1BOOL- LIBR 
 DUPLICATE 
 LSOLD BY 
 AUTHORITY. 
 
 .E.BIBL RADCL 
 
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 czio.-jz-x . 
 
JOURNAL 
 
 OF A 
 
 VOYAGE UP THE MEDITERRANEAN; 
 
 PRINCIPALLY AMONG THE 
 
 ISLANDS OF THE ARCHIPELAGO, 
 
 ASIA MINOR: 
 
 INCLUDING MANY INTERESTING PARTICULARS RELATIVE TO 
 
 ^fft ^vee^ Uctiolution, 
 
 ESPECIALLY A JOURNEY THROUGH BIAINA TO THE CAMP OF IBRAHIM PACHA, 
 TOGETHER WITH OBSERVATIONS ON 
 
 THE ANTIQUITIES, OPINIONS, AND USAGES OF GREECE, AS THEY NOW EXIST, 
 TO WHICH IS ADDED, 
 
 AN ESSAY ON THE FANARIOTES, 
 
 translated from the French of 
 MARK PHILIP ZALLONY, A GREEK. 
 
 By the rev. CHARLES SWAN, 
 
 LATE OF CATHARINE HALL, CAMBRIDGE ; CHAPLAIN TO H. M. S. CAMBRIAN J 
 AUTHOR OF SERMONS ON SEVERAL SUBJECTS, AND TRANSLATOR OF THE CESTA ROMANOaUM. 
 
 " Whilk were fools, and whilk were wise. 
 And whilk of them could most quaintysc ; 
 And whilk did wrong, and whilk right. 
 And whilk maintained peace and fight— 
 Of their deeds shall be my sawe, 
 In what time, and of what law." 
 
 Chronicle of Robert de Brunnc. 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED FOR C. AND J. RIVINGTON, 
 
 ST. Paul's church-yard, 
 
 WATERLOO-PLACE, AND 148, STRAND. 
 
 1826. 
 
LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED BY R. GILBERT, 
 ST. John's square. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 Messrs. Rivington respectfully inform the 
 public, that the Work now submitted to their 
 inspection, is printed from the Manuscripts 
 transmitted to them by the author for that 
 purpose. 
 
 They trust, that on examination, it will be 
 found to contain a variety of entertaining mat- 
 ter respecting the Greeks, as well as much in- 
 formation which must be peculiarly interesting 
 at the present period. 
 
 The indulgence of the reader is requested for 
 any trifling inaccuracies ; as on account of the 
 author's absence from the country, it was not 
 possible for him to superintend the progress of 
 his work through the press. 
 
 WATERLOO-PLACE, 
 
 May 3, 1826. 
 
 A 2 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Leave England, 1. — Amusement on board, 2.— Cadiz — Spanish 
 pilot, 3, 4. — Cathedral, 5. — Convent of the Augustines, 6. — 
 Religious ceremonies, 7. — Images, 8. — Spanish waiter, 9. — 
 Spanish houses, 10. — Spanish women, 11, 12. — Early mar- 
 riages, 13. — Spanish play, 14. — Excursion to Xeres, 15. — 
 Reflections on the Revolution, 16 — 18. — Excursion to Xeres, 
 19, 20.— Xeres, 21.— Mode of irrigation, 22.— Cathedral, 23. 
 — Spanish songs, 24, 25. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Island of Galeta, 27. — Malta — Islands of Galeta, Gozo, and 
 Comeno, 28. — La Valetta — Governor's palace, 29. — Church 
 of St. John, 30. — -Public library — Opera house, 3 1 . — Naples 
 — Mount Etna, 32. — Strait of Messina — Beautiful prospect, 
 33.— Scylla and Charybdis, 34.— Bay of Naples, 35. — 
 Naples — Musicians, 36.— Disagreeable quarantine, 37. — The 
 Villa Reale, 38.— The streets of Naples, 39.— The Villa 
 Reale, 40, 41. — Lazzaroni, 42. — Pompeii, 43 — 55. — 
 Naples, 56. — Rout at Lady Drummond's, 57. — French com- 
 pliment, 58. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Naples — Bourbonic museum, 60, 61. — Mode of unrolling the 
 papyri, 62. — Library — Theatre of San Carlos, 63.— Excur- 
 
VI CONTENTS. 
 
 sion to Vesuvius, 64, 65. — Vesuvius — Neapolitan guide, 66. 
 Excursion to Puzzuoli, 67, 68. — Caligula's bridge — Cumae, 
 69. — Shooting a shark, 70. — Genoa, 71. — Palaces — Female 
 attire, 72. — Ducal palace, 73. — Sacro Catino, 74, 75. — 
 Church of Notre Dame, 76. — Church of St. Mary de 
 Carignan, 77. — Bridge of Carignan, 78. — Theatrical repre- 
 sentations, 79, 80. — Excursive remarks, 81, 82. — Return to 
 Malta, 83.— Malta— Mrs. Charles Fox, 84.— Remarks on 
 manners, 85. — Excursion to St. Antonio, 86. — Mode of 
 catching prawns, 87. — Search for books, 88. — Emanuel 
 Pinto, 89. — Maltese poetry, 90, 91. — Barrenness of the soil, 
 92. — Difficulty of culture, 93. — Character of the Maltese, 94. 
 Curious manuscript, 95 — 97. — Catholic ordination, 98. — 
 Anecdote of a Maltese and his goat, 99.— Public library, 100, 
 Botanic garden — Anecdote, 101. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Milo — Methodist missionary, 103. — Spetzia — Napoli di Ro- 
 mania, 104. — Greece — Feelings on landing, 105. — Napoli — 
 Interesting prospect, 106 — Market — Greek soldiers, 107, 108. 
 — Turkish cemetery, 109.— Citadel, 110. — Giovanni Notara — 
 Bible Society, 1 1 1 .-^Beautiful prospect, 112. — Capture of a 
 Maltese brig by the Greeks, 113. — Temple of Minerva Sunias, 
 114, 115. — Foolish conduct of travellers, 116, 117. — Cape 
 Sunium — Greek signet, 118. — Shooting excursion, 119. — 
 Anecdote of a Greek, 120. — Negropont — Scio — Massacre of 
 the Greeks, 121. — Anecdote of a Greek boy, 122. — Reflec- 
 tions on the new year, 123 — 126. — Smyrna — Dress of the 
 Armenians, 127. — Barbarous murder of a Greek, 128. — 
 Turkish women, 129. — Fine view of the country round 
 Smyrna, 130. — Turkish burial places, 131. — Unpleasant ad- 
 venture, 132. — Description of a Mosch, 133. — Turkish mode 
 of worship, 134. — Confidence of a Turk in an Englishman, 
 135. — Aqueducts, 136. — Ancient amphitheatre, 137. — Cere- 
 monies of the Greeks on Christmas-day, 1 38. — Bazar, 1 39. — 
 Questions sent by the Bible Society, 140. -— Costume of the 
 Grecian women, 14L 
 
CONTENTS, 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Smyrna — Interview with the Capitan Pacha, 143 — 145.— Visit 
 
 to Suleiman Aga, 146 Ball at Mr. Whittle's, 147. — Trait in 
 
 the Greek character, 148. — Sedecui — Barbarity of a Turk, 
 149, 150. — Greek servant, 151. — Bougiah — Anecdote of a 
 serpent, 152. — Smyrna — Salutation of the Pacha of Scio, 
 153. — Visit to Suleiman Aga, 154 — 169. — Description of 
 his hall, 156. — His house and gardens, 157. — Description of 
 his Harem, 158. — Curious well, 159. — His civility, 160. — 
 His entertainment, 161. — Description of Hassan Pacha, 162. 
 — Description of the feast, 163,164. — Bill of fare, 165,166. 
 — Anecdote of Hassan Pacha, 167. — Description of the com- 
 pany, 168. — Appearance of Suleiman Aga, 169. — Ceremony 
 at the Greek Epiphany, 170. — Galantry of Lieut. Marsham, 
 171,1 72. — Vourla — Curiosities, 1 73.— Proceed on the voyage, 
 174. — Mount Olympus, 175. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Thessalonica — Moseh of St. Demetrius, 177, — Dr. Clarke's 
 erroneous statements, 178 — 180. — Mosch of St. Demetrius, 
 181.— Mosch of St. Sophia, 182.— Triumphal arch of Con- 
 stantine, 183. — Supposed triumphal arch of Augustus, 184. 
 — Ancient Greek inscriptions, 185, — Convent of the dancing 
 Dervishes, 186. — Pacha's summer-house — Tumulus, 187. — 
 Curious mode of catching partridges, 188. — Injudicious 
 conduct of the Bible Society, 189, 190. — Greek supersti- 
 tion, 191. — Providential escape at sea, 192. — Anchor off 
 Syrochoro, 193. — Syrochoro — Ruins of the Acropolis, 1 94. 
 — Inscription on the Acropolis, 195. — Devastations of the 
 Turks, 196. — Ancient Greek inscription, 197. — Prepara- 
 tions for attacking pirates, 198. — Action with the pirates, 
 199. — Death of the captain of the pirates, 200. — Pursuit of 
 the pirates, 201. — Action with the pirates, 202. — Gallant be- 
 haviour of the officers, 203. — Burial of the sailors, 204. — 
 Reflections on their death, 205. — Latine vessels, 206. — Pro- 
 
yin CONTENTS. 
 
 ceedings of the officers, 207. — Beautiful prospect, 208. — 
 Violence of an Austrian admiral, 209. — Strange fact relative 
 to Trichiri, 210.— Proceed on the voyage — Pass Skyropouli, 
 211. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Smyrna — Unfounded reports, 213. — Characteristics of the 
 Greeks, 214. — Execution of four Greeks, 215. — Interment of 
 a sailor, 216. — Bad manners of a Pacha, 217. — Excursion to 
 Mount Pagus, 218. — Funeral ceremonies of the Greeks, 219 
 to 221. — Precipitate interment, 222. — Singular story related 
 by Tournefort, 223— 232.— Greek Papas, 232.— Kyriacos 
 Phaidro — Greek rites and ceremonies, 233. — Greek episcopal 
 croisier, 234. — Ceremonies of the Armenian church, 235, 
 236. — Frank merchants of Smyrna, 237. — Modern Greek 
 literature, 238 — 251. — Translation of Moliere's " Avare," 
 239. — History of Economus, 240 — 244. — Translation of 
 Moliere's " Avare," 244, 245. — Polyxena, 246. — Translation 
 of " Temistocle" and " Olympiade," 247. — Original dramatic 
 poems, 247 — 251. , 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Leave Smyrna — Mr. Bulwer — Beautiful station offVourla, 253. — 
 Employment of the Greek prisoners, 254. — Reflections on hu- 
 man failings, 255 — 258. — Intended present to Capt. Hamilton, 
 259. — Hints to passengers in a man-of-war, 260 — 262. — 
 Derivation of " Negropont," 263. — Officers of the " Bellona 
 Austriaca," 264. — Visit of the Greek Admiral Miaoulis, 265. 
 — The force of external appearance, 266. — Present of a medal 
 to Miaouhs, 267. — Extract from Galignani's Messenger, 268. 
 — Hydra — State of the Greek navy, 269. — Inconveniences of 
 travelling in Greece, 270. — The Greek prisoners, 271. — Re- 
 ported victory of the Greeks, 272. — Malta — Appearance of 
 La Valetta, 273.— The lofts, 274.— Preach at the chapel of 
 the palace, 275. — Excursion to Civita Vecchia, 276. — Effects 
 of a high wind, 277. — Religious ceremonies of the Roman 
 Catholics on Good Friday, 278—280. — Private theatricals, 
 281, 282.— Anecdote of a lady and her physician, 283. — 
 
CONTENTS, IK 
 
 Conversazione of the Marchioness of Hastings, 284, 285. — 
 Reflections, 286. » 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 "Confession of a Greek pirate, 288 — 318. — Sentence of the 
 I pirates, 319. — Malta — Excursion to Boschetto, 320, 321. — 
 Curious rencontre, 322, 323. — •- Ridiculous situation of a 
 Monk, 324. — Presentation of colours to 95th regiment, 325. 
 — Maltese Biblical criticism, 326, 327. — Maltese criticism, 
 328.— Maltese Biblical criticism, 329, 330.— School of in- 
 dustry, 331. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Malta — Embarkation of the Marquis of Hastings, 333. — Singu- 
 lar anecdote, 334, 335. — Marchioness of Hastings, 336, 337. 
 — Ignorance of the natives of India, 338. — Curious books, 
 339— 347. — May-day, 347. — Recollections of May, 348. 
 — Beautiful scene off Elba, 349. — Anecdote respecting the 
 unicorn, 350. — Existence of the unicorn, 351 — 354. — 
 Fabulous stories of Pliny, 355. — A Grampus — Villa Franca, 
 356. — Fine approach to Nice, 357. — Nice — Dine with the 
 governor, 358. — Departure of Lord Hastings, 359. — Malta — 
 Promotion of Lieut. Marsham, 360. — Character of Captain 
 Marsham, 361. — Reported death of the Pacha of Egypt, 362. 
 — Destruction of the Turkish fleet, 363. — Endeavours of Mr. 
 Masson to assist the Greeks, 364. — Greek vessels building in 
 America, 365. 
 
 VOL. n. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Napoli di Romania — Greek Buffo, 2. — Napoli — Government 
 printing-office, 3. — Proclamation of the Greek government. 
 
X CONTENTS, 
 
 4, 5. — Excursion to Argos, 6. — Argos — Devastation, T. — 
 Tenants of the Police-office, 8. — Oracular shrine, 9, 10. — 
 Supposed Temple of Apollo, 11. — Escape of Ipsilanti, 12. — 
 Greek family, 13. — Market-place — Delicious repast, 14. — 
 Napoli — Coffee-house, 15. — Concourse of foreigners, 16. — 
 Athanasius Phatoumara, 17. — Fortress of Palamedi, 18, 19. 
 — Americans, 20. — Surrender of Navarin, 21. — Want of dis- 
 cipline in the Greek forces, 22. — Greek mode of warfare, 23. 
 — Services of Mr. Gervase, 24. — Ungrateful behaviour of a 
 Greek, 25. — Napoli — Senate-house, 26. — Anecdote of aThes- 
 salian, 27. — Visit of Prince Mavrocordato and suite, 28. — 
 Description of Prince Mavrocordato, 29. — Pyrrhic or Alba- 
 nian dance, 30. — Proceedings of the Austrians, 31. — Pol- 
 troonery of the Austrian, 32. — Injustice of the Austrians, 33. 
 Bible Society — Visit of a Greek, 34. — Losses of Captain Ger- 
 vase, 35. — Visit of Captain Hamilton to the admiral of the 
 Turkish fleet, 36, 37. — Coveardiee and indolence of the Turks, 
 38.— Flight of the Turkish fleet, 39.— Off Zia— Victory of 
 the Greeks, 40. — Annihilation of a Turkish frigate, 41. — 
 Carysto — Gulf of Dora — Scio, 42. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Proceedings of Captain Sotheby, 44. — Smyrna — Aqueducts — 
 Locusts, 45. — Butterflies — Fruit-trees, 46. — Barbarous murder 
 of a Jew by a Turk, 47. — Vourla — Pursuit of Greek pirates, 
 48. — Mole of Alexander the Great, 49. — Antiquities — Bronze 
 medal, 50. — Reported victory of the Greeks, 51. — Unsuc- 
 cessful search for the pirates, 52. — Bay of Mycone — Pursuit 
 of the pirates, 53. — State of Mycone, 54. — Women of Mycone, 
 55. — Delos — Ruins, 56. — Greek inscription — Ancient the- 
 atre, 57. — Ruins — Mount Cynthus, 58. — Oval basin — 
 Ruins, 59. — Locusts — Anti-Delos, 60. — Curious dress and 
 dwelling of a Papas, 61. — Mycone — Wife of the Consul, 62. 
 — Ridiculous dress of the Consul of Tino, 63. — Description 
 of the town of Syra, 64. — Public fountain — Greek women, 65. 
 — Dress of the Greek women, 66. — Suburb of Syra — English 
 Consul, 67, — Erroneous statements of Dr. Clarke, 68, 69. — 
 15 
 
CONTENTS. xi 
 
 Naxia — Excursion to Antiparos, 70. — Misfortunes in the 
 journey, 71 — 74. — Distress of the guide, 75. — Antiparos 
 — Dwelling of a Papas, 76. — Grotto of Antiparos, 77, 78. 
 — Celebration of mass in the grotto, 79. — Return from the 
 grotto, 80. — Ruins of Ancient Paros, 81. — Visit to the Quarry 
 of Parechia, 82. — Sure-footed mules — Cave of Trelawny, 83. 
 — Death of Ulysses, 84. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Harbour of Milo, 85. — Milo — Dress of the females, 86. — Amphi- 
 theatre of Melos, 87. — Ruins — Signet, 88. — Spetzia — March of 
 Ibrahim Pacha, 89. — Condition of the Pacha's army, 90. — Sail 
 for Napoli, 91. — Skirmish between the Greeks and Turks, 92. — 
 Injudicious mode of warfare, 93. — Conduct of Colocotroni, 94. 
 — Proceedings of the Greek government, 95. — Account of the 
 death of Ulysses, 96 — 98. — Affidavit of the physician, 98, 99. — 
 Plot against Trelawny, 100. — Captain Fen ton's character, 101. 
 — Death of the heroine Bobohna, 102. — Massacre of Turks at 
 Hydra, 1 03. — The crews of Greek vessels, 1 04.- — Extenuation 
 of the massacre, 105. — Barbarity of a Greek, 106. — Preca- 
 rious condition of the Greeks, 107. — Erroneous expectations 
 of Europeans who visit Greece, 1 08 — 1 1 1 . — Arsenal of Na- 
 poli, 112. — Ingenuity of a Papas, 113. — Polonese officer, 114. 
 Off Spetzia — Cerigo — Modon, 115. — Zante — Strivali — Ce- 
 phalonia, 116. — Leucadia — Fate of Sappho, 117, 118. — 
 Calamas — Greek refugees, 119. — Sir F. Adam — Departure of 
 Mr. Power, 120. — Victory of the Greeks at Tripolitza, 121. — 
 Thunder-storm — Greek fleet, 122. — Inertness of the Greeks, 
 123, 124. — Strange conduct of visitors to Greece, 125, 126. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Spetzia, 127, — Capture of an Austrian vessel, 128. — Visit of Mav- 
 rocordato, Miaoulis, and Tombasi, 129. — Personal appearance 
 of Canaris, 130. — Plan for making Greece a kingdom, 131. — 
 Extractfrom aFrerwh work, 132, 1 33. — Description of Countdi 
 Gamba, 134. — Field of battle of Moulins, 135. — Depopulation 
 of Argos, 136. — Description of a bass-relief, 137. — Success of 
 the Greeks at Tripolit;za, 138,— Piracies near Hydra, 139. — 
 
-XU CONTENTS. 
 
 Character of the Greeks, 140 — 144. — Letters of marque- 
 Greek fire-ship, 145, 146. — Robbers — Two Greeks shot, 147. 
 — Difficulty and danger among the Greeks of punishing rob- 
 bers, 148, 149, — Treatment of Turkish prisoners by the Greeks, 
 150. — Victory at Missolonghi, 151. — Folly of the persons 
 robbed, 152. — Insolence of one of them, 153. — Difficulty of 
 the Primates, and conduct of Captain Hamilton, 154, 155. — 
 Protest of General Roche and Mr. Washington, 156 — 158. 
 — Remarks on the protest, 159. — Reply of the Greek govern- 
 ment, 160. — Great Britain and Greece, 161 — 164. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Wanton destruction of columns, 166. — Tino — Houses — Dress, 
 167.— Smyi-na— Alarm of fire, 168— Greek artist, 169.— 
 Interesting female, 170. — Arrival of Trelawny and his wife, 
 171. — Particulars of the affray in the cave, 172. — Another 
 fire — Missionary to the Jews, 173. — Hospitality of Captain 
 Hamilton, 174. — Singular privileges on board " the Gallic," 
 175 — 178. — Vourla — French and Austrians, 178. — American 
 squadron — Massacre at Scio, 179. — Anecdote of Odysseus, 
 180. — Reported insurrection in Candia, 181. — The brother of 
 Odysseus, 182. — Success of the Greeks, 183. — Greek expedi- 
 tion to Alexandria, 184. — Conspiracy against Trelawny, 185. 
 — Wife of Odysseus, 1 86. — Engagement between the Greeks 
 and Turks, 187. — Failure of the expedition to Alexandria, 188. 
 — Conduct of two Turkish Pachas, 189. — Antique bass-relief, 
 190. — Difficulty of procuring it, 191. — Cheating not peculiar 
 to the Greeks, 192. — Motley group on board the Cambrian, 
 193. — Personal appearance of Ali Pacha, 194. — Treatment of 
 him by the Greeks, 195. — Modon — Fortress — Description of 
 the country, 196. — Pacha of Modon — Thunder-storm, 197. — 
 Dishonourable use of a French vessel, 198. — Exchange of pri- 
 soners — M. Jourdain, 199. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Scardamoula — Kitries, 201. — Personal appearance of Pietro 
 Bey, 202 Residence of Pietro Bey, 203. — Description of 
 
CONTENTS. Xilt 
 
 Kitries, ^04. — Entertainment by Pietro Bey, 205. — Sleeping- 
 apartment — Singular scene, 206, 207. — Family misfortunes 
 of Pietro Bey, 208, 209.— Set out for Calamata, 210.— 
 Calamata — Figs— Thunder-storm, 211. — Appearance of the 
 country — Greek women, 212. — Opinion of the Greeks of the 
 English, 213.— Servant of Pietro Bey — Dispute with a smith, 
 214. — Songs of Greek women — Agiophora, 215. — Rencontre 
 with Greek soldiers, 216. — Behaviour of the Greeks towards 
 the Turks, 217. — Reported death of Ibrahim Pacha, 218. — 
 Mount Rhone — Ruined cottage, 219. — Scenery of Greece, 
 220. — Turkish encampment — Carytena — Megalopolis, 221.—. 
 Rencontre with another Greek party, 222.— Approach to 
 Tripolitza — Turkish commandant, 223. — Wretched ^condition 
 of Tripolitza, 224. — Hospitality of the commandant of Tripo- 
 litza, 225. — Appearance of the country, 226. — Rencontre with 
 Greek soldiers, 227. — Fine scene for Salvator, 228. — Devasta- 
 tions of the Turks, 229. — Bruliah — Pendedactylon — Mistra, 
 230. — The Eurotas — Sparta — The Acropolis, 231. — The burn- 
 ing of Mistra, 232. — Change in the arrangements of the party, 
 233. — Dying Arabs — Devastations, 234. — Engagement be- 
 tween the Turks and Greeks, 235. — Miserable condition of the 
 Turkish army, 236. — Personal appearance of Ibrahim Pacha, 
 237.— Negotiation with the Pacha, 238—242. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Conference with Ibrahim Pacha, 244. — Surrender of a Greek 
 fortress, 245. — Personal appearance of Suleiman Bey, 246. — 
 Rencontre with Greeks and Turkish women, 247. — Ancient 
 church— Alarm, 248. — Mistra — Description of the country, 
 249. — Grand prospect — Useful Papas, 250.— Taygetus — Tepe 
 ■^Langada, 251. — Magnificent pass of Langada, 252 — Excel- 
 lent repast — Cultivation, 253. — Mountain scenery, 254. — 
 Cultivation — Tremendous storm, 255. — Dangers of the jour- 
 ney, 256. — Distance of the journey, 257. — Behaviour of the 
 Greeks in our journey, 258. — Debasing effects of slavery, 259, 
 260. — General character of the Greeks, 261. — Debasing 
 effects of slavery, 262. — Anecdotes of Mr. and Mrs. Trelawny, 
 
XIV CONTENTS. 
 
 263, 264. — Sapientza — Shipwreck there, 265. — Appearance 
 of a comet, 266. — English brig — French captain, 267. — 
 Conclusion of the journal, 268, 269. 
 
 ESSAY ON THE FANARIOTES. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Tlie Translator's Preface 273 
 
 The Author's Preface 277 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Origin of the Fanariotes — Of the Gi-ammaticos — Creation of 
 the dignity of Drogoman to the Divan — Drogoman of the 
 Marine — Elevation of the Drogoman of the Divan to the 
 Hospodariate — Employments reserved for the Native 
 Boyars and Mussulmans — Places given by the Hospodar 
 to the Fanariote Boyars — The Hospodar at Constanti- 
 nople — His policy — His arrival at Bucharest — His recep- 
 tion — Particulars of his mode of acting and living — Of the 
 Native Boyars — their expenses — Their love of luxury — 
 Of the Fanariote Boyars — Counsels which they give their 
 Prince — Conduct of the Hospodar in his government — 
 The wife of the Prince — Her revenues — Rapacity of the 
 Boyars — Misfortunes of the people of Moldavia • 281 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Of the Bache Capi Kiahaya, or representative of the Prince 
 at Constantinople — Fanariote intrigues » • • • 315 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Influence of the Fanariote party on the destiny of the Greeks 
 — Discourse on this topic with the Archbishops Nico- 
 medias, Dhercon, Sophias, and Thessalonicis — Confi- 
 dence of the Greeks in this party — Mania of the Greeks 
 for changing theii' patronymics ..... t 332 
 
CONTENTS. XV 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Deposition of the Hospodars — Their return to Constantino- 
 ple — Their mode of living there — What they do to recover 
 their power — Their exile — Of Prince Suzzo 351 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Of the Fanariote Boyars, after the deposition of their Prince 
 —Education of their sons — Counsels of the Hospodar to 
 his sons — Education of the Fanariote women — Divorce 
 vmjustly instigated — Fanariote peculiarities • • • • 358 
 
 CONCLUSIONS 
 
 DRAWN FROM THE PRECEDING CHAPTERS. 
 
 Primitive nothingness of the Fanariotes — Quick elevation of 
 the Fanariotes — Policy of the Sublime Porte in raising 
 the Fanariotes to the Hospodariate — Motives which have 
 induced the Sublime Porte to close its eyes on the tyranny 
 of the Fanariote Hospodars — Reflections on the reunion 
 of the Eastern and Western Churches — General reflec- 
 tions on the Revolution of 1821 — Probabilities of its suc- 
 cess — What mode of government would best suit the 
 Greeks — On whom their choice ought to fall, should 
 Greece become a monarchy — Fears with which the Fa- 
 nariotes ought to inspire the Greeks ,«... .....# 377 
 
ERRATA. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 174, line 4 from bottom, /or Peleon read Pelioii 
 
 188, — 4 from bottom, /or son reorf son-in-law 
 
 189, — 5, ybr father read father-in-law 
 
 244, . — 3 from bottom, for matiekin read manikin 
 337, — last, for conscentia read conscientia 
 
 VOL. IL 
 
 : 70, line 2 from bottom, for omenous read ominous 
 
 • 75, — 12, /or dumfounded read dumbfounded 
 
 ■ 80, — 11, /or I forgot read I have forgot 
 
 -115, — 12, /or Bobalina read Bobolino 
 
 -131, — 5 from bottom, for Fanarcotes read Fanarioles 
 
 - 161, — G,for Vironne etLeiback read Verone et Laybach 
 
 - 175, — C, /or Guenara reat;? Guevara 
 
JOURNAL, 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 We lost sight of England on the 12th of Oc- 
 tober, 1824. Captain Fox, a son of Lord 
 Holland, with his lady, a daughter of his Royal 
 Highness the Duke of Clarence ; Mr. Tennant, 
 a relative of my Lord Yarborough ; his me- 
 dical attendant ; and a Mr. Hall, were cabin 
 passengers : a son of General Slade also par- 
 took of the gun-room mess. 
 
 Sunday, 17th Oct. — This morning the ser- 
 vice of the church was performed on the main 
 deck. I observed, with pleasure, the attention 
 of the seamen ; who were, for the most part, 
 regular in making the responses. About three 
 o'clock P.M. we came in sight of the coast of 
 Portugal ; the royal palace of Mafra was dis- 
 tinctly perceptible, together with the town of 
 Cintra. White houses glittering in the sun, 
 
 VOL. I. B 
 
AMUSEMENT ON BOARD. 
 
 united with the convent-crested granite rock, 
 formed a sweetly picturesque object from the 
 ship. 
 
 Monday^ ISth Oct. — Passed Cape St. Vin- 
 cent and Sagras about ten o'clock this morn- 
 ing; the ship running before the wind. In 
 Moore's words: 
 
 " The sea was like an azure lake. 
 
 And o'er its calm the vessel glides 
 Gently, as if it fear'd to wake 
 
 The anger of the slumb'ring tides." 
 
 Towards evening the wind totally subsided ; 
 and a sky radiant as the imagination could 
 picture, gratified the sight. A broad golden 
 line was thrown by the setting sun upon the 
 waters ; while the small barks (some of which 
 w^ere distinguished by the triangular felucca 
 sail) moved slowly and gracefully along. On 
 the Spanish coast Cape St. Maria presented 
 itself with the mountains of Moncheque, en- 
 veloped in a soft blue mist. The porpoise 
 gamboled around the ship, as the sailors did 
 within it. The fiddle put the limbs of the 
 crew in motion, while the band on the quarter 
 deck was employed in facilitating the officers' 
 
CADIZ^SPANISH PILOT. S 
 
 execution of quadrilles. Mrs. Fox joined in 
 them with much spirit. 
 
 Tuesday y IQth Oct. — The wind becoming 
 contrary during the night, we were driven back 
 to the South coast of Portugal, and came within 
 a few miles of Faro, a city of some magnitude. 
 We observed the cathedral very distinctly. 
 
 Friday^ 22d Oct. — The continuation of ad- 
 verse winds induced the captain to put into 
 Cadiz. At some distance from the town we 
 took up a Spaniard. He had a singularly in- 
 telligent countenance; and his round hat of 
 grey cloth, blue naval jacket, and scarlet sash 
 tied tightly to the waist, presented an object 
 wdiich pleased perhaps from its novelty. A 
 signal gun being fired for a pilot, a boat put off 
 from the shore, and brought out a little fat 
 man, whose appearance indicated a deep feel- 
 ing of self-importance, Mhich was rendered 
 truly ridiculous by his diminutive height and 
 oleaginousness^ . Cadiz has an imposing as- 
 
 * In a country of olives and olive-yards, perhaps such 
 a word may be admissible. The term is not a bad one ; 
 and describes well enough the oily sudatory character of 
 the Spanish countenance not uncommon amongst the 
 lower orders. 
 
 B 2 
 
4 CADIZ— SPANISH PILOT. 
 
 pect from the sea. Its regularly built houses 
 of white stone shine gaily in the sun ; and in 
 addition to this, the numerous fleet of ships 
 stationed off the town — some with their sails 
 set, others at [anchor, interspersed with a va- 
 riety oi feluccas, cruising up and down on the 
 beautiful morning of our arrival, were ex- 
 tremely enlivening. The fat pilot, on being 
 desired to allow as much time as possible for 
 the crew to take their wine, (such is the liberal 
 establishment of the British navy !) with much 
 of his country's haughtiness, replied, " that 
 they would have time enough to take it after- 
 wards,^* colouring at the same moment to the 
 very brow, even through the dinginess of his 
 sun-burnt complexion. It seemed to me a 
 characteristic introduction to the land and the 
 people — to that people who formerly required 
 the Persian monarch, when addressing their 
 king, to superscribe his epistles, — " au roi 
 QUI A LE SOLEIL POUR CHAPEAU *.'' Se- 
 veral French men of war are stationed off 
 Cadiz; and a French garrison, we are told, is 
 quartered in the town. 
 
 * See Moreri. 
 
CADIZ— CATHEDRAL. 
 
 Saturday^ 23d Oct. — I arose this morning 
 at an early hour, that I might the more 
 speedily gratify my curiosity in Cadiz. The 
 approach to this place from the water is fine, 
 and of a kind altogether new. The uniform 
 and white-washed fronts of the houses, sur- 
 mounted generally by a small turret, have a 
 particularly pleasing effect, and render Cadiz 
 a great attraction to foreigners. The first thing 
 that struck me after passing the batteries, was 
 the market. The peculiar cries of the renders 
 of fruit and poultry, with their not less peculiar 
 appearance, operated powerfully upon my ri- 
 sible faculties. Wandering along at random, 
 I accidentally turned into the old magnificent 
 cathedral of Cadiz ; which is, and, I under- 
 stand, has long been, in a state of repair. A 
 great length of time must elapse before its com- 
 pletion, which, indeed, may never take place : 
 for the distresses brought upon the town by 
 the revolution, have exhausted the funds of the 
 ecclesiastics, not less than the property of the 
 citizens. As much as they have done, however, 
 to this building, is singularly beautiful. It 
 displays much classical taste ; and its execu- 
 tion equals the design. 
 
6 CONVENT OF THE AUGUSTINES. 
 
 From hence I turned to the convent of the 
 Augustines. A number of females were offer- 
 ing up their orisons — such at least ought to 
 have been their employment. But though 
 their " lips moved, there was war in the heart/' 
 One damsel knelt before a small crucifix — her 
 arms folded, so as to bring the fan which was 
 contained in her right hand into pretty good 
 play. This genial weapon, the auxiliary of 
 love or war, was kept in constant motion ; 
 while her eyes, rambling about as much as the 
 position of the body would admit, were at- 
 tracted to every object, save that which it 
 might have been presumed she was contemplat- 
 ing. Another, almost illimitable in bulk, with 
 the utmost difficulty, " screwed" herself up to 
 a " sticking-place." She reached, with laud- 
 able exertion, the very steps of the altar, and 
 there, as overcome by the unusual effort, squatted 
 motionless on the ground. This is a common 
 posture, and seems, among innumerable others^ 
 the remains of Moorish habits. 
 
 Like all the buildings of Roman Catholic 
 worship, the one in question- (which is the 
 chapel of the Augustine monastery) is adorned 
 with a bewildering profusion of gold and silver — 
 
RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES. 
 
