IN THE LAND OF THE BORA. 295 



outpost practice, and the corporal in coinmaud 

 of a reconnoitring patrol had made his way to a 

 rock-covered hillock in order to get a look over 

 the country in front. On arriving there, he left 

 his men a few paces behind and went up alone. 

 He was somewhat surprised to catch sight of two 

 feet and the butt end of a gun among the rocks, 

 but would not have paid any attention to the 

 owner thereof had not the latter suddenly jumped 

 up and fired at him. Upon this the soldier not 

 unnaturally ran off towards his men, calling to 

 them to load with ball cartridge. After a second 

 unsuccessful shot the stranger made off, but a 

 well-directed volley soon stretched him, mortally 

 wounded, among the rocks. He certainly died 

 game, for his last act was to destroy some papers 

 he had upon him — a fact which gave his presence 

 in the Occupied Territory some political signi- 

 ficance. On the arrival of the gendarmes — who 

 were, of course, summoned — the dead man was 

 identified as a noted Montenegrin robber and 

 murderer " wanted " for a dozen crimes. The 

 odd part of the matter is that, had the ruffian had 

 the presence of mind to wish the corporal good 

 morning, the latter would have taken no further 

 notice of him. Suddenly seeing his hiding-place 

 approached by soldiers, he no doubt rashly and 

 erroneously concluded they were in search of him. 

 The patrol received the reward of one thousand 



