MONTENEGRO 



447 



whole family. Dessert follows with toasts and 

 songs, and the party give themselves up to 

 merry-making. 



MONTENEGRO. 



THE little Balkan state which is known by 

 this name literally the "Black Mountain" 

 occupies an area of not more than 3,630 

 square miles, with a population of about 

 230,000. Beyond the low and narrow coastal 

 fringe washed by the Adriatic, the country 

 rapidly becomes a maze of peaks, crags, ravines, 

 and gorges. The peaks range in height from 

 6,500 to 8,000 feet. The mountains are in 

 places heavily timbered, and also afford good 

 pasturage for sheep, goats, and cattle. 



The Montenegrins have been called the 

 flower of the Slav race. They are tall, well 

 formed, and handsome. The women, however, 

 who have to do nearly all the hard work in 

 the home and on the farms, while the men 

 hunt, fight, or idle, soon contract a worn and 

 aged appearance, and lose their good looks 

 early in life. The Montenegrins are brave 

 and warlike, simple in their manners, and 

 honourably celebrated for their honesty and 

 their chastity. The honour of women is sacred 

 and safe among them. They are polite and 

 hospitable, and may be regarded as one of the 

 most picturesque peoples of the present day. 



The people live in little villages consisting of small stone houses. In all Montenegro 

 there is not a single group of dwellings which can be correctly designated a town, except 

 Cettinje, the capital. 



The principal business of the Montenegrins for many generations apparently has been to 

 fight the Turk. At the present day the chief occupation of the people is agriculture. They 

 cannot be said to display any keenness in adopting new methods. Farming is conducted by 

 them on very much the same principles which their remote ancestors probably considered 

 satisfactory. It cannot be denied that the Montenegrin regards the arts of peace as rather 

 derogatory, and a very poor substitute for the livelier pursuit of war. This is a not uncommon 

 trait in half-civilised mountaineers all the world over. One has only to remember the 

 Albanians and the Afridis, for example not to mention Scotch Highlanders. 



The Prince of Montenegro, although absolute in theory, is far from being an arbitrary or 

 irresponsible governor. In making new and administering the ancient laws of his little state, 

 he is assisted by a council and ministry of six members. The patriarchal form of government 

 really prevails in the State as well as in the separate families. The Prince decides all matters 

 in dispute, and the tree of justice under which he sits and dispenses law and equity to all 

 comers free of cost is a well-known institution. A few years ago an English member of 

 Parliament found himself in the course of his travels at Cettinje, and was much impressed 

 by the simplicity and efficiency of this patriarchal mode of legal procedure. The real statute- 

 book is national custom. 



The Montenegrins are making rapid strides in the direction of a higher civilisation. 



Photo by J. Taube, 



[Tans. 