 " wax, stone, wood/^ &c. : and unquestionably 
 is " wondrous fine." But the impression left 
 upon my mind was, that their devotion had 
 converted the temple of the Deity into a toy- 
 shop — the women into arrant coquettes, not to 
 say worse; and the men into bigots. The 
 mummery, so universally practised here, was 
 disgusting enough; and seems to me the very 
 last stage of a confirmed idiotcy. In conse- 
 crating the host, we remark that the priest first 
 bows to the crucifix, then elevates the cup as if 
 to examine whether the expected liquid begins 
 to flow, and how far it has risen. By and bye 
 his hand is extended toward the crucifix, and 
 wafted backwards and forwards from the cross 
 to the cup, with the intent, as well as one can 
 judge, of transferring the holiness of the relic 
 to the wine he is about to administer. To this 
 succeed bows and bell-ringing, touching of 
 noses and chins and breasts, which last is un- 
 derstood to typify the cross. Representations 
 of saints, angels, virgins, and cherubs in every 
 state and stage of beauty and deformity may 
 here be met wiiji ; the most unhappy " pagod- 
 looking things"' by the side of the ecstatic, 
 downcast, dreary countenance of the blessed 
 
 10 
 
IMAGES. 
 
 virgin, or beatified saint. One of the latter 
 I noticed elevating his head a considerable 
 distance above his shoulders; and another, 
 Avho was transfixed with nearly a dozen arrows ; 
 judging by the placid expression of the mar- 
 tyr's face, this might have been the pleasantest 
 thing in the world. A multitude of w eeping 
 Magdalenes, bedizened in the finest apparel, 
 meet the eye at every turn ; and their sorrow- 
 touched aspects, besmeared with a sufficiency 
 of oil, give them a most sudatory character ; 
 and this, I apprehend, is intended : the agony 
 of their souls is presumed to facilitate a copious 
 sweat, and to typify the exudation of mortal 
 sin ! It is remarkable, that while they enjoin 
 the votaries of religion in this w^orld, to discard 
 the vanities of dress, they heap together upon 
 these exemplars of sanctity, these waxen per- 
 sonifications of good manners, all the gewgaws 
 that female fancy could devise, or the female 
 heart covet. Surely the prayer that is offered 
 up at shrines so decorated, must needs parti- 
 cipate in this their most palpable character- 
 istic ; and instead of suggesting to the mind 
 devout sentiments, are more calculated to call 
 up from the innermost recesses of the heart the 
 
SPANISH WAITER. 9 
 
 dormant feelings of worldly vanity. The head- 
 gear of Jezebel will fix the attention under 
 these circumstances sooner than the Song of 
 Deborah. 
 
 " Religion, erst so venerable. 
 
 What art thou now, but made a fable ? 
 
 A holy mask on Folly's brow ; 
 Where under lies Dissimulation, 
 Lined with all abomination, — 
 
 Sacred Religion ! where art thou * ?" 
 
 At a Caf6 where the waiters spoke but little 
 French I had some difficulty in making myself 
 understood : after many trials, one of them 
 brought pen and ink, and with much delibera- 
 tion and affected solemnity scrawled *' Non 
 intelligo tuam linguam." Here was at least a 
 guide for future communication : and though 
 the latinity of this erudite " slave of the cofFee- 
 cup^' was, as might have been expected, of the 
 worst description, it was more intelligible than 
 his French. I was curious to know where he 
 had acquired his learning, and to what end he 
 had dedicated any portion of time to that 
 
 * Joshua Sylvester. 
 
10 
 
 SPANISH HOUSES. 
 
 which he must have found a very useless at- 
 tainment. With the precision of a parrot, 
 however, his only answer was " Ego sum sco- 
 lasticus' or " Ego Josephus d Lestone/' &c. 
 &c. Josephus seemed very proud of his know- 
 ledge, and not less of the opportunity (which 
 I fancy occurred but seldom) of displaying it. 
 In proof thereof he honoured me with a very 
 cordial shake of the hand at parting. I did 
 not see him again, but in a subsequent part of 
 the day, having occasion to pass the door of 
 his Cafe, I distinctly heard a sonorous " Mon- 
 sieur, Monsieur V* which it did not at that 
 time altogether suit me to reply to. 
 
 The rest of this day was consumed in stroll- 
 ing about the streets of Cadiz. The loftiness 
 of the houses, not less than their regularity, 
 has a pleasing appearance. The windows are 
 generally covered with an iron grating, in most 
 cases painted green, which forms a good con- 
 trast to the whiteness of the walls. The ex- 
 treme vicinity of the opposite side of the street 
 makes these gratings necessary for the inha- 
 bitants ; and if the female part of them is as 
 much addicted to intrigue as report avers, it 
 is well that even such precaution is adopted. 
 
SPANISH WOMEN. ll 
 
 There is most commonly a balcony to every 
 window. The lower parts of these dwellings 
 are used as warehouses, and sometimes as 
 stables, to which you enter by an immense 
 door, full of iron knobs. The richer sort 
 have them of brass, which they keep in a 
 high state of polish. On passing through this 
 door the visitor is brought into a small square 
 area, which is the centre of the mansion, and 
 being uncovered, serves to admit the air to 
 every part of the building : around the square 
 are the apartments of the family. In some in- 
 stances the area contains a fountain, which, of 
 course, contributes much to the coolness of the 
 place. To the great door is attached a string, 
 which is carried into the apartment above: 
 when any one knocks, the door immediately 
 opens, and you enter without observing by 
 whom you are admitted, or to whom you are 
 to address yourself. But a voice presently 
 directs your ascent, and you then enter the 
 room inhabited by the family without trou- 
 bling its inmates to descend and receive your 
 message. 
 
 The women appear but little restricted in 
 their actions ; and the crowds that flock to the 
 
12 SPANISH WOMEN. 
 
 Alameyda, a fashionable promenade, which 
 almost every town in Spain is provided with, 
 gives occasion to a world of coquetry, and, as 
 I fear, to all its concomitant evils. The inha- 
 bitants begin to assemble about five o^clock, 
 the females possessing themselves of stone seats 
 arranged on each side of the Alamevda : here 
 they sit for the inspection of those who please 
 to honour them with their notice. I have 
 seen servant girls in England drawn up in 
 ranks to be hired, and I have observed cattle 
 penned up in Smithfield for sale ; the obliging 
 reader may adopt whichever similitude he 
 considers good — he will not err greatly m 
 either. 
 
 Of the beauty of Spanish women, much has 
 been said ; but the specimens which are to be 
 found in Cadiz do not justify the character, at 
 least so far as they fell under my observation. 
 They have almost universally brilliant eyes; 
 but, some few excepted, their features are 
 without regularity, and possess a degree of 
 harshness, which, I need scarcely add, age 
 does not improve : the majority of them are 
 corpulent and gross ; and though the eye loses 
 little of its lustre by time, yet the face acquires 
 
EARLY MARRIAGES. IS 
 
 an early coarseness, and a sallower tinge. 
 The precocity of the Spaniards is one cause of 
 this, but more probably it is to be attributed 
 to matrimony contracted in extreme youth. 
 " The hasty marriages in tender years,'^ said 
 the discerning Raleigh, " wherein nature being 
 but yet green and growing, we rent from her, 
 and replant her branches, while herself hath 
 not yet any root sufficient to maintain her own 
 top ; and such half-ripe seeds (for the most 
 part) in the growing up wither in the bud, and 
 wax old even in their infancy ^." Such is the 
 case precisely with the women in Spain; a very 
 few years destroys whatever beauty they could 
 once boast, and leaves them not only destitute 
 of every personal grace, but utterly repulsive 
 and disgusting. What effect this rapid dege- 
 neracy of the body has upon the mind, is a 
 question I can only guess at. Bigotry and an 
 increased splenetic temperament are not un- 
 likely sometimes to result — a rigid unconcili- 
 ating feeling — happy in being the cause of 
 unhappiness to others, and in cherishing, to 
 the close of life, a rankling jealousy, which, 
 
 * Hist, of the World, Book I. p. 46. fol. 
 
14 SPANISH PLAY. 
 
 in the regret it treasures for departed graces, 
 would blast every bud as it expands itself in 
 early beauty, and spread around the contami- 
 nation of a diseased mind and a wasting body. 
 
 The dress of Spanish females is similar in 
 all the grades of society, with the exception, of 
 course, that finer materials are used by the 
 more wealthy. Their walking habiliment con- 
 sists of a black gown, covering the neck ; the 
 hinder part of the head is enveloped in a black 
 lace mantle, or in a black silk one with a broad 
 border of lace. This costume to the elder 
 part of society is very unfavourable. It ex- 
 hibits a few dirty grey hairs straggling over a 
 sallow wrinkled forehead, the delicacy of the 
 Spanish women seldom inducing them to 
 cleanse the hair of the scurf to which it is 
 more than commonly liable. 
 
 This evening we witnessed the performance 
 of a new Spanish play. The author was neither 
 more nor less than the vSeiior who represented 
 one of the principal characters. Our party, 
 not understanding the language, thought it 
 intolerably dull : there was no incident, and 
 so few characters as to make much incident 
 nearly impossible. The speeches were inordi- 
 
EXCURSION TO XERES. 15 
 
 nately long ; and an occasional laugh, whether 
 at the play, or at the man, or at both, was the 
 only indication of public applause. They re- 
 mained, however, to the conclusion, with a 
 most assiduous and laudable patience, and 
 then rewarded the actor-author with a few re- 
 freshing plaudits. Surely, thought I, 'tis a 
 good-natured people ! The language seems 
 sonorous, though without the musical cadence 
 of the Italian. 
 
 Sunday, 24<th Oct. — The soldiers of the 
 French garrison attended mass at the Church 
 of San Francisco ; they entered in full military 
 array, under arms : the officers only were un- 
 covered during the service. 
 
 The Alameyda was, this evening, crowded 
 to excess ; and exhibited, in a few instances, 
 gayer colours than ordinary. For some reason 
 or other, there was no opera — a good prece- 
 dent, but of great singularity in the history of 
 a Catholic Sabbath. 
 
 Monday, 25th. — An opportunity offering to- 
 day, three of us set out on an expedition to 
 Xeres, a town of Andalusia, from whence 
 came the Sherry wine formerly so celebrated 
 in England under the name of sack. The 
 
10 REFLECTIONS ON THE REVOLUTION. 
 
 water being too low to carry us over to Port 
 San Maria direct, we proceeded with a fair 
 wind in the long-boat of the Cambrian up the 
 river Guadelete, past the carraccas or dock- 
 yards, &c. We witnessed every where the 
 desolation caused by the late unhappy Revo- 
 lution : houses unroofed, walls shattered, and 
 the sea-bird flitting round the hearth-stone, 
 proved but too well the contest which had 
 been carried on. The French troops are exe- 
 crated by the natives, and in more than one in- 
 stance this dislike was very forcibly expressed : 
 but no wonder ! the French are in possession 
 of all authority in the place. Their ships of 
 war lie in the bay, and their troops garrison 
 the town. The customs are entirely under 
 their control, and little is done but by their 
 express permission. They are, however, en- 
 titled to much praise. Their conduct is or- 
 derly, and they take under their direction the 
 repair of the batteries, which are in imminent 
 danger of becoming a complete ruin, of which 
 the inundation of the town would be one con- 
 sequence. 
 
 The Spaniards are an extraordinary people : 
 with every means of making a vigorous defence. 
 
REFLECTIONS ON THE REVOLUTION'. 17 
 
 ihoy surrender their liberties, and content 
 themselves with cursing the enslaver. Thev 
 awaken from a long lethargy to observe the 
 constitution falling, and just ready to crush 
 them in its fall. Instead, however, of ap- 
 plying adequate supports — -instead of strenu- 
 ously labouring to maintain and to strengthen 
 it, they stretch a lingering and reluctant 
 hand beneath: consequently they are ground 
 to powder by the pressure of the superin- 
 cumbent mass ! Their future destiny is a mat- 
 ter of curious speculation. History teaches 
 us not to despair of an event, however distant 
 and improbable. They may yet become a 
 free and a powerful people ; for they are 
 naturally high-minded and resolute. Of late, 
 indeed, these characteristics have been de- 
 pressed and enfeebled ; and having become a 
 less moral nation, they are justly, and almost 
 necessarily, less free. 
 
 The vices of our own court, during the reign 
 of Charles the Second, enslaved the nation, or 
 at least, retained it in slavery. Never, pro- 
 bably, was greater despotism exhibited, nor 
 ever (for a time) submitted to with less reluc-; 
 tance. The court of France, previous to the 
 
 VOL. I. c 
 
18 REFLECTIONS ON THE REVOLUTION. 
 
 Revolution, was the most debauched in Chris- 
 tendom ; slavery could go no further. The 
 mind, debilitated and powerless, shrunk into 
 the most contemptible insignificance ; and how- 
 ever desperate and lamentable was the cautery 
 at last applied, it is certain, that nothing 
 but a thorough burning out of the affected 
 parts, could have remedied the evil. Excesses 
 always have attended, and always will attend 
 the Revolution of a long-enslaved nation : the 
 very struggle to burst their bonds asunder is an 
 effort of momentary frenzy; and the sudden 
 snapping of the iron alone serves to hurl the 
 enfranchised being headlong in his course. 
 Then the buoyancy of newly-acquired freedom 
 — the smarting of wounds in which the iron 
 has long festered, are enough to account for, 
 if they do not excuse, the violence of revo- 
 lutionary licence. These are truths which 
 tyranny would do well to remember. The 
 hour of retribution comes at last; and the 
 longer it is delayed, the more terrible are its 
 operations. The vices of a nation, which are 
 the first promoters and encouragers of slavery, 
 soon become their own bane, openly and 
 effectually : and corruption, once roused by 
 
EXCURSION TO XERES. 19 
 
 the oppressor's rod, like the scorpion, "girt 
 by fire,'' plunges into self-destruction. But 
 then anarchy and bloodshed accompany its 
 course. The lightning, which consumes what- 
 soever obstructs it, purifies the air; and though 
 desolation and death may have marked its 
 progress, they who survive breathe more 
 freely. They have watched it pursuing its 
 awful track of ruin, and their minds expand ; 
 their hearts grow chastened, and they learn 
 to substitute gratitude to heaven in the 
 place of scorn, — praises instead of blasphemy. 
 Deeply is the past impressed with the cer- 
 tainty of this. May the present attain to 
 purity by a milder process, and less merited 
 opprobrium ! 
 
 On reaching Port San Maria, which is also 
 garrisoned by French soldiers, whose shabby 
 equipments surprised us not a little, we heard 
 many anecdotes respecting robberies com- 
 mitted by regularly organized banditti between 
 this town and Xeres. Captain and Mrs. Fox, 
 who had gone thither the preceding day, and 
 returned within half an hour after our ar- 
 rival, had thought it expedient to procure the 
 guard of three French lancers. They were not, 
 
 c 2 
 
^ EXCURSION TO XERES. 
 
 however, required ; and availing ourselves 
 of a conveyance which opportunely offered, 
 we set out without an escort. The fact is, 
 that Spaniards are marvellously given to 
 exaggerate trifles into importance ; and, con- 
 ceiving vividly, throw a strong colouring of 
 fiction over the most common occurrence. 
 Aware, in some measure, of this propensity, 
 we had little hesitation in trusting ourselves 
 to the chances of the way ; and had no 
 reason to repent it either in going or in re- 
 turning. 
 
 The country, from Port San Maria to Xeres, 
 is extremely barren and mountainous, except 
 on the side toward the sea. Here it is an 
 entire swamp. A few olive, and occasionally, 
 orange groves, interrupted the monotony of 
 the scene, with hedges formed of the aloe, and 
 a plant called the prickly pear, (the cactus 
 opuntia,) which are almost impenetrable. As 
 we approached the object of our pilgrimage, 
 vineyards, of considerable extent, began to 
 show themselves, but not as in Italy and 
 France, trained up long poles. The vines 
 here are not higher than currant bushes, to 
 which in the distance they have great simi- 
 
XERES. 21 
 
 larity. The effect is, therefore, less striking 
 and picturesque. While the fruit, though \vell 
 calculated to produce "your excellent Sherris,'' 
 is of inferior flavour, and very small. On reach- 
 ing Xeres, which is distant about eight miles 
 from Port San Maria, our coachman, mistaking 
 the orders we had given him, drove to the 
 residence of Mr. Gordon, a gentleman of very 
 extensive mercantile pursuits. Notwithstand- 
 ing the intrusion, we were received with the 
 utmost politeness and hospitality ; and I am 
 happy in this opportunity of repeating the 
 thanks to which himself and his family are so 
 justly entitled. 
 
 We were shewn the large vaults in which 
 the house of Gordon and Co. deposit their 
 wines, capable of containing several thousand 
 butts. At present the stock consisted of about 
 fifteen hundred, comprising wines of various 
 qualities and ages. The quantity of wine 
 annually made at Xeres, averages very nearly 
 thirty thousand butts. Of the spoilt wine they 
 make brandy. The casks are fabricated upon 
 the premises. When we entered the cooper- 
 age, the men were dining ; and we noticed the 
 remarkably line bread of which their meal 
 
32 XERES— MODE OF IRRIGATION. 
 
 partly consisted. A Spaniard, however pooi^ 
 will eat nothing but the best of its kind ; and 
 supposing him to possess money enough to 
 purchase two articles of an inferior quality, 
 and but o?ie of a higher, he will invariably 
 select the last. An Englishman of the same 
 class regards the abundance more than the 
 excellence of his food ; and, enjoying the one, 
 he is little concerned, or at least he is perfectly 
 content to be deprived of the other. This, 
 however, is one of the smallest distinctions be- 
 tween the two nations. 
 
 We also visited the wine-vaults of Mr. 
 Cranstoun, which appeared constructed on a 
 better principle than those of Mr. Gordon. 
 They are more airy, and the arrangement 
 is more complete. We tasted a Sherry wine 
 here of the colour of Port, said to have been 
 seventy-five years in the cask. It had a plea- 
 sant luscious flavour. Attached to the vaults 
 is a garden of a peculiar formation, but laid 
 out with considerable attention to taste. The 
 beds are usually elevated a considerable 
 height above the paved walk, and bounded by 
 a broad stone border. The walls which sur- 
 round the garden, are covered with inverted 
 
XERES— CATHEDRAL. 23 
 
 semicircular tiles thait catch the rain which 
 falls irregularly and rarely ; and thence con- 
 vey it by narrow tunnels into the beds above 
 mentioned. By this mode, the garden is com- 
 pletely irrigated. 
 
 There are several churches in this place. 
 Amongst the rest, the cathedral is a beautiful 
 structure. It is of the Grecian style of archi- 
 tecture, and characterized by more simplicity 
 of ornament than is presented by the religious 
 buildings of Cadiz. There was considerably 
 less glare, and fewer of those ridiculous ap- 
 pendages which disfigure the noble outline of a 
 Catholic building. A number of votive offer- 
 ings, such as little leaden and waxen heads, 
 legs, arms, and breasts * : bunches of rare- 
 coloured ribbons, with much other trumpery, 
 were suspended over an arch. 
 
 On the following morning we left Xeres. 
 The English consul, Mr. Brackenbury, this 
 evening gave a ball, to which the officers of 
 the Cambrian were invited. The chief beau- 
 ties of Cadiz had been collected ; and, on the 
 
 * In Malta these extraordinary offerings are very 
 common. 
 
24 SPANISH SONGS. 
 
 whole, there was a sprightly and novel assem- 
 blage. Abundance of French officers were 
 present : of whom the General had the air and 
 manners of an English gentleman. This was 
 so striking, that it was noticed by most of our 
 party. 
 
 The Spanish ladies have not that grace 
 which fancy teaches us to look for. It might 
 be, that my expectations were too highly 
 raised, or that I had not yet lost the re- 
 membrance of my own fascinating country- 
 women. Be this as it may : any one given 
 rout in London, will bring together far 
 more beauty than it seems all Cadiz could 
 furnish. We were favoured with one or 
 two Spanish songs, by a lady of purely 
 Spanish origin. This last circumstance was 
 announced with no little flourish. She sang 
 to the piano ; but her voice in my ear was 
 harsh and discordant. And here I will can- 
 didly confess my apprehension, that some- 
 thing of natural prejudice may have followed 
 me from my " father-land.^' Not that I am 
 aware of it ; but experiencing so little satis- 
 faction in that which has received a world 
 of high-flown encomium ; and recollecting at 
 
SPANISH SONGS, 25 
 
 the same time how difficult it is to discard 
 at once the feeUngs which have for years 
 been growing with our growth, I am a httle 
 incHned to suspect- my impartiaUty. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 Wednesday, 21th Oct. — This morning we 
 put to sea; but, in consequence of a calm, 
 made little way. 
 
 Thursday, 28th Oct. — A breeze springing 
 up during the night, about six o'clock we 
 stood off the Rock of Gibraltar. Captain 
 Hamilton sent out a boat to ascertain, whe- 
 ther by touching there we should run the risk 
 of quarantine at Malta; but the very vague 
 answer which was returned, determined him 
 to proceed. There was, therefore, no oppor- 
 tunity to gratify our curiosity by an examina- 
 tion of this celebrated fortress. 
 
 Friday, 29th Oct. — The morning being 
 perfectly calm, we remained long in sight of 
 Gibraltar. It lay beautifully encircled in a 
 white wreath of mist, upon which the sun 
 glanced, imparting to it the delicate hue of 
 
ISLAND OF GALETA- 27 
 
 the plum, when it Hes sleeping in the morning 
 dew. About six o'clock, p. M. a Sardinian 
 schooner of war hove in sight. The Cambrian 
 hoisted her colours ; but the signal was not 
 returned. Captain Hamilton directed a gun 
 to be fired at her : still she slighted the warn- 
 ing, and a second ball, aimed with more pre- 
 cision, struck the water at no great distance 
 from the bow, while our frigate put about in 
 pursuit. A third shot, however, had the de- 
 sired effect; — the national flag was hoisted, 
 and we left her to continue her course. The 
 obstinacy of the Sardinian commander was 
 as remarkable as it was unadvised ; and might 
 have been productive of the most unpleasant 
 consequences. 
 
 Tuesday^ 2d Nov. — A British merchant 
 brig, not lowering her top-sails according to 
 Act of Parliament relating to marine mat- 
 ters, was fired at with a musket. At last, 
 a boat being sent out, the master excused 
 himself under the plea of ignorance ; and 
 in truth, from all accounts, he was its abso- 
 lute personification. He had come from 
 Smyrna. 
 
 Saturday, 6th Noi^.^^Passed the little island 
 
2S MALTA— ISLANDS OF GALETA, GOZO AND COMENO, 
 
 of Galeta this morning about ten o'clock. It 
 is a barren rock, and apparently the effect of a 
 volcanic eruption. The coral fishers use it as 
 a station, and here leave their wives and chil- 
 dren while they pursue their adventurous mode 
 of life. At other times a few goats are the 
 only habitants. 
 
 Monday, Sth Nov. — Arrived at Malta late 
 at night. 
 
 Wednesday, 10th Nov. — We are to sail this 
 evening, and the short period of our stay has 
 prevented me from examining with accuracy 
 this very remarkable island. I shall therefore 
 content myself with a cursory description, in- 
 asmuch as many opportunities, I am told, will 
 occur, for a more minute inspection. We are 
 to return here every six months. 
 
 Malta and the adjacent islands of Gozo and 
 Comeno (which for the present I shall pass) 
 have a singularly barren and unprepossessing 
 outline. They are solely rocks, without one 
 single prospect of verdure as they are beheld 
 from the sea : when examined internally they 
 improve but little. The great value of these 
 places arises from their situation in the Medi- 
 terranean, and the impregnable fortresses which 
 
MALTA— LA VALETTA— GOVERNOR'S PALACE. 29 
 
 they form. The harbours of La Valetta* may 
 be termed natural excavations of the sohd 
 rock, and are secure and convenient basins. 
 The houses rise on each side one above another, 
 being built upon the declivity of the rock with 
 the stone hewn from it ; this is a kind of free- 
 stone, extremely soft and porous. The streets 
 are for the most part remarkably precipitous, 
 but the houses are regular and uniform, square 
 built, and in some instances white- washed, 
 with wooden balconies projecting from the 
 higher part. They have commonly iron grat- 
 ings over the lower windows, and in this, as in 
 other instances, reminded me of Cadiz, espe- 
 cially/ in the intolerable smell of garlick which 
 mostly issues from them. The fortifications 
 excel probably every thing of the kind, and 
 though they deserve the utmost attention, are 
 of too technical a character for description. 
 
 The governor's palace (once that of the 
 grand masters) is a large building. It ex- 
 hibits some very beautiful specimens of ancient 
 tapestry, and a number of paintings by the 
 first artists, principally, however, portraits of 
 
 * La Valetta is the metropolis of Malta. 
 
 <, 
 
^ MALTA— CHURCH OF ST. JOHN. 
 
 the grand masters of the order of St. John of 
 Jerusalem. The armoury is an extensive apart- 
 ment, comprehending the whole length of one 
 side of the square. Here are upwards of seven- 
 teen thousand stand of arms, besides a great 
 variety of ancient weapons which belonged to 
 the knights of St. John. Three suits of mail 
 armour worn by Wevercourt, a celebrated 
 grand master (of whom there are many por- 
 traits), are reposited in this place ; one of them 
 is inlaid with gold, and in this he is usually 
 represented. 
 
 The church of St. John is a magnificent 
 building, though somewhat the worse for the 
 various mutations of fortune which it has seen. 
 The walls and ceiling are of carved work gilded 
 throughout. The pavement is wholly composed 
 of monumental insignia described by vari- 
 coloured marbles ; and there is an inlaid altar- 
 screen of the same materials, but representing 
 wreaths of flowers, &c. of the most exquisite 
 order. The tombs of the grand masters are 
 scattered about the building ; they are of 
 beautiful workmanship, and well deserving in- 
 spection. An embossed silver railing before 
 an oratory here was saved from the rapacious 
 
MALTA—PUBLIC LIBRARY— OPERA HOUSE. SI 
 
 hands of Buonaparte only by stratagem. It 
 was painted in imitation of wood, and thus 
 escaped the crucible. The outward structure 
 of this building is oddly, not to say gro- 
 tesquely contrived. 
 
 The public library of Malta contains many 
 thousand volumes, and is in a progressive state 
 of improvement : there are, however, few manu- 
 scripts, and the printed volumes are almost en- 
 tirely modern editions. 
 
 The opera-house is a poor affair, and the 
 music and acting, so far as I am able to judge, 
 many degrees worse. 
 
 Thursday ^ Wth Nov. — Early this morning 
 we set sail for Naples, under a quarantine of 
 ten days, including the voyage. The wind has 
 been unfavourable, and such delay is not to be 
 regretted, since it will shorten the term of our 
 imprisonment when we arrive. 
 
 Friday, 12th Nov. — This morning afforded 
 us a first glimpse of Mount Etna, at a distance 
 of about forty miles. We observed it during 
 the day emitting volumes of smoke, but there 
 was no visible flame. As night approached 
 we w ere driven over to the coast of Calabria. 
 
 10 
 
32 NAPLES— MOUNT ETNA. 
 
 which exhibited its bold and rocky shore in all 
 the solemnity of a serene twilight. 
 
 Saturday, 13th Nov. — Towards evening we 
 stood nearer to Etna, which presented a most 
 magnificent appearance. The whole mountain 
 was of an intense blue, save that a broad belt 
 of white clouds girded its centre; presently 
 they ascended to the summit, and formed 
 themselves into a wreath, one point of which 
 touched the apex of the mountain, resembling 
 the circle of thin smoke vulgarly termed a 
 shroud, which arises sometimes from a burn- 
 ing candle. This gradually died away as the 
 night advanced, and was soon lost in the sha- 
 dowy outline of the volcano. A momentary 
 gleam of fire shot up after the night set in, but 
 it was not again discoverable. 
 
 Sunday, 14^/i Nov. — We entered the strait 
 called the Faro di Messina at an early hour. 
 The mountains on each side were enveloped in 
 purple mist, and crowned with white fleecy 
 clouds. As day increased these last assumed 
 a brighter tinge, while the sun's rays thrown 
 across the eastern barrier of the mountains, co- 
 loured the dark pile opposite with a rosy hue. 
 
STRAIT OF MESSIXA— BEAUTIFUL PROSPECT. 33 
 
 The loftier clouds changed successively into 
 red, yellow, and gold, and at last disappeared 
 before the full splendour of a Southern sun. 
 A delicious prospect opened upon us, which 
 continued through the day. The strait is 
 about se\en miles broad, and high mountains 
 frowning upon each other from its confronting 
 sides, sometimes in shade, and sometimes glit- 
 tering in light, amid a multitude of more di- 
 minutive objects, were distinguished by their 
 solemn magnificence. Here and there, seated 
 upon a commanding eminence, was the house 
 of a peasant, surrounded by the olive and fig- 
 tree. At the foot of the mountain, reposing 
 picturesquely upon the sea-shore, groups of 
 fishermens' cottages, and occasionally a town 
 of some magnitude, presented themselves; and 
 as the wind was contrary, indeed almost ap- 
 proaching to a calm, we were under the neces- 
 sity of tacking from shore to shore : thus an 
 opportunity occurred of gratifying our curiosity 
 in a greater degree than would otherwise have 
 been possible. On the Sicilian coast Messina 
 appeared to much advantage : a portion of the 
 inhabitants were employed in fishing for the 
 tunny as we passed, but apparently their suc- 
 
 VOL. T. D 
 
34 SCYLLA AND C'HARYBDIS. 
 
 cess did not equal their exertions. Captain 
 Smyth has given a description of the method 
 by which it is caught. The water-courses on 
 these mountains seem to be very numerous, 
 and in truth, at certain parts of the year, the 
 towns at their feet must suffer greatly from the 
 violence of the torrent. 
 
 The whole of this day was employed in 
 working out of the strait. We twice reached 
 the Faro Point and were drawn back by 
 the current, of which the celebrated Scylla, 
 is, I presume, to bear the blame. The vortex 
 of Charybdis, situated just beyond the Mole of 
 Messina, is described by mariners as being in 
 some respects dangerous, but I do not find that 
 this is thought to be the case with Scylla. 
 The distance between them is nearly six miles, 
 and if these be indeed the points indicated by 
 so many classical descriptions, I am totally at 
 a loss to conceive how the frailest bark should 
 run any danger of the one w^hile it avoided the 
 other. But a country so liable to mutation 
 must needs have undergone the most extra- 
 ordinary changes; and it is perhaps owing to 
 the difficulty of assigning more appropriate si- 
 tuations, that these have been fixed on as the 
 
BAY OF NAPLES, 35 
 
 likeliest sites, and denominated accordingly. 
 The volcano of Stromboli was seen indistinctly 
 as we passed the Faro Point. 
 
 Wednesday, 17th Nov. — About two o'clock 
 A.M. we anchored in the Bay of Naples, and 
 have to-day remained in quarantine. We are 
 to continue so till Friday. The Bay has long 
 been an object of encomium, and description 
 has exercised sufficiently both the pen and the 
 pencil — it is, however, uncommonly beautiful. 
 Behind us lies Capri, celebrated for the country 
 residences of Augustus and Tiberius Csesar. 
 To the right Vesuvius rears its giant form co- 
 vered with vineyards " as with a garment.^^ 
 The town of Portici reposes at its foot, its 
 white houses shining in the sun, and scattered 
 like a flock of sheep along the coast. In front 
 rise the Appennines, looking down upon a seg- 
 ment of the Bay, upon which stands part of 
 the Neapolitan capital ; and on the left, rising 
 along the whole side of a mountainous tract, 
 and surmounted by a citadel, the main portion 
 is situated, at this moment glimmering in the 
 twilight with ten thousand lights. The Re- 
 venge, bearing the admiral's flag, is at present 
 in the Bay ; besides the Seringapatam, Captain 
 
 D 2 
 
36 NAPLES— MUSICIANS. 
 
 Southerby ; and a Neapolitan frigate. At sun- 
 set Mount Vesuvius wore a delicious aspect — 
 but of this hereafter. Although it is my in- 
 tention to touch but slightly subjects so hack- 
 nied and threadbare, yet I ought not altogether 
 to omit one of the most surprizing of natural 
 phenomena. 
 
 Thursday^ 18th Nov. — This morning we 
 were entertained by a couple of musicians who 
 rowed their boat to the ship. They made a 
 singular appearance ; one of them was arrayed 
 in a jelly-bag sort of cap, terminating in a 
 tassel. His long coarse hair curled upon his 
 shoulders, and gave a ludicrous but character- 
 istic air to his lank countenance ; a sheep-skin 
 coat, with the wool outward, a pair of dark 
 cloth galligaskins " all rags and tatters,'* with, 
 worsted hosen wrinkling into as many lines as 
 a " new Map o' the Indies,'' completed his 
 costume. He played the bag-pipes, the bag 
 of which was composed of the undressed skin 
 of a goat or kid in its original shape and length, 
 of which one leg was employed to conduct the 
 wind from the mouth into the lower regions. 
 The pipes of this instrument were like the 
 " masts of some high ammiral," and truly he 
 
NAPLES— DISAGREEAKLE QUARANTINE. 37 
 
 supplied them with many a hurricane. His 
 comrade wore a conical-shaped hat, a Mount 
 Vesuvius, and blew lustily " an oaten reed/' 
 The remainder of his dress resembled that of his 
 companion, save that his nether garment was 
 of a cerulean plush, a venerable piece of anti- 
 quity, probably from Herculaneum or Pompeii 
 — about this, however, I was never satisfied. 
 They obtained a few small pieces of money 
 and retired, doubtless well pleased with the 
 power of their music. 
 
 Friday, 19th Nov. — We are still in quaran- 
 tine, very greatly to our annoyance. This is the 
 birth-day of one of the Neapolitan royal family ; 
 the guns of the batteries, and of the men of war 
 in the bay are firing : — we understand that it is 
 considered a great holiday. This circumstance 
 adds to our mortification. The king holds a levee, 
 and I had hoped, by means of a letter of intro- 
 duction which I bring to the English ambas- 
 sador, to have been presented at court ; how- 
 ever, I must bear the disappointment as I may. 
 We have just heard that the quarantine will 
 last till Sunday. 
 
