INTERNAL CONDITIONS 269
but he exempted those families who made one of their sons a Turk. This induced many to free themselves thus from the tax; but the Sultan did not carry out the whole of his promise, and maintained the Talotz on all save those who actually turned Turks themselves.”
   February 18th.—“ Reached Vuatz, 32 miles, passing by St. Sava, where there is a very large monastery of Servian caloyers, who dress and live in the Greek fashion, but speak Slavonic. They show to travellers the body of St. Sava, which is still in a perfect state of preservation. They receive more alms from the Turks and the Jews than from the Christians.1 At the mount of the Morlak (Molatschidi) ends the Sandjak of Servia and that of Bosnia begins, in which is Senice.”
   February K)th.—Novibazar, 40 miles, “a very large and celebrated market-place, full of merchants and shops, both Turkish and Christian, some of them Ragusans. Close by flows a beautiful clear stream, which enters the Morava shortly after.”
   February 20th.—Ibar, 16 miles, near the “Mountain of Silver, which should be the Mons Rhodopus.”
   February 21st. — Statoria, 25 miles, which was reached by passing over the Mountain of Silver, “very high and difficult to climb, especially in winter, when it is covered with snow. On the summit is a road, a braccio and a half wide, by which one passes not without danger from the precipice.”
   February und.—Suatza, 25 miles. “We crossed the broad Toplitza, which is a plateau covered with little
    1 In the Balkans there are many shrines worshipped by Christians and Turks alike, especially in Albania.