Through the Land of the SerbDurham, M. E. (Mary Edith)
History
Through the Land of the Serb
Durham, M. E. (Mary Edith)
Montenegro -- Description and travel; Serbia -- Description and travel
savagery. He gazed fixedly at the purple veil, endeavouring vainly to
penetrate its mysteries, and, considering the trying circumstances in
which he was placed, seemed to be displaying a good deal of fortitude.
The air was heavy with scented pastilles, otherwise the human reek must
have been unbearable.
Everyone began to talk at once, and it was evident from their nods and
smiles that we had done the correct thing in coming. Unfortunately we
couldn't understand a word, but we bowed to everyone, repeated our
thanks, and tried to express our wonder and admiration. Whether we were
intended to stay or not I do not know, but, haunted by a desire to
escape with as small a collection of vermin as possible, and also to
evade the chunks of mutton in the caldron, we backed our way, bowing,
into the outer room after a few minutes, and were politely escorted to
the entrance. Judging by the smiles and bows of everyone, our visit gave
great satisfaction. After we left, the doors were shut, and there was a
long lull, during which the mutton was probably consumed. If so, we
escaped only just in time. In the afternoon the tambourines and
sing-songs started again, and far into the night the long-drawn yowls of
the epithalamium came down the wind.
In spite of the mixed Christian and Mohammedan population, excellent
order is maintained. The more I see of the Montenegrin, the more I am
struck with his power of keeping order. It is a favourite joke against
him that when he asks for a job and is questioned as to his
capabilities, he replies that he is prepared to "superintend," and it
turns out that he is unable to do anything else. But not even our own
policeman can perform the said "superintending" more quietly and
efficiently. To the traveller the Mohammedan is very friendly. The
attempt of a man to draw or photograph a woman is an insult which is not
readily forgiven and may lead to serious consequences, but as long as
one conforms to local customs these people are as kindly as one could
wish, and not by a long way so black as they have often been painted. As
a matter of fact a large proportion of the rows that occur all over the
world between different nationalities arise from someone's indiscreet
attentions to someone else's girl. And this is why a lady travelling
alone almost always has a friendly welcome, for on this point at any
rate she is above suspicion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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