bounds fomuch in fifh, that the hogs catch them, and by feeding
on them heconie moft enormouily fat. The Morlacchi who inhabit
the ik'irts of the lake, and are Ottoman fubjedts, avail them-
felves of the quantity and fatriefs o f the fifh to make oil. They extrait
it by the fimple method of frying the fifh iri frying pans,
and {training the melted fat, lay it up in jars for domeftick ufes,-
I could not learn i f the waters of Bufco-Blato have a conftant period
like thofe of the famous lake of Czirkniz; but it is highly
probable that they have fome period known to the inhabitants
o f the neighbourhood.
A M orlacco Dinner in a Church Yard.
Our dinner was prepared at a little diftance from the caverns,,
and the fpot chofen for that purpofe was an ancient burying
place, near the ruins o f a church dedicated to the Afcenfion.
The many trees that have been planted among the graves form an
agreeable ihadej and the large ilones under which the bones of
the valiant ancients are laid, deferve notice, as well for their
number as their bulk. I call them valiant ancients, becaufe
the arms frequently found in that place fhew that they were
warriors. Under thefe trees there are above two hundred very
heavy mafles, each o f a fingle piece o f marble, which might
very properly be called tombs o f giants. Some o f thofe ilones
are nine feet long, about five broad, and near five feet thick..
They are at fuch a diftance from the mountain, that it is not
poffible to imagine how the old inhabitants o f that country
could bring them from thence, without the help o f well contrived
machines. For the moft part thofe enormous mafles are
o f a parallelopepid figure, and very well cu t} but fome are o f a
more
more barbarous irregular form. None o f them have any infcrip-
tion, but almoft all have arms in baiT-relief.
Our entertainment was given by the Morlacco V'¿kovich , with
all the. profufion o f vidtuals that could be defired.. That honeft
Morlack cannot fpeak a word o f Italian ; but underftands hofpi-
tality perfectly well. One of the grave ilones ferved us for a
table j but we had more curious tables fet before us tonifuftain
two roafted lambs. Thefe were flat unleavened cakes,1 deftined
to ferve at the fame time for difties and for.bread. .We eat of
fome of the various meats fet before us with: great appetite, but
could not tafte fome others that were efteemed t'he.delicaçies and
refinemerçts pf Morlacco cookery. We. thqughjt- the .cakes excellent,
and they were foon eat up, when the learned Bifhop
turning to me, faid very opportunely : Heus, ,etiarn menjas. confumpjimus
! The Morlacco table refembles that o f the Tartars ;
as the two nations are, in many things, like each,other -, .therefore
¡would not pleafe the nice, tailc o f mofë.pojiihed Europeans.
The table cloth is generally a. woollen carpet jC fable napkins
are rarely ufed, and when there are any, they/are alfo woollen.
They carve with a long heavy knife which every. Morlack, carries
at his girdle. Little ufe is made o f forks, though the mailer
of the houfe fometimes has erne; They- have wooden fpoons in
abundance, andean furniih one for each of the company, i f
not very numerous. Thofe who obferve the true national cuf-
tom, never ufe glafles, or cups ; inftead of which, there is one
large wooden cup called Buckkara, in which they mix wine and
water, and it goes round, from mouth to mouth,’ till it is empty.
Thé mutual kiifes of the guefts are often infufed in this liquor,
buf they do it no harm. Inftèad of China and earth en
ware, thefe good“ favages had a few wooden diihes which were
II h 2 filled