The Land of the Black Mountain: The Adventures of Two Englishmen in Montenegro

Exploring Montenegrin Identity: A Journey Through Culture and AdventureBy Gerald Prance, Reginald Wyon

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Length8h 35m

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The Land of the Black Mountain: The Adventures of Two Englishmen in Montenegro is a compelling collection that weaves a vivid tapestry of exploration and cultural encounter set against the backdrop of early 20th-century Southeastern Europe. The anthology captures the essence of Montenegro'Äôs rugged landscapes and complex societal fabric through diverse literary styles ranging from travel memoirs to engaging narrative accounts. Each piece unfolds the journey of discovery and the enchantment of cultural exchange, with standout portrayals of Montenegro's majestic wilderness and vibrant local customs, offering readers rich insights into a lesser-known corner of Europe. Compiling the unique perspectives of Gerald Prance and Reginald Wyon, this anthology aligns with the early travel literature movements of the time, where English adventurists sought to document their experiences in exotic terrains. Each contributor's distinctive voice reflects an intimate engagement with the people, traditions, and geographical allure of Montenegro. These authors bring together a shared enthusiasm for cultural documentation, contributing collectively to a nuanced portrayal of the country's landscape and society. Their narratives not only preserve historical moments but also highlight the dynamic interactions between travelers and natives during the period. The Land of the Black Mountain invites readers to embark on an intellectual journey through time and place, offering a unique collection that promises to broaden understanding of intercultural relationships and historical landscape transformations. This anthology serves as an educational tool and an enriching literary experience, appealing to those interested in travel literature and cultural studies. Readers will find themselves engaging with a multiplicity of perspectives within a single volume, enhancing their appreciation for diverse storytelling and the intricate dance between traveler and destination.

Journey Exploration Royalty & Courts Folklore Nature & Wilderness

Audiobook details

GenreTravel, Literary Classics

Length8 hrs 35 mins

Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices

FormateBook with Audio

Publish dateDec 5, 2019

LanguageEnglish

1Introduction

2CHAPTER III: The journey to Montenegro—Arrival in Cattaro—Beauty of the Bocche, and the drive to the frontier—First impressions of Montenegro—Njeguši—The national troubadours—Arrival in Cetinje.

3CHAPTER IV: Cetinje and its sights—Prince Nicolas—The Archbishop—The barracks—The princes—A visit to the prison and its system—Our departure for Podgorica.

4CHAPTER V: The view from Bella Vista—New scenery—Promiscuous shooting—The market in Rijeka—The shepherds—Their flocks—Wayside hospitality—The plain of the Zeta—The Morača—The Vizier bridge—Old war-marks—First and last impressions of Podgorica.

5CHAPTER VI: Podgorica—Its central position—Our headquarters—Easter in Montenegro—Our experience of it—We view the town—The prison and its inmates—Christian and Mahometan friction—The modern town—The market and the armed buyers—The Black Earth—Easter customs—Montenegrin methods of doing business.

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6CHAPTER VII: Medun—Voivoda Marko—His life and heroism—His part in Montenegrin history—Our ride to Medun—His widow—We visit his grave—The death dirge—Montenegrin customs at death—Target practice—Our critics—The hermit of Daibabe—We visit Spuž—A typical country inn and a meal—The Turkish renegade gives his views on warfare—Dioclea.

7CHAPTER VIII: Achmet Uiko tells his story—Sokol Baćo, ex-Albanian chief—Shooting on the Lake of Scutari—Our journey thither—Our frustrated nap—Arrival at the chapel—The island of Vranjina—The priest—Fishing and fishermen—Our visitors—We return to Podgorica.

8CHAPTER IX: Stephan our servant—Virpazar—The drive over the Sutormann Pass—Antivari and Prstan—The beauty of the bay—We are delayed by contrary winds—We are rowed to Dulcigno—We make the acquaintance of Marko Ivanković—A story concerning him—We shoot together—An episode on a lake—Vaccination—The Turkish inhabitants.

