ACKOSS BOSNIA 223 



had been detailed to accompany me, and drove 

 seventy - ^ve miles to Foca, sleeping one night at 

 Placa on the way. At Foca our party was increased 

 by the local Forstvertvalter, or forest official, who was 

 to accompany us round his district. Both he and his 

 superior before mentioned were excellent travelling 

 companions, and the best of company. 



Horses had been hired at Foca for us, and we left 

 next day early. Nevertheless, darkness found us 

 wearily climbing an ascent of 3000 feet, by a track 

 which consisted mainly of loose rocks, and which 

 wound, though 1 could not see it then, along the 

 edges of terrific precipices. Nothing, fortunately, 

 seems to come amiss to a Bosnian horse, and at last 

 we reached the Shelter Hut on the Vucevo Mountain 

 — four wooden walls with a wooden guard-bed run- 

 ning along each side. The worst of it was that our 

 dinner was on the pack-horse, and the pack-horse, 

 with the retired brigand ^ in charge of him, was miles 

 behind. At last they came, but it was eleven o'clock 

 before we sought our couches of sweet-smelling hay. 



To show me the head of the game in the district 

 the foresters had arranged a series of drives. We 

 began next morning, I being posted on a rock that 

 ran out towards the Drina Valley, whilst the men 

 drove the tremendous cliffs through which our road (?) 

 of the previous night wound. The morning was fine 

 and hot, and the view over the valley magnificent. 

 I had a rifle with me, but only for the off-chance of 

 bear or wolf, and it was not likely ground for either. 

 Within ten minutes I saw one buck chamois within 

 easy shot, and later on I heard a number of others, 

 which passed up towards my companions, who counted 



1 Literally true. 



