Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-12-06
MONTENEGRO.
a LAND OFsIOUNTAINS AND AR.
LIKE rEOPLE.
No Use for towards in Thar , cunt ,.y--
The Monastery OF Cettinjc-
Light Punishment TO-
KILN. Il Turk.

The traveller who, coming from the
West, lands ut Cattaro, III Montenegro,
and looks around him, fuucies that hc
must be dreaming. The widest capriccs
OF Swiss mountain scenery are here sur
passed. Everything seems fantastic and
unreal; one almost expects To see the
blaze of colossal footlights, and to find
II mammoth curtain slowly descending
over the scene.
No vehicles and few beasts OF burden
are seen. The Montenegriu is too busy
making war To make roads; but he does
not care for animals, because they can.
not bear arms and make war ON the
Turks.
All goods, heavy and light, which
enter the little principality, are borne i'll
on the backs of men and women. Some
years ago the Prince ordered IL large bill
lard table-iic first that had ever en-
tered The country-for use in the pal
ace.
Tic peasant warriors were so aston
ished at the advent Of this new piece of
furniture that they ranged themselves be-
side the paths 10 see it come in, and to
this day they call the palacc--into which
they saw the billiard table bornc-Ei~li-
ardo.
Montenegro was formerly part OF IL
lyria and Of New Epirus. In the Middle
Ages it was comprised in the great en-
pirc of the Serbs, under the name of the
Principaii;y of Ecn;a.
In 14S5, lvnn, the ruling monarch.
founded i'll II small valley, amply pro-
teci"d by nature against sudden incur
sions, the monastery of Ccttinjc, which
he made the seat Of his domination and
the residence Of the bishop The Mon.
tcncgrins, like the Russians, profess The
Greek Catholic faith.
This monastery among the peaks be-
came the centre of the dual military-c
clcsiastical government Of Montenegro.
In 1916 a Prince, who had no children,
left Montenegro and went to spend his
declining years in Venice, after abdicat.
ing all his rights in favor of Gcrmanus,
who WAS then Archbishop.
Thus began the saccrdoial mower.
which was continued to 1880. The Via.
dii;a, Or Prince Bishop. had entire DOS.
session of the civil, military, and religion,
power OF the country. The last of the
Vladikas died il 1851, and the last wa.
as popular as the first, although tho
medieval institution has finally given
way before constitutional forms.
Fiery old fellows were those Prince.
Bishops, who wore silver brcas,plates
over their sacerlotal robes, and cut of .
Turk S head with the same JUNCTION thai
they made Il sign OF the cross.
n Montcne"rin priest who would no,
join, even ,o-day, in border fora,
against the Turk. would run the risk OF
coming under the article Of the cod,
which is taught even 10 young children
aud which says;
''lf one turns coward, his wcapon.
shall be taken away, and he may never
wear them again, nor shall lie receive an,
consideration from his fellows. A woman,
apron shall be tied about him, to indicate
that Il mans heart docs not beat in hi.
BOSOM"
The code contains another article ex.
pressly stating THAT a Montcncgrin shal
be held guiltless for killing Turk, 'if
the Turk has struck him with his hand
or with his pipc"-a pleasing illustration
oil the local manners which prevailed
until Il few years ago.
The Montenegro of to-day is bounded
on the north and northwest by the Her.
zeGovna; on the northeast and east by
Bosnia; on the southeast by Albania, and
ON the southwest by the Dalmatian
provinces of Austria.
Until after the Russo-Turkish war OF
1877, it had 10 outlet upon the Adriatic
Sea, and could only reach deep water by
permission OF Austria, which held tho
lovely seaport Of Cattaro. But now
Montenegro owns the port OF Dulcigno,
and may count as II maritime power.
The population, which twenty years
ago was scarcely 1000, is now 23O, 900.
and, if it would turn away from war to
agriculture and the care OF its herds.
might be prosperous.
Because of the disposition for fighting
rather than for planting and sheen.
raising, famine falls upon the people
every few years. AT the present time
thousands Of Montcncgrns i'll the deem
valleys are in danger OF starvation.
Russia has just sent the Prince Il very
large sum with which to purchase grain.
Russia and Austria are both generous
helpers OF the plucky little province,
and the Alontcnegrins to-day owe Austria
millions for money advanced for food.
When Austria helps Montenegro Russia
Is jealous, and when Russia helps, AustrIa
accuses her of furthcring her political
ambitions.