Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 204, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 August 1913 — IN LAND OF TROUBLE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

IN LAND OF TROUBLE

FiW Americans have ever visited the isolated parts of Albania, but those who have, recall the words: “Duhan, rakia, pushke, dashtina.” Meaning “tobacco, brandy, guns and love.” Guns are most in evidence, for every man must shoot —or be shot. This little land of blood feuds is tucked away ij* the group of mountains that form Montenegro. Much of it is a rocky, barren wilderness and not cultivatabb?. The heat in midsummer is''overpowering; but cold, shallow rivers run through valleys rich with Chert (es, figs and almonds. There are few bridges, and those who wish to cross usually wade. Market gardens line the river bankß. In them small ponds are made and the water dipped out witq immense wooden ladles afld showered on the crops. Albania is iruiablted by distinctly different tribes, each led by a hereditary standard bearer —an honor handed down fipm father to son, or the nearest nude heir. The chief or leader of each udbe is absolute master of the others and their flocks and worldly possessions are held in common. Of Strange Mixture. They are a st{ ange mixture of emotion and unnatural insensibility. They prefer to have a hand chopped off for theft, instead of serving a short prison sentence. They are broken-hearted over murdered son —but continue to shoot. They are proud of their high death rtte and spend n/ore for guns and ammunition than for food. They buy caps and powder and cast their own bu'*lets. Martini cartridges are most pcpdlar because they are easily filled and wound worse than the rapidfiring Mauser. For a severe wound at clOße range nothing can compare with their old-fashioned flint-lock, rammed with a dram of powder, a big bullet, spikes, glass phnters, etc. Many of the weapons art* silver mounted and ornamented with initiation sapphires or rubies. ' The old idea of purification by blood —blood vengeadce—is the ruling belief in Albania. Blopd only can wipe away blood; out it is taken strictly according to rule and not -classed with murder. A blow, of even ah'" insult, requires blood. Bjood only can cleanse the sin of marr/ing'a girl who was betrothed to another. Abduction or adultery demands blood. This does pot necessarily mean the blood of the offender himself—any male blood of his tribe answers the purpose. It Is against the rules to shoot a man when he is with a woman, a child, or a company of friends. Therefore, many men nevtr step out of doors alone. When on the march, men must walk a gun barrel apart; for if a gun should strike someone accidentally, the blow must be avenged. Women who always spin while marching, keep the length of a distaff apart. ' A man who entertains a stranger for one night, or even gives a flask of water, makes such a one his guest and is in honor bound to avenge him, should anything harm him before he is entertained by another. . Death follows in the waks of the most trivial things. One evening a party of men noticed an unusual number of stars in the* sky and argued as to which was the biggest, it is said. The dispute was finally settled-rafter 17 lay dead and 11 more were badly wounded. Have No Prisons. There are no prisons. Albania punishes by fines or fires. Death would simply start new feuds. When a man slays, he finds a place of safety and then announces that his honor is dean. That he is then liable to he shot by any member of the other tribe, troubles him not, but in a few districts a council bas authority to burn his house, demolish his cfops. kill his cattle and forbid him to work the

land. However, if •he returns home and defends it for ,three days so it cannot be fired he is allowed to retain it. He can also save it by inviting the lord of another tribe to take possession with a posse of sharp-shoot-ers to defend it Sometimes for business purposes an oath of peace is taken by two parties for*a stated period, and at festival time a week’s peace is sworn; so that all blood foes may attend church and the festivities without danger of death. During this week everybody is very gity and friendly. At the end of that time they instantly become bitter enemies ag&in! / In most towns the entire population can turn out under arms inside of ten minutes and the smell of gun powder is like blood to a tiger. Gurizi (Black Stone) is a Moslem village that derives its name from an enormous rock. It is full of greyishwhite dogs with wolf blood in/their veins, who are taught to attack strangers on sight. Puppies too young to walk will snap fiercely at passersby and no stranger can enter the town with safety. In some villages houses are formed of irregular stones, with a stable on the first floor and living room on the second, with a covered balcony across the front. Windows are small and very scarce, and most Of the light comes through broken root tiles, which also provide an outlet for smoke from open fires. There is little or no furniture. The rough stone walls are covered with guns and field implements and festooned with drying fish and meat Other food is hung in, tight baskets from the rafters, beyond the reach of rats. Rude cooking dishes made of clay and ehopped pigs’ bristles are kept in an alcove near the fire. Large tree trunks are dug out and used to hold food and small pieces of the trunk are hollowed out for bowls. A wattled larder for milk standß*on posts in the yard. Clothes are kept in rudely-painted, clumsy chests. The floor of thick plaqks, hewn by an ax, is always cluttered with household belongings. The family sleep in hurdles hung from a tie-beam of the roof and supported by a pole underneath. Sheets are of white felt and pillows of bright red cotton. Very often *a sheep is penned in one corner of the room and a pig in the other! Goats are tethered near the fire! Albanians are friendly and hospitable with everyone, as a rbie, except blood enemies. When guests come within howling distance of |he house they are to visit, they begin to yell greetings and empty revolvers —which is heartily returned by their host and kept up until they are inside by the Are that always blazeji and the tamborttza that always tinkles music. News travels fast —being actually shouted from town to town. The Albanians have peculiar, powerful voices; and can hurl messages across the valleys with great force. In an hour a message can be sent, and an answer received from a place 12 hours distant by horseback. Anyone hearing the shout, repeats It and sends It further. There are no doctors in the country. The sick usually wait for death on a heap of rags in some dark corner full of lice. y v An old custom still in vogue is swearing brotherhood. If a man becomes very fond of a friend he asks him to be h!s brother. Each ties g string around the little finger so tight that H swells. It is then pricked and the blood allowed to drop on a loaf of sugar. ,The sugar is then exchanged and eaten —making both men of the same blood! If either has any feuds the other is In honor bound to avenge them —so swearing brotherhood usually means more shooting. The few who are not shot live to a great age.