CHAPTER II

THE TRUTH EXPOSED

Summary of my confidential information—War this year—The attitude of Greece, Bulgaria, Roumania, and Turkey—Procrastination, promises, and perfect politeness—A matter more serious than Macedonia—Warning to British statesmen and the public—The real truth exposed—Germany and India 299

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE HIS MAJESTY KING PETER OF SERVIA _Frontispiece_ MAP OF THE AUTHOR’S ROUTE THROUGH THE NEAR EAST 16 PERO, MY MONTENEGRIN DRIVER 20 ALBANIANS IN CETTINJE 20 THE ROYAL PALACE, CETTINJE 24 PRINCIPAL STREET IN CETTINJE 24 HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE NICHOLAS OF MONTENEGRO 28 THE PETROLEUM TINS OF CETTINJE 32 THE MONASTERY, CETTINJE 32 MR. CHAS. DES GRAZ, CHARGÉ D’AFFAIRES AT CETTINJE 34 THE PIAZZA, RAGUSA 34 RYEKA, MONTENEGRO 42 ZABLIAK, MONTENEGRO 42 PALOK, MY COMPANION THROUGH THE SKRELI COUNTRY 44 IN SKODRA (TWO VIEWS) 48 MY FRIEND SALKO OUTSIDE HIS HOUSE IN SKODRA 54 PIETRO’S SISTER-IN-LAW UNVEILED BEFORE THE CAMERA 54 ROK, TRIBESMAN OF THE SKRELI 58 PIETRO LEKHA 58 THE MADONNA OF SKODRA 64 THE PROCESSION WITH AN ARMED GUARD 64 THE MIREDITI: AN ALARM! 66 THE MIREDITI AT PRAYER 66 MY ROAD IN NORTHERN ALBANIA 70 THE WAY TO THE SKRELI 70 VATT MARASHI, CHIEF OF THE SKRELI TRIBE 74 THE SKRELI AT HOME 76 AN ALBANIAN VILLAGE 76 AMONG THE SKRELI: LÛK AND HIS FRIENDS 80 MRIKA, THE WOMAN WHO CARRIED ON THE BLOOD-FEUD 84 MY BODYGUARD IN NORTHERN ALBANIA 90 BUNAQUELLE, BOSNIA 96 JAJACE, BOSNIA 96 SARAYEVO, BOSNIA 112 IN HERZEGOVINA 112 HIS EXCELLENCY NICHOLAS PACHITCH, PRIME MINISTER OF 120 SERVIA HIS EXCELLENCY DR. MILENKO VESNITCH, SERVIAN MINISTER 124 OF JUSTICE HIS EXCELLENCY COSTA STOYANOVITCH, SERVIAN MINISTER OF 126 COMMERCE THE ROYAL PALACE, BELGRADE: THE BALLROOM 130 ROYAL PALACE, BELGRADE (EXTERIOR) 132 PRINCIPAL BOULEVARD OF BELGRADE 132 HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE GEORGE OF SERVIA 134 MR. BEETHOM WHITEHEAD, BRITISH MINISTER AT BELGRADE 138 MR. ALEX. TUCKER, SERVIAN CONSUL-GENERAL IN LONDON 138 THE ROAD TO THE EAST: THE LAST VIEW OF EUROPE 144 VILLAGERS AND GIPSIES IN MIRIAVO (SERVIA) 144 THE BRITISH LEGATION, BELGRADE 148 THE KNES MIHAJELOWA, BELGRADE 148 IN THE “KALEMEGDAN,” BELGRADE 160 THE MARKET-PLACE, BELGRADE 160 HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE FERDINAND OF BULGARIA 180 PEASANTS IN SOFIA MARKET-PLACE 182 THE OLD MOSQUE, SOFIA 182 HIS EXCELLENCY DR. DIMITRI STANCIOFF, BULGARIAN 184 MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS THE LATE MONSIEUR D. PETKOFF, PRIME MINISTER OF 188 BULGARIA THE ROYAL PALACE, SOFIA 190 THE MAIN BOULEVARD, SOFIA 190 HIS EXCELLENCY N. GHENADIEFF, BULGARIAN MINISTER OF 192 COMMERCE EARLY MORNING IN SOFIA 194 ON THE ROAD TO THE SHIPKA 194 THE BULGARIAN SOBRANJE 196 GEN. MICHAEL SAVOFF, BULGARIAN MINISTER OF WAR 198 HIS EXCELLENCY L. PAYACOFF, BULGARIAN MINISTER OF 200 FINANCE SIR GEORGE BUCHANAN, BRITISH MINISTER AT SOFIA 200 MILITARY MANŒUVRES IN BULGARIA (TWO VIEWS) 204 PEASANTS AT VLADAJA, BULGARIA 208 BULGARIAN MILITARY TYPES 208 PEASANTS NEAR TIRNOVO, BULGARIA 210 TZIGANES ON THE ISKER ROAD 214 WHERE I SPENT A COMFORTLESS NIGHT IN BULGARIA 216 BULGARIAN LAUNDRESSES 216 THE ROSE-FIELDS NEAR KAZANLIK 220 GATHERING ROSES AT KAZANLIK 224 TESTING OTTO-OF-ROSE AT KAZANLIK 224 BULGARIAN PEASANTS DANCING THE “HORO” 226 SUMMIT OF THE SHIPKA PASS 228 DEFILE OF THE ISKER 228 HIS MAJESTY KING CHARLES OF ROUMANIA 234 SNAP-SHOTS IN BUCHAREST (TWO VIEWS) 236 THE ROYAL PALACE, BUCHAREST 240 BOULEVARD ELISABETA, BUCHAREST 240 HIS EXCELLENCY GEORGE CANTACUZEN, ROUMANIAN PRIME 244 MINISTER HIS EXCELLENCY TAKE JONESCO, ROUMANIAN MINISTER OF 244 FINANCE HIS EXCELLENCY GEO. G. MANU, ROUMANIAN MINISTER OF WAR 246 SIR CONYNGHAM GREENE, BRITISH MINISTER AT BUCHAREST 246 GEN. JACQUES LAHOVARY, ROUMANIAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN 248 AFFAIRS HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF ROUMANIA 252 THE QUEEN OF ROUMANIA’S BLIND INSTITUTE AT BUCHAREST 256 BLIND INMATES AT WORK 260 HIS EXCELLENCY TEWFIK PASHA, MINISTER OF FOREIGN 264 AFFAIRS OF THE IMPERIAL OTTOMAN EMPIRE HIS EXCELLENCY NOURY PASHA 274 THE ENTRANCE TO THE BOSPHORUS 280 IN CONSTANTINOPLE 280 LAKE OF OCHRIDA, MACEDONIA 285 LAKE OF PRESBA, MACEDONIA 285 MACEDONIAN WOMAN ABDUCTED BY TURKS FROM KLENE, NEAR 288 DEBR, AND RESCUED BY A BULGARIAN BAND GENERAL TZONTCHEFF, THE BULGARIAN LEADER IN MACEDONIA 288 A BULGARIAN BAND IN MACEDONIA 292 GENERAL TZONTCHEFF IN MACEDONIA 304 THE TURKISH BURIAL-GROUND AT SCUTARI, ASIA MINOR 304

MONTENEGRO