The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1922-10-25

prepared by the National Geographic
Society. Washington. d. CT
Little Montenegro, which was the
tiniest kingdom in Europe, has been
merged since the World war into the
big new kingdom Of Jugo-Slavia. Its
well-loved king is dead; its capital
only the seat of a province. But half
a millennium of dearly bought indie
pendence and the most intense patriot
ism has made its Inhabitants not alto
gether willing to lose their identity;
so from time to time commissions ap-
! pear to present Montenegro's case to
! the world and to keep alive its mar
velous history and traditions.
This little country, then smaller than
Delaware, and sometimes with no
more than 5000 fighting men within
! its borders, has the distinction of be-
/ ing the one patch Of land in the broad
expanse of the Balkan peninsula that
kept itself free from Turkish conquest
during the five and a half centuries
since the Turks crossed the Hellespont
One after another. the regions that are
now Bulgaria. Greece, Serbia and AL
bania fell before the excellent Turkish
fighting organizations, and settled
down for hundreds of years under a
condition little better than slavery to
Moslem masters. Montenegro remained
free and was practically Christian
Island in a sea Of Mohammedanism.
Only on its western border was it in
contact during this long period with
other Christian territory, narrow
strip of Adriatic coast controlled by
Venice.
Upon the final overthrow of the an
Gent glory of the Serbs on the field of
Kossovo, a few valiant souls retreated
to the rocky Businesses of Cernagora
to seek asylum with the voivode of the
Zeta. A few years later, abandoned
by their ruler-who preferred life OF
ease at Venice-they turned to their
bishop, made him also their prince
and with him retreated still deeper
Into the hills and there set up tina;
long line of the yladikas which die
not end until we'll into the last cen
fury.
Tributes to Their Bravery.
There they maintained their free
dom, with suffering indescribable anC
with courage illimitable; and wo1
from Gladstone the great English
apostle of Balkan freedom, thos,
words of undying praise. in which h,
gave 1t as his deliberate opinion
that 'the traditions of Montenegro ex
coed in glory those of Marathon an,
Thermopylae and all the war tradi
tons of the world; and inspired il
Tennyson what he regHrded as TIL
finest of his sonnets, inscribed to the
, 81. smallest among peoples, rougl
rock-throne
OF freedom, warriors beating back tn
: swarm
r OF Turkish Islam for five hundred years
r Great Cernagora. never since thine own
Black ridges drew the cloud and brok
Has hreathed a race of mishuer noun
taineers-"
e Within Tut a stones throw OF tn
! Adriatic sea, Montenegro was long Gu
? off from it until in the middle of tn
Nineteenth century her arms won Ar
d tivari from the Turks. Cattaro has a
+ ways been the logical port of the cour
l try and its natural gateway from tn
5 West, yet it remained until the Worl
!. war in the hands of Austria No,
o Cattaro is Jugo-Slavic and is no longe
:. under 8 control alien TO that of Mont,
1 negro.
In the days before the World WI
d the few diplomats and travellers VIII
= visited Cetinie, the capital of Mont,
/. negro, considered the ride over the al
e tomobile road from Cattaro one of tn
5 grandeSt scenically to be found
!. Europe.
5 Ascending the marvellous Zigzag roa
i which leads up from the port. one Al
5 proaches the stern and gloomy defl
d which forms the portal to this histori
o stronghold of freedom in the Balkan
o Splendid engineering is this roat
h Built for post and military uses.
E. clings 10 the face Of the sheer roc
:, and weaves back and forth in multi
!, tude Of "hairpin curves which II
u chaufeurs Of the post automobile tire:
with that contempt which familiaril
,s alone can breed.
10 Up and ever IN, one goes, Belo
:. stand Forth tl,e dusl>y ellis which ],
a. ato tNr Scptheril ford; nesting b
=. sa'h INem. and hemmed In with Il
snUSS.,, hattlcments of these giants