakia all round in our honour.  The mayor came in to greet us, and we felt that at last Pod had been pushed behind for ever.

The mayor was a pleasant fellow, speaking French, and he confided in us that he was suffering from a “maladie d’estomac.”  When we thought we had sympathized enough, we asked him how far it was, and could we have horses to go to Petch.  He answered that it was two days, or rather one and a half, and that the horses would await us at twelve on the following day.  We went to bed early to make up for last night, but Jan, having felt rather tickly all day, hunted the corners of his shirt and found—­dare we mention it—­a louse, souvenir de Lieva Rieka.

As we were breakfasting next day our driver, who had been most unpleasant the whole time, sidled up and asked Jan to sign a paper.  While Jan was doing so the driver burst into a volley of explanations.  We thought that he was asking for a tip, but made out that he had lost (or gambled) the ten kronen which his employer had given to him for expenses.  We had intended to give him no tip, for on the yesterday he had refused to carry our bags, but this made us waver.  We asked Mr. Rad, etc., what we should do.

“Sign his paper,” he answered gruffly, “and kick him out; he’s only a dirty Turk anyhow.”

The mayor sent our horses round early; but we stuck to our decision to start in the afternoon, and ordered lunch at twelve.  There was a huge crowd gathered in front of the inn, and we saw that the Pasha and his harem were off.  One wife wore a blue furniture cover over her, one a green, and one a brown, so that he might know them apart from the outside, for they all had heavy black veils before their faces.  The Pasha himself seemed rather a decent fellow, and had much of the air of a curate conducting a school feast.  Four children were thrust into two baskets which were slung on each side of one small horse, and various furniture, including a small bath (or large basin), was strapped on to others, and the Pasha followed by his wives set off walking, the Pasha occasionally throwing a graceful remark behind him.

The mayor lunched with us, and for a man who has, as he says, anaemia of the stomach, chronic dysentery, and inflammation of the intestines, he ate most freely, and if such is his daily habit, he deserved all he had got.