338 



The National Geographic Magazine 



lake the wild ducks were so tame that 

 they swam almost within reach. The 

 village, set in its mass of verdure, sug- 

 gested a scene in Surrey, but the mina- 

 rets, the veiled women, and the little girls, 

 with their hair and hands dyed, with the 

 all-popular henna, reminded us that we 

 were still in the East. 



Market day brought into the open 

 market place country people from all the 

 surrounding farms and hills. Every one 

 had something to sell and to buy. The 

 pottery man's wares, designed for house- 

 hold utensils, were popular with the 

 housewives and gave a lovely splash of 

 green and gold to that part of the square. 

 All sorts of grain and seeds were for sale 

 in loosely woven baskets, while the sheep 

 and goats had an entire plateau to them- 

 selves. Several itinerant traders were 

 doing a lively business in bright glass 

 beads among the younger women, who 

 make them into belts and other dress 

 trimmings, while strung on wire they 

 were bought in the form of bracelets and 

 necklaces. 



The peasants were quite as much inter- 

 ested in us as we were in their costumes, 

 and much friendliness prevailed, smiles 

 and pats on the shoulder taking the place 

 of words. Screwing up our courage, we 

 tackled a dark young beauty, smoking 

 a cigarette with a charmingly nonchalant 

 air, and asked her if she would be willing 

 to sell her belt and apron. She was at 

 first too astonished and amused to answer, 

 but finally coyly consented. A friend 

 came up to see what was happening, 

 this one a handsome blonde, her husband 

 in tow. She was also willing to sell any 

 part of her costume, and promptly began 

 such an alarming unfastening that we 

 hastily suggested the garments could be 

 delivered later. 



Soon the fame of the crazy "Herr- 

 schaften," who were willing to pay good 

 money for old clothes, spread through 

 the country-side, and before long the 

 space outside the inn was crowded with 

 what the distracted proprietor called "ein 

 Jahrmarkt." Crowds of peasants were 

 displaying their wares and good na- 

 turedly trying to oust each other, while 

 one woman, we were sure, was offering 

 her baby as an extra inducement to the 

 collector, as we called the gentleman of 

 our party. Aside from the amusement, 

 it was rather pathetic to see how much a 

 little ready money meant for these hard- 

 working, honest souls, who would tramp 

 hours with bits of their finery, embroid- 

 ered garments, and fine old brass orna- 

 ments to sell them to us for a few 

 kronen. 



On a showery morning we drove off 

 from Jayce, our plunder following in a 

 second carriage ; our drivers, two gay 

 young Moslems, who entertained us 

 vastly with their wild bursts of song, by 

 chaffing every one on the road, and by 

 flirting outrageously with all the peasant 

 women we met. The way lay through 

 magnificent scenery, past scattered settle- 

 ments and lonely haus, where we always 

 halted for the inevitable coffee, the 

 charm of the East lying over all until we 

 drove into the district town of Banja- 

 luka. Here, after a night spent in lodg- 

 ings off the stable yard, the inn being 

 full, we started by rail back to common- 

 place Europe. In a few hours we were 

 out of Bosnia. The East, its scenery, 

 mystery, and costumes were left behind ; 

 the crown lands of Hungary through 

 which we passed seemed worthless in 

 comparison and the every-day life to 

 which we were returning remarkably 

 tame. 



^s 



