12 FIGHTING BEFORE DINNER DISAGREEABLE. 



have a hard fight, and none of us reUshed the idea 

 of fighting before dinner. I believe we should 

 have laughed at them, if we could only have had 

 time to get something to eat ; but to find oneself, 

 after a ride of eight hours and drenched to the 

 skin, obliged to stand up to be shot at, instead 

 of cutting into a cold shoulder of mutton, which 

 was at that instant most invitingly paraded before 

 us by our provident servant, is, I can assure any 

 one who has not experienced it, a very provoking, 

 somewhat annoying, and certainly not an ^' agree- 

 able thing." 



However, it was of no use talking, or wishing 

 the Albanians anywhere but where they were; 

 on they came, in spite of our hearty good wishes 

 that they were in a place it would not be polite 

 to mention; and as to all appearances fight we 

 must, even with empty stomachs, we shewed a bold 

 front, and waited patiently for the bullets, which 

 we expected every minute to whiz past our ears. 

 In the meantime, the shouting and discharge of 

 fire-arms continued, the Albanians neared us 

 fast, and we were watching them closely, though, 

 at the same time, casting many wistful glances to- 

 wards the shoulder of mutton, when on a sudden 



