Travels in Southeastern Europe

The burden of the Balkans / by M. Edith Durham.

z8o THE BURDEN OF THE BALKANS. blank misery of gray dawn, gray ashes, a wet floor, and a lean white cat chewing a corner of goat-hide. I tried to stand, and found, to my horror, I was locked up with rheumatism all down one side from ankle to waist. 'Oh you silly fool!' said I to myself; ' and you thought you understood roughing it!' As a matter of fact, it is usually a mistake to imagine one understands anything. I swallowed a large and indefinite dose of salicylate of soda, washed down with neat brandy, for the muddy dregs of water in the pitcher were too dirty to drink unboiled. I hauled myself on to my feet painfully, and unbarred the door. Things were a bit more cheerful when the fire was rekindled, and we breakfasted on maggi and the remains of last night's bread. The hanjee produced his little bill, which included 3s. 4d. for my bedroom. When I explained that for a smaller sum in Montenegro I had had meat, bread, wine, coffee, and rakija as well, he truthfully replied that Montenegro was a very different place. As, however, he charged an unhappy peasant 2 francs merely for sleeping in the common room without any fire or food, I did not fare so badly. The sun was shining when we rode out, and the place looked exquisitely beautiful; purple Judastrees in full bloom, in subtle harmony with the silver-gray olive-gardens, showed it could be hot sometimes. But the snow had fallen in the night and lay low on the mountain-sides; it was dank and chilly till the sun gained strength, and every
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About this Item

Title
The burden of the Balkans / by M. Edith Durham.
Author
Durham, Mary Edith, 1863-1944.
Canvas
Page 280
Publication
London :: Nelson,
[1905]
Subject terms
Eastern question (Balkan)
Balkan Peninsula -- Description and travel.

Technical Details

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https://name.umdl.umich.edu/ans3900.0001.001
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https://quod.lib.umich.edu/b/bosnia/ans3900.0001.001/287

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"The burden of the Balkans / by M. Edith Durham." In the digital collection Travels in Southeastern Europe. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/ans3900.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 30, 2025.
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