 Sunday, 21st Nov. — After service to-day we 
 were landed at the Vittoria Hotel, near the Villa 
 
38 THE VAlA llEALE, 
 
 Reale, into which we immediately hastened. 
 This is a pubHc walk, in fact the Alameyda of 
 Naples. It is planted with a variety of trees 
 on each side, and ornamented with a number 
 of statues. In the centre of the walk, as you 
 enter, is a fine group of statuary representing 
 Dirce about to be tied to a bull which the sons 
 of Antiope have seized by the horns. The 
 animal deserves particular attention : it is an 
 antique of exquisite workmanship. The rest 
 of the group are modern ; so are the legs of 
 the bull. The walks began to fill soon after 
 our arrival, and to exhibit a gay aspect. The 
 vast number of military costumes in Naples 
 surprizes a stranger, every regiment appearing 
 differently arrayed. This was in some mea^ 
 sure accounted for by the information that ten 
 thousand Austrian troops are garrisoned in the 
 city and neighbourhood. Still the variety is 
 immense, and might almost seem left to the 
 inclination of every fantastic individual. The 
 tyros of the military colleges also are set forth 
 cap-a-pee in regimental uniform, and brought 
 hither on Sunday to parade, attended by their 
 pedagogue, a dirty-looking padre in his huge 
 three-cornered hat ; and who, contrasted with 
 
THE STREETS OF NAPLES. 8d 
 
 blue coats and scarlet shoulder-knots, with the 
 scarlet tufts of the youngsters' caps, resembles 
 a scare-crow in a field that should have pro- 
 duced wheat, but of which the major portion 
 is hare-bells and cockle. 
 
 After walking in the Villa Reale for some 
 time, we proceeded to inspect the city itself, 
 " qui est si animee et si oisive tout a la io\s." 
 The streets were very crowded and very dirty, 
 and the loud nasal cry of the venders of certain 
 esculent articles was incessant ; let the reader 
 add to this the rattling of hundreds of fiacres, 
 hurrying violently along the narrow streets of 
 the Neapolitan metropolis, and he will form 
 some idea of the confused but lively scene 
 which was presented to us. The only tolerably 
 good street is the Strada de Toledo, running in 
 a line with the royal palaces, and containing 
 some of the public buildings of Naples, such as 
 the Real Museo Borbonico and the offices of 
 the Finance Department. We returned about 
 two o'clock to the Villa Reale, where the mi- 
 litary band was playing. The number of car- 
 riages which passed the promenade reminded 
 me of Hyde Park on a Sunday evening. But 
 here all the inhabitants poured forth in tor- 
 
IQ THE VILLA REALE. 
 
 rents, " tag, rag and bob- tail \' people of all 
 ranks were taking a Sabbath's airing : and this 
 forms the chief distinction between the as- 
 sembled population of London and Naples. 
 The lower class are not separated from the 
 higher ; nor while the gentry enjoy the fresco 
 of the evening are the tradesmen prohibited 
 the same enjoyment in the same place. Thus 
 there is a more national character in the scene ; 
 the different grades of society are not so invi- 
 diously distinguished, and the hired fiacre of 
 the venditore del maccheroni jogs along after 
 the carriage of an Italian prince or princess, 
 (such as they are !) without censure and without 
 fear. I allude to the exclusion of hackney ve- 
 hicles from Hyde Park ; but I admit that if it 
 were otherwise the crowd would be too great, 
 and that much of the interest and splendour of 
 the scene would be considerably diminished. 
 Perhaps also there might be some danger in 
 augmenting the concourse of a London popu- 
 lace : but nothing of all this seems to occur at 
 Naples; and it is extremely diverting to notice 
 the marked physiognomy and emphatic ges- 
 ticulation of the lower order of Italians as 
 they pass along. They seem so happy and yet 
 
THE VILLA REALE. 41 
 
 SO squalid and miserable, with so much of 
 civilization, and yet with so little idea of it, or 
 care for it. In one place you observe a dozen 
 persons, male and female, crowded into a nar- 
 row carriage, the women without bonnets, and 
 their black hair (surmounted commonly by a 
 silver comb) straggling about the eyes and 
 ears. In the latter stick immense rings, often 
 broader than a crown-piece, and I should think 
 as heavy. The bright and dark eyes of these 
 damsels impart a singular expression to their 
 dingy features, and give an odd, and ra- 
 ther disagreeable, effect to the contour of the 
 face. Very generally a child wrapped up like 
 a mummy is conveyed upon the bosom. A 
 ragged and dirty fellow, in a sugar-loaf hat, 
 jumps up behind, overlooking fellows within 
 equally ragged and dirty : — thus they set forth. 
 In another place are two or three priests " in 
 cloth of brown that erst was black,^' holding 
 the reins of a calesse, while on a step in the 
 rear stands the driver, (and proprietor perhaps) 
 with a whip, which he applies as necessity dic- 
 tates to the steed in front, flourishifig it mag- 
 nificently over the heads of the clerical party 
 within. Then again there is a kind of vehicle 
 
42 NAPLES— LAZZARONI. 
 
 which is made to contain but one, gilded and 
 carved, with a pole standing at the stern, by 
 which the flagellator of the steed maintains his 
 not very enviable situation. And then — but 
 hold, " I'll see no more :" dinner calls, and a 
 " civet de sangUer" already smokes upon the 
 board. 
 
 Monday, 22d Nov. — Immediately after 
 breakfast, we set out upon an expedition to 
 Pompeii. The roads were intolerably dusty, 
 for being composed solely of lava, and no at- 
 tention paid to sweeping, the passenger is over- 
 whelmed with a continual cloud. Besides this, 
 our carriage was beset by troops of deformed 
 and diseased beggars, who, being for the most 
 part blind, were led by stout boys, and ran by 
 our side uttering the most doleful and dis- 
 cordant cries. The number of Lazzaroni which 
 former travellers notice in the streets of Naples 
 has considerably diminished, and many dis- 
 gusting sights are consequently prevented. But 
 the suburbs and roads leading to the principal 
 objects of curiosity are still overrun with them. 
 Nor is their pertinacity the least surprizing. 
 They continue upon a long trot by the side of 
 the vehicle, burdened as they are with all their 
 
POMPEII. 
 
 diseases, (though part are no doubt impos- 
 tures) for a great distance, and generally ac- 
 complish by this indomitable perseverance the 
 object of their desires. Travellers are glad to 
 free themselves from the uproar, at whatever 
 rate. 
 
 About twelve English miles from Naples 
 stands Pompeii, certainly the most remarkable 
 remnant of antiquity that now exists. So 
 much has already been said respecting these 
 ruins, and so much that is worthy of remem- 
 brance, that it may seem a work of mere 
 supererogation to enter into a detailed account. 
 The road has become so beaten, and has justly 
 been a matter of such intense and minute 
 curiosity, that we have scarcely an alternative 
 in our power. But the mind here will never 
 be satiated : it must recur agaim and again, 
 with augmented delight, to an object which 
 plays so luxuriantly around the imagination, 
 and seizes, in its powerful grasp, the best and 
 most fascinating visions of the heart. For 
 this reason, although it would be useless to 
 describe systematically a place which a multi- 
 tude of celebrated antiquaries have laboriously, 
 and, for the most part, accurately dissected. 
 
44 POMPEII. 
 
 yet I cannot withstand the temptation of ad- 
 verting in general terms to the impression 
 which the sight of Pompeii made upon my 
 feehngs; and of endeavouring to interest the 
 reader, not merely with the place itself, (for 
 that interest he must long ago have expe- 
 rienced,) but with the pilgrimage of the 
 humble individual who now ventures to ob- 
 trude on his attention. 
 
 It does not appear generally known, or, at 
 least, it has not been generally noticed, that 
 the honour of discovering these singular ruins is 
 due to the proprietor of a vineyard which then 
 stood on the spot. He was about to plant an 
 additional number of vines on an unoccupied 
 division of his farm ; and the first blow of the 
 mattock, while it repelled and impeded his 
 efforts, stimulated curiosity, and at length gave 
 birth to a town ! This happened a little more 
 than sixty years ago. 
 
 It is to be lamented, that the traveller now 
 has not the advantage which was at first open 
 to him. The paintings, the houshold utensils, 
 the skeletons of those who were consumed in 
 the bursting out of the mountain, are all 
 removed. We see, indeed, the places they 
 
POMPEII. 45 
 
 occupied: the impression of certain drinking- 
 cups, the ruts of carriage-wheels, and the 
 marks of a cord upon the margin of a well, 
 nay, the very scrawls which the soldiers of a 
 Roman legion made to amuse themselv^es 
 during the hours of their watch ; but that 
 which would have given life to the inanimate 
 and deathly stillness of the place,— which 
 would have aided the excursions of imagina- 
 tion, and embodied the winged conceptions 
 that dart through the obscurity of past time, 
 and fix themselves in all the vivid colourings 
 of truth — these are wanting. They have been 
 removed to the museum at Naples : and though 
 nothing assuredly can deprive them of the 
 charms with which such high antiquity has 
 encrusted them, it is easy to understand the 
 loss occurring to the imagination, as well as 
 pleasure to the heart. It has been alleged, 
 that were they to retain their original situation, 
 they would be purloined : and it has been said, 
 on the other hand, that a guard of soldiers, 
 whose time at present is occupied by gambling 
 and debauchery, would easily secure the smaller 
 antiquities of Pompeii from depredation. But 
 this may be questioned : the constant atten- 
 
46 
 
 POMPEII. 
 
 tion requisite would speedily weary the inert 
 Neapolitan ; and a guard of Austrians could 
 be but for a limited period. Besides, there 
 would not be wanting those upon whom 
 bribery has its effect ; and thus would vanish 
 in a moment what no event might hereafter 
 replace. Moreover, the action of the air upon 
 many of these frail relics, snatched, and barely 
 snatched, from destruction, would operate ma- 
 terially. So that in a short time, that which 
 the fire was unable totally to ruin, exposure to 
 the elements would effect. Still there have 
 been discoveries made here which would re- 
 ceive little injury, would be guarded with little 
 risk, and add powerfully to the feeling with 
 which we consider this remarkable depository 
 of Roman magnificence. Let the drinking- 
 glasses, which are liable to be broken, remain 
 in their present custody ; let the cameos, 
 gems, and engraved stones, the wheat, barley, 
 acorns, and grains of all descriptions, which 
 have been found here, be preserved in Naples, 
 together with whatever else may be considered 
 fragile, whether from its nature or diminutive 
 size ; but surely the skeletons might have re- 
 tained their post, ornamented with the least 
 
 35 
 
POMPEII. 47 
 
 valuable bracelets with which they were dis- 
 covered : the earthen amphorae would have 
 received no detriment, nor would many of the 
 statues have been worse for standing as they 
 were found. Part of the kitchen utensils, such 
 as. kettles, pipkins, baking-pans, frying-pans 
 for eggs, &c. &c. might have been left ; and 
 out of 635 weights, measures, scales, steel- 
 yards, lamps, and chandeliers*, surely a few 
 dozen might have been spared for public gra- 
 tification, as they were originally disposed. To 
 these might have been added, the original 
 seats ; and one particular room carefully locked 
 up and examined through a glass case, or by 
 express permission of the government in writing 
 without this obstruction, containing the whole 
 apparatus of a lady^s toilette. In Pompeii 
 were found, says the Abbe Romanelli, " brace- 
 lets of gold, ear-rings, necklaces, chains of 
 gold, rings set with precious stones, gold and 
 silver bodkins, galloons of real gold, tooth and 
 ear-picks, scissars, needles, ivory spindles, and 
 all manner of trinkets ; nay, those very same 
 
 " II numero di detti oggetti ascende a quelle di 
 635," says " La Guida per lo Real Museo Borbonico." 
 
48 POMPEII. 
 
 things that mended tlie defects of nature — ■ 
 false teeth, wigs, false eye-brows, odoriferous 
 waters, ointments, perfumes and rouge, which 
 they called purpurissum, in small crystal 
 phials/^ How delightful it would have been, 
 and what a spell it must have thrown around 
 the whole place, to see, although through " a 
 crystal medium/^ this curious scene ! Where 
 is she for whom the preparation is made ? 
 Has she proceeded to the bath, arrayed in the 
 loose floating garment to which Roman dames 
 on these occasions were accustomed ? Observe 
 how that metal mirror shines, as though even 
 in the absence of its owner it reflected back 
 some portion of its borrowed beauty. Where 
 are her tire-women — her cosmetce ? why do 
 they not hasten to their duty? her head-gear 
 lies uncurled and loose ; her eye-brows are un- 
 smoothed ; and her teeth, heaven help us ! will 
 be distinguished by the eagle-eye of the in- 
 quisitive lover. Hark ! she comes ; I hear the 
 rustling of her garments, and the Roman virgin 
 will presently appear in all her classic dignity ! 
 Alas ! such dreams would be dissipated by very 
 different objects. The rags of some itinerant 
 lazzaroni might occupy the image which 
 
poMPEir. 4^ 
 
 the flowing folds of ancient costume had 
 elicited ; and a putrifying sore surrounded with 
 coagulated filth, like Vesuvius amid its lava, 
 would be presented for the fresh glowing coun- 
 tenance of a youthful maiden, just emancipated 
 from the luxury of the bath. 
 
 In one of the Arabian tales, we have an ac- 
 count of a whole city turned suddenly into 
 stone. Every thing remains in its original 
 position, — " lifeless, but life-like.'* " Les 
 peintures, les bronzes etaient encore dans leur 
 beaute premiere, et tout ce qui pent servir aux 
 usages domestiques est conserve d'une maniere 
 effrayante. Les amphores sont encore pr6- 
 parees pour le festin du jour suivant ; la farine 
 qui allait etre petrie est encore la : les restes 
 d\me femme sont encore ornes des parures 
 qu'eile portait dans le jour de fete, que le 
 volcan a trouble, et ses bras desseches ne rem- 
 pHssent plus le bracelet des pierreries qui les 
 entoure encore *." 
 
 Whether Madame de Stael ever witnessed 
 Pompeii in the state here described, and in 
 which it doubtless was, is a matter for question. 
 
 * Corrinua. 
 VOL. I. E 
 
50 POMPEII. 
 
 It seems probable, that the particulars alluded 
 to would be removed the moment they were 
 discovered. But certainly it is Pompeii, so 
 described, or so seen, that might have given 
 rise to the fiction in the Arabian tales. And 
 in seeing the desolation of the Roman city, 
 we have the best possible conception not only 
 of it, but of the petrified city in Upper Egypt, 
 mentioned in Perry ^s " View of the Levant,^* 
 where it is said, many statues of men and 
 women are at this day to be seen. This, per- 
 haps, is the origin of the Arabian figment. 
 
 It has been asserted by Dion Cassius, a 
 Roman historian, who flourished about a cen- 
 tury and a half after the destruction of Her- 
 culaneum and Pompeii, by the eruption of 
 Mount Vesuvius, that the inhabitants of one or 
 both of the above-mentioned cities were over- 
 whelmed by the lava-flood as they witnessed 
 a theatrical representation. This is considered 
 by Mr. Eustace as so palpable an absurdity, 
 that it is difficult to conceive how the historian 
 could relate it with so much gravity. The 
 reasons are, that the first agitation united to 
 the threatening aspect of the mountain, must 
 have banished all inclination for mirth ; that 
 
poMPEir. 51 
 
 the number of skeletons discovered among the 
 ruins, does not bear out the supposition, and 
 that it may even be questioned, whether one 
 skeleton was found in or near the theatre. I 
 will not urge, in this place, the truth of that 
 ancient maxim, " Quem Deus vult perdere 
 prius dementat," but I will ask, whether the 
 reiterated warnings of approaching destruction 
 were sufficient to admonish Jerusalem of its 
 fate ? If the first commotions of the earth 
 produced, as we know they did, little real in- 
 jury ; if the smoke and partial emissions of 
 flame — or admit it to have been lava — oc- 
 casioned in the first instance no positive or 
 general harm, we know well enough that the 
 indications, however terrible, would lose their 
 terror through the frequency of the occurrence, 
 and the throb of apprehension subside into 
 comparative security. Mr. Eustace remarks? 
 (and admitting the fact, I should draw from 
 it a different inference,) that the inhabitants 
 of this country were not then accustomed to 
 volcanic phenomena. An earthquake, how- 
 ever, sixteen years previously, overthrew part of 
 the town, which they then rebuilt ; and might 
 at the same time have acquired some insight 
 
 E 2 
 
POMPEII. 
 
 into the cause and the consequence. But 
 granting that they were ignorant of both, 
 surely this very circumstance would contribute 
 to lull them the more into inertness ! During 
 a cessation of the convulsed and agitated state 
 of the mountain, they might have sought to 
 lose the remembrance of their solicitude in the 
 mimicry of the stage, and, in such a moment, 
 have been hurried to their graves ! The very 
 multitude compressed closely together in the 
 last desperate effort to escape, would, when 
 the fiery mass surprised them, promote their 
 own dissolution : and the concavity of the 
 theatre receiving into its bosom a more than 
 common share of the ignited particles, must 
 also have aided a calcination, which the weight 
 of the superincumbent strata reduced at length 
 to powder. This would account, I think, very 
 satisfactorily for the small number of skeletons 
 which have been found : though let it be re- 
 membered, that in all probability not above 
 one- third of the city has been uncovered. The 
 excavations which are now going on, prove 
 this to demonstration ; and, but two months 
 ago, a splendid bath, about which the work- 
 men were busy when I visited Pompeii, was 
 
poMPEir. 53 
 
 opened. It is very large, and built in the 
 form of a dome. In the centre is a beautiful 
 font, and around the margin an inscription, 
 of which I regret that my haste led to an in- 
 correct copy. Several other discoveries have 
 also been made : the one I allude to stands 
 near the Pantheon. 
 
 But there are several other circumstances, 
 for which nothing but this sudden, this instan- 
 taneous obstruction of life can account. In a 
 villa, (supposed, by the way, to be Cicero's,) 
 having a cellar beneath, were found a number 
 of large amphorae, and about twenty skeletons. 
 Into this vault the unhappy creatures had 
 rushed on ascertaining, by some means which 
 we cannot now understand, that the torrent 
 had overtaken them. Here they must have 
 been suffocated, and hence the preservation of 
 their bones. There is a house on the left-hand 
 as you proceed from the residence of the guide, 
 at the most distant point from the theatres ; 
 upon the threshold of which appears, in Mosaic, 
 the word "salve.'' Before this house were 
 discovered several skeletons, one of them held 
 a lamp in its bony fingers, and all of them 
 something, perhaps some article of household 
 
34' POMPEII. 
 
 -use : what but the suddenness of the storm 
 ieould have produced so singular a position ? 
 The heat of the ashes would here be less ; fot 
 there would probably be a freer passage for 
 the air, while the distance from the source of 
 the eruption is greater. In the state I have 
 mentioned, numbers of skeletons were dug up 
 — the greater part standing, and in the very 
 posture in which they had expired. 
 
 But of all, curious as they are, that most 
 deserving attention, in my mind, is the Am- 
 phitheatre of Pompeii. It is in admirable re- 
 pair, and capable of containing upwards of 
 thirty thousand spectators. It has a wonder- 
 fully imposing appearance, and cannot fail 
 most sensibly to affect the mind. Mr. Ha- 
 milton, our ambassador at Naples, informed 
 nae, that he has frequently seen tears gush 
 from the eyes of those who have regarded this 
 magnificent spectacle of desolation for the first 
 time — and I am not surprized at it. This im- 
 mense structure was once peopled with eager 
 and ardent life ; on this very arena the dying 
 gladiator " breathed his sullen soul away \' 
 and here the Retiarii foiled or succumbed 
 before the arts of their desperate antagonists. 
 
 13 
 
POMPEII. 88 
 
 Barbarous as these sports were, they are iden- 
 tified with the national character ; and stand- 
 ing on the loftiest point of the amphitheatre, 
 who can look down without emotion upon the 
 spot where such savage contests for life and 
 death were carried on — ^where the blood of the 
 captive was inhumanly poured forth to satiety 
 upon the thirsty sand ; and where pleasure 
 lighted even the female eye, (strange power of 
 custom !) as the victor received the plaudits of 
 the assembled multitude ? And who can gaze 
 upon the vacant and broken seats before him, 
 nor turn to the appalling shout, which, in the 
 moment of victory, thirty thousand voices raised 
 to heaven? voices which were soon to sink 
 down into the tremulous whisper of despair, 
 and which long ago have ceased their murmur ! 
 What a contrast does the picture present — the 
 sinewy arm then waved in acclamation is now 
 an impalpable powder, or, at most, a carious 
 bone ! The haughty brow is humbled, and the 
 stately form then enfolded in the toga, hath 
 neither existence nor a name ! 
 
 These reflections, however common, and 
 however tame, powerfully impress themselves 
 on the mind. To withhold them were almost 
 
SB NAPLES. 
 
 like suspending the respiration, they rise spon- 
 taneously with the breath, and demand articu- 
 lation. But I hasten to quit a place around 
 which I have perhaps lingered too long, but 
 which I quit with the greatest reluctance. This 
 was not however the case with my companions, 
 and may not be with my readers; one of the 
 former protested that he had seen much better 
 ruins in England, all ruins were alike, and he 
 knew very well what was to be seen here — but 
 then to have been at Naples without saying 
 that he had seen Pompeii was intolerable — to 
 be unable to tell his friends that he had seen 
 a place which all the world sees, was not to be 
 thought of. He therefore posts to Pompeii — 
 posts through it — eats and drinks, and returns. 
 And this, I firmly believe, comprized the whole 
 of his information on the subject. 
 
 ** CEstuat ingens 
 Imo in corde pudor, mixtoque insania luctu." 
 
 We returned somewhat late in the evening 
 to Naples, and I hastened to make prepara- 
 tions for accompanying his excellency, the 
 English ambassador, to a rout at Lady Drum- 
 mond's. The rooms were crowded, and her 
 
NAPLES— ROUT AT LADY DRUMMOND'S. 57 
 
 ladyship played the obliging hostess d, mer- 
 veilies. Out of four hundred visitors not more 
 than sixty were English, and the majority of 
 the males were naval and military officers, who 
 sparkled in all the magnificence of stars and 
 embroidery. There was a general who figured 
 away at the age of a hundred, and consider- 
 ably resembled, it seemed to me, our late ex- 
 cellent sovereign ; his name I have forgot. 
 Many beautiful Neapolitan women were pre- 
 sent, among whom the Princess Tercazi, in my 
 humble opinion, far exceeded the rest : she 
 has a very sweetly expressive face, 
 
 '* A pleasant smiling cheek, a speaking eye, 
 A brow for love to banquet royally," — 
 
 and a good deal of that naivete of manner 
 which is so engaging to foreigners. Of her 
 private character I have nothing to say, for I 
 know nothing, save that she is nineteen years 
 of age and has five children ! Proh Jupiter ! 
 
 Amongst the number of pretty nothings 
 which were uttered this evening, I overheard a 
 French lady compliment a gentleman upon the 
 recovery of his good looks, which, it seems, had 
 been " d^rangis" by a late illness ; " Ah /" 
 
58 NAPLES—FRENCH COMPLIMENT. 
 
 cried he tenderly, " cest la r^jiexion de voire 
 image !" meaning, if it comprehended a mean- 
 ing, that he was her mirror; and that in re- 
 garding hun she beheld purely the reflected 
 lustre of her own charms. A pretty method 
 of complimenting himself, for which the lady 
 in question seemed not over and above thank- 
 ful. She smiled with some apparent exertion, 
 waved her hand, and retreated. Quadrilles, 
 waltzes, and cotillions were the order of the 
 evening; and, on the whole, the dark glittering 
 eyes of the Neapolitan women, contrasted with 
 their sombre dresses, and the gay uniforms of 
 the mihtary, formed a splendid and interesting 
 scene. 
 
.''T)«r"^> 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Tuesday, 23c? Nov, — To-day I made the 
 tour of the Bourbonic Museum, in which the 
 contents of Herculaneum and Pompeii, &c. &c. 
 have been deposited. Amongst other things 
 an exquisite bust of Caracalla, two feet and a 
 half high, particularly delighted me : there is 
 great expression in the face, and the disposi- 
 tion of the hair is admirable. A full length 
 statue of Aristides in the act of haranguing, and 
 Silenus intoxicated and reclining on a skin of 
 wine, are each in their way delicious specimens 
 of ancient sculpture ; they were found in Her- 
 culaneum. Indeed, the statuary brought from 
 this place alone is very extensive, and will 
 afford many an hour of rich gratification. 
 
 - In another part of the museum is preserved 
 a vast variety of grain in the different states, 
 discovered in Herculaneum, besides a burnt 
 
60 
 
 NAPLES— BOURBONIC MUSEUM. 
 
 loaf of bread eight inches and a half in dia- 
 meter marked 
 
 ZRISQCRA/VI R.ISER...... 
 
 This inscription, whatever it may imply, re- 
 minds one of the present practice of marking 
 gingerbread and cakes. There are also snares, 
 threads, and a bird-net — probably such as 
 Horace mentions in the second ode of the 
 fifth book— - 
 
 " Amite levi rara tendit retittf 
 Turdis edacibus dolos ; 
 Pavidumve leporem, et advenam laqueo gruem, 
 Jucunda captat proemia." 
 
 And what is not the least curious, there is a 
 quantity of linen cloth found in the washing- 
 tub. 
 
 In a painter's shop at Pompeii was disco- 
 vered a pot of verde antique of an earthy cha- 
 racter, and probably amalgamated with some 
 mineral. 
 
 Two bronze seats, exactly similar to our 
 garden chairs, deserve attention : with a num- 
 ber of helmets, cuirasses, spears, quivers, &c. 
 Sec, used both by the Greeks and Romans. A 
 
NAPLES— BOURBONIC MUSEUM. 61 
 
 considerable quantity of rouge, metal looking- 
 glasses, distaffs, ivory pins and bodkins, sur- 
 geons' instruments, &c. are arranged in tolera- 
 ble order. Nearly three thousand Grecian 
 vases have been collected, of which many are 
 extremely beautiful. Of the picture galleries 
 no mention is necessary ; they contain the 
 workmanship of the first artists in the world, 
 and have been perhaps sufficiently illustrated 
 by members of the' fraternity. The most cu- 
 rious, and to many the most interesting, part 
 of this collection will be the Papyri or ancient 
 manuscripts found in the library of a disciple 
 of Epicurus at Herculaneum, during the last 
 century ; they have the appearance of char- 
 coal, and were so considered when originally 
 met with. The account given of this discovery 
 at Naples is, that on continuing the excavation 
 an ink-stand and a number of pens were turned 
 up, together with two or more bronze busts of 
 Epicurus, whose name was thereon engraven : 
 hence, concluding that the place in question 
 was a library, by the assistance of one Antonio 
 Piaggio, a monk, the Papyri were unrolled, 
 although with extreme difficulty. The follow- 
 ing is given as the process, but I am unable to 
 
62 NAPLES— MODE OF UNHOLLTNG THE PAPYRI. 
 
 vouch for its authenticity, circumstances having 
 prevented me from inspecting it. 
 
 " At the bottom of a glass box are fixed 
 two metal screws inserted in a like number of 
 semicircular plates, on which the roll of Papyrus 
 is placed in an horizontal direction. These 
 screws are used to raise or depress the Pa- 
 pyrus. 
 
 " The roll being placed upon the semicir- 
 cular plates, and the beginning ascertained by 
 means of incisions made as it revolves, threads 
 are run through it and fastened to the upper 
 part of the box, which support and draw up 
 the Papyrus as it is gradually unfolded. In 
 this state gold-beaters" leaf is applied to the 
 back of the writing moistened with isinglass of 
 more or less consistency, as the case may re- 
 quire. Thus strengthened, the unrolled Pa- 
 pyrus is drawn up, and when the surface of one 
 page is found to adhere to another it is disen- 
 gaged by means of a pointed iron. This pro- 
 cess is continued till the whole be developed. ^ 
 
 " In this situation it is spread over a small 
 table, and an exact engraving is immediately 
 taken. The defective parts are then suppliecl, 
 avoiding every alteration of the original, and 
 
NAPLES— LIBRARY— THEATRE OF SAN CARLOS. GS 
 
 undergoing a minute inspection by competent 
 persons appointed for that purpose. It is now 
 sent to the press, and afterwards translated 
 into Latin ; the defective parts being carefully 
 filled up and distinguished by red ink/' 
 
 About four hundred and eight of these 
 Papyri have been unfolded, and of these eighty- 
 eight are legible throughout, the rest are frag- 
 ments. In the year 1793 two volumes were 
 published, the one containing a work on music, 
 by Philodemus, (probably a writer of licentious 
 verses in the time of Cicero,) and the other a 
 fragment of a Latin Poem of uncertain date, 
 A third volume is either published or about tQ 
 issue from the press. The unsuccessful result 
 of Sir Humphrey Davy's efforts in unrolling 
 the Papyri is well known. 
 
 The library is said to contain 180,000 
 printed volumes, (but I doubt the accuracy of 
 this information) and nearly five thousand ma- 
 nuscripts, amongst which is one of Tasso, and 
 another of no less a personage than Saint 
 Thomas Aquinas. 
 
 In the evening of this day we went to the 
 theatre of San Carlos. It is certainly deco-f 
 rated with great splendour, and not without 
 
64 NAPLES— EXCURSION TO VESUVIUS. 
 
 some taste. The scenery is excellent, as well 
 as the music : respecting the rest I am silent. 
 The king was present, a long, thin, and ve- 
 nerable personage, with powdered hair, and 
 four or five stars glittering upon his sober suit 
 of black. The Duke of Calabria sat in an ad- 
 joining box. 
 
 Wednesday, ^^^th Nov, — About ten o'clock 
 I set out with a companion for Vesuvius, though 
 the day was extremely unpromising : but we 
 thought it better to avail ourselves of the first 
 opportunity, rather than lose altogether the 
 sight of one of the most magnificent spectacles 
 in nature. Arriving at Portici, a town built 
 upon the ruins of Herculaneum, we obtained 
 asses and a guide. The ascent is by a water- 
 course, and greatly obstructed by the large 
 pieces of broken lava which the torrent has 
 left. We arrived at the hermitage about one 
 o'clock, and were met by a "jolly friar,^' who 
 invited us into his mansion. This we declined, 
 for our coachman mistaking his orders carried 
 us at least three miles beyond the place of 
 ascent ; we had therefore no time to lose, and 
 accordingly hastened up the mountain with all 
 celerity. A little beyond the hermitage is a 
 
NAPLES— EXCURSION TO VESUVIUS. 66 
 
 wooden cross, to which, at Pentecost, all Naples 
 marches in procession : here a feast is held, 
 and perhaps it is to this " work of mens' 
 hands'' that the prayer of the Catholic arises, 
 accompanied, it may be, by that curious spe- 
 cimen of idolatrous bigotry of which Bishop 
 Hall has preserved a copy. It is well worth 
 transcription. 
 
 " HYMNUS AD CRUCEM. 
 
 " Aracrucis, 
 
 Lampas lucis. 
 Sola salus hominum : 
 
 Nobis pronum, 
 
 Fac patronnm, 
 Quem tulisti dominum." 
 
 At this time the summit of Mount Vesuvius 
 was enveloped in clouds, and though our guide 
 assured us that they would disperse before we 
 had climbed so high, yet it was all along ex- 
 ceedingly doubtful. In fact they did not ; and 
 all our labour, all the pain of the ascent was 
 not remunerated even by a transient glimpse 
 of the bay and country of Naples. The crater 
 of the volcano was filled with mist, and the 
 whole cone was shrouded with a very thick 
 cloud. Thus situated, it was thought best to 
 
 VOL. I. r 
 
€6 VESUVIUS— NEAPOLITAN GUIDE, 
 
 make our way down as fast as possible, for the 
 dew began to penetrate our clothes, while a 
 strong wind loosed the tufo from the apex of 
 the mountain, and blew it with considerable 
 violence into our eyes. I had no idea of the 
 difficulty of the ascent, and was glad, even with 
 all these disadvantages, to seat myself on the 
 edge of the crater. As we descended the rain 
 began, and before we returned to the house 
 of Salvatori (our guide) we were completely 
 drenched. He desired us to insert our names 
 in a book kept for that purpose, and various 
 were the comments, and as various the lan- 
 guages, that we met with. The best of our 
 wetting was, that it introduced us to the wife 
 and children of our guide, who were as fine a 
 specimen of Neapolitan beauty as I have seen. 
 A lovely child of four or five years lay in the 
 cradle ill of the typhus fever, and another 
 of thirteen or fourteen, full of sprightliness 
 and simplicity, busied herself in aiding our 
 attempts to dry our clothes ; while the mo- 
 ther, who must have been a fine woman in her 
 day, vigorously wafted a chaling-dish with the 
 bottom of her petticoat ! The room was hung 
 iK)und with tolerable paintings in oil of several 
 
 I 
 
EXCURSION TO PUZZUOLI, 67 
 
 members of the royal family, which Salvatori 
 informed us he had purchased at Naples. After 
 swallowing a cordial glass of annisette, we got 
 into our carriage and drove rapidly back. In 
 the evening we were present at the representa- 
 tion of Acis and Galatea, in the Opera del 
 Fondo, and retired to our quarters with no 
 other effect of the journey than fatigue. 
 
