IN THE LAND OF THE BORA. 191 



Catholic districts, such as that of Ljubuski, are 

 not occupied at all by troops now. The Greek 

 Catholics, on the contrary, are naturally open to 

 the insidious counsels of Russian secret agents, 

 and it was they, even more than the Turks, who 

 formed the backbone of the insurrection of 1882, 

 of which the nominal cause was the introduction 

 of compulsory military service. They, too, have 

 learnt the lesson that " the Swabian is not to 

 be trifled with (Der Schwabe versteht liein Sjiass)," 

 and, as far as internal matters go, may look forward 

 to peaceful and rapid development. Unfortu- 

 nately, these provinces may any day become the 

 cock-pit of a European conflict. 



This eventuality will certainly not find Austria 

 unprepared. The garrison of Mostar in peace 

 time consists of ten thousand men, exclusive of 

 the brigade at Nevesinje, twenty miles out. It 

 is, moreover, strongly fortified. The general plan 

 of the fortifications faces south. This is only 

 natural, as the east is protected by the Velez 

 range, which is quite impassable by troops. It 

 seemed to me, nevertheless, that the position could 

 be turned by the Euiste pass, and one wonders 

 why this is left unfortified. At first sight the 

 batteries, being stone built, strike a military eye 

 as very old-fashioned ; but on reflection one sees 

 that earthworks are impossible on hills where 

 there is no earth. Of the troops at Mostar the 



