[63] Cf. Diplomatic Reminiscences, by M. Nekludoff. London, 1920.
[64] Cf. The Guardians of the Gate. Oxford, 1918.
[65] Cf. Dalmatinische Reise. Berlin, 1909.
[66] Cf. Montenegro in History, Politics and War, by A. Devine. London, 1918.
[67] Cf. Diplomatic Reminiscences. London, 1920.
[68] A very detailed and interesting account is contained in Dr. Seton-Watson's The Southern Slav Question. London, 1911.
[69] "That Austria, as some have stated, should have planned the coup," says Miss Durham (in her Twenty Years of Balkan Tangle) "is very improbable." This lady tells us that the plot was a very genuine one, "as I learnt beyond all doubt from my own observations," etc. And, needless to say, she denounces the Serbs, who in her eyes are a very criminal people. It is a pity that Miss Durham did not confine herself to the excellent relief work she was doing the Balkans. Her description of the travels this involved is interesting. But even her account of relief work is biased by a prejudice in favour of the Albanians and against the Slavs, for when she has occasion to speak of the famous Miss Irby, whose thirty years of untiring benevolence were spent among the Serbs of Bosnia and not among the Albanians, it is without a word of commendation.
[70] Cf. History of Serbia, by H. W. V. Temperley. London, 1917.
[71] Cf. Le Monténégro Inconnu, by Louis Bresse. Paris, 1920.
[72] An illuminating document was found, after the Great War, in the Austrian archives. It is a lengthy report sent from Cetinje on November 1, 1911, by Baron Giesl, the Austrian Minister, to Count Aerenthal, the minister of Foreign Affairs. Giesl puts down very vividly a conversation he has had with Nikita, who suggested that the Minister should go forthwith to Vienna with the purpose of preparing for a secret treaty. "I will do all that Austria desires," the King is reported to have said; "for instance, I will place under her protection the kingdom of Montenegro.... For years I have aimed at this and, in spite of all that has happened [the annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina], I was preparing my people for this and putting Austria in a sympathetic light." The King promised that his army (whose numbers, says Giesl, he multiplied by two in this conversation) should act in perfect harmony with Austria's troops—they would, if need arose, assist each other. Baron Giesl appears to have irritated Nikita by his lack of enthusiasm for the scheme. "With Austria-Hungary, the King had said, "I must be frank and honest." But the Minister characterized his efforts as the throwing of dust in Austria's eyes.