 Thursday^ 9>5th Nov. — The rain fell vio- 
 lently all the morning, and the water " rushed 
 like a torrent'^ down the slopes of the streets. 
 I contrived, however, to get up to the citadel of 
 St. Elmo, a strong fortress upon a high rock 
 which commands the town. It is garrisoned 
 by Austrian troops, and is curious from being 
 principally cut through the solid rock, as from 
 the winding and precipitous paths which lead 
 to it. The view from the summit is fine, ex- 
 tending over the city and country of Naples, 
 the bay, Appennines, &c. &c. * 
 
 Friday, 26th Nov. — It being determined 
 that we should return on board the Cambrian 
 this afternoon, a short excursion to Puzzuoli, 
 the ancient Puteoli, was proposed and acceded 
 to ; in consequence of which we set forth about 
 ten o'clock in the morning, and passed through 
 
 f2 
 
68 EXCURSION TO PUZZUOLI. 
 
 a most singular excavation of rock three quar- 
 ters of a mile long and from seventy to eighty 
 feet high, called the Grotto of Posilippo, where 
 Madame de Stael tells us '* des milliers de 
 Lazzaroni passent leur vie, en sortant seule- 
 ment a midi pour voir le soleil, et dormant le 
 reste du jour, pendant que leurs femmes filent/^ 
 By which it would seem that they never eat, 
 though they may dream of eating, but subsist 
 on sunshine and sleep. However, I saw no- 
 thing of it. In this place is the tomb of Virgil. 
 We traversed a rich country, the road lying 
 through vineyards, which now began to exhibit 
 the fall of the leaf. Reaching the sea-shore, 
 we wound along huge rocks, all more or less 
 consecrated by legends of other days. The 
 promontory of Misenus and the Lucrine lake 
 are at no great distance ; and a little beyond 
 Puzzuoli is Baiee, so celebrated for its baths 
 and the luxury and lasciviousness of which 
 it once was the scene. Our time was too li- 
 mited to enable us to inspect it ; and our ob- 
 ject had been to see the Temple of Serapis, of 
 which a few relics 3 et remain in Puzzuoli. 
 The ancient baths here have been replaced by 
 modern ones, and this, added to the vicinity of 
 
EXCURSION TO PUZZUOLI— CALIGULA'S BRIDGE— CUMjE. 69 
 
 numerous cottages, has a bad effect. Three 
 pillars are standing, and certain parts of the 
 baths, but there is little of interest. Cicero's 
 villa occupied an eminence near this temple, 
 and the site may be seen from it. It is covered 
 Avith orange groves, M^hich also look down upon 
 the fallen columns and dilapidated baths of 
 Serapis. Returning to the sea-shore we be- 
 held the remains of Caligula^s Bridge, which 
 it is said this emperor designed to carry over to 
 Baias. It now extends but a little way, and is 
 so broken as to resemble stepping-stones placed 
 across a brook : the arches are completely 
 gone. On the right is the town of Cumae, ce- 
 lebrated for its vicinity to the SybiFs cave. 
 The market-place of Puzzuoli has an ancient 
 statue erected to the memory of M. Flavius. 
 On our way back we met the Duke of Calabria 
 and two ladies of the royal family, who had 
 descended from their carriages and were walk- 
 ing in the dust of the public road ; a singular 
 taste surely ! The duke returned our salutation 
 with much politeness. 
 
 We dined on board the Cambrian, and, 
 though the wind was contrary, beat out of the 
 bay early on the following morning for Genoa, 
 
70 SHOOTING A SHARK. 
 
 hy order of the admiral, for the purpose of con- 
 veying Sir Manley Power to Malta. On Satur- 
 day and Sunday it blew heavily, and not a few 
 of us suffered. On Tuesday it became calm, 
 and a shark about six feet long was observed 
 following the ship, accompanied by six or 
 eight prettily marked fish, caWed pilot-Jish. We 
 endeavoured to hook him, but could not suc- 
 ceed, and he was at last shot by an officer of 
 the ship, Lieut. Christie, an admirable marks- 
 man : the ball entered his neck, and appeared 
 to have penetrated the heart ; he rolled over, 
 and, before a boat could be lowered, sunk to 
 the bottom. 
 
 Wednesday^ 1st Dec. — This day and yester- 
 day the men were ordered to fire the main- 
 deck guns at a mark, about one hundred and 
 fifty yards distant. Several excellent shots 
 were made. Still calm. 
 
 Thursday^ 2d Dec. — A fine breeze, " fair 
 as breeze may be,^' sprang up last night, and 
 has continued all the day. Early this morn- 
 ing we passed Monte Christi, Pianoso, and the 
 Isle of Elba on the right, with the high land 
 of Corsica on the left. The sun, breaking with 
 difficulty through a thick cloud, gilded the 
 
GENOA. 71 
 
 snowy tops of the mountains with a bright 
 rosy tinge. About noon we passed Cape Corso, 
 and expect to reach our destination to-night. 
 
 Friday, 3d Dec. — Early this morning we 
 come in sight of " Genoa la Superbe/' as it 
 has been styled ; and certainly the beauty of 
 its situation may warrant the appellation. It 
 is built at the foot of the Appennines, which 
 tower majestically around it. To the East, as 
 we entered the bay, the rising sun gilded the 
 highest peaks of the mountains, which were 
 then enveloped in snow; and on the West, the 
 dark purple cope of the morning discovered to 
 us the outline of another bay, of considerable 
 extent. The scenery here appears as if the 
 waves of the sea had risen " mountains high,'' 
 and in that position had been struck like the 
 Phseacian ship in the Odyssey, by the angry 
 power of Neptune. The undulations are a 
 remarkable object in the spectacle, and supply 
 its greatest charm. 
 
 Genoa is situated in a kind of amphitheatre, 
 and its suburbs extend for many miles along 
 the sea-shore. The numbers^of detached villas, 
 seated on every eminence, seem like stragglers 
 from the main flock, which repose in the sun- 
 
72 GENOA— PALACES— FEMALE ATTIRE. 
 
 shine on a lower and more distant point. The 
 mole, on which the light-house stands, has been 
 a work of some labour, and adds to the pic- 
 turesque appearance of the bay. But the town 
 itself by no means corresponds with the ideas 
 which the approach to it inspires. The streets 
 are extremely narrow ; and, with the excep- 
 tion of one or two, most miserable. There are, 
 however, some magnificent palaces, although 
 not, in their present state, sufficient to justify 
 Madame de Stael's high-flown assertion, that 
 the main street (the Strada Nuova) seems built 
 for a " congress of kings/' Most of them have 
 been painted externally, but the paint is now 
 nearly effaced. Many of the noblest stair- 
 cases are dilapidated ; and the venders of fruits, 
 engravings, Sec. occupy the lower parts of the 
 deserted mansion. The most striking thing in 
 Genoa, is the gay 7nantilla of the females, 
 although it is by no means general, the ma- 
 jority confining themselves to a simple white. 
 It is sufficiently worn, however, to give a pe- 
 culiar and picturesque air to their appearance, 
 which is much increased by the regular and 
 handsome features exhibited beneath. This, 
 added to the cleanliness of their persons, gives 
 
GENOA— DUCAL PALACE. 
 
 73 
 
 them a decided superiority over women of the 
 like class at Naples. Yet the same disgusting 
 smells prevail in the streets of Genoa; and 
 garlick, in all its various degrees of rankness, 
 breathes a sort of pestilence around them. 
 
 As the birth-place of Columbus and Andrea 
 d' Auria, Genoa is entitled to respect ; but it 
 retains few monuments of antiquity, and those 
 are of minor interest. Its paintings, indeed, 
 which are numerous and rich, will long con- 
 tinue to attract the stranger ; and the marble 
 statues, which decorate some of its palaces and 
 churches, are, no doubt, deserving every at- 
 tention. But with few exceptions, I should 
 describe Genoa, notwithstanding what has 
 been said of its commercial importance, as 
 one vast ruin. The principal palaces are un- 
 inhabited and desolate; and even the resi- 
 dence of the celebrated D 'Auria is neglected 
 and hastening rapidly to decay. His statue 
 has not found a better fate : stones, " weeds, 
 and ordure, rankle round the base/' 
 
 The Ducal palace, (destroyed by fire in 1777? 
 two years previous to the change of govern- 
 ment,) a building of considerable extent, has 
 been converted into public offices. It contains 
 
74- GENOA— SACRO GATING. 
 
 a magnificent saloon, where the Senate meet, 
 ornamented with paintings in stucco, and 
 marble pillars of the Corinthian order. A 
 gallery for the convenience of spectators runs 
 along the summit. They shew here the prow 
 of a Roman ship, said to be the remains of one 
 employed in the defence of Genoa against 
 Mago, the Carthagenian general. The reader 
 may believe or reject this story, as he thinks 
 proper. 
 
 Amongst the other marvels of Genoa, there 
 is an extraordinary cup, entitled Sacro Catino, 
 which has been the subject of much discussion. 
 It ought to be mentioned in an account of the 
 Cathedral of St. Laurence ; but, as it is doubt- 
 ful whether I shall think it meet to gratify the 
 reader in this case, although the church in 
 question resembles a marble magpie, and has 
 the unfortunate Saint, after whom it is named, 
 broihng upon a gridiron above its gate, I shall 
 proceed to extract from an authentic history 
 whatever the Genoese have thought good to 
 promulgate concerning it. And here, again, 
 I submit the account to the pleasure of the 
 reader. 
 
 " On conserve, dans la sacristie de cette 
 
GENOA— SACRO CATINO. 75 
 
 Metropolitaine, un monument des plus pre- 
 cieux que Ton connaisse ; c'est le vase d^Eme- 
 raude, connu da7is toute la ChretiSmietS sur 
 le nom de Sacro Catino, trouve a la prise de 
 Cesaree en la Palestine, faite par le vaillant 
 Guillaume Embriaco en 1101. Ce vase fut 
 choisi par les Genois de preference a tons les 
 biens de la ville. Le gouvernement Fran^ais 
 s'en empara en 1809? et il fut transporte a 
 Paris jusqu'a la paix de 1815, qui fut rendu 
 avec tous les objets d'arts enleves pendant la 
 Revolution. II est gard6 soigneusement, et 
 on obtient difficilement la permission de le 
 voir. La grandeur de ce Catino est d^un pan 
 sept onces et demie, mesure de Genes, sa cir- 
 conference est de cinq pans moins un once ; il 
 est de forme exagone ayant deux anses, dont 
 une est polie et Tautre ebauchee. On pretend 
 que c^est dans ce vase que Notre Seigneur 
 mangea VAgneau pascal avec ses disciples. 
 Les critiques les plus habiles ne sont pas d'ac- 
 cord sur cette pretention, quoiqu^il en soit, c'est 
 une piece precieuse et fort ancienne, puisque Ton 
 va jusqu'a dire, quelle faisait partie des presens 
 que la Reine de Saba offrit d, Salomon et qui, 
 etaient gardes dans les tresors du temple J' 
 
76 GENOA— SACRO CATINO— CHURCH OF- NOTRE DAME. 
 
 This venerable Emerald cup was carefully 
 examined by the French savans, and ascer- 
 tained, beyond doubt, to be composed of 
 glass ! But the remainder of its merits is, I 
 suppose, yet under consideration. Could an- 
 tiquaries prove it to have belonged to the 
 queen of Sheba, they might probably trace up 
 its origin still higher? Who knows but that 
 Adam may have presented it to Methuselah ; 
 who might hand it to Noah. Noah might trans- 
 mit it to Shem, Ham, or Japheth ; and Shem, 
 Ham, or Japheth, to some of their acquaint- 
 ance. How the queen of Sheba came by it, 
 may not be quite clear; but since she presented 
 it to Solomon, there can be no dispute about 
 her having possessed it. Harder matters than 
 this have been got over ; and the public may 
 shortly expect to see a profound dissertation 
 on the subject. I wish, with all my heart, 
 that this point was satisfactorily determined ; 
 not only for the comfort of the Genoese, but 
 for the honour of Solomon, and the queen of 
 Sheba. 
 
 The Church of Notre Dame des Vignes, is 
 one of the most ancient and distinguished. The 
 nave is supported by sixteen columns of solid 
 
GEXOA— CHURCH OF ST. MARY DE CARIGNAN. 77 
 
 marble, and the ceiling beautifully painted by 
 Paganetto. But then, that which renders it 
 remarkable, is " un tableau de la Sainte Vierge, 
 trouve miraculeusement en 1603/' 
 
 However, in despite of the surprising circum- 
 stance here recorded, the most beautiful struc- 
 ture in Genoa, in my opinion, is the Church 
 of St. Mary de Carignan. It was built at the 
 sole expence of the family of Saoli, in imita- 
 tion, as it is said, of St. Peter's at Rome. But 
 the similarity is denied by Mr. Eustace. One 
 great merit of this building is the chaste and 
 simple style of the decorations of its interior, 
 contrasted with the vitiated taste of the rest of 
 the Genoese churches. Four colossal statues 
 by Puget are admirable ; and especially one of 
 St. Sebastian undergoing the tortures of mar- 
 tyrdom. The face is marked by an expression 
 of the keenest agony ; and the body seems 
 actually to writhe in the bitterness of mortal 
 suffering. Here are some fine pictures also 
 by Piola, Carlo Maratti, Procaccini, and 
 Guercino. From the gallery of the highest 
 cupola, there is an extensive prospect of Genoa 
 on the East ; and on the opposite quarter, the 
 
 eye enjoys a beautiful diversity of mountains 
 13 
 
78 GENOA— BRIDGE OF CARIGNAN. 
 
 and valleys, country seats, and trelliced walks, 
 covered with vines. To the right is the sea ; 
 over which fishing-boats skim with their felucca 
 sails. Further on is a large bay ; and to the 
 left rise the mountains, crowned with fortified 
 posts : here and there a church, with other 
 picturesque appearances. On a fine day the 
 Island of Corso can be distinguished from this 
 point. Close by the church is the bridge of 
 Carignan, which unites two hills. It is com- 
 posed of seven arches, but has little to recom- 
 mend it except its immense elevation. A street 
 is below, and the tops of the loftiest houses, 
 though many of them seven stories high, are 
 seen far beneath it. At this time they were 
 drying wheat, which was spread out in nicely 
 arranged portions upon the pavement of the 
 bridge. 
 
 The Hon. Captain Spenser, of the Naiad, 
 sailed a few days before our arrival at Genoa. 
 He brought the Sardinian court information of 
 a pacific arrangement having been made with 
 the Algerine powers, in place of an expected 
 war. It seems his most gracious majesty 
 was so delighted with the intelligence, that 
 he ordered on board, as a present to the 
 
 15 
 
GENOA— THEATRICAL REPRESENTATIONS. 79 
 
 English frigate, a calf and a basket of vege- 
 tables. Captain Spenser directed the consul 
 to pay for them, supposing, perhaps, that such 
 unbounded liberality might reduce too ma- 
 terially the state's revenue ! — A consideration 
 highly laudable, and which, I trust, his majesty 
 will duly estimate. 
 
 Tuesday, 7th Dec. — On Monday evening 
 I was present at the representation of one 
 of Goldoni's comedies, at the theatre San 
 Augustino : I thought the acting excellent. 
 This evening the puppets, at one of the minor 
 theatres, afforded me considerable diversion. 
 The plot, as far as I could understand it, re- 
 presented a nun, who had transgressed her 
 vows. ' She is struck with remorse, and con- 
 sumes her days in " penitence and prayer.'' 
 The devil, enraged at the loss of a proselyte, 
 endeavours to draw her back into error, but is 
 put to flight by a furious speech of her con- 
 fessor, who enters during the struggle. The 
 last scene discovers the penitent on her death- 
 bed, and the monk exhorting her to be of 
 good cheer. The whole of this was admirable. 
 The faint melancholy tones of the expiring 
 sinner, her mental and corporeal exhaustion, 
 
80 GENOA— THEATRICAL REPRESENTATIONS. 
 
 were excellently well acted. The puppet, at 
 intervals, elevated the hands and the head, so 
 as to give great effect to what was going on. 
 Perhaps an exception might be taken to the 
 colour of the cheeks ; they were certainly too 
 rubious ; yet the spectator might indeed have 
 concluded, that her repentance was of a most 
 cor Jia/ nature. But, in short, infinitely more pa- 
 thos was manifested than I should have thought 
 it possible to represent by mechanism. An 
 interlude followed, representing harlequin and 
 his wife dancing to the music of three grotesque 
 figures. This ended in a battle-royal, and so, 
 exeunt oinnes. The concluding part of the 
 performance was very long and very stupid. 
 It consisted in a succession of scenes without 
 meaning, save that it appeared a most un- 
 happy effort to dramatize certain passages of 
 Ariosto. There were grifBns and hypogriffins, 
 Archimagos and Bradamantes, " tag-rag and 
 bob-tail three or four scores.^' I employed 
 the whole of this day in running over certain 
 palaces ; the Cambrian having been detained 
 by contrary winds. It was, indeed, the Cap- 
 taints intention to sail on the very day of our 
 arrival, provided Sir Manley and Lady Power 
 
EXCURSIVE REMARKS. 81 
 
 could SO arrange it. But his sister-in-law, a 
 daughter of Lieutenant-General Cockburn, 
 happening to be then in Genoa, Sunday was 
 fixed for our departure. Unfavourable weather 
 has since kept us in harbour. 
 
 I wish to observe, that in the desultory ob- 
 servations I have made relating to the capital 
 of Liguria, I have been led by a desire to avoid 
 as much as possible the common track of other 
 travellers ; not only because of the small degree 
 of interest which it appears to me this place is 
 capable of exciting ; but because it would only 
 be a wearisome repetition of what others have 
 said. I have, therefore, omitted many things 
 which might, perhaps, have been detailed in a 
 journal, as well in this as at other places which 
 we have visited. I have no intention to pre- 
 sent a guide-book to the public. Whatever 
 strikes me, I shall commit to paper ; embodying 
 such reflections as the occasion may suggest, 
 without much regard to systematic arrange- 
 ment. Details of pictures, and statues, and 
 palaces, are, at best, but a mawkish kind of 
 reading :— people rarely agree about these 
 things, or rise much better or wiser from the 
 perusal. And it would be impossible to con- 
 
 VOL. I. G 
 
82 EXCURSIVE REMARKS. 
 
 vey, even to an amateur, any considerable 
 portion of that pleasure which an inspection 
 of the originals may have produced. But the 
 majority of mankind are not amateurs ; and, 
 of those who call themselves such, how many 
 are governed by affectation, by fashion, — by 
 any thing but a real taste. A book, therefore, 
 which abounds much in these matters, may 
 not be a bad book ; but the chances are greatly 
 in favour of its being thought so. In reality, 
 these are subjects which should be seen, — not 
 read of; examined in person, — not judged of 
 at second-hand. As a taste for them cannot 
 be acquired by reading, so neither by reading 
 can a matured taste find a solid gratification. 
 It is the feast of the Barmecide ; subtile, un- 
 substantial fare ; a vapour exhaled by the ap- 
 petite, and lost in the warmth of its embrace. 
 Descriptions of natural objects, on the other 
 hand, I shall omit no opportunity of giving. 
 Here the scene lives — breathes : art has not 
 contaminated its beauty, nor diminished the 
 brilliancy of its character. Instead of a feeble 
 copy, the eye dwells upon a glowing original, 
 and the impression, which it carries to the 
 feelings, has a vividness and a fidelity of re- 
 
RETURN TO MALTA. S3 
 
 flection which not unfrequently penetrates to 
 the heart of the reader. It may be conse- 
 crated by the past glory of man, or it may 
 exist only in its own; but in either case it 
 speaks with all the luxury of sentiment, and 
 all the loveliness of truth. 
 
 Wednesday^ Sth Dec. — Early this morning 
 a gun was fired from the ship as a signal for 
 departure. About nine o^clock Major General 
 Sir Manley Power and his family came on 
 board, and the Cambrian set sail immediately 
 after. 
 
 The swell has been considerable to-day, 
 though it is now perfectly calm. 
 
 Friday, 10th Dec. — This morning we passed 
 the Islands of Gorgona and Capriara, blowing 
 pretty freshly. Elba and Monte Christi were 
 on our lee-bow about noon. 
 
 Monday, 13th Dec. — It blew exceedingly 
 hard all yesterday night, but the wind was 
 fair ; they term it a Grecario, it is the north- 
 east, and by seven this morning brought us to 
 Malta. The waves ran high, and dashed beau- 
 tifully against the rocks as we entered the har- 
 bour of Valetta. 
 
 In the evening was the first public ball of 
 G 2 
 
84 MALTA— MRS. CHARLES FOX. 
 
 this season. The assembly room, once the re- 
 sidence of a knight of Malta, is of magnificent 
 dimensions, as indeed most of their houses 
 were. It possesses a property in which others 
 are deficient, that of having a boarded floor, 
 but the value of this is very greatly diminished 
 by the customary flooring of stone beneath. 
 However, as there is not another thing of the 
 kind in the island, it must be considered a 
 great acquisition. I had the pleasure to meet 
 again Captain (now Major) and Mrs. Fox at 
 this ball, who, it seems, have fixed their resi- 
 dence at La Floriana, about a mile distant from 
 the capital. Mrs. Fox is looking remarkably 
 well, and appears highly satisfied with her new 
 abode : this pleases me, for very few have the 
 power of creating and securing esteem more 
 effectually than Mrs. Charles Fox. The truly 
 feminine softness of her manner, aided by the 
 kindness and goodness of her heart, possesses 
 an almost irresistible attraction, and leaves her 
 friends doubtful whether she should be prized 
 more for the gentleness of disposition which 
 prompts, or for the natural delicacy of character 
 which envelopes and embalms her every action. 
 For many a really kind feeling has been ren- 
 
REMARKS ON MANNERS. 85 
 
 dered nugatory by the method which some 
 people adopt in discovering it; and many a 
 good deed has become inefficient and revolt- 
 ing, merely from the want of a delicate consi- 
 deration, a generous expression as well as a 
 generous thought. It is the failure in this 
 which makes obligations so odious, and ingrati- 
 tude so common. Motives are apt to be mis- 
 taken, not less when favours are conferred than 
 when they are denied; and I have frequently 
 known more pain communicated by the first 
 than by the second : all this arises purely from 
 manner, and therefore I feel justified in ap- 
 plauding, and even in joining it (where they 
 both equally exist) with the native feeling 
 which precedes and probably generates it. I 
 would almost lay it down as an axiom, that 
 a benevolent feeling will necessarily produce 
 benevolent expression, whatever may be the 
 harshness of feature, or general want of polish, 
 in the individual who experiences it ; and that 
 whenever it is otherwise all is not as it should 
 be. There is a material defect somewhere ; 
 and I am also persuaded that this expression, 
 when not the result of its proper feeling, can 
 never be assumed : imitation and artifice may 
 
86 MALTA— EXCURSION TO ST. A^ITONIO. 
 
 do much, but they cannot vary with circum- 
 stances so minute as are required here; they 
 cannot copy what they neither see nor under- 
 stand ; a general outhne may in some cases be 
 caught up, but it will scarcely deceive the most 
 inexperienced. It is the genuine child of sym- 
 pathy, the natural consequence of an under- 
 standing head and a feeling heart, and without 
 these the master-chord of another's bosom will 
 never respond. 
 
 Major Fox on this occasion introduced me 
 to the Rev. Mr. Cleugh, the government chap- 
 lain. I think him a valuable acquaintance. 
 
 Tuesday, 14th Dec. — I breakfasted with Mr. 
 Cleugh, and afterv/ards rode with him to St. 
 Antonio, a country seat of the Marquis of 
 Hastings. The prospect is very peculiar; it 
 resembles a desolate waste with a few strag- 
 gling patches of verdure in certain fortunate 
 situations ; yet even these the dryness of the 
 soil, which is chiefly formed of the pounded 
 rock and perchance some minute particles of 
 compost, togedier with the warmth of the at- 
 mosphere, render so parched that a bright spot 
 of green is seldom visible. In some places it 
 is impossible for a caleche to travel ; and one 
 
MALTA— MODE OF CATCHING tRAWNS. 87 
 
 is surprized that even the sure-footed ponies, 
 so common in this country, can maintain their 
 ground. As we passed along, a number of 
 Maltese were fishing in an angle of the harbour 
 for shrimps, or rather prawns, which alone are 
 caught here. Their method is, to drop small 
 nets attached to a hoop into the water, with 
 baits fastened to the meshes; a cork, connected 
 with the net, floats above, and this apparatus is 
 deposited at intervals along the shore. They 
 pass from one to another, and examine their 
 contents by means of a kind of wooden fork 
 with two prongs, which catches hold of the 
 float and raises the net. Half a dozen prawns 
 at a time is as much as they catch ; but their 
 patience, or as others term it, their indolence, 
 is invincible. In returning we passed an aque- 
 duct of some importance, which communicates 
 with La Valetta ; — this work was eftected by 
 the knights of Malta : the harbours form beau- 
 tiful objects from a great variety of points, 
 dividing one town from another on each side 
 of the capitol : thus it may be called a moun- 
 tain Venice, or as Lord Byron has said of the 
 latter, with less propriety perhaps, 
 
^8 MALTA— SEARCH FOR BOOKS. 
 
 " She looks a sea Cybele, fresh from oceair^ 
 
 Rising with her tiara of proud towers 
 At airy distance, with majestic motion, 
 A ruler of the waters and their powers :"" 
 
 for the town is built upon a rock of consider- 
 able magnitude, and a small Grecian temple, 
 erected to the memory of Sir Alexander Ball, 
 crowns the summit of the point which first 
 catches the eye on entering the harbour of 
 Valetta. Besides which, the surrounding forti- 
 fications, which w ind in every possible diversity 
 of form, might give an additional impulse to 
 an imaginative mind : — to such I leave the 
 matter. 
 
 IVednesday, 15fh Dec. — This day was em- 
 ployed in rambling up and down Valetta in 
 pursuit of old books : many a dusty volume 
 did I turn over, and many a fat w^orm trembled 
 in its narrow confines as I adventured forth. I 
 found little, however, of moment ; though from 
 the various revolutions which Malta has seen, 
 and the probable ransacking of the monastery, 
 libraries, &c. some curious volumes might have 
 been looked for ; but I apprehend that there 
 have been some diligent investigators before 
 me. Amongst others, I obtained *' Traite de 
 
MALTA— EMANUEL PINTO. 89 
 
 rAdministration des Bois de TOrdre de Malte, 
 dependans de ses Grands-Prieures, Bailliages 
 et Commanderies dans le Royaume de France/' 
 Printed at Paris in 4to. 1757, " avec appro- 
 bation et permission/* This book is a presenta- 
 tion copy from the author to the Grand Master 
 Emanuel Pinto, the last Superior, as he is 
 called, of the order. In courage and ability 
 he equalled at least, if he did not surpass, the 
 most celebrated of his predecessors; and the 
 weakness and inanity of the few who succeeded 
 him place them out of all competition. The 
 book in question is handsomely bound in Russia, 
 with the arms of the grand master stamped and 
 gilded on the back : it seems to have been 
 published anonymously, but this being a pre- 
 sentation copy the author's name is subscribed 
 in manuscript at the close of the Epistle De- 
 dicatory. It appertains to the conservation of 
 the woods belonging to the order, with forms 
 of various instruments relating thereto. Ano- 
 ther volume, a thin quarto, printed at Lyons 
 in 1755, is entitled " Modele pour Servir a la 
 Reception de Messieurs les Chevaliers de Malte.'' 
 The author, M. Le Chevalier de Laube de 
 Bron, Commendeur de Tortebesse, informs us 
 
90 MALTESE POETRY. 
 
 in the preface, that he was desired by the ve- 
 nerable Tongue of Auvergne to undertake this 
 work, but that for a long time a prudent mis- 
 trust of his own powers induced him to decline 
 it ; at last " il s'est cru oblige de se preter aux 
 volont6s du corps/^ This work, as well as the 
 other, is valuable from having been published 
 under the control of the order. 
 
 In a small quarto volume of tracts appears a 
 curious Latin speech of Pope Clement XIV. to 
 the Secret Consistory; an academical exercise; 
 a sermon, preached in the Maltese Cathedral 
 on the shipwreck of St. Paul, " primario tute- 
 lare dell' isole di Malta, e Gozzo,'' by P. Gio. 
 Maria Regnaud, a Jesuit, in 1749 ; with a se- 
 cond, on the Apostle's conversion. There is 
 also a theological disputation ; but the greatest 
 curiosity in the volume is a host of fulsome 
 panegyrics, alternately in Italian and Latin, by 
 a Maltese poet, ycleped Damiro Carisio. The 
 subject is the fifth anniversary of the Grand 
 Mastership of Emanuel de Rohan. It is printed 
 in Malta 1780, and dedicated to " his most 
 serene highness.'' The reader shall be made 
 happy with a specimen of the larger effusions. 
 Tlie following opens the Latin poem. 
 
MALTESE POETRY. 91 
 
 " Quo vehor 6 Vates ? procul 6 procul este profani : 
 Limina jamque datum Phcebeae scandere sedis 
 Est mihi, et Aonidum latices haurire perennes. 
 Eja, age, rumpe moras, Dea Candida, rumpe, celerque 
 Aoniam mentem Vati mihi conde canenti : 
 Tuque prior preesens claro de sanguine cretus 
 Hue ades, 6 Princeps, nostrisque allabere cceptis. 
 Fallor eo;o ? en subito ccelestis fulg-or ab axe 
 Mortales hebetat visus, mentemque recursat 
 Irradians, crebra tellus sub luce refulsit : 
 Quales ingeminant abruptis nubibus ignes, 
 Horrida cum coelo eripuit mortalibus segris 
 Tempestas sine mor^ diem, lucemque fugavit ; 
 Hinc exaudiri magnum per inane fragores 
 Aligerum glomerata phalanx audita sonantes 
 Pulsare et cytheras, numerosque intendere nervis ; 
 Candida cceruleas fluitant vexilla per auras 
 Clara micanti auro, positisque ex ordine gemmis : 
 Gloria devehitur curru connixa nitenti 
 Visa Dea incessu rosea cervice refulgens, 
 iEthereumque levis summum perlabitur axem : 
 Dulcia coelesti testatur gaudia plausu" — 
 
 But can the most gentle reader apprehend a 
 reason for all this exquisite hubbub ? Surely 
 
 *' Quod Rohan Emanuel, sceptris qui temperat urbem, 
 Cui studuit coelum, felix jam conficit annum 
 Imperii quintum, protendens nomen in aevum !" 
 
 Thursday, l6th Dec, — I had made an ap- 
 
92 MALTA^BARRENNESS OF THE SOIL. 
 
 pointment with Mr. Cleugh to ride this morn- 
 ing to a singular valley, denominated (kut 
 e^o^Wi I imagine,) the strong valley. It is very 
 curious in its way, and resembles the exhausted 
 bed of a river. The soil, as we rode along, 
 barely covered the rock ; and the scanty vege- 
 tation seemed like the violent struggle of nature 
 and necessity for conquest. 
 
 " Truly to speak, sir, and, with no addition. 
 To pay five ducats, five, I w^ould not farm it." 
 
 The carubba, which is the only tree in Malta 
 that appears to flourish, affords the chief part of 
 the subsistence of the islanders. It yields a kind 
 of bean which is also given to cattle ; and in- 
 deed the food of their masters is seldom other, 
 or better. This fruit, with a little fish, satisfies 
 them ; but the latter is scarce. This easiness 
 of obtaining a bare existence, if it have not 
 rendered them indolent, has probably contri- 
 buted to make them appear so. Being content 
 with little, and the produce which their country 
 supplies being attainable by creating, not till- 
 ing, a soil ; by communicating verdure to the 
 rock, not by directing or assisting a natural 
 fertility ; no wonder if they should look with 
 
MALTA— DIFFICULTY OF CULTURE. 93 
 
 despair upon a labour so unpromising, and 
 turn with disgust from hardships for which they 
 can expect so sHght a remuneration. Yet 
 wherever industry would be available, they ap- 
 pear readily to have exercised it. The valley, 
 of which I speak, bears ample testimony to 
 this truth. The smallest space, whether upon 
 the summit or upon the sides of the rock, has 
 had the stone broken and cultivated ; walls are 
 raised for inclosures; and steps, constructed 
 with much neatness and skill, afford a passage 
 upward from one field or compartment to ano- 
 ther. These places are open to every incle- 
 mency of the weather ; and though its muta- 
 tions are rare, yet in the rainy season, the 
 water rushes down with tremendous force, and, 
 in a single night, sweeps away the whole ex- 
 pected harvest of the husbandman. But his 
 perseverance is greater than his loss ; he re- 
 sumes his laborious occupation beneath a burn- 
 ing sun, and gathers, at last, the very limited 
 recompence which nature's parsimony admits. 
 The excessive idleness of the Maltese has been 
 too much and too invidiously dwelt upon. In- 
 stances to the contrary there are of course ; 
 but the native character appears to me dis- 
 
94 
 
 CHARACTER OF THE MALTESE. 
 
 posed to activity. Subjugated as they have 
 been, and rendered the tool of every faction, 
 ecclesiastical as well as civil, can we be sur- 
 prised that they should then shun the labour of 
 which they were not permitted to eat the fruit ; 
 and, becoming habituated to idleness, can we 
 imagine that they should cast off long-existing 
 evils at the beck of a new government; or, 
 that years should not elapse before they could 
 assume a more energetic character, and a 
 manlier tone of mind ? It has been confessed 
 to me, that they are skilful workmen, and good 
 soldiers, (there is a corps in the pay of the 
 government,) and I see continual proofs of a 
 persevering industry, from which those who 
 hold them cheap would turn away in despair, 
 yet I hear every where the cant of their lazi- 
 ness ; whereas a strenuous effort to improve 
 and amend them would better become the 
 station and the heart of the prejudiced de- 
 claimer. Civilization will never go forward as 
 it ought, if such feelings continue to dwell 
 in the minds of those who are alone able 
 to give this people effectual assistance ; and 
 if so much narrow calculation, as commonly 
 occupies the thoughts of those in whose way 
 
MALTA—CURIOUS MANUSCRIPT. 95 
 
 they are thrown, should continue to prevail, 
 it will be vain to look for that reciprocity 
 of spirit and sentiment, which can alone 
 indissolubly unite two remote and differing 
 people. 
 
 The evening of this day was occupied by a 
 pleasant dance at Major Fox's. 
 
