DELVING. 107 



The approach to Delvino is particularly strik- 

 ing. It is prettily situated in a mountainous 

 country, the bold faces and deep ravines being 

 covered with trees, and forming an endless variety 

 of very beautiful view^s. The principal houses are 

 built at some distance from each other, and are 

 surrounded by walls, which gives them a good 

 deal the appearance of detached military works. 

 The bazaar is well supplied with the articles 

 usually found in Turkish towns. I observed a 

 great number of mosques, and consequently 

 among the inhabitants I should imagine there 

 are a great many Mahommedans. Delvino has 

 always caused a great deal of trouble to the 

 pashas of Albania. The inhabitants consider 

 themselves in some degree independent of the 

 pashas, and, I believe, to this day do not acknow- 

 ledge their entire subjection to him, much less to 

 the Ottoman Porte. 



When about to leave Delvino the next morning, 

 a swaggering Turk walked into the khan yard, and 

 insisted on our giving him forty piastres as back- 

 shish, for what he did not seem exactly to know 

 himself, but he blustered a good deal, and slapped 

 his hand on his pistols in a significant manner. 



