They love money and will do a good deal to get it, but when they have money, they spend it in a reckless and freehanded manner.  Thus they will overcharge a stranger in an exorbitant fashion, thinking, in their simple minds, that travellers are possessed of unlimited means.  Tourists are largely to blame for this, and pay, without audible comment, what is asked.  If a strong remonstrance is made, the charge will be reduced in most cases.  The dawn of civilisation has brought the love of money, the frugal Montenegrins are now awakening to what money will procure them, and they take as much as they can get without thought, and without swindling intentions.  Perhaps the lack of banks or any institute where money can be saved up, may account for this.  Merchants buy houses or increase their stock.  The peasant, as often as not, gambles it away or buys fine clothes, a few thrifty ones purchasing an extra cow.

No doubt the influence of civilisation, and in particular the long-delayed prosperity of the land which is now slowly raising its head, will alter this.

They very rarely quarrel, never brawl, and are hardly ever to be seen in a state of intoxication.

On the other hand, they are merry, convivial, boon companions, and are never happier than when dancing, singing their war songs and love romances, or listening to the “guslar”—­the national troubadour.

The characteristic bravery is still manifested in reckless deeds of “derring do” on the Albanian borders.  Shepherds will deliberately drive their flocks across the frontier, thereby courting instant death.  Many instances have been given illustrating their love of danger.

Privacy of dwellings is non-existent.  Men walk in and out, seating themselves in the room and talking.  In the evening the men will congregate, stand and squat in a large ring, and solemnly discuss the events of the day, or in towns will walk majestically up and down the main street swinging the graceful “struka” or shawl from their shoulders.  Likewise, the drinking-houses are used as common meeting-places, and there is no need to order refreshment.

Marriages, baptisms, deaths are occasions for great feasting, when the national sheep is killed and roasted whole, and wine and spirits consumed in appalling quantities, without however affecting the heads of these iron people.

To keep order, there is a ridiculously small force of police or gendarmes, and their object is more to preserve the peace in places where different races meet, animated with fanatical hatred of each other.  But during the whole time of our sojourn in Montenegro, we never witnessed a single case of men arrested for petty offences, or for breaking the peace by common brawling or drunkenness.  The only cases that we did see were connected with the vendetta, which still flourishes.  In the course of our travels in the land we have sufficiently illustrated this lamentable feature that no further comments are necessary.