i 4 4 BIRD-HUNTING 



of what is now Albania. But later it was ceded to 

 Venice in return for assistance against the forces of 

 Turkey. Since then it has been taken and retaken 

 many times, and is now a Turkish town of some 

 importance, and the chief town of a province or 

 vilayet. It is without exception the most fanatical 

 town I have ever seen. Murders are of constant 

 occurrence. Quite recently two Christian judges, 

 appointed to try Christian cases, were both shot dead 

 as they sat at a cafe in the street, while the murderer 

 boasted to a police officer of what he had done. No 



attempt was made to arrest him until Baron B , 



who was then Consul, went to the Governor-General 

 and insisted on his arrest, giving information at the 

 same time as to where he was to be found. The 

 house was not visited by the authorities for two 

 days, and only then after they had sent notice to 

 the culprit beforehand. Needless to say there was 

 nobody there to arrest when they did search it. 



At the custom-house, by a great bit of good luck, 

 the officer in charge knew Djouraschkovitch, and we 

 had no trouble. At last we were free to find an 

 hotel which had been recommended to me. As soon 

 as we had cleared the bazaar, whose streets were too 

 narrow for wheeled vehicles, we chartered a cab and 

 transhipped all our luggage into it. 



Never have I seen such a cab before or since. 

 An open carriage in the very last stage of decrepitude 



