IN THE LAND OF THE BORA. 89 



and frame are alike desperately in need of restora- 

 tion. Almissa is another place the Turk failed 

 to subjugate, but it was less to that fact than to 

 its isolated position, covered as it is by mountains 

 and by the river, that this little church probably 

 owes its immunity from sacrilege. It is said to 

 have played its part in some stirring scenes of 

 Slav history. There is a still more ancient church 

 in the town, but only the walls are left. The fine 

 church of Almissa is modern. 



This was the first camp we had pitched away 

 from the sea, and consequently we found some 

 difficulty in getting a spot to bathe. We had to 

 follow the Cettina to its mouth to do so. There 

 we found a huge rock, cultivated on the land side, 

 which ensured privacy, shutting off as it did the 

 high-road. The bottom was sandy, but the water 

 was rather shallow, and not very salt. To the 

 former drawback we had become used at Spalatro, 

 where the depth at the bathing-place averages 

 about eighteen inches for the first forty yards from 

 shore. By the way, I had a great fright there 

 one day, comic enough now, but very serious at 

 the time to me. It happened thus. But first I 

 ought to explain that of recent years sharks have 

 been seen at intervals in Dalmatian waters. No 

 one has been injured by one, nor do they consti- 

 tute any real danger to bathers, as Jack Shark has 

 little liking for shoal water. The Dalmatians 



