198 ALBANIAN MUSIC. 



some tree, or basking in the sun, playing a kind 

 of guitar, their national instrument. On these 

 occasions, all those assembled used to sit or 

 lounge round the performer, and it was curious 

 to observe, with what apparently intense in- 

 terest a dozen picturesque-looking fellows would 

 sit listening to one of the party playing on 

 an infantine guitar something in which neither 

 time nor tune could be traced, but which, if 

 one might judge from the pleasure with which 

 they appeared to listen, must have been to 

 their ears harmony of a most exquisite descrip- 

 tion. The countenances of all the assembled 

 group would lighten up with intense interest 

 at particular parts, whilst the tones would be 

 scarcely audible to a bystander, though only a 

 few yards distant from them. One, perhaps, 

 would lie on his face, the long, shaggy fleece of 

 his white capote, twisted into cords from its 

 length, and hanging gracefully on his shoulders, 

 and seeming to be a weight which, apparently, a 

 strong man would rather not carry, much less 

 would be willing to wear, if he could avoid doing 

 so ; on his head a white cap, relieved by the 



