CHAP. VIII.

Departure from the Valley of the Narenta for Vergoraz. Imoschi.-Customs and Superstitions of the Morlacchi.— Old Christian Tombs, with the Crescent and Star. The Poglizzans. -Almissa. Return to Spalato.

Remarks on the Slavonians.

My quarantine being over, I left Metcovich for Vergoraz and Imoschi. The road passed by Vido; where having swum our horses over the stream of the Norino, and once more ransacked the village, in quest of inscriptions and remains of Narona, we ascended the hills to the north-west. On the point of one of these is a tumulus of heaped stones, called by the people Zadroosbina*, answering to "ex voto," from having been raised, in compliance with a vow, made by the friends of the deceased. On the other side of the hills is the village of Novasella †, and before the descent to it, is a fine view of the picturesque Turkish town of Gliubuski, the distant Velleg, and other mountain ranges.

* Literally, "for friendship."

"New Village." Selo answers to "Village," as Dobroskoselo," "Tzarsko," or "Czarsko-selo," &c. The Italians change it into "Sella."

Gliubuski stands at the side, and extremity, of a rocky ridge of hills; the houses are interspersed with gardens, and commanded, or protected by a citadel, crowning the heights above; and in the plain below is the river Trebisat, which runs into the Narenta at Strúké, in Herzegóvina. Gliubuski is one of the most thriving towns of Herzegóvina, and is about four or five miles from the Dalmatian frontier.

A winding road, through arbutus and other bushes, brought us to Novasella; and we soon afterwards joined the high road, running in a long tedious line to the small lake of Yesaratz. This road is called "Strada Napoleone," having been made by the French, during their occupation of Dalmatia. It is well constructed, of great breadth, and very similar to the French military roads in other countries; and is a portion of that, which extends from Spalato to Sign, and thence to Trigl, Graboaz, Xuppa, and Vergoraz, and which, after crossing the plain of the Narenta, goes to Imotizza, Ragusa, and Cattaro.

The lake of Yesaratz is remarkable for its great rise and fall; and it is evident, from the mark on its hilly banks, that the water is often fifty feet higher than when I saw it in November. It sometimes reaches, and even overflows, the road, which is about one-third of a mile off, without any apparent cause for this phenomenon, neither being fed by any river, nor by torrents running from

lofty surrounding mountains. It is also on a higher level, than the other lakes, in the neighbouring plain The name Yesaratz, the diminu

of the Trebisat.

tive of Yesaro

**

distinguishes it from the larger

lake of that name, near Prolog; and both these, like the many others met with in Dalmatia, offer a curious subject of inquiry for the geologist.

At Prolog, or Pod-prolog are some old tombs, doubtless of the same time as those beyond Imoschi, which I suppose to be of the Christians before the fifteenth century: some, as usual, are slabs placed flat on the ground, others of a stunted sarcophagus shape; and one is said to have borne a Slavonic inscription, which for some, or no, reason, was destroyed by an ignorant priest, in 1828;—a piece of Vandalism, which had the good effect of eliciting an order from the Emperor of Austria, that all monuments should, for the future, be preserved throughout the country.

The name Prolog †, signifies a "defile;" and the position of the place, above the deep Yesaro, which is surrounded by lofty hills, is remarkable; but the most interesting object is the Yesaro itself. Fortis says that, "in some parts of it the ruins of houses are seen at the bottom;" a report which does not, however, appear to rest on any good authority; and "one outlet exists towards the south, where it falls into the cavern of Czernivir;

* Or Yezero.

† Pod-prolog, or Pod-prologh, "under the defile."

and, as the people of the country say, after running two miles under ground, it forms the lake of Desna, and then falls into the Canal-nero, which unites with the Narenta two miles from the sea."*

Following the winding road, beneath the range of hills to our left, overlooking the plain of Gliubuski, we reached Vergoraz †, in little more than an hour from Prolog, and seven hours from Vido. The Sindaco of Vergoraz, (who possesses a larger house than is usually found in the towns of the interior,) did his best to make us comfortable; but notwithstanding the wine he freely imbibed himself, and pressed upon his guests with due regard to hospitality, the conversation was confined to subjects of little interest, relating chiefly to the names, deeds, and families of individuals, known only to two of the party. It was therefore a great relief, when the arrival of a man was announced, who had lately fled from Turkey, after killing his Moslem master; and whose tale gave a fresh subject of conversation.

He was a Christian peasant of Herzegóvina; and had long been maltreated by the Turk, who at last threatened to shoot him; and as he levelled his gun for this purpose, the peasant drew forth his pistol, and killed his oppressor on the spot. He immediately fled into the Austrian states; where, being apprehended, at the instigation of the Turkish authorities, he was tried for murder. But the + Pronounced Vergoratz.

Fortis, p. 306.

circumstances of the case being fully proved, he was acquitted on the plea of self-defence; and to the honour of the Austrians, who certainly act, on these occasions, with justice and impartiality, he was not given up to the reiterated demands of the Turkish authorities. Had he fallen into the hands of the Turks, no plea of self-defence would have availed him; the fact of a Christian having shed the blood of a "true believer" would have been sufficient to condemn him; as no sense of justice can save a Christian, who kills a Turk. Nor is a Christian testimony of any weight in a Cadi's court, against that of a Moslem; and woe to the Europeans settled, or travelling in Turkey, if their governments should be induced, with a view of saving themselves trouble, or through a complacent reliance on the civilisation of the Turks, to deliver their subjects to the tender mercies of Moslem law.

Vergoraz is a small place. Many of the houses are thatched, others are roofed with flat stones, and some few are tiled. On a rock above is a ruined Turkish castle, overgrown with ivy. It was built in the days of terror; when the conquering Turks were spreading conquest, and desolation, over many Christian countries, and Dalmatia was trembling for its liberty, and its faith. But its crumbling walls proclaim the immunity, that has long since been enjoyed by the inhabitants of Vergoraz, from the Turkish yoke, as well as the credit due to the Venetians, for their successful opposition to the