Chapter I: Foreword

Because of their pivotal positions, politically and geographically; because of their tempting adaptation to colonization; because of their vast proven and hidden resources; because of their divers other advantages, too numerous to mention, the Balkan States have been, are and will continue to be, as once a certain writer so aptly put it, the “Powder Box of Europe.”

Constant conflict, however, has stunted their progress, and it has only been within the past few years that these lands—conspicuously lacking in the arts of peace, but overcrowded with types and replete with wonderful scenery, their histories sated with war and romance—have begun to be disclosed to the travelling world. Only within the past few years their outlying districts have been connected with their business centres by telegraphic communication; only within the past few years railroads have been constructed, steamship lines inaugurated and hotel accommodations perfected. Yesterday their peoples were almost barbaric; to-day they are more highly civilized and more finely cultured than perhaps we are inclined to admit; to-morrow they may be famous. They have been makers of history for our forebears and us; they will be makers of history for posterity and its children.

It is to assist the reader to frame a more just opinion of that southeastern corner of Europe, “The Lands of the Tamed Turk,” and those who people it, that this volume of personal observations and experiences of travel, interspersed with brief bits of history, is offered.

The author begs to tender his appreciation to Mr. Nox McCain for the use of several unusual photographs published herewith; also to the editors of _The Metropolitan Magazine_, New York, _Travel Magazine_, New York, and _The National Geographic Magazine_, Washington, with whose kind permission are herein reprinted, _verbatim_, certain parts of special articles on the Balkan States by the author, and some of the illustrations accompanying them, which appeared in the periodicals mentioned above.

CONTENTS

PAGE

CHAPTER I

WHY THE BALKANS?

The Rundreise Ticket—Why the Balkans?—When and
Where English is Heard—Why Not the Balkans? 1

CHAPTER II

BUDA-PESTH AND BELGRADE

Buda-Pesth and Its Language—From Buda-Pesth to
Belgrade—The Servian Passport System—First
Impressions of Belgrade—Garden Spots in and
about the Servian Metropolis 12

CHAPTER III

TWENTIETH CENTURY SERVIA

The Servians—The Rise of the Nation—The Army—The
Race-meets—The Market in Belgrade—National
Customs—The National Dance 24

CHAPTER IV

THE SERVIAN DYNASTIES

Karageorge—Milosh Obrenovitch—Murder of Karageorge—Turkey
Grants the Title of Prince—Milosh
Abdicates—Abdication of Prince Michael—Alexander
Abdicates—Prince Milosh Re-installed, His
Death and the Re-election of Prince Michael—Murder
of Michael—Prince Milan’s Marriage, Abdication
and Death—Alexander Elected 43

CHAPTER V

ALEXANDER AND DRAGA

Alexander—Draga—The Meeting—Draga’s Return to
Belgrade—Russia’s Intrigues—Marriage of Alexander
and Draga—Origin of the Plot to Murder 53

CHAPTER VI

THE CAPITAL OF CRIME

Plans of Procedure—Meeting of the Regicides—The
First Move—The Murder of the King and Queen—The
Assassination of Others—The Royal Burial—The
Murder of the Brothers Novakovics in 1907 61

CHAPTER VII

PREDICTIONS OF SERVIAN TRAGEDIES

Prediction of the Assassination of Prince Michael—Natalie’s
Visit to the Parisian Fortune-teller—The
Prediction in London of the Murder of Draga and
Alexander 78

CHAPTER VIII

NISCH AND SOPHIA

From Belgrade to Nisch—Nisch—Provincial Hotel
Accommodations—The Monument of Skulls—Tzaribrod—Sophia—Value
Received for $1.25 per Diem—Dragoleftsky 94

CHAPTER IX

BULGARIA AND HER PAST

Progress of Bulgaria—Origin of her Peoples—The
Bulgari—First Russian Invasion of Bulgaria—The
Assenide Dynasty—Turkish Tyrannies—Emancipation
of Bulgaria—Russia’s Intrigues against Prince
Alexander—The Late Balkan Disturbances 111

CHAPTER X

A BULGARIAN MARKET

Bulgaria’s Busy Day—The Orient Express 130

CHAPTER XI

SARAJEVO—THE SPIRED CITY

From Belgrade to Sarajevo—The Turkish Bazaar—A
Bosnian Street Sprinkler—Horse-races at Ylidze—A
Dervish Dance 145

CHAPTER XII

FROM SARAJEVO TO THE COAST

Jablaniča—Mostar—Across the Mountains—The Balkan
Riviera—Ragusa: The Fairy City of the Adriatic 166

CHAPTER XIII

RAGUSA

As She Is—The First Colony—The Fire of 1292—The
Black Death—Hungary Acquires the Place—Ragusa
Establishes her Independence—Plague—Earthquake—Napoleon
Takes Ragusa—The City
Ceded to Austria 179

CHAPTER XIV

THE BOCCHE DI CATTARO

Steamer-day at Gravosa—Ragusa from the Sea—The
Bocche di Cattaro—Castelnuovo—Cattaro and
Her Mountain Background 199

CHAPTER XV

MONTENEGRO

The Gibraltar of the Balkan Peninsula—The Settling of
Montenegro—Peter I—The Family of Petrovich—Prince
Nikola—The Montenegrin Costume—Incidents
of War—The Montenegro of To-day 211

CHAPTER XVI

THE ROAD TO CETTINJE

The Ascent of the Mountains—Njegushi—The Montenegrin
Capital—Historical Monuments in Cettinje—The
Return to Cattaro 229

CHAPTER XVII

SPALATO AND SALONA

Westward Along the Coast—First Glimpse of Spalato—The
Campanile—Diocletian’s Palace—Salona and
Her Ruins 247

CHAPTER XVIII

ZARA

From Spalato to Zara—Chief Objects of Interest in the
Capital of Dalmatia—The Story of St. Simeon—The
Five Fountains—Fragments of Roman Occupation 269