et. He was not fat, but the breadth and
massiveness of his chest and limbs was extraordinary. His figure was
very finely proportioned, and his movements free and active. His face
was somewhat broad, with good features, and his voice peculiarly soft
and pleasing. His hair and beard black, and, after the fashion of the
Greek clergy, uncut. He wore a Turkish pelisse of scarlet, coming
nearly to the knee, and trimmed with gold and sable, a large fur cap,
and the usual blue drawers and opunkas of the Montenegrians. A pair of
plain European pistols were in his belt--the only arms he wore. The
place where we sat was in a most picturesque situation. The Turkish
balls kept whizzing past, forming, as his highness remarked, beautiful
music. Indeed, it seemed to me we were very nearly in the line a
well-directed shot ought to have taken; but, of course, it was not my
place to speak. Our fare consisted of cold meat carved in slices with
the yataghan, and rum out of the mouth of the same bottle. He
conversed in French fluently, and various courteous speeches showed it
was not the first time he had encountered female society. He seemed
excited when relating the misdeeds of his enemies, and his usually
languid voice assumed a little asperity, as he described the way in
which, while he made war in Bosnia, "ces diables des Turcs" had
surprised his garrison at Lessandro. My knowledge of gunnery was not
extensive, still I could not be ignorant of the chance he had, with
three short twelve-pounders, of injuring any building whatever, when
firing at it at a distance of eight hundred yards, in an almost
perpendicular direction. The fort, besides, seemed very sturdy and
solid, and I could not flatter him with hopes of success. He did not,
however, appear to be without hope. Certainly, had he chosen to risk
an assault with some trifling loss, the place might have been in his
possession; but boats were not at hand in sufficient numbers, and
besides, such a proceeding might not have been popular with amateur
soldiers. He asked me if I had brought any letters to him; I frankly
owned I had not. "Ah!" he said, "you came from curiosity, that you
might talk in the gay circles of London, of having seen the Vladika of
Montenegro." I did not say, that were I to do so, I should talk very
unintelligibly to a great many of my hearers. After our collation was
finished, we rose and proceeded to the battery, if it could be
honoured with such a name. But had its