 Friday, 17th Dec. — I resumed my search 
 after books, and discovered one or two upon 
 which I set some value. For instance, a very 
 beautiful manuscript, entitled, " Regies et 
 Maximes des Statuts de I'Ordre de Malte. 
 Pour Messire Anthoine de Sade Eyguieres 
 Commendeur d'Espalion en 1715.'* This work 
 being unpublished, and containing a full ac- 
 count of all the regulations touching the knights 
 of Malta, is extremely interesting. And the 
 authenticity of its details is obvious, from its 
 having been drawn up under the direction and 
 for the use of a commander of the order. It 
 is a tolerably thick quarto, comprising 423 
 closely-written pages, together with a copious 
 index. It seems to have been three years in 
 progress, if we may trust the first page of the 
 MS. " A Malte le premier jour du mois de 
 Janvier de I'annee 1712." There is, -indeed, 
 
 15 
 
96 MALTA— CURIOUS MANUSCRIPT. 
 
 much curious matter in it. As for instance, 
 " De la table du pillier" 
 
 " First, — Two soups, without garnish ; two 
 dishes of boiled veal, weighing ten pounds and 
 a half each. 
 
 " Two dishes of roasted mutton, weighing 
 ten pounds each ; the dish du regale of nine 
 singing birds, when the grand commander eats 
 there, besides four roasted pigeons. 
 
 " Item^ — Two dishes of fricassee ; two plates 
 of radishes, figs, or melons, according to the 
 season; two dishes of boiled mutton for the 
 valets of the ancients, who eat in the pillary, 
 (au pillier ;) seven grains a day to each of 
 the ancients for two other dishes of fricassee, 
 that they may serve three grains in the morn- 
 ing and four grains at night ; six dishes of de- 
 sert according to the season.^^ 
 
 And then of those who eat at the Aube?^ge, 
 it seems, that they were not to spill their wine 
 upon the ground " on pain of the seton, (' sur 
 peine de la settane^;)" nor to carry out of it 
 any kind of provision on the same singular 
 penalty. Also, whoever complains " fnal-a- 
 propos," as the MS. phrases it, of what is 
 13 
 
MALTA— CURIOUS MANUSCRIPT. 97 
 
 given at the Auberge, " pour la premiere fois 
 la settane et seconde aussy/' 
 
 Whoever beats the valets of the Pillary, but 
 without shedding blood, was, for the first 
 offence, to be condemned to a quarantine, — a 
 fast of forty days ; for the second, six months' 
 fast in the day time ; for the third, he lost two 
 years of seniority. Nobody was to enter the 
 kitchen against the will and pleasure of the 
 " maistre de sale," on penalty of the seton for 
 the first and second offence, the quarantine for 
 the third. 
 
 " The ancients of France, Italy, Spain, and 
 Germany, eat with the grand master on feast 
 days. They did not wash their hands at the 
 conclusion of the repast as the others did ; but 
 went from the table, and placed themselves 
 behind the chair of the grand master, who 
 ought to oblige them to cover." [Faire couvrer 
 — perhaps the table.~\ 
 
 " When the pillar of England goes to court, 
 the grand master ought to salute him with the 
 hat, and to make him cover when he goes to 
 see him dine. He eats with the grand master 
 when he goes to see him in the country/' — 
 Et cat era. 
 
 VOL. I. H 
 
98 MALTA— CATHOLIC ORDINATION. 
 
 Saturday^ 18th Dec. — I was present, by ac;- 
 cident, at a Catholic ordination of priests, in 
 the cathedral church of St. John. The bishop 
 is a corpulent creature, and remarkable, if re- 
 port speak truly, more for being a bon vivant, 
 and an amour eux, than for devotion. Some 
 disgraceful stories are related of him. The 
 most striking point of the ordination in ques- 
 tion, was this : the cope of the candidate was 
 rolled to the top of his back, and after the 
 laying on of hands, was unrolled by the bishop, 
 who flung it behind the kneeling person. He 
 wore a pasteboard mitre, embossed and gilt, 
 to which two broad strings were appended. 
 The crowd consisted chiefly of women and 
 children. 
 
 Sunday^ 19th Dec. — I preached at the cha- 
 pel of the palace, and dined with the Reverend. 
 John T. H. Le Mesurier, chaplain to the forces., 
 I heard a curious story of the attachment of 
 an old Maltese to his goat. He was upwards 
 of eighty years of age, and lived entirely apart 
 from all society. Without family, and almost 
 without friends, his goat had been a cherished 
 object from its birth ; and he had so accustomed 
 himself to its society, that he seemed not to 
 
ANECDOTE OF A MALTESE AND HIS GOAT. 99 
 
 teel the want or the wish for any other. It 
 happened, that some inconstancy on the part 
 of the goat led it to ramble from the humble 
 residence of its aged friend, and it found its 
 way to the house of the gentleman where I 
 heard the story. The old Maltese fell into the 
 greatest tribulation ; he sought for it all over 
 Floricma, and, for a time, without success. At 
 last he discovered where the truant had retired ; 
 thither he went, and had no sooner beheld it 
 than he burst into a flood of tears. He em- 
 braced and kissed it, with every demonstration 
 of extreme joy, and nothing would prevail upon 
 him to quit the sight of it for a single moment. 
 The goat too shewed considerable signs of re- 
 pentance, and returned joyfully to her old 
 abode. I remembered the story of the captive 
 who cultivated an intimacy with a spider ; the 
 agony ascribed to him when it fell by the 
 wanton brutality of his keeper; and it appeared 
 to turn upon the same desolateness of feeling, 
 the same necessity for some object on which 
 to fix the social affections. One would have 
 thought, that eighty years had dried up the 
 fount of sensibility, and that the humble con- 
 dition of his life would have converted all such 
 
 H 2 
 
100 MALTA-PUBLIC LIBRARY. 
 
 emotions into a cureless apathy. Conceive an 
 old sallow-complexioned creature, with grey 
 dirty hair, exhaling garlick, and girded with 
 threadbare rags ; and then imagine him giving 
 vent to the feelings of a full heart, while he 
 clasped his recovered goat with even more than 
 youthful enthusiasm ! Such a picture is but 
 rarely to be met with. 
 
 Monday, 20th Dec. — The public library of 
 Malta, where I spent the greater part of this 
 morning, is a good building, and of ample 
 size. The books are not classed with much 
 judgment, and indeed have, until the appoint- 
 ment of the present obliging librarian, the 
 Abbe Bellanti, been greatly neglected, or ra- 
 ther injured. For it seems the French helped 
 themselves to the best portion, and left the re- 
 mainder in a state of ruinous disorder. A fine 
 large-paper copy of Walton^s Polyglott has 
 been preserved here, with an Arabic or Maltese 
 Bible, ornamented with beautiful engravings. 
 
 We have experienced the greatest civility 
 from all quarters, save in my own person, and 
 tremble thou unhappy varlet ! save from the 
 over-looker of the Botanic Garden at Floriana. 
 Kightly have I named him ; while I loitered 
 
MALTA— BOTANIC GARDEN— ANECDOTE. 101 
 
 within his precincts, this wicked gardener did 
 overlook me, and locked me up to study 
 botany, and watch the motions of a brace of 
 becaficas which were hopping unconcernedly 
 from spray to spray. I waited patiently, nay, 
 with very singular patience, till I could wait 
 no longer ! And then I reared a huge ladder, 
 drew it with great difficulty and some danger 
 over a high wall, and descended, muttering 
 no light anathema upon the abominable gar- 
 dener. Verily, 
 
 " My indignation boileth like a pot. 
 An over-heated pot, still, still it boileth ; 
 It boileth, and it bubbleth with disdain."^ 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Tuesday, 2lst Dec. — Set sail from Malta, 
 and ran, with a fair wind, up the arches, as the 
 Archipelago is termed by seamen ; a term which 
 future ages will pore over and elucidate by 
 many a sagacious commentary. 
 
 Thursday, 2od Dec. — Stood off Cerigo, — 
 the ancient Cythera, this morning. The for- 
 tress is in possession of an English garrison. 
 A boat was sent on shore with letters, while 
 the Cambrian lay to for her return. The com- 
 manding officer, unadvisedly as it would seem, 
 came back in the boat, by which circumstance 
 we were detained during the whole day. 
 
 Friday, 24th Dec. — Off Milo, where we 
 took in a pilot. This town is situated upon 
 a rock, at the foot of which is a fine bay, 
 containing numerous inlets of great beauty. 
 Several curious rocks rise up at the entrance ; 
 
MILO— METHODIST MISSIONARY. 103 
 
 of these Anti-milo is considered the largest. A 
 barren rock to the left is pointed out as the 
 residence of one Dromede, a school-master, 
 who went thither with his scholars for the sake 
 of retirement. The matter is not worth much 
 notice. At Milo I distributed four modern 
 Greek Testaments, and four Italian ; being part 
 of a quantity sent to Captain Harhilton, for that 
 purpose, by the Bible Society *. The captain 
 desired me to undertake the distribution. 
 
 Mr. Wilson, a missionary, sent out, as I un- 
 derstand, by a sect of the Methodists, oblig- 
 ingly presented me with a copy of Bunyan^s 
 Pilgrim^s Progress, which he had translated 
 into Romaic, and superintended the printing of 
 in Malta. This gentleman appears to me the 
 most liberal of the sect I have met with, and 
 to conduct himself in the pursuit of his object 
 with more discretion than his brethren have 
 had the credit of observing. He spoke of 
 several elementary books for children, in which 
 his industry and zeal had prompted him to 
 engage ; and of a certain philological perform- 
 ance relative to the Greek tongue, with some 
 
 * They were afterwards returned to me. 
 
104 SPETZIA— NAPOLI DI ROMAN[A. 
 
 Other matters which I forget. The account 
 which he gave of the Greeks, after an ac- 
 quaintance of five years, is much more favour- 
 able than I could even have hoped ; well as I 
 wish their cause, and think of the result. Their 
 clergy received most of his censure, but that 
 was of a qualified kind. On the whole, though 
 he acknowledged that the Greeks had many 
 and great vices, yet he was firmly persuaded 
 of the exaggeration and malice with which 
 their actions had been misrepresented and 
 traduced. 
 
 At Spetzia we landed Mr. Wilson and his 
 cargo of tracts. Bibles, and Prayer-books : a 
 Greek schooner of war was cruizing up and 
 down the offing, and the beach was crowded 
 with spectators. It is said, that 179 Turkish 
 sail of the line are wasting away their time in 
 the harbours of Candia. 
 
 Late this evening we anchored oflf Napoli di 
 Romania, the ancient Nauplia. 
 
 Saturday, 25th Dec. Christmas-day. — 
 After performing divine service on board the 
 Cambrian, I hastened to make what use I could 
 of the little time allowed, to inspect Napoli di 
 Romania. This town is situated at the foot of 
 
GREECE— FEELINGS ON LANDING. 105 
 
 a high rock, surmounted by a fortress called 
 the Palamedes. I saw it first at sun-rise, from 
 the sea. Landing on the quay, we were in- 
 stantly in the midst of a crowd of Greeks; 
 and I cannot describe the elation of spirit 
 which I experienced on first touching with 
 my foot this celebrated soil. It matters 
 little with how many sapient smiles feelings of 
 such a nature may be greeted ; nor with how 
 much contumely phlegmatic minds may dwell 
 upon the warm and stirring emotions which 
 arise at the contemplation of a land of departed 
 greatness, and reviving freedom. I do not 
 grudge them their laugh, provided they are 
 sure that they understand the occasion of it; 
 and if, while they look on the fading monu- 
 ments of the old world, the relics, as it were, 
 of antediluvian majesty, they can stand with 
 cold and self-suflScient apathy, like the bird of 
 Pallas over the ruins of her temple ; or mark 
 the advance of freedom with the dull calcu- 
 lating eye of politicians rather than of men, I 
 shall be well satisfied to go my way in solitude. 
 I seek not their communion ; they may be 
 wiser, but not happier; they may see more 
 acutely, but they see not half so joyously : 
 
 11 
 
•1<06 NAPOLI— INTERESTING PROSPECT. 
 
 and the mind being thus rigid and harsh, 
 what impression shall there be made upon the 
 heart? They want sympathy with suffering, 
 and admiration for glory : they can behold 
 " decay^s effacing fingers^' busy without a 
 sigh, and hear the blast of desolation sweep 
 along the broken wrecks of antiquity with the 
 most frigid indifference ! Then what are they to 
 me, or I to them ? They will not appreciate, for 
 they cannot comprehend, the feeling with which 
 I stood upon an eminence beyond the citadel 
 of the Palamedes ; below, the town of Napoli 
 with its white houses and churches ; the bay, 
 with the little fort of St. Theodore in the midst, 
 (now converted into a prison, to which at that 
 very moment Giovanni Notara, son of one of 
 the principal rebels confederated with Coloco- 
 troni, was led,) Argos, with its acropolis shining 
 in the sun ; the flat marshy ground extending 
 like an amphitheatre from thence to Napoli ; 
 the Lacaedemonian mountains rising in double 
 volumes in front, and those beyond Argos 
 capped with snow ; the Cambrian riding in 
 the bay, — for, 
 
 " A statcly-builded ship, well rigg'd, and tall. 
 The ocean maketh more majestical;" 
 
NAPOLI— MARKET— GREEK SOLDIERS. 107 
 
 with numberless little fishing-boats skimming 
 along the water; and more immediately be- 
 neath, the Greeks, in their picturesque cos- 
 tumes, galloping here and there upon spirited 
 ponies over the rough paths of the declivity ; 
 with sheep and goats browsing upon the sides 
 of the rocks, and women in the distance wash- 
 ing their linen at a public well : there an over- 
 thrown Turkish cemetery, where all was trebly 
 desolate ; a farm-house, and what appeared a 
 small fortress, a little beyond it on a lofty 
 eminence : — all these were to me objects of an 
 intense and overwhelming interest. 
 
 The streets of Napoli are extremely narrow, 
 and they were, at this time, filled with Greeks. 
 It was the market-day, and numbers of the 
 peasantry had come from Argos, and the ad- 
 joining country, to dispose of their produce. 
 The shops were full of wares, and, amongst 
 other things, guns, pistols, and sabres were 
 exposed to sale. They were, for the most 
 part, fine healthy-looking men, and prepos- 
 sessed me considerably in their favour. But 
 they seem to carry their arms awkwardly ; and 
 it is not to be wondered at, when we re- 
 member that they consist of a ponderous brace 
 
 13 
 
108 NAPOLI— GREEK SOLDIERS. 
 
 of pistols, a sabre, ataghan or dagger, with a 
 long gun in addition ; in short, each of them, 
 as Churchill pleasantly observes * on another 
 occasion, — 
 
 " Seemed to be 
 A little moving armoury/' 
 
 The pistols are often very richly chased, and 
 their skin capotes, or cloaks, turbaned heads, (for 
 many of them adopt the Turkish costume) and 
 gay sashes and garters give a picturesque and 
 pleasing air to their appearance. I felt that I 
 was in a strange land more forcibly than ever I 
 had done before; all was new and exciting. 
 Passing through the gates of the city, having 
 the fortress of the Palamedes on the right, we 
 noticed upwards of twenty soldiers on guard. 
 The feeling produced by regarding our own re- 
 gularly organized troops in contrast with the 
 grotesque body before us was \ery striking ; 
 yet they had a martial cast of countenance, 
 and could not, with all our prejudices in favour 
 of a more advanced state of civilization, be 
 held contemptible. A little beyond the town 
 
 * The Ghost. 
 
NAPOLI— TURKISH CEMETERY. 109 
 
 is the remains of the Turkish cemetery before 
 alluded to : the walls are thrown down, the 
 tombs destroyed, and the stone turbans usually 
 placed above a Mussulman^s sepulchre are 
 scattered in every direction — here lay a broken 
 Turkish inscription, there the Athanaton (a tree 
 of considerable size) torn up by the roots, with 
 the aloe still flourishing. Amongst the ruins 
 was a Greek woman collecting herbs, which 
 grew with mournful fecundity. Up the ascent 
 of the rocks appeared a number of caves, 
 which I took to be the shelter of goats or sheep, 
 but they proved to be the abodes of human 
 beings : in one a kettle boiled over a charcoal 
 fire ; a small quantity of woollen cloth was 
 rolled up in a corner, which, with an earthen 
 dish, completed the arrangement. It was un- 
 occupied, but the tenant, I presume, was tend- 
 ing the flock at no great distance. I noticed 
 a good deal of squills in these parts. 
 
 On returning I was more than ever struck 
 with the height and curious appearance of the 
 rock which forms the basis of the citadel. It 
 is nearly perpendicular, and jagged in an ex- 
 traordinary manner ; it seemed as if thus left 
 by the pickaxes of the Cyclops, who are said 
 
1 10 NAPOLI— CITADEL. 
 
 to have been marvellously busy in this neigh- 
 bourhood ; as if the hands of giants had di- 
 vided the mountain, and worked it into an 
 everlasting monument, while a race of pigmies 
 had succeeded to their habitations, and endea- 
 voured, with feeble and abortive efforts, to 
 emulate their labours. 
 
 After a walk of two or three hours it was 
 necessary to return to the ship. The yawl had 
 already gone, and I found some difficulty in 
 engaging a boat to carry me out, for the wind 
 had risen, and there was considerable swell. 
 Former travellers complain of the extortion of 
 the Greeks : what they might have been I 
 know not, and I have as yet had small oppor- 
 tunity to ascertain what thej'^ are at present ; 
 but I was told a horse might be had at Napoli 
 to convey me to Argos, (a distance of twelve 
 miles) for a quarter of a dollar ; and for a like 
 sum, a large boat and two men brought me to 
 the ship. It was necessary to make four tacks, 
 the spray dashed over us every minute, and 
 the man at the helm must have been wet 
 through. 
 
 I heard on board the ship, from some of the 
 passengers, who, not having engagements, were 
 
GIOVANNI NOTARA— BIBLE SOCIETY. 1 1 1 
 
 enabled to get round to Argos, that a rebel, 
 the son of Notara, had, as I before hinted, been 
 seized and led a prisoner to the fortress of St. 
 Theodore. He was described to me as a fine- 
 looking man, and the importance of the prize 
 may be estimated by the number of men who 
 composed his guard : these amounted nearly 
 to a hundred — a motley company, who would 
 fain have ridden along in some order but for 
 their ignorance of what the word signified. 
 They had a band, and amongst the instruments 
 was a sort of guitar with two strings. I should 
 like to have seen this — was it the remains of 
 the ancient KI0APA ? Whilst we were at din- 
 ner the principal senator of Napoli came on 
 board to pay his respects to the captain. A 
 papas, or Greek priest, accompanied by ano- 
 ther of the authorities was with him. I offered 
 the papas a number of Romaic and Italian 
 Testaments ; on examination he found that he 
 possessed many more copies than he knew how 
 to dispose of. I hope I am not unjust, but this 
 fact clearly proves to me the little judgment 
 with which the " Bible Society" distribute their 
 volumes. The books, which this person had 
 the charge of, were lying uselessly in his coffers, 
 
112 BEAUTIFUL PROSPECT. 
 
 exposed, in all human probability, to inevitable 
 decay '• and yet, every month immense pack- 
 ages are forced into the country — what be- 
 comes of them we may partly conjecture by 
 the present instance. 
 
 Sunday, 26th Dec. — Early this morning 
 we left the Gulf of Napoli. It rained heavily, 
 but, during a cessation, the scenery displayed a 
 singularly beautiful diversity ; the mountains, 
 forming part of the chain upon which the ci- 
 tadel is built, were enveloped in thick mist ; 
 the sides of the rocks upon our left ^vere co- 
 vered with green foliage, except upon the verge 
 of the water, which presented a long white line 
 intermingled with red tinges. Over the pro- 
 jecting promontory which terminated these 
 rocks, a rainbow was finely suspended, while 
 the opposite coast of mountains exhibited an 
 intense blue, which reached along the whole 
 line like a lowering thunder-cloud. As we 
 were advancing a solitary sun-beam broke 
 through the density of the atmosphere, and 
 these dark appearances assumed, in detached 
 parts, an auburn tint — the tint of an autumn 
 leaf. The summits were crowned with fleecy 
 clouds, and in the ofling a little bark, with its 
 
CAPTURE OF A MALTESE BRIG BY THE GREEKS. Ho 
 
 light red sails expanded to the breeze, bore 
 rapidly away. — Such was the prospect on leav- 
 ing Napoli di Romania. 
 
 It continued to rain the greater part of the 
 day: — about dusk we anchored ofFSpetzia. 
 
 Monday, 21 th Dec. — Just as we were heav- 
 ing the anchor a messenger came on board 
 from Mr. Wilson, the missionary, with a letter 
 for Captain Hamilton. It seems a Maltese 
 brig had been chartered for five months by the 
 Pacha of Egj^pt ; after which he compelled the 
 captain to convey a lading; of Arabian horses 
 to Candia, for the.use of that government : on 
 their way the^iiwere boarded by a Greek 
 schooner, and the fact of their conveying pro- 
 perty for the Turks being considered a. breach 
 of neutrality, they were taken and carried into 
 Spetzia, where they now remain. The Turks 
 threatened, according to the account of her 
 captain, to cut his throat if he did not assent to 
 their wishes; — but as yet we have heard but 
 one side of the story. Of course. Captain Ha- 
 milton refused to interfere. It is pleasant to 
 learn that our o-overnment has determined to 
 grant the Greeks all the customary rights and 
 privileges which are due from a neutral nation 
 
 VOL. I. 1 
 
114 TEMPLE OF MINERVA SUNIAS. 
 
 to a belligerent power. This is the first step 
 towards acknowledging their independence. 
 
 Tuesday Morning, 28th Dec. — We came 
 in sight of Cape Collonna, or Sunium, the scene 
 of Falconer's Shipwreck : it is more celebrated 
 for the Temple of Minerva Sunias, which stood 
 upon its summit. The remains of this once 
 magnificent structure present a fine object from 
 the sea ; thence it appears entire, the front 
 pillars concealing the desolation which has 
 taken place. The wind, called a Levanter, 
 blowing violently against us, it was thought 
 proper to come to an anchor in Porto Mandri, 
 the ancient Pantomatrio according to Sir 
 William Gell *, but this the increased force of 
 the gale rendered impracticable : w^e therefore 
 put about, and dropped anchor within two or 
 three miles from the Cape, in Porto Caracca. 
 
 A little after one o'clock we got on shore, 
 and walked with our guns by a circuitous 
 route to the temple. The country is extremely 
 mountainous and barren, but dwarf cypresses 
 and myrtle, the mastick-tree and Velania oak 
 flourish both in the vallies and on the summits 
 
 * According to Dr. Sibthorpe, Thorkvs. See Wal- 
 pole's Travels, 4to. p. 34. 
 
TEMPLE OF MINERVA SUNIAS. 115 
 
 of the hills. Game we found very scarce. 
 On ascending Cape Sunium there is a fine pros- 
 pect of the sea, over which the promontory 
 beetles, and of five or six islands spread within 
 the compass of the eye along this part of the 
 Archipelago. The ruins of the temple itself 
 are well worth inspection, but the wanton mis- 
 chief to which it is continually exposed will 
 leave little gratification to the future traveller. 
 Dr. Clarke and Sir William Gell mention fif- 
 teen columns standing, there are now but 
 fourteen, nine on the south-east side, looking 
 upon the sea, three on the north, and two on 
 the north-west. The cornice has been most 
 grossly disfigured. 
 
 " Bellona Austriaca, 1824,'* in large 
 letters of black paint, which may be seen at 
 the distance of some miles, will remain an in- 
 delible stigma upon the whole Vandal crew of 
 that Austrian vessel. Amongst the thousands 
 of names which bedaub these columns, the 
 one most conspicuous is that of " C. Thur- 
 TELL, R. N.'' Lord Byron and Tweddel are 
 also handed to immortality through the me- 
 dium of the suffering column, but I am quite 
 persuaded that his lordship had better taste 
 
 I 2 
 
116 FOOLISH CONDUCT OF TRAVELLERS. 
 
 and better feeling than to employ himself in 
 such senseless mutilation; nor can I believe 
 less of Tweddel. Whoever may have been 
 the instrument, they stand a record of the most 
 egregious folly ; it is not only blameable in the 
 act itself, but it affords an ill and dangerous 
 example to the mass of travellers whom fate 
 and their own mischance send from their mo- 
 ther's apron-strings. A name cut upon the 
 stone leads by some inexplicable " tortuosity 
 of mind" to the cutting of another, and, if pos- 
 sible, a larger. Man scorns to be outdone ; 
 and the vast number of those who are thus 
 emulous must prove fatal to antiquity : if they 
 do not weaken the column, and hasten its en- 
 tire destruction, which they certainly do, they 
 draw away the mind from the contemplation 
 of other times to anathematize the folly of our 
 o\rn. The unseemly figures which are amassed 
 before the eye inspire very opposite feelings 
 to those which it is the tendency of such mo- 
 numents to excite ; and one might as well, in- 
 deed infinitely better, so far as it affects the 
 heart or the understanding, look upon an an- 
 cient marble enveloped in modern cement, as 
 obser\ e a beautiful Doric column covered with 
 
FOOLISH CONDUCT OF TRAVELLERS. 117 
 
 names, of which a great portion are httle ho- 
 nour to their owners, and cannot be more so to 
 the column itself. This is a real evil, and it 
 calls for public condemnation. With what in- 
 tention do people scribble their ill-omened ap- 
 pellations upon the venerable relics of past 
 ages? Purely, as far as I can see, for the ridi- 
 culous fancy that they may be " syllabled'' by 
 persons who never heard of them, and who do 
 not care one straw whether they ever hear of 
 them or not ! Yet this exquisitely childish va- 
 nity effects more than Time in the ruin of an- 
 tiquity, and prompts weak and inconsiderate 
 men to waste, with stupid indifference, monu- 
 ments which nothing can repair. Let me say 
 it ; the breath that encircled the column — the 
 incense which floated around it, when in all 
 the pomp and plenitude of heathen magnifi- 
 cence, is chipped away by these unfeeling pre- 
 tenders to vertu ! 
 
 I found amid the ruins of the old town, a 
 little lower on the declivity, two handles of 
 terra-cotta vessels, " those indestructible and 
 
lljS CAPE SUNIUM— GREEK SIGNET. 
 
 infallible testimonies of places resorted to by 
 the Ancient Greeks *." Dr. Clarke found no 
 remains of this town, but to me they were very 
 perceptible, extending a considerable distance 
 down the hill ; and Chandler's opinion on this 
 point seems quite borne out by facts. A signet 
 ring of silver, found during Lord Strangford's 
 excavations in the Acropolis of Athens when 
 the Cambrian was last in the Archipelago, was 
 presented to me this evening by Mr. Richmond 
 Easto, the worthy and intelligent master of the 
 frigate, himself the happy discoverer. The 
 following is its figure, 
 
 and the inscription, which I have not as yet 
 been able to decypher, runs thus when im- 
 pressed upon wax. 
 
 * Clarke'sTiavels, Vol. VI. 
 
CAPE SUNIUM— SHOOTING EXCURSION. 119 
 
 All that I can make of the legend at present is 
 TEOXION or TEGXIAN — which is just no- 
 thing. The silver has been snapped in the 
 thinnest part of the circumference. 
 
 Wednesday y 29th Dec. — A party of us set 
 out early this morning on a shooting excursion, 
 being tempted by certain incorrect accounts of 
 abundance of game. With me, however, this 
 was only a minor object ; I was sure to see the 
 country, and that was as much as I cared 
 about. 
 
 There is little variety in this part of Attica ; 
 mountains dotted with the cypress and myrtle 
 and obtruding sharp edges of rock at every 
 step make much walking a very painful exer- 
 tion : but the scenery is of so novel a character 
 that it cannot avoid giving pleasure to the pe- 
 destrian, however inconvenienced he may be 
 by the numerous obstacles which impede his 
 way. A short distance to the south is a small 
 plain upon which are some cedars, and a well 
 of good water which furnishes supplies for the 
 neighbourhood. Here I found a considerable 
 herd of small cattle and ponies, watched by 
 several Greeks armed, and attended by their 
 black wolf-dogs. They were fine-looking ani- 
 
120 ANECDOTE OF A GREEK. 
 
 mals, but savage in the extreme. A Greek 
 who had shot a number of small birds offered 
 me the produce of his bag for a little gun- 
 powder ; but being rather apprehensive that 
 by complying I might arm him against myself, 
 should he take a fancy to any thing I carried, 
 I declined his request, and he seemed a good 
 deal disappointed. Perhaps I did him an in- 
 justice, and especially as he knew that the 
 Cambrian lay close by, and would therefore 
 hardly have made any hostile attempt. In 
 another part of this plain they were ploughing 
 with oxen, presenting the only signs of cultiva- 
 tion that I discovered. The wood in many 
 parts has been subjected to fire, but for what 
 purpose is not very apparent; probably to 
 cook the food of the cow-herds as they attend 
 upon their charge. To the north of the plain 
 rises the highest point in the country, affording 
 a very beautiful and extended prospect. I 
 traversed several deep ravines before I reached 
 it, and ascended with considerable difficulty : 
 before reaching the main summit I found a 
 level ground abounding in long-forsaken mine- 
 shafts, and great quantities of scoriae — here 
 were the silver mines of Ancient Attica: — the 
 
NEGROPONT—SCIO— MASSACRE OP THE GREEKS. 121 
 
 whole of the upper strata appeared of white 
 marble; I distinguished also a few pine-trees 
 among the heights, but they were more abun- 
 dant below. 
 
 Thursday, 30th Dec. — At one o'clock this 
 morning we made sail, leaving Negropont, the 
 ancient Euboea, on the left. 
 
 " Euboea next her martial sons prepares. 
 And sends the brave Abantes to the wars : 
 Breathing revenge, in arms they take their way 
 From Chalcis' walls and strong Eretria *." 
 
 Such were they in the Homeric age. Chalcis, 
 now Negropont, is still the capital of the 
 island, but the " Strong Eretria,'^ I believe, 
 exists only in its name. We had much wind 
 throughout the day. 
 
 Friday, 31st Dec. — About noon we left 
 Scio, (anciently Chios) on our right; it is 
 called by the Turks " the Mastic Island" from 
 the abundance of that tree, which it produces; 
 but it is better known of late by the infamous 
 butchery of the Greeks about live years since. 
 Amongst the multitude of sufferers was my 
 
 * Pope's Homer, B. II. 
 
lj8S ANECDOTE OF A GREEK BOY. 
 
 present servant, a lad of about fourteen years 
 of age ; his father was murdered, himself and 
 three younger brothers were taken prisoners 
 and confined in separate ships, where the Turks 
 busied themselves in attempting their conver- 
 sion. How they succeeded with the other 
 lads does not appear; but Nicholai, (the boy in 
 my service) was soon after transferred to the 
 English corvette, Martin, Captain Eden, from 
 whence he came last voyage to the Cambrian. 
 He has forgotten nothing of his native lan- 
 guage, and speaks tolerable English. The 
 poor fellow's mother, the only being connected 
 with him, of whose existence he has heard, re- 
 sides at Smyrna, where he will probably see 
 her for the first time since the slaughter of 
 their countrymen. He has been long enough 
 in England to become attached to it, and very 
 naturally prefers security and enjoyment there 
 to the perils and barbarities of which Greece 
 has been the seat. On our left appeared the 
 island of Ipsara, not less remarkable than Scio 
 for having been the scene of the Greek revolu- 
 tion. 
 
 Saturday, January \st, 1825, New-year's- 
 da y. — I was awakened soon after midnight by 
 
REFLECTIONS ON THE NEW YEAR. 123 
 
 the sound of music, and presently I heard a 
 loud knock at my cabin-door : not anticipating 
 any such salutation in a man of war, I could 
 not collect myself soon enough to return the 
 " happy new year/* which a voice from with- 
 out bestowed on me. But it broke my sleep, 
 and brought on a train of those reflections, 
 which it is perhaps the wisdom of every man 
 to welcome on the opening of a new year. 
 
 As I retraced the events of the last twelve- 
 month I saw much occasion for regret : I found 
 that I had " followed too much the devices 
 and desires of my own heart '!' and that many 
 things had been left undone which it was my 
 duty to do. Alas ! how often in the course 
 of a man's life will such reflections arise, and 
 how often will they be turned aside and 
 blunted by worldly pleasure and ambition ! 
 The current of time is frequently checked by 
 the impediments and restraints of conscience, 
 but it rushes on, rising higher and higher, till 
 the opposing mound is swept away and hurried 
 into the common vortex of oblivion. As peb- 
 bles in the stream are the penitentiary regrets 
 of human life — there is a little additional bub- 
 ble — a momentary tarriance of the waters of 
 11 
 
124) REFLECTIONS ON THE NEW YEAR. 
 
 error, and then all flows on smooth and un- 
 troubled as before ! My mind recurred to the 
 land of my nativity, with 
 
 " Thoughts of many, and with fears for some." 
 
 Surrounded by the ocean, which dashed 
 against the sides of my cabin, and separated 
 by thousands of miles from that community to 
 which I had been so long accustomed and at- 
 tached, I felt all the uncertainty natural to the 
 situation in which I was placed. 
 
 " My friends! — do they now and then send 
 A wish or a thought after me. 
 To tell me, I yet have a friend, — 
 
 Tho' a friend whom I never may see ?" 
 
 There is nothing which so much soothes 
 and quiets ^the heart as the belief that some 
 one is interested in its welfare. But then, 
 when I recollect how many, who called them- 
 selves my friends in the early spring of youth- 
 ful affection, have become estranged, and, to 
 all moral purposes, dead to me ; when I recal 
 the various chances which may be busy in 
 estranging others, — the retrospect almost para- 
 lyzes hope, and deadens the activity of every 
 
REFLECTIONS ON THE NEW YEAR. 125 
 
 kindly feeling. The friends of my childhood 
 are scattered over the world ; some of them 
 perhaps deceased : — I know nothing of their 
 fate. The friends of a more advanced age 
 appear but as those who linger on the confines 
 of eternity, as if about to bid a last adieu to 
 the reciprocity of early attachment. Those of . 
 the other sex with whom I have had intimacy 
 and correspondence — for youth is indiscri- 
 minate in its friendships, and feels not the 
 danger that it does not see, — have, one by one, 
 fallen from the list : " star after star decays,** 
 and the remembrance of the mild and beauti- 
 ful light which they afforded, is a source of 
 just regret, while it argues not much for the 
 permanency of those to come. There was 
 change of situation and of pursuits, and of 
 ideas arising from both. Well, at least, I have 
 made other friends ; they have been tried, and 
 have not been found wanting, — at least, I be- 
 lieve so. The mind is a plastic thing, and 
 soon associates itself with new forms, and re- 
 ceives new impressions. If they be not so 
 strong, perhaps they are as durable. We grow 
 more careful as we grow older ; and observing 
 the fragility of these fine porcelain vases of 
 
126 REFLECTIONS ON THE NEW YEAR. 
 
 humanity, we touch them with a hghter hand, 
 and use them but on rare occasions. 
 
