y of the
Stolatz--Disappearance of River--Temporary Camp--My Dalmatian
Servant--Turkish Army Doctors--Numerical Force of the Turks--Health
of the Army--Bieliki--Decapitation of Prisoners--Christian Cruelty.

Day dawned on September 14, 1861, on about as cheerless a prospect as
can well be imagined. A chilly drizzle, swept hither and thither by
strong gusts of wind, did not tend to enhance the beauty of the
surrounding country, while it portended rather ominously for the success
of the operations, the first important step in the prosecution of which
may be considered to have been begun upon that day. By nine o'clock, the
hour fixed for our departure, the wind had fallen, and the rain began,
to descend in torrents, defying all precautions in the shape of cloaks
and waterproofs. So it continued until past noon, when the clouds
cleared away, and the sun shone out bright and warm.

There is little to interest the traveller in this part of the
Herzegovina, unless it be the existence of clusters of old tombstones,
which occur very frequently throughout the province. About one hour
before reaching Stolatz, which was our destination, we came upon one of
those ancient cemeteries, which is well worthy of notice from the
mammoth proportions of the tombstones. These are, as is usually the
case, adorned with primitive sculptures of men clad in armour, horses,
and dogs, and decapitated heads; dates are seldom found, but the
character of the work and the frequent occurrence of the cross confirms
the supposition that they were erected previous to the Turkish conquest.
On our approach to Stolatz we were met by a deputation of the country
people, and by bands of children sent out to greet the arrival of him
who is regarded as the general pacificator. The anxiety displayed by
these to do homage by kissing his stirrup-iron when mounted, or the hem
of his trousers, was by no means appreciated by Omer Pacha, who
possesses very Europeanised views on these subjects. The enthusiasm with
which he was received, however, could not be mistaken, and forms an
important element in his prospects of a successful termination of the
affair. Outside the walls a battalion of regulars was drawn up, and
every here and there some detachments of irregular soldiers.

Stolatz is charmingly situated on both banks of a small stream, which
are covered with fig and olive trees, and at the northern extremity of
the ravine in which it is built is the