The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1889-12-28
MoNTeNEGRo's CAPITAL.


Something About One OF the Most Extra
ordinary Towns Of Europe.
Cettinjc is the most extraordinary
capital in Europe. II consists Of one
long street, with four smaller ones
crossing II, and ending vaguely in tho
fields. The whole town covers perhaps
thirty or forty acres. The principal
building is the hotel, which worthily
blocks the end Of the main street. II Is
bare and ricketty-loeking structure,
but represents the acme OF luxury at
Cettinje. The other public places are
the prison, the church and the school.
The first OF these lies on the right-hand
side, and in front Of the gates, on a
lawn, the prisoners amuse themselves
by playing various rude games-bowls,
with pieces Of rock for balls, leap-frog
and so on A few Of them are engaged
in odd building jobs about Cettinje. and
other hew wood in the mountain. They
are not chained, but appear seldom TO
dream Of running away. When a
case Of evasion happens, ono or
two fellow-convicts are dis
patched to catch tho runaway
and bring him back. The theory Of set
ting thief TO catch thief is here prac-
tiecd most literally and methodically.
The only distinction between con-
demned convict and free citizen is that
the former is deprived Of his arms. This
IS an equal degradation TO tho usual
dress or brand elsewhere. Close TO the
hotel is the royal palace, whitewashed
house with green Venetian blinds,
which is popularity supposed to have
cost a million Of francs owing to the ex-
penses Of transporting the materials.
Over against it is long, low red build
J ing, known as the ''Bigliardo." II re-
ceived this nickname from an English
| billiard table having been set up there.
The carrying Of this piece Of furniture
by fifty men over the mountain was con-
sidered-and undoubtedly was--a great
feat. While the porters struggled man
fully under the slate pilot stood astride
on high, and shouted his directions as
10 how to get round awkward corners.
The ''Bigliardor is now used as Offices
for the different Ministries and Parlia-
ment house. The church Is very small,
capable Of holding, perhaps, one
hundred and fifty people. On either side
Of the entrance arc the toInbs Of Prince
Danilo and his brother, Mirko Petro-
witch, and in the chancel sort Of
sarcophagns, which is opened on solemn
occasions, containing the embalmed re-
mains Of the Bishop-Prince Peter l..
The old monastery faces the palace.
Fifty or sixty years ago this monastery
and twenty OF thirty cottages round It
represented the town of Cettinje. Be-
hind the monastery is the famous
Tower Of skulls. In the old days no
Montenegrin was entitled to be con-
sidered an able-bodied soldier until he
had decorated the tower with Turkish
head. The last occasion on which it re
ceived its ghastly decorations was after
the battle of Grahoyo, which took place
on the 18th Of July, 1859. The Mon
tenegrins lost 400 men and brought ir
1000 skulls, at least so says tradition
The account Is more or less conhrme'
oy independent witnesses, one OF whom
an Austrian officer, counted 2,30
skeletons on the field several weeks aft
er the famous fight. The custom has
however, now died out, having beer
abolished, together with the mos
practices Of similar nature, by th
Draconian code and inflexiblc rule Q
Danilo l. Saturday Review