costume--Religion--Hatred of Austria--Russia's friendship.


Roughly Montenegro is diamond-shaped, with its points towards north
and south, east and west. To the north-east it is bounded by the
Sandjak of Novipazar, held by Turkey and Austria jointly, and dividing
it from its parent country, the kingdom of Servia. To the south-east
lies Albania, while Austria again borders Montenegro in Bosnia and the
Hercegovina in the north-west and in Dalmatia to the south-west.
Dalmatia and a narrow strip of the Adria complete the circuit, so
Austria practically surrounds Montenegro on three sides.

The land may be said to possess three distinct belts of vegetation,
each of an entirely different character. It is divided from north to
south by the River Zeta, and the low-lying plains are fertile and
rich, and this district also comprises the sea coast. To the west is
the Katunska or "Shepherds' huts," those barren and rocky mountains of
old Montenegro, from which the country derives its name; while to the
east lies the Brda, mountains vying with Switzerland in beauty, rich
grazing grounds and densely-wooded hills abounding with game, and the
streams well stocked with fish.

The plains are the granaries of Montenegro, unfortunately too limited
in area to give an abundance, but there is a mine of wealth in the
Brda, when that part shall be opened up by connecting roads. The vast
primeval forests and mineral products will be an important source of
income in the times to come. Even at the present day the district
constitutes the chief source of revenue from the export of cattle,
sheep, and horses which flourish on the magnificent mountain
pasturages. Montenegrin wool, greatly famed, comes too from the Brda.