The Photo Collection of Edith Durham

Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo, 1903 - 1913

ED022_RAI 400.13245 Albania. Hiking through Mirdita territory with female porters (Photo: Edith Durham, late September 1908?). “Shortly after this we reached Mirdita territory. The fir woods around Vlas were a sad sight, hundreds of big trees had been felled and left to rot, with the mistaken idea that pasture would grow in their place. But denudation and desolation follows speedily, and the people do not learn by experience. I spoke vainly. They said it was the custom, and must be. Grass, it was true, had not grown in this spot. That was no reason why it should not in another. Then they would have flocks and be rich. We rode through more forests, when entering Mirdita, of huge fir trees, quite magnificent, and came out on a large plain with rude wooden huts – the summer quarters of the herd folk – dotted about. Out came the people, running to welcome us, bringing a wooden vessel full of buttermilk and a large sheep-cheese, which they insisted on our taking as a gift. ‘Thank God!’ cried Marko; ‘now we are in a Christian land!’” (Edith Durham, High Albania, 1909).