A POLYGLOT JUMBLE—WAR CUSTOMS OF THE MONTENEGRINS—DEATH IN BATTLE—FORAYS FOR THE PLUNDER OF CATTLE—EQUIPAGE OF A MONTENEGRIN SOLDIER—PILLAGE—MANNER OF FIGHTING—TACTICS—SIGNAL CRIES—ON BOARD SHIP—DECAPITATION OF WOUNDED PRISONERS.

I NOW discovered what a terrible nuisance it is to know only three or four languages, especially when one finds oneself in a country the language of which is a complete mystery. The attendant I had, who had been so thoughtfully provided for me by Mr. Matanovich, professed to speak Italian, and he did in fact know a few Italian words, but in his general conversation 209 with me, as was subsequently discovered and explained to me by Pero Pejovich, the language in which he spoke consisted pretty much of the following happy mixture: six-tenths of Montenegrin, three-tenths of Albanian and Turkish, with one-tenth Italian! With this polyglot jumble we got on fairly well, as far as hot water, coffee, pipe, tobacco, pranzo; and he learned to appreciate eventually the American word "skedaddle," but when our necessities required further intercourse, it was perfectly hopeless—language was utterly useless, and gesticulation the only chance of making oneself understood. But he was a willing poor beggar, and not more dishonest than the majority of his fellows. He had a wholesome terror of the Prince's rigorous punishment of theft. "Niente ladri in Montenegro," he used to say, "Principe terrible," turning up his eyes and distorting his countenance to a fearful degree.

Now whilst my attendant is preparing and setting out my lunch, I may as well entertain my reader with an account of the customs in war, and mode of fighting of the Montenegrins, by the pen of M. Broniewsky, which is so graphic, and accords 210 so literally with what the Commandant Pero Pejovich related to me at different times, that I cannot think I could do better than transcribe it.

"A Montenegrin is always armed, and carries about during his most peaceful occupation a rifle (many of them now have breechloaders), pistol, or yataghan, and a cartouche-box. The Montenegrins spend their leisure time in firing at a target, and are accustomed to this exercise from their boyish years. Being inured to hardships and privations, they perform without fatigue, and in high spirits, very long and forced marches. They climb the steepest rocks with great facility, and bear with the greatest patience hunger, thirst, and every kind of privation. When the enemy is defeated and retiring, they pursue him with such rapidity that they supply the want of cavalry, which it is impossible to employ in their mountainous country.

"Inhabiting mountains which present, at every step, passes where a handful of brave men may arrest the progress of an army, they are not afraid of a surprise, particularly as they have 211 on their frontier a constant guard, and the whole of their force can be collected within twenty-four hours upon the threatened point. When the enemy is in great force, they burn their villages, devastate their fields, and after having enticed him into the mountains, they surround and attack him in the most desperate manner.

"When the country is in danger, the Montenegrins forget all personal feelings of private advantage and enmity. They obey the orders of their chief, and like gallant Republicans, they consider it a happiness and a grace of God to die in battle. It is in such a case that they appear as real warriors; but beyond the limits of their country, they are savage barbarians, who destroy everything with fire and sword.

"Their ideas about war are entirely different from those adopted by civilized nations. They cut off the heads of those enemies whom they take with arms in their hands, and spare only those who surrender before the battle. The property they take from the enemy is considered by them as their own, and as a reward of courage. They literally defend 212 themselves to the last extremity; a Montenegrin never craves for mercy; and whenever one of them is severely wounded, and it is impossible to save him from the enemy, his own comrades cut off his head. When at the attack of Clobuk, a little detachment of our troops was obliged to retreat, an officer of stout-make and no longer young fell on the ground from exhaustion. A Montenegrin perceiving it (the Montenegrins were fighting with the Russians against the French) ran immediately to him, and having drawn his yataghan, said 'You are very brave and must wish that I should cut off your head; say a prayer and make a sign of the cross.' The officer horrified at the proposition made an effort to rise, and rejoined his comrades with the assistance of the friendly Montenegrin.

"They consider all those taken by the enemy as killed. They carry out of the battle their wounded comrades on their shoulders; and be it said to their honour they acted in the same manner by our officers and soldiers.

"Like the Circassians, they are constantly making forays in small parties, for the plunder of cattle, 213 and consider such expeditions as feats of chivalry, (just as the Scotch Highlanders one hundred years ago). Being safe in their habitations, where nobody dares to molest them, they continue their depredations with impunity, disregarding the th............