Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-09
IN THE HERZEGOVINA.
The Dukes Chnir--Gacko ana ''s III"
habifnnts.
CNew York Evening Pos''

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New York Evening fos'J
=. ,,os an hours walk from NeVesiiJe
20 where the hills began; the carry nv
ing breeze swept deliciously over the pam
and the air was clear and mVisora'''s'
rbirty-,wo miles lay between me anu INC
next hotel at Gacko, and / should reacn
:. hofore dark. Men and women were
,vorxinp the fields in the valley ana UP
on the hillside until the rocks compeHeu
tbem 10 surrender the shrubs ana bushes
10 the children with their ittie HOOKS
of goats and sheep. Upon my risht "aS
the bed of a river, through wmch at tne
melting of the SHOWS In the spring lhe
water rushes in a wild, resistless torrent
and which i'm the summer was as ury
and dusty as the road. The hills sioped
from the wayside into deep raVlhe anu
appeared green from the tops OF Mite
scraggy trees. In front of the cold peaks
that | could see in the distance were
steep declivities. some barren, others
covered with ash. live oak, or Wild pear
trees.
The only houses were the homes OF the
road-repairers along the way or a mill
times | passed a gendarme. who exam
iped NV passport, or a road-worker i'm a
dirty suit Of hemp with an elaborate
brass plate with the Bosnia Herzegovina
arms on his fez and on the sleeve of his
shirt. or saw on rock far up on the hill
side a peasant woman spinning.
When descended again from the hills
II was into a narrow valley, and upon
each side Of the little stream that flowed
through il were groups Of stone houses
Above the roofs rose a church spire with
n gilt Grccian cross. The largest of these
villages Is Foinica, whose twenty or
thirty one-story stone houses line both
sides of'tho road TO an imposing three
story barracks. Besides being the quar-
lers of the soldiers, this building is also
the post-offlce and the stopping place of
post-wagons.
Not far from Foinica spring, famous
through ali the country for its wonderful
water, bubbles out of the hill beside the
road. On one side Is a rock 70 which Is
given the name the Dukes Chair
peasant said that the great Duke Stefan
In olden times sat upon II and heard
rases and passed Judgment. 1t must
have been a lowly seat for such a
mighty hero. for the rock is not over
than a foot above the ground. There are
many stones in the form of chairs TO
which such traditions cling in this land
based perhaps. more upon what Is
known 10 have been a custom of early
Herzegovinian rulers than actual fact
I'm many OF the old castles and I'm few
Of the churches are shown such relics
The museum at Serajevo has chair
rhiselled from limestone, in which. II
Is said Prince of Mostar sat In deliv-
ering judgment. Upon it Is the some
what puzzling inscription I'm old Bosnian
characters: 30 stone, think of what thou
hast been, Of what thou art OF what thou
wilt be-"
In the next plain was Gacko, clingint
close against the treeiess, barren hill
that extended along the east side OF TN
valley and within the shelter of an ole
Turkish fort 1t has less than thou
sand inhabitants. but IL mas the appear
ance OF a town OF three or -FOUR tunes ina
size The houses. like most of those o
Southern Herzegovina, have less friend
~ appearance than those of the northern
part Of the country. They have two sto
fies: the walls are of stone and covered
straw. or boards held down 10y. rocks a
In the Alps Tho ground floor Is a cave
like room for the live stock; the living
rooms on the second floor are reached b.
here farm where the people are In
structed in improved methods of farming
and stock-raising, 1t has. 100, built
good school building, hospital ana
hotel of the same plan as those AT JaJc
and Jablinica.
Most of the men that l saw We're stall
wart fellows. open and frank IN their DC
havlor. The women. especially the youne
were good-looking, Win DARK compieNio
and black eyes and hair. They wore o.
Sundays and festival days clothes ric
with gold embroidery and girdies Wit
great silver buckles The girdle and IN
ornaments suspended from IL oiteh weish
ed four or Ave pounds.
The plain In which Gacko Is situated i
called the "Gackopolje." and is not NOR
than ten miles long and three miles wide
IL has the appearance of an Alpine mea
dow. with here and there piece of cult
waited land. Along the mountainside sneel
and cattle Craze. watched by big wolf-iik
dogs and ragged children. Lovely ar
thou. oh. Gackopolje, II not irom hunse
suffering" wrote a Serbian poet ina
there Is truth as well as poetry In thi
line Is shown by the books or an. aid so
ciety that was often called upon TO saw
death. Winter begins on this high plail
In October. and snow lies many feet dee
often for six or seven months. The white
Of l8S4's5. when fountains In southern
italian towns were frozen FOR the frs
time In years, and many OF the Adrlati
coast towns were frost and snow hound
was one or great suffering TO these poo
people Then was formed general gov
srnment aid society, which helped ais
other sections OF this high land.
hotel, and i spent the evening PLEASANT
In their society. Austrian officers an
noted for their hospitality. One Of III
young men was born In the same tow
IN Sclavofia as Nikola Tesla. and spoil
with much pride OF the success that h
ce9ntryman was achieving in AmerfcI
Those Bclavonians are all proud (
vAeaA-" sstd Hungarian lieutenant. soc