Transcriber’s Notes. Page 59 — immediatetly changed to immediately. Page 137 — every changed to ever. Page 207 — changed Mount Lovcen to Mount Lovčen. The advertisements at the beginning of the book have been placed at the end after the index. Other changes made are noted at the end of the book. Footnotes have been numbered in one continuous sequence. THE LANDS OF THE TAMED TURK [Illustration: THE LATE QUEEN DRAGA OF SERVIA.] [Illustration] _Copyright, 1910_, BY L. C. PAGE & COMPANY (INCORPORATED) _All rights reserved_ First Impression, September, 1910 _Electrotyped and Printed by THE COLONIAL PRESS C. H. Simonds & Co., Boston, U.S.A._ TO E. McC. J. FOREWORD Because of their pivotal positions, politically and geographically; because of their tempting adaptation to colonization; because of their vast proven and hidden resources; because of their divers other advantages, too numerous to mention, the Balkan States have been, are and will continue to be, as once a certain writer so aptly put it, the “Powder Box of Europe.” Constant conflict, however, has stunted their progress, and it has only been within the past few years that these lands—conspicuously lacking in the arts of peace, but overcrowded with types and replete with wonderful scenery, their histories sated with war and romance—have begun to be disclosed to the travelling world. Only within the past few years their outlying districts have been connected with their business centres by telegraphic communication; only within the past few years railroads have been constructed, steamship lines inaugurated and hotel accommodations perfected. Yesterday their peoples were almost barbaric; to-day they are more highly civilized and more finely cultured than perhaps we are inclined to admit; to-morrow they may be famous. They have been makers of history for our forebears and us; they will be makers of history for posterity and its children. It is to assist the reader to frame a more just opinion of that southeastern corner of Europe, “The Lands of the Tamed Turk,” and those who people it, that this volume of personal observations and experiences of travel, interspersed with brief bits of history, is offered. The author begs to tender his appreciation to Mr. Nox McCain for the use of several unusual photographs published herewith; also to the editors of _The Metropolitan Magazine_, New York, _Travel Magazine_, New York, and _The National Geographic Magazine_, Washington, with whose kind permission are herein reprinted, _verbatim_, certain parts of special articles on the Balkan States by the author, and some of the illustrations accompanying them, which appeared in the periodicals mentioned above. [Illustration] [Illustration] CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER I WHY THE BALKANS? The Rundreise Ticket—Why the Balkans?—When and Where English is Heard—Why Not the Balkans? 1 CHAPTER II BUDA-PESTH AND BELGRADE