320 Henry Skene, Esq., on the Albanians. 



the Tsami spokesmen demurred, on the plea of the proverbial 

 bad faith of the former clan. They therefore asked for host- 

 ages, or security in money. None of the latter article was 

 forthcoming, so the Liapis offered an amount of solid silver 

 equalling thirty okes, or nearly ninety pounds w^eight. This 

 was accepted as a pledge, and the one tribe had such a de- 

 gree of confidence in the oath and honour of the other, that 

 they agreed not only to leave their property in their hands, 

 but also to disarm themselves by doing so, for the silver, 

 which was of much greater value than the sheep, consisted 

 in the mountings of guns and pistols, in cartouch boxes, and 

 in hilts of yataghans. The oaths were sworn, the silver was 

 handed over, and the late combatants separated, amicably 

 wishing each other lives of a thousand years. A few days 

 later the sheep were found at sunrise quietly grazing near 

 the Tsami village whence they had been stolen ; and the 

 silver was immediately deposited in a ruined church half 

 way on the road to the Liapi village. Thus terminated the 

 feud for the present, although the feeling of hostility has 

 very little abated, and will again burst forth in the same 

 way at the first opportunity. The Turkish government took 

 no notice whatever of this aff'air. 



An often-quoted author* says of the Albanians, that *' they 

 are in the constant habit of either warring upon each other, 

 or of hiring themselves to some powerful chieftain of Albania, 

 or of seeking their fortunes as mercenary troops in other parts 

 of the empire. Although preserving a marked distinction from 

 the Greeks, in form and physiognomy, having light eyes and 

 high cheek-bones, they resemble very much in character 

 and manners, the natives of the more mountainous and inde- 

 pendent districts of Greece. They possess, perhaps, more 

 evenness of conduct, more prudence, more fidelity to their 

 employers, and, at the same time, more selfishness, avidity, 

 and avarice ; but there is found among them the same rigid 

 observance of religious prejudices, the same superstitions, 

 the same active, keen, and enterprising genius, the same 

 hardy, patient, and laborious habits." This is certainly a por- 



* Colonel Leake. 