9CHAPTER X: We ride to Scutari—The Albanian Customs officials—We suffer much from Turkish saddles—Arrival at Scutari, and again pass the Customs—&quot;Buon arrivato&quot;—Scutari and its religious troubles—The town and bazaar—A slight misunderstanding, Yes and No—We return to Rijeka by steamer—The beauties of the trip—Wrong change—The prodigal son&#x27;s return, when the fatted calf is not killed.

10CHAPTER XI: Preparations for our tour in the Brda—We start—Where it is not good to be giddy—A trying ride—Our inn—Nocturnal episodes—The journey continued—Pleasant surroundings—The Montenegrin quart d&#x27;heure—Arrival in Kolašin—We meet the Governor—Visiting—The Band of Good Hope—The Crown Prince&#x27;s birthday—We are ashamed.

11CHAPTER XII: Montenegro&#x27;s oldest building—The ride to the Morača Monastery—A perilous bridge and ascent—The Abbot&#x27;s tale—We inspect the monastery—The health of the King is drunk—The relative merits of Boers and Montenegrins—The Abbot makes us presents—We visit a peasant&#x27;s house and a Homeric feast—A feu-de-joie—Departure from Kolašin—We are mistaken for doctors again—Raskrsnica.

12CHAPTER XIII: A typical mountain hut—Costume of the north-eastern borderers—Supper and a song—We go out hunting, and cause excitement—The Feast of Honour—We ride to Andrijevica—Andrijevica and our inn—The Voivoda—We go to church—Turkish visitors—Alarums.

13CHAPTER XIV: The Voivoda&#x27;s invitation—Concerning an episode on our ride to Velika—The fugitive from a blood-feud and his story—We arrive at Velika—The men of Velika—The ménu—Border jurisdiction—A shooting-match—The Kom—Pleasant evenings—A young philosopher—Sunset.

14CHAPTER XV: We leave Andrijevica—Our additional escort—The arrival at our camping-place—In an enemy&#x27;s country—The story of one Gjolić—Our slumbers are disturbed—Sunrise on the Alps—We disappoint our escort—&quot;Albanian or Montenegrin?&quot;—A reconnaissance—The Forest of Vučipotok—The forbidden land—A narrow escape—We arrive at Rikavac—Rain damps our ardour—Nocturnal visitors.

15CHAPTER XVI: More memorial stones—We get wet again—Unwilling hosts—A fall—The Franciscan of Zatrijebać—The ravine of the Zem—Methods of settling tribal differences—A change of diet and more pleasant evenings—A fatalist—Sunday morning.

16CHAPTER XVII: A modern hero, and our sojourn under his roof—Kećo&#x27;s story—The laws of Vendetta and their incongruity—We return to Podgorica—The Montenegrin telephone—An elopement causes excitement—The Sultan&#x27;s birthday—The reverse of the picture—A legal anomaly.

17CHAPTER XVIII: S. Vasili and Ostrog—Our drive thither—Joyful pilgrims—Varied costumes—We meet the Vladika of Montenegro—The ordeal of hot coffee—A real pilgrimage—The shrine of S. Vasili—The ancient hermit—A miracle—Nikšić—The gaudy cathedral and the Prince&#x27;s palace—We are disappointed in Nikšić.

18CHAPTER XIX: The Club and its members—Gugga—Irregularities of time—The absence of the gentle muse and our surprise—The musician&#x27;s story and his subsequent fate—The Black Earth—A typical border house—The ordeal of infancy—A realistic performance which is misunderstood—Concerning a memorable drive—A fervent prayer.

19CHAPTER XX: We reconsider our opinion of Cetinje—A Montenegrin wake and its consequences—A hero&#x27;s death—Montenegrin conversation—Needless appeals to the Deity—We visit the hospital.

20CHAPTER XXI

21The Law Court in Cetinje—The Prince as patriarch—A typical lawsuit—Pleasant hours with murderers—Our hostel—A Babel of tongues—Our sojourn draws to a close—The farewell cup of coffee and apostrophe.

22Antiquary&#x27;s Books, The

23PART II.—FICTION