inordinate amount of hugging and kissing, to say nothing of the most promiscuous hand-shaking, for a share of which I myself came in.  My first step was to negotiate with four natives to row me to the Falls of Kerka, about three hours distant.  This I had succeeded in doing, when, having unfortunately let them know that I was English, they demanded seven florins in place of four, as had been originally agreed.  Resolving not to give way to so gross an imposition, I was returning in quest of another boat, when I met a troop of some six or seven girls, young, more than averagely good-looking, and charmingly dressed in their national costume.  I presume that my T.G. appearance must have amused them; for they fairly laughed,—­not a simpering titter, but a good honest laugh.  To them I stated my case, and received a proper amount of sympathy.  One offered to row me herself, while another said something about ’twenty florins and a life,’—­which, whatever it may have meant, brought a blush to the cheek of the pretty little volunteer.  At this juncture the boatmen arrived, and on my assurance that I was perfectly satisfied with the company to which they had driven me, which my looks, I suppose, did not belie, they came to terms.  Leaving the bay at its NW. extremity, where the Kerka flows into it, we proceeded about four miles up that river.  At this point it opens out into the Lake of Scardona, which is of considerable size, and affords a good anchorage.  There is an outlet for the river to the N., close to which is situated the little town of Scardona.  The banks of the river here begin to lose their rocky and precipitous appearance, assuming a more marshy character, which renders it unhealthy in the summer.  The Falls are approached by a long straight reach, at the end of which they form a kind of semicircle, the entire breadth being about 250 feet.  In winter, or after heavy rains, the effect must be very grand; but at the time of my visit they were, in consequence of the great drought, unusually small.  Below the falls is a mill worked by a Levantine, who appears to drive a flourishing trade, grinding corn for Sebenico, Zara, and many other places on the coast.

The Dalmatian boatmen are a very primitive set in everything save money matters.  One asked, Are the English Christians? while another asserted most positively, that he had taken an Englishman to see the Falls in the year 1870.  Their style of rowing resembles that in vogue among the Maltese and Italians, excepting that they make their passenger sit in the hows of the boat.  This, at any rate, has the advantage of keeping him to windward of themselves, which is often very desirable.  Another point of difference is, that they wear shoes or slippers,—­the latter being, in some instances, really tasteful and pretty.