 For the future, — for the " new ytav.^' will 
 it be " liappy ?" Yes, if it be virtuous. We 
 are less dependent creatures than we believe- 
 less the children of circumstance than we wish 
 to suppose ourselves. An undeviating rectitude 
 of character, a strong and rooted principle of 
 religion, will create and then multiply felicity 
 in every varied stage of existence. Like the 
 diamond, religion carries light along with it. 
 It is bright even in " utter darkness,^* yet let 
 but a beam of temporal prosperity shine there, 
 and mark how gloriously it will sparkle ! With- 
 out it, the treasure is to the full as valuable ; 
 the diamond is equally costly ; but then the 
 world^s eye overpasses it, and, overpassing it, 
 men fancy that the thing does not really exist ! 
 How false and how foolish a mode of esti- 
 mating worth ! The fable of the cock and the 
 jewel, in iEsop, can only be its parallel. 
 
 The sun rose magnificently this morning, as 
 if celebrating the birth-day of a new year. It 
 gilded the mountains at the entrance of the 
 Gulf of Smyrna, and it irradiated the sea in 
 one long glowing volume. So shines the " Sun 
 
r 
 
 SMYRNA— DRESS OF THE ARMENIANS. 127 
 
 of Righteousness'' upon those who follow his 
 course. 
 
 As we passed up the gulf, a vast number of 
 sea-birds . were seen disporting themselves ; 
 amongst which were pelicans and swans. The 
 latter are rare at this period of the year ; but 
 in summer they are numerous. A string of 
 camels were reposing upon the shore ; and, as 
 the first indication of another continent, even 
 at this distance, gave considerable life to the 
 prospect. We passed a Turkish fort, of singu- 
 lar construction, which commands the bay; 
 and observed huge granite balls lying upon 
 the beach in terrorem, I suppose. A fair wind 
 brought us presently to Smyrna, where we 
 found the Seringapatam, and, before long, the 
 dragoman, an Armenian interpreter, (of which 
 nation the interpreters generally are,) came on 
 board. The dress of the Armenians is peculiar. 
 They wear a sort of high cap, somewhat re- 
 sembling a double pair of boxing gloves, meeting 
 one another in friendly embrace. A silk or cot- 
 ton vest, covered by a cloak of ample sleeves, 
 forms also part of their array. With the first 
 opportunity I went on shore, and wandered at 
 random amone: tlic narrow and dirty streets of 
 
128 SMYRNA— BARBAROUS MURDER OF A GREEK. 
 
 Smyrna. When the Cambrian was last here, 
 it mioht not have been so safe. An officer of 
 the ship, who was in her at the time, having 
 occasion to go on shore, observed a Turk 
 assault a Greek, and, at a single blow, strike 
 off his head, which he seized, and bore away 
 with him : the carcase was left in the street. 
 The Levite and Mahommedan saw and 
 " passed by/^ with indifference, " on the other 
 side.^^ For this act of barbarity, there was no 
 investigation, and no punishment. The unruly 
 passions of a Turkish mob were aroused ; and 
 no sense, either of duty or of decency , could sus- 
 pend the malevolent and wanton expression. 
 
 We hael, t-liis morning, an alarm respecting 
 the plague. Three or four infected persons, it 
 was said, had arrived at Smyrna a short time 
 previously ; and our captain m as justly appre- 
 hensive of the consequences. Happilj^, how- 
 ever, the report, so far as it regarded the period 
 of their being brought here, was false. It oc- 
 curred several months before, and every cus- 
 tomary precaution had been taken with effect. 
 The disorder never spread further. 
 
 The streets of Smyrna are scarcely three yards 
 in breadth ; and of this the greater part is taken 
 
SMYRNA— TURKISH WOMEN. 129 
 
 up by a puddle, which finds a channel through 
 the whole. Strings of camels take their way 
 through them, splashing and crushing the pas- 
 senger to his heart's content. And should it 
 be his fortune, as it is more than probable, to 
 meet a Turk mounted upon the sprightly little 
 coursers of the country, he may esteem him- 
 self marvellously happy, should he escape with- 
 out being blinded by the mud that he fails 
 not to splash about him. But these are little 
 Asiatic luxuries, for which an inquisitive tra- 
 veller cannot be too thankful ! In my first 
 wanderings, the most marked circumstance 
 was the corpse-like appearance of the Turkish 
 women, muffled up in white cotton shawls, 
 from top to toe, with a piece of thin black 
 crape, like the aventagle of a helmet, en- 
 veloping the face ; they seem to have just 
 started from the sepulchre, and to wander, like 
 Goules, in search of prey. Some of these 
 masks have holes cut for the eyes in the crape, 
 which, in that part, is covered with gauze, so 
 as to permit their seeing with more distinct- 
 ness, but yet entirely to exclude all prospect 
 from without. In this manner they go, three 
 or four in company, to the bazars. 
 
 VOL. I. K 
 
130 FINE VIEW OF THE COUNTRY ROUND SMYRNA. 
 
 Above the city, to the right, is the ancient 
 Mount Pagus, crowned by a castle once of 
 immense extent, but now completely buried in 
 ruins. The colossal head of the Amazon 
 Smyrna is fixed in the wall at the North gate, 
 divested both of nose and lips. Chandler, 
 Tournefort, and other writers, have given long 
 and accurate accounts of the antiquities of this 
 place and neighbourhood. To them, there- 
 fore, I refer my readers, contenting myself 
 with remarking only whatever is novel, or 
 more than commonly striking. Difference of 
 situation or circumstance may, perhaps, put 
 some things in another and happier light ; but 
 to transcribe long and dry details of antiquity 
 from one or all the writers who have indulged 
 in them, would, indeed, augment the body of 
 matter, but be, I apprehend, neither amusing 
 nor instructive. From the walls of the castle we 
 have a splendid panoramic view of the country 
 around Smyrna, ornamented with olive-trees 
 and orange groves. To the left, is the gulf, 
 with English, French, Austrian, and Dutch 
 ships of war, riding at anchor. In front, the 
 town with its Moschs and Minarets, its " cities 
 of the dead," indicated by stately groves of 
 
SMYRNA— TURKISH BURIAL-PLACES. 131 
 
 cypress-trees, lifting themselves aloft in gloomy 
 majesty: the river Meles winding gracefully 
 past various picturesque Turkish residences ; 
 and higher up, the rough stony road to Bour- 
 navat and Boujah, over which a long string 
 of camels, with bells round their necks that 
 chime harmoniously in the distance, preserve 
 their slow uniform pace. Mountains, slightly 
 covered with verdure, surround and terminate 
 the scene. 
 
 The burial-places are numerous and re- 
 markable. Wherever a dead body is found, 
 there it is interred ; and as Turkish superstition 
 will not permit a second burial to take place 
 where there has been one before, the country 
 is covered with these tokens of mortality. 
 Cypresses are invariably planted near them ; 
 and the passenger may distinguish the rank of 
 the deceased by the stone turban which is 
 placed on the head of the monument. These 
 are frequently painted and gilded ; and but for 
 the solemn gloom of the tree which shadows 
 them, would have an unseemly and garish ap- 
 pearance. Texts of the Koran are inscribed 
 upon each. In their turbans, the Turks, as 
 well as the Greek inhabitants of Smyrna, espe- 
 
 K 2 
 
132 SMYRNA— UNPLEASANT ADVENTURE. 
 
 cially the women, frequently place anemones and 
 other gay flowers. The effect is very pleasing ; 
 and might seem to point out a taste more re- 
 fined, and a feeling more delicate, than usually 
 accompanies either one or the other. There is 
 a cotton print manufacture at Smyrna of great 
 extent. The cottons come from England, and 
 when printed, are exported to Russia, France, 
 and other countries. The process is probably 
 similar to our own. 
 
 I had an adventure to-day which might 
 have terminated unhappily. Walking leisurely 
 along one of the streets appropriated to the 
 Frank residents, and hence called Frank-street, 
 I passed two Turks, armed as they all are with 
 pistols and ataghan. I observed that one if 
 not both of them was drunk ; but I paid little 
 further attention to them. However, I had not 
 proceeded far, before I saw half a dozen Greek 
 boys running rapidly before me, turning their 
 heads back with every mark of consternation. 
 This action naturally induced me to turn mine, 
 when, to my great annoyance, I perceived one 
 of the drunken Turks aforesaid, with his cocked 
 pistol presented at my back. I had scarcely 
 determined what to do, when his companion 
 
SMYRNA— DESCRIPTION OF A MOSCH. 133 
 
 interfered; and placing himself before him, 
 pushed him gently round the corner of the 
 street near which they stood. They disap- 
 peared not faster than I did : I felt not the 
 least penchant for that sort of villainous en-r 
 tertainment. 
 
 Tuesday, 4th Jan, — I entered a Mosch, 
 
 which I shall describe. — The entrance of each 
 
 of these buildings is furnished with a fountain, 
 
 and a number of cocks. The worshipper here 
 
 makes his ablutions ; he washes his feet, hands, 
 
 breast, and face ; then rinses his mouth, and 
 
 wipes all upon a handkerchief or shawl which 
 
 he carries in his bosom. Ascending a few 
 
 steps, a stone pavement, which is covered 
 
 with mats, leads into the Mosch. On this 
 
 matted ground, the slippers of the Moslem are 
 
 deposited as he proceeds into the building. 
 
 Some of them, however, first worship without 
 
 before they enter ; and others, but fewer, go no 
 
 further at the time. The Mosch is covered 
 
 with carpeting laid upon mats to preserve it 
 
 from the friction of the stone beneath. The 
 
 East side facing the entrance has a profusion of 
 
 gilding, with verses from the Koran inscribed 
 
 in the centre. Save that there is no com- 
 
134 SMYRNA— TURKISH MODE OF WORSHIP. 
 
 munion-table, the resemblance of the ginger- 
 bread work of a Roman CathoHc church is not 
 inconsiderable. On each side of this showy 
 part, a pulpit is erected ; one of which the 
 iman ascends by a staircase of white marble ; 
 all beside is painted in imitation of it. Fronting 
 the pulpits is a wooden gallery ; and in the 
 centre circular rows of lamps are suspended. 
 When the worshipper enters, he stands erect, 
 looking towards the shrine, if it may be so 
 called. By and by he bows his body horizon- 
 tally ; then his knees bend until they gradually 
 touch the ground, by which movement his 
 head (or rather nose) pretty much at the same 
 time is also brought in contact with it. He 
 again stands erect, and is continually repeating 
 the same process, till he finishes his devotional 
 exercise. There is generally some one or other 
 engaged in these ridiculous rites ; and what- 
 ever dissimilarity there may be between their 
 professions and actions, they certainly appear 
 in earnest when they enter the Mosch. 
 
 A singular instance of a Turk's confidence 
 in an Englishman occurred to-day. The chap- 
 lain of the Seringapatam passing through the 
 bazar, was attracted to a Turkish shop, and 
 
CONFIDENCE OF A TURK IN AN ENGLISHMAN. 135 
 
 shewn a fine rose diamond which had been part 
 of the plunder of the unfortunate island of 
 Scio. The Turk asked a considerable sum, 
 but stated himself no judge of the value. " Are 
 you/' said he, " an Englishman V He replied, 
 through his interpreter, in the affirmative, and 
 added, that he was an officer of an English 
 frigate. " Then take the ring,'' said the Turk, 
 " and keep it a day or two ; get some one to 
 examine it, and judge by that means of its 
 value — I have no apprehension that an English- 
 man will deceive me." The ring was taken, 
 and afterwards bought for 20/. but the gen- 
 tleman who was thus trusted had never (that 
 he knew of) been seen by the seller, nor could 
 the latter have any knowledge of him, except, 
 perhaps, that he really was an Englishman. 
 The fact deserves record, even though another 
 inference should be drawn from it. 
 
 On returning to the ship, I enquired of the 
 Greek whose boat I employed, why he did not 
 join his countrymen in their struggle for free- 
 dom ? The man appeared to feel the question 
 with considerable liveliness, and repHed " that 
 he knew it was his duty, but that he had a 
 family of small children who must perish if he 
 
 13 
 
136 SMYRNA— AQUEDUCTS. 
 
 left them, for that they would be at once 
 exposed to Turkish cruelty and to extreme 
 want */^ The Greek government would doubt- 
 less do well could they provide, in some way, 
 for the families of those who enter their service, 
 and assure them of their utmost protection. 
 They cannot otherwise expect, under present 
 circumstances, that their countrymen will co- 
 operate zealously and firmly in the cause. It 
 is currently reported here, that the Greeks 
 have cut out a Turkish schooner of war and 
 three merchant vessels laden with oil from 
 Mitylene, a few days since. 
 
 W edriesday , 5th Jaji, — Though this morn- 
 ing was somewhat rainy I dedicated it to the 
 inspection of two aqueducts thrown over the 
 river Meles, one at the foot of Mount Pagus, 
 and the other at the distance of two miles. 
 The edges of the river are beautifully fringed 
 with the Laurea Rosa, which marks the course 
 of the stream for a considerable distance : 
 
 * My Greek master a few days after this alleged as a rea- 
 son for his not joining the league, that they were so divided 
 amongst themselves as to render it unwise and useless to 
 serve them. No man wants reasons for what he dislikes ; 
 but I fear that there is too much truth in his allegation. 
 
SMYRNA— ANCIENT AMPHITHEATRE. 137 
 
 mountains rise on each side of it. The further 
 aqueduct is composed of two structures united, 
 and is of much greater antiquity than the 
 other; its situation is finely romantic. The 
 river Meles suppUes water to a variety of mills 
 which are built upon its banks. Drummond, 
 in his volume of Travels, has given drawings of 
 both these aqueducts, but they are as unlike as 
 they can possibly be ; although he has, as he 
 says, " what they call a tradesman's eye ^" 
 mean what it may, it certainly deceived him : 
 the representations which he has given have a 
 greater resemblance to spouts than to the aque- 
 ducts of Smyrna. It rained heavily whilst I 
 remained here. Returning by the castle, I ob- 
 served the last perishing ruins of the ancient 
 amphitheatre, buried as nearly as may be in 
 the soil. The barbarians have carried off what- 
 ever they could lay hands on for domestic 
 uses ; and the rest will be soon overwhelmed 
 by the rapidly accumulating dust. Other 
 ruins, by some called the Church of St. Poly- 
 carp, by others the Temple of Janus — (" they 
 smell as sweet'' by one name as by the other, 
 
 * Drummond's Travels, fol. p. 115. 1754. 
 
138 CEREMONIES OP THE GREEKS ON CHRISTMAS-DAY. 
 
 and perhaps are equally appropriate) — are also 
 hastening to total annihilation ; and it will 
 soon be said of them, " etiam periere ruince/' 
 Thursday, 6th Jan. — This being Christmas- 
 day with the Greek Catholics, their churches 
 are adorned in the gayest manner. I entered 
 one, in which a sort of raree-show had been set 
 up, illumed with a multitude of candles : the 
 subject of it was the birth of Christ, who was re- 
 presented, in the back ground, by a little waxen 
 figure wrapped up in embroidery, and reclining 
 upon an embroidered cushion, which rested 
 upon another of pink satin : this was supposed 
 to be the manger where he was bom. Behind 
 the image two paper bulls^ heads looked unut- 
 terable things. On the right was the Virgin 
 Mary, and on the left one of the Eastern Magi. 
 Paper clouds, in which the paper heads of 
 numberless cherubs appeared, enveloped the 
 whole ; while from a paste-board cottage 
 stalked a wooden monk, with dogs, and sheep, 
 and camels, goats, lions, and lambs ; here 
 walked a maiden upon a stratum of sods and 
 dried earth, and there a shepherd, flourishing 
 aloft his pastoral staff. The construction of these 
 august figures was [chiefly Dutch : they were 
 
SMYRNA— BAZAR. 139 
 
 intermixed with china images and miserable 
 daubs on paper. In the centre, a real fountain 
 in miniature squirted forth water to the in- 
 effable delight of crowds of '' prostrate wor- 
 shippers/' 
 
 Friday, 7th Jan. — Wandering through one 
 part of the bazar, I was struck with the cries 
 of the venders of merchandize. Amongst other 
 things a fine diamond ring and a Turkey carpet 
 were exposed for sale. These, and especially 
 the latter, reminded me of the magical carpet 
 of Hossein, in the Arabian Tales, where the 
 mode of sale is exactly similar. 
 
 Monday, 10th Jan. — Introduced this morn- 
 ing to the Rev. Fr. V. Arundell, chaplain to 
 the factory here. A Greek lady, whom I met 
 at his house, pronounced the ring which I for- 
 merly mentioned to have been found at Athens 
 an antique ; how far she was a judge is not 
 clear — is rather doubtful! Mr. Arundell shewed 
 me a number of queries sent by the Bible So- 
 ciety to their agent here, and purporting to 
 relate to an object which the Society are said 
 to have in view — the conversion of the Jews in 
 Smyrna : — amongst other pertinent questions, 
 are, 
 
140 QUESTIONS SENT BY THE BIBLE SOCIETY. 
 
 " The nature of the water, and how to be 
 corrected ? 
 
 " The unhealthy winds, and how to be 
 avoided ? 
 
 " What are the usual condiments used in 
 diet? 
 
 " Is it best to take out hills or cash from 
 Malta? 
 
 " The best hours for sleep, food, exercise 
 and study? 
 
 " What is the best season for a stranger to 
 arrive in the country ?" 
 
 With others of a similar character, which 
 have just as much to do with the " conversion 
 of the Jews" as with the man in the moon. It 
 strikes me very forcibly that some " ready 
 writer,^' intending to get up a volume of tra- 
 vels, or peradventure, twain, has adopted this 
 mode of acquiring information. It would cost 
 the agent of the Society months of hard la- 
 bour and minute investigation to reply accu- 
 rately to many of the questions. 
 
 As soon as we arrived we received invitations 
 to the balls of the Casino, which take place 
 once a week, and continue to the end of the 
 Carnival, and " to which,'' (Mr. Hobhouse 
 
SMYRNA— COSTUME OF THE GRECIAN WOMEN. 141 
 
 observes) " all the respectable Greeks and 
 ladies of their families are invited/^ But I am 
 informed that the ladies are rather Smyrniotes 
 than Greeks ; that is, born in Smyrna, but of 
 Frank extraction. They adopt indeed the 
 Greek dress, and unbecoming enough it is, 
 except the small turbaii, which is worn side- 
 ways upon the head, and has a tasteful air ; 
 but the little jackets, Grecian bend, and stays- 
 less form can never be tolerated by Eu- 
 ropeans, properly so called ; and the postures 
 into which they throw themselves, especially 
 after being heated with dancing, in any but a 
 native must be pronounced positively indecent 
 and disgusting. In corpulent matrons this 
 feeling is, of course, still stronger ; and it is 
 surprizing, if they are not altogether or in part 
 of Greek origin, how this dress could ever have 
 been adopted. 
 
 Several of the officers dined to-day with 
 the English consul — here was the first tendour 
 that I had seen. This is a square table covered 
 with thick carpet ; beneath, on a sort of shelf 
 lined with tin, is a chafing-dish containing hot 
 charcoal, and on this shelf people put their 
 feet during cold weather, enveloping their knees 
 in the carpet. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 Tuesday, 11th Jan, — Captain Hamilton pre- 
 sented his officers to Hassan Capitan Pacha of 
 Smyrna. These sort of interviews have not 
 been so often, or so accurately described as to 
 render recapitulation tedious ; I shall therefore 
 detail, with some degree of minuteness, what 
 has just taken place. We left the ship in five 
 boats, the captain in the first yawl, with the 
 union jack flying at her head, the rest of the 
 boats following with pendants ; the Dragoman 
 and the English consul, with his janizaries were 
 in a sixth. 
 
 We entered a dark and dirty court-yard, up 
 an ascent equally villainous. Musquets and 
 carbines were reclining against a wall, and a 
 number of uncouth retainers were smoaking 
 near them. Crossing a sort of hall, at the top 
 of the stair-case, where lay a multitude of 
 slippers, and where certain fierce-looking mus- 
 
INTERVIEW WITH THE CAPITAN PACHA. 143 
 
 sulmans were pacing to and fro, we were ushered 
 into a square matted chamber, of no very con- 
 siderable extent. The ceiUng and half the 
 wainscot were plainly painted: the Eastern 
 end being daubed in sorrowful imitation of 
 marble, and inscribed in the upper part with 
 a sentence from the Koran. To the right of 
 the door, which occupied a corner of the room, 
 were other texts, with a banner, on the top of 
 which the crescent was depicted. In a comer 
 of the left-hand wall, carbines and huge powder- 
 flasks were suspended. A low couch, called a 
 divan, covered with silk, surrounded the apart- 
 ment in the usual manner. Dirty cotton sun- 
 blinds excluded the light on one side, and a 
 sort of Venetian shutter, partly elevated and 
 partly closed, rose from without, on the other. 
 In the most distant corner of the chamber, 
 and exactly opposite to the entrance, sat the 
 Capitan Pacha, wrapped in a furred cloak. A 
 sabre and belt hung on his right hand, and a 
 telescope lay on a ledge of the window upon 
 his left. Such was the arrangement of the 
 audience chamber ! 
 
 The Pacha himself was a fine-looking man, 
 apparently middle aged, with a keen expres- 
 
1.44 INTERVIEW WITH THE CAPITAN PACHA. 
 
 sion of countenance. His brow was high and 
 falling, with large bushy eye-brows, remarkably 
 arched, and approximating so nearly as almost 
 to meet : when he frowned, this must have 
 taken place. His eyes were small and pro- 
 jecting, but quick ; and indicating a man of 
 much natural observation and intellect. An ac- 
 quiline nose, long mustachios, and a dark 
 curling beard, gave considerable character to 
 the expression of his thin and embrowned 
 features. 
 
 When we were seated, the dragoman opened 
 the conference; in the course of which, we 
 heard several unoriental bursts of merriment. 
 He appeared, indeed, in the very best mood. 
 Soon after our arrival, began the clatter of 
 coffee-cups ; and this favourite beverage, both 
 of Turk and Frank, was then presented to 
 each individual in a silver or brass case, of the 
 same form as the cup denominated zarff : it 
 is intended to serve the purpose of our saucers. 
 By and by came immense long pipes, made 
 of the cherry-stick, with amber and enameled 
 mouth-pieces. The pipe-head is made either 
 of plain or gilded clay, and rests, when smoked, 
 upon a brazen dish, placed at the distance of 
 
INTERVIEW WITH THE CAPITAN PACHA, 145 
 
 several yards on the floor. Then came the tug 
 of war. As Campbell saith, not indeed on an 
 occasion quite similar, 
 
 *' 'Tis morn ; — but scarce jon level sun 
 Can pierce the smoke-clouds rolling dun» 
 Where fiery Frank, and furious Hun, 
 Prate in their sulphury canopy." 
 
 From the mouth of the Pacha, " bearded 
 like a Pard," the smoke issued, as I have seen 
 it from a cottage chimney in a wood, gradually 
 making its way above the tops of the tallest 
 trees, and winding in many an airy volume 
 through the intersecting branches. But it was 
 yet a more whimsical sight to observe the 
 younger of the midshipmen strenuously en- 
 deavouring to do justice to the Pacha^s enter- 
 tainment. Imagine a chamber of twenty to 
 thirty feet square, with low couches on three 
 of the sides, where sat a host of lads in cocked 
 hats, swords by their sides, and pipes at least 
 six feet long in their mouths : conceive their 
 grimaces, their ill-concealed smiles, breaking 
 from beneath the flimsy texture of gravity 
 with which they struggled to veil their mirth ; 
 and, at intervals, breathing forth clouds of 
 
 VOL. I. I, 
 
146 SMYRNA— VISIT TO SULEIMAN AGA, 
 
 smoke ! Conceive this, and behold the levee 
 of the Pacha ! 
 
 When the first pipe was concluded, a second 
 was brought, with an additional cup of coffee, 
 and a glass of sherbet, which is nothing more 
 than lemonade. While we were smoking, the 
 Pacha's band played without; and if the reader 
 ever heard a troop of children in the hilarity of 
 their hearts squeaking lustily forth from penny 
 trumpets, and beating sixpenny drums, they 
 will have the exactest possible idea of the 
 music with which we were regaled. We sat 
 rather more than an hour, and then retired to 
 pay a visit to Suleiman Aga, collector of the 
 customs. Here, though there was less state, 
 there was more comfort. The arrangement of 
 our reception and entertainment, was pretty 
 much the same. The Aga was in the midst 
 of papers, and two or three secretaries sat on 
 the divan beside him. He lamented that he 
 could shew us no other mark of civility than 
 that of •' offering a bitter pipe and a cup of 
 coffee.'^ But he hoped we would visit him at his 
 country house, and the following Sunday was ac- 
 cordingly fixed upon for that purpose. Whilst we 
 remained, he signed and sealed a packet, which 
 
 13 
 
SMYRNA— BALL AT MR. WHITTLE'S. 147 
 
 the dragoman had requested him to forward 
 to Constantinople, on mercantile affairs. The 
 signature was effected by passing a small 
 camel-hair brush, moistened with ink, over a 
 signet : it was then stamped upon the paper, 
 and restored to the gold thread purse from 
 whence it was taken. It was scarcely done, 
 when a Turk entered, arrayed in the sacred 
 green, which marks the descent from Moham- 
 med. This was no other than Hassan, the 
 ci-devant Pacha and compassionate Governor 
 of Scio, when the ever memorable massacre 
 of the islanders took place ! 
 
 We were, this evening, at a crowded ball at 
 Mr. Whittle's, (what odious names these people 
 have,) a Smyrna merchant. Mr. Strangways 
 informed me, that he had here discovered the 
 pepper-custard of the Arabian Tales. I was 
 not so fortunate as to detect him ; so I resign 
 all the honour to the Honourable. 
 
 Wednesday, 12th Jan. — By the great kind- 
 ness of the Rev. Mr. Arundell, I had an op- 
 portunity of seeing a good deal of the neigh- 
 bourhood of Smyrna : having been invited on 
 a shooting, excursion to that gentleman's house 
 at Sedecui.. . Assfis were ordered, but -the day 
 
 L 2 
 
148 SMYRNA— TRAIT IN THE GREEK CHARACTER. 
 
 first selected not agreeing with our conveni- 
 ence, we fixed on the day after. The conse- 
 quence of which was, that the owner of our 
 donkies refused to permit us to employ them, 
 or rather promised in order to deceive us. The 
 man was a Greek, and our worthy host would 
 fain have had me believe, that it was a speci- 
 men of that obstinacy and pride which he said 
 was characteristic of the nation. The worst of 
 it was, that the fellows who let asses out to 
 hire are so leagued together, that by offending 
 one, you offend the whole ; at least our efforts 
 to obtain more than two beasts for our lug- 
 gage, were quite ineffectual. Notwithstanding, 
 I am resolved to suffer nothing but a series of 
 irresistible facts, of facts fairly and impartially 
 chosen, to induce me to form an unfavourable 
 opinion of those who have so much to contend 
 with. They fight for freedom; they fight with 
 years of slavery upon their backs, with all the 
 necessary vices of slavery, and with some 
 arising immediately from intercourse with 
 their enslavers ; — let them have fair play ! 
 
 The country around Sedecui is diversified 
 with hill and dale, abounding in underwood, 
 but with few trees of any growth. The Velania 
 
SEDECUI— BARBARITY OF A TURK. 149 
 
 oak, the myrtle, &c. Sec. are common to all 
 these parts. The olive seems to flourish most; 
 — the pine less. Game is not very plentiful at 
 present. The cold weather having prevailed 
 for several days, it was expected that wood- 
 cocks would have been numerous. This was 
 not the case ; and hares and partridges were 
 very scarce. A large hyaena was killed a short 
 time since, near Sedecui ; but such an event is 
 of extraordinary occurrence. A report goes 
 abroad, that tigers, and even bears, have been 
 seen here : I am a little incredulous. 
 
 At the breaking out of the Greek Revolution, 
 Sedecui suffered severely by the march of the 
 Turkish troops to Scala Nova, for the purpose 
 of attacking Samos. A Turkish officer and 
 his follower, during the night that a detach- 
 ment was quartered here, pursued a young 
 Greek girl along the streets. She took refuge 
 in the house of a countrywoman, and closed 
 the door in sufficient time to escape by another 
 entrance. The Turk at last got admission ; 
 and finding that the victim had eluded his 
 brutal grasp, prepared to wreak his vengeance 
 upon her helpless protector. He raised his 
 arm to strike her to the heart ; but, strange to 
 
150 SEDECUI— BARBARITY OF A TURK 
 
 say, the sabre snapt asunder at the hilt, while 
 it was lifted in the air. He then directed a 
 pistol at her, but here again he was foiled — it 
 missed fire ! This being observed by his com- 
 rade, he forced him away, remarking, happily 
 for the woman, " that her hour was not yet 
 come." Resolved, however, not to be wholly 
 defeated, he seized upon a fine infant, which 
 then lay sleeping in its cradle beside her, and 
 rushed out of the house. In vain the half- 
 frantic mother called upon the ruffian to restore 
 her offspring ; in vain she supplicated him to 
 have compassion upon her agony : she obtained 
 nothing but savage imprecations and menaces, 
 and such was the disorderly state of the Turkish 
 army, that the Capitan Pacha himself had no 
 power to compel a surrender. In fact, the 
 man had taken a liking to the child, and per- 
 sisted in retaining him. This, however, was 
 ultimately prevented by direction of the com- 
 mander. They removed the boy while the 
 ravisher slept ; and the effects of his resent- 
 ment were provided against, by marching im- 
 mediately to their next destination, where the 
 Greeks were beyond his reach. The singularly 
 providential escape of the woman is attested 
 
SEDECUI— GREEK SERVANT. 151 
 
 by the most respectable authorities, and is 
 universally credited. 
 
 I was particularly struck at Sedecui with the 
 classical contour of a Greek servant of our 
 host. A white shawl was bound across her 
 head, and fastened under the chin. The effect 
 of this costume, though not common with her 
 countrywomen, was augmented by a long an- 
 tique lamp, which she carried on the occasion 
 I speak of, made at Venice, but admirably 
 adapted to carry back the imagination to re- 
 moter periods, and more heroic times. 
 
 Near Sedecui is a tumulus, which has not 
 yet been explored ; the French call it the tomb 
 of Andraemon ; and they might as well call it 
 the tomb of Jack the Giant Queller ! Mr. Arun- 
 dell, whose antiquarian research equals the 
 friendliness of his manners, proposes, in quieter 
 times, to investigate the tumulus in question, as 
 well as an opposite mound about a mile distant. 
 It gives me pleasure also to mention, that he 
 has it in contemplation to communicate to the 
 public the result of certain well-conducted en- 
 quiries relative to the ancient Christian churches 
 of Asia. He has recovered several curious and 
 valuable monuments, and from the ardour of 
 
15^ BOUGIAH— ANECDOTE OF A SERPENT. 
 
 his pursuit, united as it is with great discretion 
 and judgment, I have no doubt but his object 
 will be fully attained. 
 
 We returned to Smyrna by Bougiah, other- 
 wise called " the English village," from the 
 number of its English inhabitants : it is about 
 three miles from the city. A curious circum- 
 stance happened here a short time since ; the 
 lower floor of a large house has been converted 
 into a chapel — a man, carrying a bowl of milk, 
 stood accidentally beneath the door-way of the 
 building, and a serpent, four or five feet long, 
 allured by the smell of the milk, of which they 
 are extremely fond, darted from the upper part 
 of the door, and flung himself, like a necklace, 
 around the throat of the poor fellow. The crea- 
 ture^s head was dipped into the bowl ; and one 
 may well imagine the terror of his entertainer, 
 and the little satisfaction which he would re- 
 ceive from the " orient carcanet'* with which 
 he was decorated. Whether the serpent was 
 of a harmless description, which is most pro- 
 bable, or whether the man contrived, by a vi- 
 gorous effort, to free himself from the uncour- 
 teous intruder, I did not hear — certain it is 
 that he escaped without injury. I would add 
 
SiMYRNA— SALUTATION OF THE PACHA OF SCIO. 153 
 
 to this account that many of the tales of the 
 " Gesta Romanorum *" and of other books 
 of that class, are founded upon the propensity 
 of serpents for milk; and this very circum- 
 stance, perhaps, is no small proof of their 
 Eastern origin. 
 
 Friday, lAfth Jan. — We returned to-day, 
 and found that Suleiman Aga and his suite had 
 been paying a visit to the Cambrian. Amongst 
 the rest, the late Pacha of Scio, who to his 
 other admirable qualities adds that of a con- 
 firmed drunkard, was present. He honoured 
 Captain Hamilton with a — kiss on each cheek. 
 Such a mark of civility was a thing " devoutly 
 to be wished, *' and, I doubt not, duly appre- 
 ciated by our excellent captain ! Indeed I can- 
 not help shrewdly suspecting that the second 
 salute was effected by stratagem ; and that 
 when he had been smacked upon one side " he 
 turned to him the other also V* 
 
 Sunday, l6th Jan, — After morning service, 
 Captain Hamilton, Mr. Tennant, the Hon. Mr. 
 Strangways, &c. fifteen of the officers of the 
 
 * See Tale LXI. Vol. II. of the Translated Gesta amongst 
 others. 
 
