ntroduction to M. Lobatcheff, the
Russian Vice-Consul at Scutari, and thither I went, leaving Cetinje
to stew in its own juice. It was anthropology I wanted, not plots.

My work and travels in High Albania I have told elsewhere. I shall
here only indicate the political happenings, for I did not escape
them by going from Montenegro. In the Balkans you may change your
mind any number of times, but you never change your sky full of
Power-clouds.

All Europe was represented at Scutari, as in Cetinje, but by
Consuls, not Ministers. A difference mainly in name, for they were
there for the same purpose, and in Turkish territory even a
Vice-Consul, if of an energetic and bullying nature, had almost as
much influence as a Minister Plenipotentiary. For the Turks lived in
terror of the Great Powers who squatted round the edge waiting an
opportunity to pounce, and allowed consuls to do things unthinkable
in any other land. During the late war America was roused to frenzy
because the German representatives there tried to work a German
propaganda. But for over a century the representative of every Power
that wanted a bit of Turkey, not only worked ceaselessly by similar
means, but had a private post office by which to convey and
distribute the correspondence of any revolutionaries his country was
supporting; had spies everywhere, and could, should any of his
minions be caught red-handed by the Turkish authorities, obtain and
demand their release, if not by fair means, then by foul. The Turks
could not even close a brothel, if protected, as it frequently was,
by a Great Power.

In Scutari, in 1908, Austria and Italy were both working strenuously
to obtain influence over Albania. Austria had had a long start.
Italy was now a good second. One made a hospital, the other replied
with a home for the aged. One played a dispensary, the other an
infant school, and so on, regardless of expense. Russia, who hoped
ultimately to obtain Albanian lands for the Serbs, made a very bad
third, for the Slav element in Scutari and its district was so small
as to be practically negligible, and she could not work, as did her
rivals, by means of churches and schools. There were but a few Slav
families, mainly those whose ancestors had fled from Montenegro or
the Herzegovina to escape from bloodvengeance, with a sprinkling of
late comers who were "wanted" by the Montenegrin police. A tiny
school and church were all they could fill. M. Lobatcheff and Peta