He was very anxious that we should go to Cettinje and to Scutari. He
kindly promised to see about it, to arrange for our horses and to have
our passage telegraphed before us. At Podgoritza he said a government
motor-car should wait for us. He advised us to make a detour from the
straight road and to see the famous black lake of Jabliak and the
Dormitor mountains. We thanked him gratefully. He waved our thanks
aside.

"And I will write to my friend the Minister of War. He will arrange that
you go to Scutari." He then explained all the reasons why Montenegro
should hold Scutari when the war was over.

"It was ours," he said; "we only gave it up to Venice so that she should
protect us from the Turk. If we do not hold Scutari, Montenegro can
never become a state, so if we cannot keep her we might as well give up
Cettinje. After all we are but taking back what was once ours."

He was daily expecting the uniforms from Russia, and asked every soldier
on the road for news. At last one said that he had seen them.

"The stuff is rather thin, your excellency, but the boots are splendid."


[Illustration]




CHAPTER VI