154 SMYRNA— VISIT TO SULEIMAN AGA. 
 
 Cambrian, and nine or ten from the Seringa- 
 patam, with their commander, went, according 
 to appointment, to dine with Suleiman Aga, 
 at his country-house. This was considered so 
 rare an instance of attention as to cause a good 
 deal of commotion in Smyrna, a like circum- 
 stance never having been heard of even by the 
 oldest Frank inhabitants. But Captain Ha- 
 milton is so much and so justly esteemed ; he 
 has adopted, since his first arrival in the Medi- 
 terranean, a policy so well conceived and judi- 
 ciously supported, that there is little to surprize 
 if we find the Turks themselves discarding their 
 prejudices, and admitting even " Christian 
 dogs^' to the familiarity of their houses — -and a 
 most singular gratification we received. On 
 landing at the consul's we found horses await- 
 ing our arrival ; many of them were superbly 
 caparisoned, and their high-peaked saddles and 
 gorgeous trappings were strongly contrasted 
 with the costume of the English riders. They 
 were fine little animals, and their spirit was kept 
 in continual heat by the awkward use of the 
 shovel-stirrup, a huge instrument sharpened at 
 each end, and employed as a spur. With this 
 some of our cavalcade unwittingly gored the 
 
SMYRNA— VISIT TO SULEIMAN AGA. 155 
 
 poor animals till the blood ran profusely down 
 its elevated edges. 
 
 When the bustle of mounting was over 
 we set forward to the Aga's residence, in as 
 much order as the restlessness of the animals 
 we bestrode would admit. It was diverting to 
 observe the efforts made by some of the officers 
 to quiet their steeds, in order to keep their 
 persons in equilibrio as we proceeded up the 
 narrow and dirty streets of Smyrna. The 
 puddle flew about us most mischievously, and 
 not the less that we were regarded by hundreds 
 of faces " from doors and windows, yea, from 
 chimney tops." The Greek ladies have not 
 more curiosity, perhaps, than the rest of their 
 sex, but their turbaned heads, enwreathing 
 dark hair adorned with natural flowers of the 
 brightest colours, and eyes and cheeks smiling 
 like the sun of their own glorious land, looked 
 out with all the inquisitiveness of excited won- 
 der. By the side of each horse a Turk ran as 
 a guard, and an armed janizary on horse- 
 back, with about a dozen on foot, preceded the 
 cavalcade. 
 
 The Aga's dwelling being but a short dis- 
 tance from the town we were soon there, pass- 
 
156 SULEIMAN AGA— DESCRIPTION OF HIS HALL. 
 
 ing in the way the river Meles, over which a 
 bridge, called the Caravan bridge, has been 
 thrown, adjacent to a fine grove of cypress. A 
 magnificent band welcomed our arrival ! It 
 was composed of three fiddles, a dulcimer, a 
 triangle, and an oaten pipe ; — I need not say 
 what the music was like ! Dismounting in the 
 area of the building we ascended by a flight of 
 steps, and were ushered into a long hall, of 
 which a square basin of water formed the 
 centre ; along its sides, pillars, imitative of 
 marble, supported a gilded roof. To the left, 
 where the Aga and his retinue waited to receive 
 us, the floor was raised and boarded, and was 
 partly inclosed by a marble balustrade : a low 
 sofa (or divan,) covered with printed cotton, 
 ran on each side, that is to say, at the end and 
 on two adjoining sides ; the fourth was open, 
 looking toward the basin, and a similar place 
 in the opposite portion of the building. A 
 large glass chandelier was suspended at each 
 end ; and the ceiling, as well as the wainscot, 
 was painted in tolerably good style. On each 
 side of the first-mentioned part was a little 
 chamber, secured by a door, and in one of 
 these, to the right of the entrance, the Aga was 
 
THE HOUSE AND GARDENS. 157 
 
 fitting up an English fire-place of well-executed 
 marble. All the rooms were painted. 
 
 The further end of the building (which, as 
 I have already hinted, was open, affording an 
 uninterrupted prospect of its whole length, with 
 the basin in the midst) was raised and boarded, 
 like the other ; but before reaching it, a marble 
 fountain, with a number of jets d'eau, were to 
 be observed. To the left of this a door opened 
 upon a small terrace or balcony, which pre- 
 sented a beautiful view of the adjoining coun- 
 try, its olive-groves and mountains swelling 
 magnificently beyond. 
 
 After being presented and seated we were 
 supplied with pipes and cold punch, and hav- 
 ing inhaled a few whiffs, the Aga proposed that 
 we should walk through his house and gardens. 
 This, of course, was gladly acquiesced in, and 
 we accordingly set forth. The house I have 
 already described. We were presently con- 
 ducted through a green trelliced walk covered 
 with branches of the vine, at the termination 
 of which were vapour-baths and the harem; 
 In the former we saw little remarkable ; they 
 were small but conveniently enough contrived ; 
 a flat stone was inserted in the boarded floor. 
 
158 SULEIMAN AGA— DESCRIPTION OF HIS HAREM. 
 
 on which the body recHnes while the vapour is 
 in circulation. From hence — which I take to 
 be of itself an instance of special favour — we 
 were brought to the harem. The women, it 
 is scarcely necessary to remark, had been re- 
 moved, but I apprehend that few Turks are 
 tempted, under any circumstance, to make ex- 
 hibition even of their empty cages. However 
 this may be, we were gratified by an inspection 
 of places guarded with the most scrupulous 
 vigilance, and made the vehicle of the most 
 monstrous system that ever disgraced civilized 
 humanity ! The ground part of the building 
 was at this time unappropriated, indeed was 
 unfinished, but ascending a flight of steps, 
 screened by a narrow lattice, we came into the 
 women^s apartments. In this quarter they re- 
 main during the heats of the morning, but as 
 the evening advances they retire to the upper 
 chambers, where they also sleep. Each story 
 consists of three rooms, or rather two rooms and 
 a little square place partitioned from the corridor, 
 but open to it. The partition itself is not more 
 than three feet high. The sleeping apartments 
 are boarded, leaving a lower space at the en- 
 trance for the purpose of discarding dirty slippers 
 
CURIOUS WELL. 159 
 
 before the carpet is approached. The same quar- 
 ter of the room is also allotted to a variety of 
 wardrobes, and little closets for depositing trin- 
 kets and other articles of female attire. They 
 occupy the whole breadth of the chamber. Op- 
 posite, and along the adjacent sides are the beds, 
 above which numerous glass windows, with 
 moveable lattices fitted to them, admit the air 
 while they prevent the exposure of their per- 
 sons. The prospect from hence is beautiful ; 
 and provided that they who are thus immured 
 can survey the wide and magnificent expanse 
 of heaven above, can see the flowers freely 
 blooming beneath them, and the feathered 
 creation fluttering in liberty and joy around 
 them, without a sigh, they may perhaps taste 
 enjoyment even here ! 
 
 From the harem we proceeded to the garden 
 adjoining. This, (as well as the buildings,) 
 has not been long constructed ; it was there- 
 fore, in its present state, no very attractive ob- 
 ject, consisting entirely of young trees and ve- 
 getables in abundance. We passed a well of 
 curious though simple form ; a large wheel (to 
 which a multitude of small leather buckets 
 were attached) was fixed in it ; as the wheel 
 
160 CIVILITY OF SULEIMAN AGA. 
 
 revolved part of the buckets arose filled with 
 water whilst the remainder were filling below. 
 Each, as it arrived at the summit of the well, 
 emptied its contents into a reservoir which was 
 connected with small aqueducts built on either 
 side of the beds in the garden. A short dis- 
 tance from hence the Aga's house and harem 
 formed very picturesque objects. The dresses 
 of the British navy intermingling with the 
 shewy costume of Turks, Greeks and Arme- 
 nians, all illumined too by the splendour of an 
 Eastern sun, made a novel and interesting ap- 
 pearance. 
 
 The stables of the Aga were next inspected ; 
 they contained probably upwards of an hun- 
 dred horses of burden, besides numbers des- 
 tined only for the saddle. This building forms 
 one wall of the area before his house, to which 
 we now returned. Immediately small round 
 tables were brought, upon which the atten- 
 dants placed salvers of fruits, anchovies, and 
 other piquant dishes, which were but the pre- 
 lude to the coming entertainment. I observed 
 the Aga, as the utmost mark of civility that he 
 could shew, strike his tooth-pick into part of a 
 pear already separated from the rind, and pre- 
 
ENTERTAINMENT OF SULEIMAN AGA. ICl 
 
 sent it with much pohtesse to his nearest guests. 
 What was the flavour of this pear I never asked, 
 nor do I pretend to guess, but " by the foot 
 of Pharaoh \" as Captain Bobadil says, (per- 
 adventure Pharaoh's tooth here were the more 
 appropriate attestation !) I felt not, nor feel 
 the least envy at their happiness ! A worthy 
 personage who partook of it solemnly assured 
 me that the Aga used this aforesaid tooth-pick 
 in the common way, not only afterward, but 
 before the presentation. Far be it from me 
 to impugn the veracity of this worthy per- 
 sonage, but as no one beside witnessed the ex- 
 hibition *, (and I took considerable pains to 
 ascertain so important a fact) it rests entirely 
 with my readers to credit it or not. The tables, 
 four in number, were placed near the divan ; 
 but as a few^ only could with convenience sit 
 at them from thence, awkwardly constructed 
 chairs were added. A hundred attendants at 
 least bustled about, bringing cold punch in 
 
 * This appears to have been a mistake, for Mr. Tennant 
 has since assured me that he particularly noticed it ; / 
 have not, therefore, the smallest doubt upon the subject ; 
 nor by those who have the happiness of knowing Mr. T. 
 will it be questioned for a moment. 
 
 VOL. I. M 
 
IC^ DESCRIPTION OF HASSAN PACHA. 
 
 small china cups and glasses with reasonable 
 celerity. A quarter of an hour afterwards the 
 tables were removed, and others brought. In 
 this instance their disposition varied : one was 
 fixed up at the end where the Aga sat, and two 
 other in the opposite and more remote com- 
 partment ; at each of these a " familiar friend" 
 of our host did the honours of the table. At 
 the table where I happened to be was the 
 aforesaid Hassan or Vehib, (for it seems he 
 has two appellations) ci-devant Pacha ofScio ! 
 whose fawning sjcophantish look corresponded 
 well with the unfavourable impressions which 
 we had long ago received. Red flabby cheeks 
 surmounted by small eyes that twinkled most 
 Bacchanalianiy, and garnished with a nose as 
 crooked as his own soul *, is the impartial, al- 
 
 * The following anecdote is from Pouqueville's " His- 
 toire de la Regeneration de la Gr^ce," a work which, 
 inflated and grossly incorrect as it often is, presents some 
 striking and veritable features of the Greek Revolution. 
 
 " Cependant rien ne bougeait encore ; et tandis que les 
 Turcs preparaient leurs amies pour une expedition qui 
 n'etait plus un myst^re, un Grec, refugie dans le consulat 
 de France, informe que son frere n'avait pas et^ compris 
 dans I'execution du matin, monte a la citadelle. II savait 
 qu'on devait pendie le lendemain ce qui restait encore 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE FEAST. 168 
 
 though not indeed an alluring description of 
 his appearance. 
 
 We sat down : a large metal salver placed 
 upon a small table contained a bowl of rich 
 soup in the centre. At the edge lay a piece 
 of bread and two spoons for the use of each 
 individual. The bowls of the spoons were 
 composed of tortoise-shell, the handles of ivory 
 tipped with coral. On either side of the salver 
 were two little dishes of custard, with two salt- 
 cellars. Vehib led the way by dipping his 
 
 d'otages ; et il se flattait de sauver, au prix de sa t^te, un 
 pere de cinq enfants qui n'avaient plus que lui pour appui 
 et pour esperance dans cette vallee de larmes, d'oii il 
 aspirait a sortir en obtenant la couronne du martyre. II 
 s'etait achemine charge d'or et de bijoux, qu'il deposa 
 aux pieds de Vehib Pacha, 'en disant : Mon frlre est ton 
 otage, magnifique visir ; daigne le rendre a safamille. Ptre 
 de cinq pauvres innocents, privts de lew mere, accorde-le a 
 leurs larmes, en acceptant ma the en echange de la sienne, et 
 
 ces dons predeux que je te conjure d'agrter. Tu seras 
 
 satisfait, repond Vehib Pacha. II dit, et ordonnant k ses 
 gardes d'amener le detenu : vous ailez itre reunis, sortez . . . 
 Puis, au mouvement d'un revers de sa main, les bourreaux, 
 saisissant les deux victimes, font tomber leurs tetes, qu'ils 
 rangent sur des plateaux k cote des presents que I'un 
 d'^ux venait de presenter au visir." — Page 479, 80. Tom. 
 ///. 1824. 
 
 m2 
 
1G4 DESCRTPTION OF THE FEAST. 
 
 spoon into the mess of soup, and inviting us by 
 gesture to imitate him. It is not easy to ex- 
 press the disgust and nausea with which I pre- 
 pared to follow this worthy exemplar; but at 
 last I succeeded. An embroidered scarf of 
 gold was suspended round each of our necks, 
 and a napkin laid upon our knees. The soup 
 was excellent, and so indeed it might be said 
 of every dish that came in quick succession 
 before us. After the soup was a roasted lamb 
 — one of those extraordinary animals whose tail 
 is so broad and fat and delicious, as to become 
 an object of great importance to oriental epi- 
 cures. Into this, at the invitation of our right 
 honourable president, each man thrust his finger 
 and tore away a piece ; and thus between the 
 spoons and the fingers alternately applied, as 
 the nature of the dish might demand, and 
 moistened at becoming intervals with plentiful 
 libations of champaigne and claret, we ran 
 through six-and-thirty dishes. To an enquiry 
 made afterwards of the dragoman, it was said 
 tha,t forty -nine had been presented ; but as I 
 kept a careful noteof^hat passed, I am pretty 
 confident that I have not made a mistake. 
 There were three tables, and the same sort of 
 
BILL OF FARE. 165 
 
 dishes exactly were brought to each, so that 
 according to my calculation there must have 
 been but one hundred and eight dishes ; ac- 
 cording to that of the other, one hundred and 
 forty-seven. The curious reader may wish to 
 know something more of this feast, which, from 
 the rarity of the occurrence, cannot have been 
 often mentioned ; and though I am only able 
 to afford a general idea of their component 
 parts, yet this probably may be enough. 
 
 1. Sort of white soup, in which were a few 
 pieces of minced liver. 
 
 2. Roasted lamb with Pistachio nuts. 
 
 3. Jelly floating on a glass bowl of water, 
 in which gold and silver fish were swimming. 
 
 4. Roasted turkey cut in pieces, and stuffed 
 with pine-apple seeds and peeled chesnuts. 
 
 5. Sort of white custard sprinkled with 
 pounded cinnamon. 
 
 6. Stewed vegetables soaked in oil. 
 
 7. Custard. 
 
 8. Fried fish with an acid sauce. 
 
 9. Bread pudding sprinkled with sugar. 
 
 10. Fried fish. 
 
 11. Preserved apples with a rich syrup. 
 
 12. Grilled legs of geese. 
 
166 BILL OF FARE. 
 
 13. Mince^meat pie with a variety of herbs, 
 from the top of which came a Hving gold-finch 
 — a common Eastern trick. It was the same 
 at all the three tables. 
 
 14. Honied pastry. 
 
 15. Cabbage-leaves rolled up with boiled 
 rice. 
 
 16. Almond custard. 
 
 17. Stewed chicken stuffed with pine-apple 
 seeds. 
 
 18. Sugared cake shaped like diamonds. 
 
 19. Stewed vegetables with garlic sauce. 
 
 20. Pastry. 
 
 21. Wild boar roasted. 
 :22. Pastry. 
 
 23. Sausages made partly with rice, herbs, 
 &c. &c. I know not what. 
 
 24. Cakes. 
 
 25. Fried fish — mullet. 
 
 26. Cakes. 
 
 27. Wild boar or beef (I could not distin- 
 guish) done with sauce like beef-olive. 
 
 28. Melons. 
 
 29. Pastry. 
 
 30. Fried knuckles of ham ! ! 
 
 31. Cakes. 
 
ANECDOTE OF HASSAN PACHA. 167 
 
 32. Fritters. 
 
 33. Sort of fry with chesnuts. 
 
 34). Roasted flesh of the wild boar. 
 
 35. Large dish of boiled rice. 
 
 36. Rose-water sweetened with honey. 
 
 I should not forget to mention that Vehib 
 THE MERCIFUL pushed his claws into a fried 
 mullet and honoured me and some others who 
 were near him with the villainous morsel. It 
 is thought an indispensable point of etiquette 
 to devour such gifts, and most diverting it was 
 to observe the grimaces, half concealed and 
 half visible, which w^ere made to gorge the 
 savoury meat. A pinch of snuff from the box 
 of the worshipful president causing one of his 
 guests to sneeze, he burst into a loud and 
 ridiculous laugh, in which he was joined by 
 the attendants ; — it was judged a favourable 
 omen * ! 
 
 * Tlie Ancient Greeks, it is well known, put great con- 
 fidence in such auguries ; — so in the Odyssey; 
 
 " Telemachus then sneezed aloud ; 
 
 Constrained, his nostril echoed thro' the crowd. 
 The smiling queen the happy omen blest." 
 
 Book xvn. 
 
168 DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPANY. 
 
 When the meal was concluded, we again 
 adjourned to the divan ; and fresh pipes, with 
 excellent cofFee, were presented to us. Moving 
 toward the higher, that is the Aga's quarter of 
 the mansion, we were furnished with pipes 
 anew, and the hand then made its appearance. 
 It consisted of two violins, a sort of dulcimer, 
 and a reed pipe, which last was played on by 
 a Dervish. A second, who, by his dress and 
 familiarity with the Aga, appeared of a su- 
 perior rank, sat next, and assisted in the exe- 
 cution of a song, the worst, perhaps, that ever 
 saluted mortal ears. Yet the whole presented 
 a most curious scene. On the elevated and 
 boarded part noticed before, occupying the 
 whole divan, sat the officers of the Cambrian 
 and Seringapatam ; the Aga in one corner, with 
 pipes three yards long, projecting from the 
 jaw, and resting on the brass plate in the 
 middle of the floor, while wreaths of thick 
 smoke ascended to the roof. In front of this 
 elevation sat the band, with the two Dervishes in 
 their light-coloured sugar-loaf hats ; and at their 
 backs stood a huge crowd of turbaned atten- 
 dants, filling up the whole space beyond, and 
 looking with mute attention, and it may be. 
 
APPEARANCE OF SULEIMAN AGA. 
 
 169 
 
 with internal ridicule, upon what was going 
 forward. Would that I were a painter; or, 
 would that I could write a painting ! 
 
 After another pipe and glass of Champaigne, 
 we departed in the same manner that we had 
 arrived. 
 
 The Aga may be about fifty years of age, 
 with a perfectly grey beard and sallow com- 
 plexion*. A good-looking lad, of about six 
 years, splendidly habited, and loaded with the 
 usual quantity of arms, accompanied him. I 
 should observe, that, till the Greek Revolution 
 broke out, it was by no means customary to 
 go so attired. 
 
 Monday, 17th Jan. — While I was reading 
 this morning with my Greek master Kyriaca, 
 a Papas entered the door of his apartment. It 
 
 * It is of him Lord Bjron speaks in his Notes to the 
 Second Canto of Childe Harold. " Suleyman Aga," says 
 his lordship, " late Governor of Athens, and now of Thebes, 
 was a bon vivant, and as social a being as ever sat cross- 
 legged at a tray or a table. During the carnival, when 
 our English party were masquerading, both himself and 
 his successor were more happy to ' receive masks,' than 
 any dowager in Grosvenor- square." It will be seen, that 
 he still preserves his social character, as well as the means 
 of supporting it. 
 
170 CEREMONY AT THE GREEK EPIPHANY, 
 
 was the Greek Epiphany ; and he came ac- 
 cording to custom, with a large sponge, a 
 bottle of holy water, and a small cross. These 
 he used in the following manner : He dipped 
 the sponge into the holy water, and sprinkled 
 the whole person of the Aidda-KaXog ; he then 
 presented to him the cross, which he reverently 
 pressed to his lips. For this a piastre was to 
 be paid ; and as there are, at the present time, 
 in Smyrna, upwards of twenty thousand Greeks 
 of the national church, it may easily be seen 
 what a rich harvest the Papas reap. Before 
 the Revolution there were fifty thousand Greek 
 inhabitants of Smyrna ; and though the pur- 
 chase of the water is optional, yet few omit a 
 matter of such vital importance ! The patri- 
 archs are indeed said to derive the chief part 
 of their income from the sale of this, and a 
 holy chrism made annually, and dispersed 
 wherever the influence of the religion prevails. 
 
 Towards the evening of this day, my very 
 good friend Marsham (first-lieutenant of the 
 Cambrian, and son of the Hon. and Rev, Jacob 
 Marsham, Prebendary of Rochester, Sec. Sec.) 
 performed such an act of devoted gallantry, as 
 will go very near to render his name immortal, 
 
GALtANTRY OF LIEUT. MARSH AM. 171 
 
 as it deserves to be. The Greek slave of a 
 Turk, in Smyrna, took refuge from the bar- 
 barity of her master in the house of Mr. Fisher, 
 a Levant merchant. She was in a dreadful 
 pHght when she came to him, bruised from 
 top to toe. The merchant compassionated her 
 situation, and harboured her till the arrival of 
 Captain Hamilton, to whom he immediately 
 applied for protection. Captain Hamilton, 
 always ready to assist the distressed, as hun- 
 dreds of instances will prove, immediately 
 assented ; and they deliberated upon the best 
 steps to be taken in the affair. Our old friend 
 aforesaid was accordingly called in ; he has 
 ever been an acknowledged favourite of the 
 ladies, and has at all times a quick eye, a ready 
 hand, and a warm heart at their service. But 
 I shall make him blush — blush like the " Red 
 Book,^' which is for ever blushing, though I 
 guess not why exactly ! — and scarce commo- 
 dities, we read, ought not to be lavished. 
 Waste not — want not, is an old and a very 
 sensible adage. To proceed : my friend sent 
 the dress of a midshipman to Mr. Fisher's 
 during the day ; and, at dusk, prepared his 
 pistols, put a keen edge upon his sword, and 
 15 
 
172 GALLANTRY OF LIEUT. MARSHAM. 
 
 a most intimidating fierceness into his look, 
 being resolute to exterminate the whole town 
 rather than fail in carrying off the black-eyed 
 Grecian. It was the rape of a second Helen ! 
 and but for the inimitable prudence with which 
 the affair was conducted, might have occasioned 
 another ten years' war ! But " thanks to the 
 gods/' as Addison makes Cato say, " my boy 
 has done his duty '!' he brought the fair lady in 
 safety to the ship. And here, I may remark, 
 by way of illustrating what I ha^e said of the 
 quickness of Mr. Marsham's eye, that the coat, 
 waistcoat, and smallclothes which he selected, 
 fitted her incomparably well ; — not a fault 
 could be found with them : so that I can, 
 without hesitation, and with the utmost confi- 
 dence, recommend him to any distressed damsel 
 whatever, as the most perfect and peerless 
 " Squire of Dames" that ever existed; — a 
 chevalier, " sans peur et sans reproche." 
 
 This evening there was a ball at the French 
 consul's, marked with all the characteristics of 
 the preceding. 
 
 Tuesday, ISth Jan. — Sailed from Smyrna, 
 and in the evening anchored off Vourla, in 
 order to water the ships. The Seringapatam 
 
VOURL A— CURIOSITIES. 173 
 
 sailed with us, under the orders of Captain 
 Hamilton, who is the senior officer of the sta- 
 tion. Vourla is distinguished by a number of 
 windmills on the heights ; and various small 
 islands at their foot, give a beautiful and pic- 
 turesque appearance to the bay. 
 
 Wednesday, 19th Jan. — Walked this morn- 
 ing, with my gun, across the hills; but started 
 no game. The country here is more cultivated 
 than any part of Ionia that I have yet seen ; 
 the olive and fig-tree are very abundant. Re- 
 turning by the shore, I discovered a creek, 
 which gave back a singularly fine echo. I also 
 picked up a few common shells. The object 
 of most interest here, is a small island opposite 
 the ancient Clazomene, (now Vourla,) once 
 connected with the main land, and celebrated 
 for the mole, said to have been built by 
 Alexander the Great. The foundations are 
 yet evident; and several ruins scattered over 
 the island, seem to bespeak a place of some 
 importance. By the margin of a circular pit, 
 we found some specimens of a tesselated pave- 
 ment ; and I learn, from the chaplain of the 
 factory at Smyrna, that he and Lord St. Asaph 
 found considerable quantities, on excavating 
 
174 PROCEED ON THE VOYAGE. 
 
 the pit alluded to. In another part of the 
 island, there is a vaulted passage, supported 
 by a column, which seems now to serve the 
 purpose of a well. You descend by a flight 
 of steps, and a fig-tree flourishes upon the 
 summit. Beneath a niche in the remotest part 
 is a kind of sarcophagus, from which the lid 
 has been lifted, apparently, for examination. 
 Upon the beach I found many detached pieces 
 of Mosaic, of various colours and beauty. Some 
 of them resembled crystal, and others lapis 
 lazuli, &c. The echo, caused by the report of 
 a gun, reverberated exactly like thunder among 
 the hills. 
 
 Friday, 9>\st Jan. — Set sail for Thessalo- 
 nica. About noon, the Cyrene, a twenty-gun 
 sloop of war, commanded by Captain Grace, 
 came in sight. She was telegraphed, and 
 ordered to join. It blew so hard during the 
 night, (though the wind was fair,) that we 
 carried away our main top-sails. 
 
 Saturday, 22d Jan. — This morning we came 
 in sight of the Olympian chain of mountains, 
 covered with snow. Ossa and Peleon (now 
 called Kissavo and Zagora) were distinctly 
 visible ; Mount Athos, at intervals, might be 
 
MOUNT OLYMPUS. 175 
 
 dimly perceived. The day was gloomy, and 
 Olympus, which we passed, was enveloped in 
 clouds; but as the sun struggled to break 
 through, it cast, occasionally, on its hoary 
 sides, many beautiful lights ; and, before we 
 anchored, gilded the whole chain with a 
 shadowy magnificence. 
 
 We cast anchor off Thessalonica about six 
 o'clock, P.M. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Sunday, 2Sd Jan. — Having performed divine 
 service, we were put on shore in the cutter, and 
 hastened to pay our respects to the Enghsh 
 consul, Mr. Charnaud, whom we found the 
 same obhging and friendly person that Dr. 
 Clarke and other travellers have described. 
 His son accompanied us in our researches. The 
 Propyleeum of the ancient Hippodrome, still 
 survives ; but it has been so much defaced by 
 time and boyish wantonness, that its beauty 
 is considerably impaired. It forms the side of 
 a house, in which its columns are buried. Dr. 
 Clarke speaks of five, but now there are only 
 four. The figures are very much mutilated, — 
 the same propensity (for it cannot be worse) 
 appearing to exist here as in England. Tlie 
 lads hurl stones, and the Turks discharge their 
 muskets, at the statues ; so that their situation 
 may easily be conjectured. 
 
THESSALONICA— MOSCH OF ST. DEMETRIUS. 177 
 
 From the Hippodrome we proceeded to the 
 Mosch of St. Demetrius. Dr. Clarke calls it 
 the ancient Metropolitan Church : but this is 
 a mistake ; universal tradition ascribing it to 
 the Mosch called Eske Djummee. Here, also, 
 the Doctor, and Beaujour, whom he followed, 
 are in error. They term it the Temple of the 
 Thermean Venus. The truth is, it is a Rotunda, 
 and built in imitation of the Pantheon. It has 
 six large arched recesses in its sides; and the 
 top has all the appearance of having been 
 added when first used for a Christian church. 
 The dome is in Mosaic, and nearly ruined. 
 We picked up abundance of the coloured glass 
 with which it was composed. 
 
 The Eske Djummee, therefore, the Metro- 
 politan Church, and the Rotunda, are one and 
 the same. There is in front of it what Dr. 
 Clarke, speaking of the latter, calls a " magni- 
 ficent marble bema, or pulpit," but it may 
 rather be the ascent to one, since there are 
 steps alone, winding, as we see them some- 
 times in the present day. The figures are in 
 basso-relievo, armed cap-a-pie, and finely 
 executed. But they cannot be very ancient ; 
 for the most conspicuous figure wears around 
 VOL. r. ^ 
 
178 DR. CLARKE'S ERRONEOUS STATEMENTS. 
 
 his waist a sash, similar to those used by the 
 knights of the middle ages. Here also is the 
 fountain alluded to by Dr. Clarke, with " part 
 of an inscription, mentioning the name either 
 of Cassander, or of some citizen of Cassan- 
 DRiA*,^' so that it is easy to identify the 
 place he means. 
 
 To return to the Mosch of St. Demetrius. — 
 It is in the form of a cross ; and " on each side 
 is a double colonnade of pillars of the Verde- 
 antico, with Ionic capitals." So says Dr. 
 Clarke; but he adds, by way of note, " Pococke 
 says, these pillars are of white marble. It is 
 very possible, that under the circumstances of 
 our seeing the buildings of Salonica/' [the 
 plague was then rife,] ** an error of this kind 
 may have escaped our observation ; but Beau- 
 jour has the same remark : * La nef du milieu 
 est un beau vaisseau, soutenu par deux rangs 
 de colonnes de vert antique,' &c. Tableau du 
 Comm. de la Grece. Tom. I. p. 43 *f -.^^ I have 
 not Beaujour by me to refer to ; but as the 
 worthy consul declared, and as I have myself 
 
 * Clarke's Travels. Vol. VII. p. 453. 8vo. 1818. 
 t Ibid, p. 456. 
 
DR. CI-ARKE'S ERRONEOUS STATEMENTS. 179 
 
 already had sufficient opportunity to observe, 
 Dr. Clarke has frequently made hasty and in- 
 accurate remarks. There certainly is a double 
 colonnade of pillars, but not of Verde-antico, 
 Neither he nor Pococke is correct. The front 
 rows have hut four pillars of verde-antique, 
 facing each other in the middle of the aisle : 
 that row nearest the entrance, has six round 
 pillars, of white marble, with the ornate 
 capitals of Corinthian architecture, and three 
 large pilasters or square shafts rising at 
 proper distances between. Behind this colon- 
 nade are twelve small marble pillars, of the 
 Ionic order. The opposite side of the aisle, 
 besides the four verde-antique pillars already 
 noticed, has five with Corinthian capitals, and 
 two pilasters. Eleven small Ionic pillars are be- 
 hind. To the right and left of the chancel, are 
 four superb porphyry pillars, two on each side. 
 But of all Dr. Clarke's errors the following 
 may perhaps be classed amongst the most re- 
 markable. " The next day (Dec. 30th) Mr. 
 Cripps accompanied Mr. Charnaud upon a 
 shooting excursion into the country, to provide 
 game for our journey ; the consul being very 
 partial to this amusement, and glad to meet 
 
 N 2 
 
ISO DR. CLARKE'S ERRONEOUS STATEMENTS. 
 
 with a companion as fond of it as himself;— 
 ' We shall find plenty of game/ said he, ' but 
 you must promise to take away with you all 
 the hat'es that we may kill, for the people of 
 this country hold a dead hare in such detesta- 
 tion, that if I were to dress one for your dinner 
 I must take the skin off and roast it myself; 
 and the consequence w^ould be, that none of 
 my servants would remain in the house where 
 it was flayed, or come into the room where it 
 was eaten.' This very ancient superstition was 
 before alluded to in this work ; it was connected 
 with the w orship of Diana among the Greeks, 
 But we find that fifteen centuries before the 
 ChristiaJi aera the Israelites were taught to 
 consider the hare as unclean ; so that even to 
 touch it was an abomination. ' The hare, be- 
 cause he cheweth the cud, hut divideth not the 
 hoof, he is unclean unto you .... whosoever 
 toucheth the carcase shall be unclean *.'/'. 
 
 Of course I was desirous of gaining further 
 information relative to this curious story, espe- 
 cially since I remembered to have seen the 
 skins both of hares and rabbits constantly ex- 
 
 * Clarke's Travels, Vol. VII. p. 457, vS. 
 
MOSCII OF ST. DEMETRIUS. 181 
 
 posed for sale by the Turks in Smyrna. Ac- 
 cordingly I applied to Mr. Charnaud, both 
 younger and elder, and they both, particularly 
 the latter, who was most concerned, assured 
 me again and again, that there was not one 
 particle of truth in the whole ; on the contrary, 
 the consul said that his cook would be very 
 glad to dress them, since the skins are his per- 
 quisite ; these he can sell to the furriers, who 
 use them for a variety of purposes : and he 
 added, that the Turks eat the flesh without the 
 smallest hesitation. 
 
 What is here stated Mr. Charnaud after- 
 wards repeated to several of our party : Mr. 
 Strangways and I think Captain Hamilton and 
 Captain Sotheby were both present, with 
 many more. 
 
 The Mosch of St. Demetrius contains a 
 fine Christian monument, with a Greek inscrip- 
 tion relating to a female, an early convert to 
 Christianity, which I have not time to copy : 
 — the first line runs thus : 
 
 +'AVXHMa^eKoeieTovTUKeAaMHVi>{reKovc 
 
 Various crosses are yet distinct upon the mar- 
 ble pavement, although the infidels have done 
 
182 THESSALONICA— MOSCH OF ST. SOPHIA. 
 
 their utmost to obliterate every symbol of 
 Christianity. Beneath this place is a subter- 
 raneous church now completely closed, in con- 
 sequence, as it is said, of a man whose curiosity 
 led him to enter its dark vaults never having 
 been seen again. 
 
 The mosch next celebrated is that of St. 
 Sophia. On one of the towers is a stork's nest, 
 a bird held, it is well known, in universal ve- 
 neration. They arrive here early in March 
 and remain till August, but on the fourth of 
 that month precisely, (Old Style !) every 
 bird takes its departure : not one is to be found 
 afterwards, nor is one missing till that very 
 day. This peculiarity is no doubt amongst the 
 good reasons assigned by the Turks for the re- 
 gard they shew them. 
 
