THROUGH WILD EUROPE 125 



at anything, and they don't get enough constant 

 practice. The rifles are handed over to the host on 

 entering another man's house, and are left in the 

 guard-house on entering most of the towns, but the 

 bandolier of cartridges is never laid aside. Even 

 at night I believe they are slept in, and the men 

 certainly sleep in their clothes, including the fez, for 

 I have many a time slept alongside them on the 

 floor, round the fire. Now a single row of Martini 

 cartridges all round the body is a considerable 

 weight, and as many men carry two complete rows, 

 the burden constantly carried must be very great. 

 But I have noticed occasionally, whether from 

 inability to replace them from poverty, or to econo- 

 mize weight, that some of them are merely empty 

 cases which have been fired, and consequently 

 have no bullets in them. Considered merely as an 

 article of dress, the even row of shining brass cases 

 against the scarlet waistband is most effective and 

 picturesque, and certainly gives a man a martial 

 appearance. The whole Albanian costume is very 

 wild and fantastic, especially the wide white kilt 

 like a big fluted petticoat ; but the more usual garb 

 is a pair of trousers fitting tightly to the leg, made 

 of thick white felt, decorated in a weird and curious 

 fashion with broad black braid. These are held up 

 by a scarlet sash wound many times round the body, 

 in the folds of which is the revolver, while the 



