THROUGH WILD EUROPE 165 



Again three men with rifles swooped down on us, 

 one of them also provided with a length of rope, with 

 which they actually commenced tying up one of my 

 men. But nothing came of it except that again we 

 were escorted back to our boat in a sort of informal 

 arrest. The men, it seemed, were gens darmes, 

 though wearing no uniform. In fact, for all intents 

 and purposes, they are murderers and banditti. 

 Among them was the same ruffian who had pointed 

 his rifle at me on my previous visit. I saw a good 

 deal of this man later, and at the little han out- 

 side the guard-house across the frontier he would 

 sit cross-legged on the table and make cigarettes for 

 me, and in his company I have drank many cups 

 of coffee. He boasted of having shot eighteen 

 men, and I haven't the slightest doubt he would 

 shoot anybody he was paid to kill without any 

 scruples — and his price would not be so very expen- 

 sive either. A couple of medjidiehs, perhaps, at 

 four shillings each ! 



He was told off to accompany me afterwards to 

 see I did no mischief, for I telegraphed to the 

 British Consul at Scutari to ask the Governor- 

 General to send orders to the people here not to 

 molest me. Rather to my surprise he did so. It 

 is true that he had promised to assist me to the 

 utmost of his power when I had called on him 

 with my credentials, and he had besides received 



