The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-15
ALBANIA THROTTLED
BY THE BLOOD FEUD
Almost Every Male Inhabitant
Has an Enemy Who
Seeks His Life.
HOUSES ARE FORTRESSES
Murder Of a Stranger COmpelS
Friends to Kill Seven Of
Slayer's Family.
HOUSES ARE FORTRESSES
sp.cidi cor,espondence 10 Tnn svs.


LONDON, March "A startling picture
OF the newest and most unknown Of do
ropean Kingdoms. Albania. Is drawn By
correspondent of the Times, who hes
just made a tour In the country. The
Times remarks the district Of Mat sug-
gests the Khaibar rather than Europe
and Prince Williams troubles will prob
ably begin when he tries 10 obtain local
revenue as a substitute for the doles q
Interested Powers.
These are some Of the things that g.
list In the new kingdom:
In Central Albania. as among III
Pathans, the land is go completely throt-
tied by the blood feud that ordinary hu.
man Intercourse Is almost impossible.
The houses are great fortresses, the
only windows OF which are loopholes for
Martins. In these prisons families, some
times Of 100 people, lead self-centrsd
lives.
Inere are no villages. only houses dotted
at intervals Of nearly = mile high up
round vide valleys.
Every one has killed. ana AL nave en-
emies who seek their blood.
Many men have not left their houses
for years, and food has to be brought in
to them by their friends. Others, again.
have taken to fight after killing their
eNemy. and unable to Steep In their homes
or to till their fields exist by brigandaSo.
Agriculture IL Despised.
There Is no dlshonor whatever attached
TO brigandage. and to this day there con-
tinues In Albania that primitive society
in which the life Of the fighter. the free
booter and the shepherd 10 held In honor,
while agriculture Is despised.
Sometimes truce is granted and a man
u. -. A.
his enemy for fifteen days respite in which
TO visit his friends or undertake = Journey,
but delay In vengeance IL held dlshonor-
able, and the man VINO let's years pass
without killing mis- enemy becomes him
self an outcsst.
For a stranger 1t II only possibl. To
pass under the protection OF the men OF
the district who conduct him to blood
| friends: but If he meet the enemies Of
| his friends he Is himself counted as An
enemy. and TO kill him is to avenge IN
old murder.
on the other hand the murder OF
stranger puts the la.tei 3 pgOtec .ors IN
der the unusual obligation OF killing not
one but seven Of the murderer's family.
Rich In Natural Resources.
III some districts there are lanes like
| England: the hedges thick with black
| berries and sloes. hips and have. cape
| goOsebcrri.s and wild strawl erica.
Stunted willows firms, the river beds !:
above there are oak, walnut and becch
trees and sometimes stately avenues OF
poplar.
Maize and melons. vines. peppers anC
marrows grow in the fields but the cuIti-
walton is poor. FOR the mountaine"rs carry
tn. gun. and the work Is for the most
part LEFT to the women. Also the men
canno, work safely in the fields, whereas
/ the women can, for the Albanians DO
not Kill women and the blood feud passss
them BY
There is plenty OF surface coal, but no
one burns II. There is iron too, but NJ
one mines Il.
Herdsmcn bristlng with weapons are
almost the only human beings TO be met
with. Save for their arms, they make
a perfect Homeric picture. tending their
hocks OF sheep and goats with fierce
barking dogs.