 The Mosch of St. Sophia has nine pillars in 
 front, of which five are verde- antique and four 
 of red granite ; they contrast but poorly with 
 the white-washed Koran-scribbled walls of the 
 edifice. Within are six pillars of verde-an- 
 tique, three on each side : there is also a solid 
 pulpit of the same stone, which tradition has 
 denominated the pulpit of St. Paul. From 
 hence he is said to have harangued the Thes- 
 
TRIUMPHAL ARCH OF CONSTANTINE. 183 
 
 salonians when he first attempted their conver- 
 sion. Idle as this tradition may be, the pulpit 
 is of undoubted antiquity ; and both from the 
 workmanship and quality of the materials 
 which compose it, is deserving every atten- 
 tion. 
 
 A triumphal arch of Constantine at the 
 southern extremity of Thessalonica is an ad- 
 mirable monument of the olden times; but 
 neither has it escaped the destroying hand of 
 the Turk. The arch itself has long been di- 
 vested of the marble which enveloped the brick- 
 work yet standing ; and the sculpture of one of 
 the piers is surrounded by a baker's shop. Nor 
 is this all, the barbarians have knocked away 
 the basso-relievos in order to introduce certain 
 conveniences for their trade. The other side 
 is entirely boarded up, and if not already given 
 to destruction, may on some future day afford 
 an unexpected gratification. Two compart- 
 ments only are now visible, representing the 
 triumph of Constantine (probably) in va- 
 rious situations. In the higher compartment 
 the victor is drawn in a triumphal car, accom- 
 panied by his guards, Sec. and in the lower he 
 is on horse-back ; over head an eagle hovers, 
 
184' SUPPOSED TRIUMPHAL ARCH OF AUGUSTUS. 
 
 having a laurel crown in its talons, with which 
 it is just in the act of encircling the conqueror's 
 brows. In our way hither from the Mosch of 
 St. Demetrius I discovered a square stone 
 about two feet high, on which the word 
 ^lAinnOS was inscribed. We were in- 
 formed that a French consul attempted to dig 
 it up, but it was found buried too deep for the 
 purpose. It is of singular shape, and unless it 
 has supported a statue I can form no conjecture 
 about it ; and it is unlikely to have done so if 
 it be of that height which the anecdote we 
 heard implies. 
 
 At the northern quarter of the town is the 
 gate of the Vardar, which Dr. Clarke supposes 
 a triumphal arch of Augustus : a work far su- 
 perior, he says, in point of taste to the other. 
 How this may be I know not ; the vault within 
 and without is overlaid with plaister by the 
 Turks, in two or three places it has given way ; 
 and passing the first archway of the \ ault on 
 the obverse side a section of a horse and man 
 may be discovered : under this arch I copied 
 the following inscription, which the younger 
 Mr. Charnaud believes cannot have been un- 
 covered many years, yet Dr. Clarke speaks of 
 
ANCIENT GREEK INSCRIPTIONS. 
 
 185 
 
 it cursorily as " containing the names of all the 
 magistrates then in office/' 
 
 n OA EITAPXO Y NTjaiMZnZlH ATPOY- TOYK / 
 nATPAi:«ICAI-A0YKIOY.¥0MTIOVrEk:OY N AOV 
 YJOVAYAOYaVOYIOY- ZABEINOY-AHMHTPl Y'T 
 -bAYlTCY'AH M HTPIOYTOY N El KOTTOAEOI-ZO 
 
 TUYnTAPMENlONOZ-TOYKAIMENIIKOYrAIOY-AriAAHlOY 
 ITOTEITOYTAMIOYTHS-TTOAEOSTAYPOYTOYAMMU^ 
 
 TOY k A IPHPAO Y- r Y M N AYIa\PXOY NTO ITAYPOTOYTAYPC 
 TOYKAIPHTAOY- 
 
 And a little to the right of the Vardar Gate 
 is a fountain which has originally been an 
 elegant soros of white marble, but which has 
 not been noticed before : I find there an in- 
 scription in this form, erected by some one 
 whose name I cannot decypher, " for his wife 
 and himself, he being alive." 
 
 AIAIAAPEMICK 
 THCYNBIN 
 
 KAIEAVTUI 
 
 Z' W N 
 
 
 Wednesday^ 26th Jan. — Mr. Charnaud 
 obhgingly accommodated me with the loan of 
 a horse, and his son was good enough to attend 
 
186 CONVENT OF THE DANCING DERVISHES, 
 
 me. I corrected the copies of some inscrip- 
 tions which I had maxle, and from thence went 
 to inspect a convent of dancing Dervishes out- 
 side the northern wall of the city. This is a 
 curious place, but built much on the system of 
 Catholic monasteries, that is, on one side the 
 place of devotion and on the other little apart- 
 ments for the Dervishes, containing a small 
 divan, their sofa and bed. The building dedi- 
 cated to the fantastic exercises of their reli- 
 gion is square, and painted both within and 
 without. Within it is constructed like a circus, 
 having a gallery above for the spectators ; 
 here they twirl in all the most ridiculous pos- 
 tures imaginable. Cats in immense numbers 
 were running about the area; they feed and 
 educate sixty of them in this convent alone 
 (which is but small) and appear to consider 
 them with the greatest veneration. Attached 
 to the religious edifice is a tomb covered with 
 a splendid cloth of gold, and crowned with the 
 white turban of the Dervishes ; it is called the 
 tomb of the prophet, and I understand he has 
 a similar mark of respect shewn him in every 
 convent of the kind. It is surrounded by bal- 
 conies, where the Dervishes walk. 
 10 
 
PACHA'S SUMMER-HOUSE— TUMULUS. 187 
 
 Descending the hill we rode upon the level 
 plain below it, and passed a khan, or inn, 
 where certain travellers were reposing. These 
 places are of the very worst description; all 
 they can furnish you with, in general, is bread 
 and a mat to sleep upon. Sometimes the only 
 chamber is the stable ; and, to say truth, you 
 might meet here worse companions than the 
 horses. About a mile from the town is a sort 
 of summer-house, to which the Pacha occa- 
 sionally goes to divert himself, and enjoy the 
 fresco of the sea. Half an hour's journey fur- 
 ther is a high mound, which has all the ap- 
 pearance of a tumulus, and of which Dr. 
 Clarke says, " that it may possibly cover the 
 remains of those Thessalonians who fell in the 
 battle fought here against Philip the Second ; 
 no other instance having occurred likely to 
 cause a tumulus of such magnitude so near to 
 the walls of Salontcaj" 
 
 I returned to the ship with a promise from 
 Mr. Charnaud, jun. to attend me, next day, 
 to the dance of Dervishes, which is to take 
 place at one o'clock p.m. 
 
 Thursday, 9ilth Jan. — There is a singular 
 method of catching the red-legged partridges. 
 
^88 CURIOUS MODE OF CATCHING PARTRIDGES. 
 
 common in this country, which I do not re- 
 member to have heard of before. The sports- 
 man provides himself with a covering for his 
 •whole body composed of stripes of different 
 kinds of the brightest cloth. He has a hole 
 made in it for admitting his gun, and other 
 holes for the eyes ; in which state he marches 
 into the field. No sooner do the partridges 
 perceive him, than impelled by this strange 
 attraction, the whole covey run toward the 
 cloth, and thus afford the sportsman an oppor- 
 tunity of murdering them at a blow ! 
 
 Ibrahim, the present Pacha of Salonica, is 
 much esteemed here, and is universally spoken, 
 of as a humane man. We understand that he 
 is nominated to a Pachalik of more importance, 
 and will presently remove to it. Our arrival 
 with three ships of war threw him into great 
 consternation ; he came down to the beach to 
 make observations, and it is rumoured, gave 
 orders for levying a competent force. 
 . We hear that the Pacha of Egypt has sent 
 his son with sixty men of war to Candia, and 
 from twelve to fourteen thousand troops, in 
 order to renew operations against the Greeks. 
 But the Turks are so much in the habit of 
 
 11 
 
INJUDICIOUS CONDUCT OF THE BIBLE SOCIETY. 189 
 
 crowding their ships with men as to render 
 them unserviceable : in such cases the Greek 
 fire must do infinite mischief. The Pacha^s 
 ^on is said to be a man of some talent, but not 
 €qual to his father. 
 
 Amongst other instances of the injudicious 
 distribution of Bibles, by the Bible Society, 
 which I find daily occurring, it was told me 
 by Mr. Abbot, a Levant merchant in Salonica, 
 that nearly four years ago, forty copies of the 
 Bible, in different languages, had been sent to 
 him from Malta ; of these he had, in vain, at- 
 tempted to dispose of more than three. He 
 also said, that though he had written several 
 times to Malta, to point out the propriety of 
 their being otherwise disposed of, no notice 
 whatever had been taken of his suggestion. 
 This, with various other anecdotes, which I 
 doubt not I shall, from time to time, collect, 
 should teach the Society that they may have 
 mistaken the mode of accomphshing their ob- 
 ject ; and that the flaming reports which they 
 publish are not always borne out by facts. " In 
 calculating the actual good done by the chari- 
 table contributions, which supply the funds of 
 this benevolent association from vear to vear,''^ 
 
190 INJUDICIOUS CONDUCT OP THE BIBLE SOCIETY. 
 
 says the Fifteenth Report of the British and 
 Foreign Bible Society^ P^g^ 212, " or the be- 
 nefit derivable from the labours and exertions 
 of the agents of the Society in any one year, 
 
 the NUMBER OF VERSIONS AND COPIES OF 
 
 THE Holy Scriptures, which are issued 
 from the press in different languages, and 
 forwarded to the places where they are meant 
 to be distributed, must be considered a 
 
 PRINCIPAL criterion AND MEASURE OP 
 
 ESTIMATION. The committee have, there- 
 fore, great satisfaction in communicating, as 
 part of the fruits of the past year, the com- 
 pletion of two distinct editions of the New 
 Testament in three Asiatic languages, besides 
 a small edition, in a fourth language, of the 
 Gospel of St. Matthew." How fallacious a 
 mode of arguing this is, I need not, after the 
 facts already stated, trouble myself to shew ; 
 but I must observe, that there seems not the 
 smallest pretext for continuing the pernicious 
 system of penny collections and female asso- 
 ciations^ if such be the use made of the sup- 
 plies so raised. If packages of books are sent 
 off at random, left to casual distribution, and 
 no enquiry made about them afterward, the 
 
THESSALONICA— GREEK SUPERSTITION. 191 
 
 money employed in these measures has been 
 wasted, and the contributors cajoled ! 
 
 Thursday Evening. — A singular anecdote, 
 relative to Greek superstition, was told to me 
 this evening. Three years after a body has 
 been interred, the friends of the deceased make 
 a procession to the place of its sepulchre, and 
 examine the condition it is in. If the flesh be 
 not decayed, or black, they imagine it to be 
 the consequence of some enormous crime. 
 They then have recourse to prayers and holy 
 water, with which it is lavishly besprinkled, 
 and again committed to the grave. 
 
 Friday, 2Sth Jan. — Sailed early for Scopeli, 
 Captain Hamilton having received intelligence 
 that several piratical ships had been cruising 
 in this quarter, and had done considerable 
 injury. We anchored in the evening off 
 Cassandra. 
 
 Saturday, 29th Jan. — This day had nearly 
 terminated most unhappily ; and we have the 
 utmost reason to be thankful for our escape 
 from the dangerous extremity to which we 
 were reduced. It blew violently, the ship 
 running at a great rate. About noon we were 
 
IQ^ PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE AT SEA. 
 
 off the little island of Skiatho, not more than a 
 mile and a half from the coast, when we sud- 
 denly struck upon a rock, of which the charts 
 take no notice, nor had any one on board the 
 slightest knowledge of its existence. The crew\ 
 then on deck, were immediately summoned to 
 the forecastle ; and the position of the sails 
 altered, in order to take every advantage of 
 the wind. This method succeeded ; she was 
 brought off the rock, but the tiller-ropes had 
 snapped, and the rudder, of course, would no 
 longer obey the wheel. I was writing in my 
 cabin at the time, and heard the ship^'s keel 
 grating over the stone with no very pleasing 
 sensations. Presently the whirl of the broken 
 tiller-ropes threw down a quantity of glass in 
 the after gun-room ; and an impetuous rush 
 from all the lower parts of the ship to the ac- 
 commodation-ladder, plainly indicated the na- 
 ture of the case. It was a striking scene that 
 presented itself in the confused and hurried 
 air of the men as they poured rapidly to their 
 stations : the shouts of the officers, the rattling 
 of the cordage, and the violent dashing of the 
 sails against the creaking masts ; add to this 
 
ANCHOR OFF SYROCHORO. 193 
 
 the roaring of the waves and the wind, through 
 the very midst of all which, — 
 
 " The shrill whistle of the boatswain's pipe 
 Seemed as a whisper in the ear of death." 
 
 The gale continued freshening, and a thick 
 haze obscured the distant mountains. The 
 Seringapatam and Cyrene were telegraphed, 
 and ordered to bear up toward the Gulf of 
 Volo, (sinus Pelasgicus.) We anchored a little 
 before three o'clock off Syrochoro, (an ancient 
 town, which I am apprehensive we shall not see 
 nearer at present,) and found twenty-eight 
 inches of water in the hold. The pumps have 
 been going continually ever since : our future 
 destination is therefore doubtful. 
 
 Sunday^ SOth Jan. — Still at anchor; but 
 not permitted to go on shore. We are likely 
 to return to Smyrna. 
 
 Monday ^Slst Jan, — The weather has cleared 
 up, and a beautiful though frosty morning 
 makes amends for the dulness and disagree- 
 ableness of the preceding days. We are an- 
 chored in a kind of elliptical circle; — double 
 chains of mountains towering above us on every 
 side, and the farther and higher one mantled 
 
 VOL. I. o 
 
tP4 SYROCHORO— RUTNS OF T?IE ACROPOLIS. 
 
 in snow. To the east, are the ruins of Syro- 
 choro, probably the ancient Dios, mentioned 
 by Homer and Strabo ; but it seems unnoticed 
 altogether by modern travellers. At no great 
 distance from hence should be Histicea, famous 
 for its vineyards ; and CencBiim, a promontory 
 where Jupiter had a temple built by Hercules. 
 To the west of us, is a long ledge of white 
 rocks. 
 
 Contrary to expectation, soon after writing 
 the above, it was determined that we should 
 have communication with the shore. This had 
 been interdicted, from a primary intention of 
 returning immediately to Malta; and then 
 any thing of the sort would, of course, have 
 lengthened our quarantine there. 
 
 On landing, I immediately ascended a steep 
 hill, on which had been the acropolis of the 
 place. All that remains are walls, nearly ex- 
 tinct ; but they have no appearance of any 
 great antiquity. The stones are cemented to- 
 gether; and broken buttresses or towers placed 
 at intervals around the line of wall, seem to 
 indicate a Venetian rather than a Grecian 
 fortress. It has been moated, and part of the 
 fosse yet exists. Two gateways are apparent, 
 
INSCMPTION ON TffE ACROPGlfS. 195 
 
 the one on the north and the other to the 
 east, on which side, about fifty yards from the 
 wall, is a pit, of an elhptical form, nearly filled 
 up with shapeless stones and broken columns 
 of marble. Here, upon an overturned pedestal, 
 26j feet high, and 21^ broad, I discovered the 
 following inscription, which I take to be the 
 memorial of some amicable treaty between 
 persons whose names are no longer on record *. 
 It was written in very faint characters : — 
 
 AEUKPATElly^ 
 
 AESIAAOY 
 
 ElAITHl 
 
 This was all, of any moment, tJiat I dis- 
 covered upon the acropolis. The pit is sur- 
 rounded by young plane-trees. A Greek, who 
 was lounging here, informed me, that the 
 fortress had the name of J^PAION, or die 
 Beautiful ; unless, indeed, the word was 
 OPION, signifying the termination or boun- 
 dary, as being close to the sea. The French 
 maps give the name of Oreo to a place nearer 
 
 * A friend suggests, that it signifies ** to Dexicratinus, 
 the son of Dexiadus, a native of Elis." I leave it to the 
 reader. 
 
 o 2 
 
106 SYROCHORO— DEVASTATIONS OF THE TURKS. 
 
 the promontory of Cenaeum ; perhaps the an- 
 cient Histiaea. But it then becomes a question, 
 whether the term be not misappHecl? As I 
 descended the hill, I observed a troop of Alba- 
 nian soldiers, who, from the account given by 
 the Greek above mentioned, were in pursuit of 
 K\e(j)Tai, or robbers, and were patrolling up 
 and down to that end. A small village had 
 been ruined by the Turks in this place; amongst 
 the rest, was a diminutive Grecian church, 
 built in a cottage style, which had also fallen 
 beneath their indiscriminating fury. In this 
 place I discovered part of the rich entablature 
 of a pillar ; upon which was inscribed as 
 follows : — 
 
 MENYAAI" TIMASI- 
 
 Plutarch speaks of a ikfe/??///z/s who attempted 
 to prevail on Phocion to accept a sum of money : 
 there is too little said, probably, to justify a 
 supposition that it was the person alluded to. 
 Here, also, I found a human skull, in a fine 
 state of preservation. About half a mile fur- 
 ther, surrounded by plane-trees, is a sort of 
 dry pond; a low wall runs about it. I was in- 
 formed that it had been a church, (ekkXtjctici) ; 
 
ANCIENT GREEK INSCRIPTION. 197 
 
 but of that there was not the smallest trace. 
 Amongst the pile of stones forming the wall, I 
 found a broken one resting against a tree. I 
 seized upon it with eagerness, and bore it in 
 triumph to the ship. It was covered with the 
 writing which I have faithfully copied beneath. 
 
 ir\)r/\>y 
 
 W\ N Cs^XV K 
 
 •ehLEbEnOlhCA K 
 •• •^EPONo\BOY\OMMITEe•••- 
 OYTO ^ 
 
 7^ W-K [12..^ \1T h£^C <nM U A-C^ 
 ePA\^hEA&NK\ElNhErEri^CUJ-. • 
 R-OYTeinEEYEE^^A XOYM h N 
 EEhLAMPETUkNFOYPEnA4>PUMECaAr"-- 
 ElhAlAIYTAlKA 
 •■ MIETUIEKAIMYN^ATALXEBJNTE 
 
 9HPUN 
 
 - nENeOYTAKOs>55>\rR--.- 
 
 ^A^-Aeo^^F> 
 
 ION 
 
 The contractions, or rather the conjunctions 
 of many of the letters might, perhaps, be con- 
 sidered an argument against the very ancient 
 date of the inscription. And taking this idea 
 as a guide, it would not be fixed earlier in all 
 probability than the lower empire. But several 
 of the letters undoubtedly bear the shape of 
 
198 PREPARATIONS FOR ATTACKING PFRATES. 
 
 the earliest age: siicb', for instance, is the 
 theta ^, sigma Q, although it occurs in in- 
 scriptions of later times, — alpha ^ , joined in 
 the fourteenth line to lambda ^ , thus, ^, and 
 X, which resembles the ancient gamma. 
 
 It is curious to observe the word [-] [[ E Y Q 
 (Theseus,) distinctly legible in the ninth line; 
 but I pretend not to explain its meaning. 
 
 OpaKtig fjtev /cXtivjjc .... 
 .... Or](TSV£ (KaXo\i/xnv 
 
 is nearly as much as I can decypher. 
 
 While we were out upon our excursion, the 
 Cyrene had spoke with an Ionian brig, of which 
 she distinguished two pirates in chase. The 
 brig was afterwards boarded ; and, in answer 
 to certain queries, stated, that several piratical 
 vessels were cruising up the gulf. This intelli- 
 gence being communicated to Capt. Hamilton, 
 measures were immediately taken ; and, on our 
 fetum, we found them busy in manning and 
 arming the boats. Four were sent from each 
 ship ; that is, from the Cambrian and Seringa- 
 patam, — the Cyrene being absent. They were 
 put under the command of Lieut. Marsham, 
 who rowed on before the rest, with orders to 
 persuade the pirates, if possible, to submit 
 11 
 
ACTION WITH THE PIRATKS. 199 
 
 themselves to examination ; and for that pur- 
 pose to bring up their vessels to the station of 
 our ships. But he was strictly enjoined to for- 
 bear all attack, unless every other alternative 
 was rejected, and no other mode offered itself 
 of accomplishing the object of his mission. 
 
 They left the ships at four o'clock, p.m. and 
 returned about one in the morning, with two 
 small vessels and seventeen of their crews ; 
 some of whom were dangerously wounded. 
 Unhappily four of our own men were killed in 
 the fray ; and sixteen out of both ships severely 
 hurt. Lieut. Worsfall, of the Seringapatam, 
 received three wounds in the breast, which but 
 for the thickness of his coat, and the slanting 
 direction which the balls had taken, must have 
 proved fatal. As it happened, however, they 
 went no further than the skin. In fact, the 
 pirates fought desperately to a man ; and such 
 was their resolution, that, in the last violent 
 effort to escape, having discharged their pieces, 
 they dashed them furiously at the assailants, 
 and leapt headlong into the water. — Something 
 of the spirit of old Greece, manifested in a bad 
 cause, seemed forcibly to prevail here ! Their 
 Captain died, after the conflict, in his way 
 
200 DEATH OF THE CAPTAIN OF THE PIRATES. 
 
 to the ships, of a wound from a pistol ball, 
 which had penetrated the breast, and with 
 several sabre-wounds in the lower part of his 
 body. He was stretched out, for a short time, 
 upon the quarter-deck, covered with a flag, — 
 a horrible and an awful sight : his face, which 
 must have been handsome, was shockingly 
 smeared with blood : and his long black hair, 
 clotted and spread in disorder around him, 
 gave a singular wildness to his appearance, as 
 seen by a bright moon on the quarter-deck of 
 a man of war. His mouth, the upper lip of 
 which had long mustachios, was stiif with 
 gore, and his eyes were unclosed : adding yet 
 more strongly to the savageness of feature, 
 which his last bold act contributed to impress 
 upon him. The dark eye of his country 
 gleamed fiercely even in death : but it was 
 said, that he died uttering ^^Christiano, Chris- 
 tlano" — a characteristic, or at least Catholic 
 termination of an unlawful career ! 
 
 Following up his instruction to the letter, 
 Mr. Marsham first proceeded, with his own 
 boat, only in search of the pirates ; and, having 
 fallen in with them, explained, through an in- 
 terpreter, the necessity of their complying with 
 
PURSUIT OF THE PIRATES. 201 
 
 the wishes of the English commodore. He 
 assured them of safety, provided they ac- 
 quiesced ; and endeavoured, by maintaining an 
 easy unconstrained tone, to obviate the irri- 
 tation, or apprehension, perhaps, which their 
 manner throughout had indicated, as well as 
 to afford time for the hindmost boats to come 
 up. All that he could say proving ineffectual, 
 he gave them to understand that they must 
 expect the worst ; and pushed off to meet his 
 companions. It was now night ; and though 
 the moon had arisen in great splendour, yet 
 the shadow of the lofty mountains, beneath 
 which they rowed, obscuring the track of the 
 pirates, involved our boats in doubt and per- 
 plexity. At this period they fell in with a 
 small trading vessel, called, technically, a 
 Bonebai'd, who directed them to the probable 
 haunts of the desperadoes ; and who, at the 
 same time, requested for themselves a convoy 
 down the gulf. The search was then sedulously 
 pursued ; and about nine o'clock they distin- 
 guished the two vessels, which they afterwards 
 took, off Cape Lethada, the ancient Cen^eum. 
 
 It is probable that the pirates had no idea 
 of so large a force bemg at hand. On Lieut. 
 
202 ACTION WITH THE PIRATES. 
 
 Marsham's first approach alone, their inten- 
 tions seemed decidedly hostile ; and they 
 several times attempted to bring a large gun, 
 placed at the bow of their vessel, to bear upon 
 the boat. This he, of course, avoided ; but 
 when the sound of oars nearing them was again 
 heard, the belief of the officers very generally 
 was, that the pirates looked only for the return 
 of the same boat, which they were pre-deter- 
 mined to attack. For no sooner had the lead- 
 ing boat come within shot, than a volley of 
 musketry, fired from the piratical vessels, 
 struck seven of our men : but surely, if they 
 had been aware of the approach of eight well- 
 armed boats, they would rather have preferred 
 standing rigidly upon the defensive. Their 
 proceeding, however, was the signal for a quick 
 and destructive fire. Many of the Greeks, 
 after a desperate and well-contested struggle 
 of twenty minutes, plunged into the water : 
 fifteen were afterwards thrown overboard 
 dead; and the remainder, brought prisoners to 
 the ship. There certainly could not have been 
 less than forty men, crowded into two puny 
 vessels of not more than twenty tons burden. 
 Amongst those who were captured, was a boy 
 
GALLANT BEHAVIOUR OF THE OFFICERS. 203 
 
 of twelve or thirteen j^ears of age. During the 
 conflict, he had crept to the bottom of the 
 boat ; and it was with the utmost difficulty 
 that he could be drawn forth. With less man- 
 liness than his age promised, he screamed 
 most piteously. It is a curious fact, that one 
 of the prisoners resembles the ci-devant Go- 
 vernor of Scio most strikingly. This was 
 noticed by many beside myself. 
 
 Throughout the whole of the affair, the 
 greatest credit is reflected upon the officers 
 who conducted it. As far as my own know- 
 ledge goes, I should say, that than Mr. Mar- 
 sham, the first, and Mr. Smart, the fourth, 
 Lieutenant, of the Cambrian, there could not 
 have been officers selected more fitted for the 
 occasion, or for any other. Spirit, judgment, 
 and humanity, are alike their characteristics, as 
 they are those of the whole British navy. What 
 I say of one I say of all. 
 
 Tuesday, \st Feb. — The prisoners who had 
 been taken yesterday, were sent to the Cyrene, 
 to be conducted to Scopeli, and delivered up 
 to the government. One of these was a Papas. 
 From papers found upon them, added to the 
 confession of one of the party, no doubt can 
 
204' BURIAL OF THE SAILORS. 
 
 exist of their piratical pursuits. Their vessels 
 have been burnt, after undergoing a minute 
 inspection, and the contents disposed of on 
 board our own ships. The large gun men- 
 tioned before, was found crammed up to the 
 top with nails, round stones, and other offensive 
 materials of the same nature. It had been 
 fired several times the preceding day, but ap- 
 parently without effect. In the belt of the 
 deceased chief, a quantity of silver and gold 
 was discovered, not amounting to more than 
 a few pounds, and bearing principally the 
 form of amulets. The greater part of their 
 weapons the pirates themselves had thrown over- 
 board, when further resistance was fruitless. 
 
 The dead bodies of our men were deposited 
 in the sea, with military honours. Two boats 
 were manned ; in one lay the corpses, and in 
 the other were the marines under arms. I 
 accompanied the former boat, with the first 
 lieutenant, about a cable's length from the 
 ship ; the band on deck playing solemn music. 
 The funeral service was read, and the waters 
 closed over them. They had yesterday gone 
 forth breathing — ^living men ; full of hope and 
 exultation. They laughed with the laughers ; 
 
REFLECTIONS 0\ THEIR DEATH. 205 
 
 and returned the coarse jest of their com- 
 panions with noisy thoughtless glee. Before 
 the ensuing dawn, they were dead : a piece 
 of canvas, bound tightly to the body, was their 
 winding-sheet — the echo of musketry their re- 
 quiem — and the wave, as it parted to receive 
 them into its bosom, poured forth almost the 
 last tribute to their memory! No matter; 
 that 
 
 Upov VTTVOV 
 
 Koj^torat ^, ' 
 
 and the deepest and the truest lamentation, is 
 useful only as it affects the mind and heart 
 and subsequent conduct of the living. " Mais 
 la mort,^' says a Frenchman, whose name I 
 forget, " la mort, n^est autre chose, que le re- 
 gret des vivans ; si nous ne la regrettons pas, il 
 n'est pas mort/' The idea is all over French. 
 
 Wednesday, 2d Feb. — Weighed anchor at 
 an early hour. The Seringapatam. bailed ano- 
 ther boat which had suffered from the depre- 
 dations of the pirates. About ten o'clock we 
 discovered five small Latine vessels sailing 
 
 * Callimachus. 
 
SW LATIKE VESSELS. 
 
 close under the coast of Thessaly, immedi- 
 ately at the entrance of the Gulf of Volo. 
 Supposing them a part of the piratical cruizers 
 they were fired at, for the purpose of being 
 brought too : they were not, however, within 
 shot. It was a beautiful morning with light 
 winds which just served to ripple the surface of 
 the water. The Latines furled their sails, put 
 back, and pulled into a narrow creek, where 
 they were safe for the time from molestation : 
 they then climbed the rocks to watch our mo- 
 tions. As the object of Captain Hamilton was 
 only to ascertain who and what they were, he 
 ivished to try every conciliating measure before 
 he resorted to any thing harsh. With this 
 view he despatched one of the wounded pri- 
 soners who remained, with a flag of truce, and 
 a request that some of their leaders would 
 come on board his ship. In the mean time 
 preparations were made for a refusal. The 
 marines were called up and drilled ; ball cart- 
 ridges brought out, with pistols, muskets and 
 cutlasses for the whole crew. It certainly was 
 an animating scene ; the snapping of flints was 
 perpetual, and the bustling, not to ?>^y joyous, 
 air of the younger officers, was strong evidence 
 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE OFFICERS. 2()7 
 
 how vividly they felt the power of what was 
 pfoino- forward. 
 
 On the return of the boat, after leaving our 
 ambassador in the hands of his countrymen, 
 we had a picturesque account of their pro- 
 ceedings. They approached without seeing a 
 man, but as soon as they had landed the pri- 
 soner and retired, a whistle was heard, and im- 
 mediately upwards of a hundred men sprung 
 from beneath the bushes of the rocks. The 
 incident in Sir W. Scott's " Lady of the Lake," 
 that, namely, of Roderic Dhu and his clans- 
 men instantly recurred ! Allowing a sufficient 
 time for consultation our boat was despatched 
 a second time, and returned with four or five 
 Greeks, for whose safety our first lieutenant, 
 perhaps unwisely, had chosen to remain as a 
 hostage; however, he was treated with every 
 civility. 
 
 The account given by these people was, that 
 they were gun- boats belonging to a small 
 Greek squadron, consisting of two brigs, a 
 schooner, and what is called a mi/stico, (which 
 is something resembling a very small schooner) 
 cniising on the opposite side of the gulf. It 
 seems tiiat twelve Turkish vessels are now \f\ 
 
208 BEAUTIFUL PROSPECT. 
 
 Volo, and that the Greeks have fitted out this 
 armament with a design to intercept and burn 
 the fleet of their enemy. The Cyrene, how- 
 ever, had met with the gun-boats last evening, 
 and had fired at them for a considerable thue. 
 . From all these circumstances they concluded 
 that we wxre Turkish men of war, and our 
 steady pursuit confirmed them in the idea. In 
 conclusion, they agreed to accompany us to 
 the station of the larger vessels from which they 
 had been detached. 
 
 The sun set even more magnificently than 
 usual. On one side was the coast of Thessaly, 
 bending round us like a bow, with Mount Par- 
 nassus towering in the distance ; on the other 
 side was the Island of Negropont ; the Islands 
 of Scopeli, Skiatho, and Pondico-nisi to the 
 east. 
 
 Only one of the Greek vessels having issued 
 from the creek, according to the agreement, 
 our boats were again manned and armed, and 
 with Captain Hamilton himself at their head, 
 proceeded to act as occasion might dictate. 
 First, however, a boat set forth with a flag of 
 truce, and found the Greeks all on the alert, 
 ■ftnd stationed amongst the bushes, with their 
 
VIOLENCE OF AN AUSTRIAN ADMIRAL. 209 
 
 "niusquets ready for the action, which they 
 seemed to think inevitable. A parley now en- 
 sued, which lasted till sun-set, when they were 
 persuaded to come along side of our ship : but 
 this object, though advised and wished by their 
 leaders, was effected with difficulty, and Cap- 
 tain Hamilton, to quiet apprehensions which 
 appeared to increase rather than abate, went 
 singly into one of their boats, standing as 
 calmly when exposed to the range of their 
 musquets as he would have done upon the 
 deck of liis own ship. By this time a boat be- 
 longing to the Greek brig of war, despatched 
 by her commander, arrived at the creek, and 
 tliis, no doubt, contributed a good deal to dis- 
 sipate the alarms occasioned (as we found) by 
 the invincible belief of our being Turkish or 
 Austrian ships. It seems that the latter have, 
 in several recent instances, betrayed them into 
 tiie hands of their foes. I have heard it stated, 
 on good authority, that an Austrian admiral, 
 having invited a Greek primate on board his 
 ship, so far forgot himself and his station as to 
 Kft up his hand and knock down the poor 
 Greek on the quarter-deck ! Surely their fears 
 were not altogether unreasonable ! 
 
 VOL. I. P 
 
210 STRANGE FACT RELATIVE TO TRICHIRI. 
 
 The place to which we pursued the gun-boats 
 is not far from Trichiri; had we therefore, 
 under supposition of their being pirates, pointed 
 our guns so as to have blown up their vessels, 
 they must, in all probability, have fallen a prey 
 to the Turks. As to those we destroyed two 
 days before, they acknowledged that they were 
 pirates, and seemed w ell pleased at the result 
 of the contest. Captain Hamilton, with his 
 usual kindness, presented them with two bags 
 of bread and half a dozen bottles of rum. 
 
 Trichiri is in possession of the Turks. A 
 strange fact with relation to this place is, that 
 its absolute defence rests upon the exertions 
 and loyalty of one hundred and fifty Greeks 
 of Scopeli and the neighbourhood, who are in 
 the pay of the Turks. There are also three 
 hundred of them at Negropont. Contrary to 
 the usual practice, they are suffered to carry 
 arms, and are kept under, more by the sequins 
 than by the fear of their masters. What would 
 the three hundred of Thermopi/lahaye thought 
 and done in a like situation ? But these men, 
 as I was informed by a Greek from the brig 
 of war, chiefly compose the bands of pirates 
 who infest Scopeli ; and part of whom we de- 
 
PROCEED ON THE VOYAGE— PASS SKYROPOULI. 211 
 
 stroyed (which is curious!) not more than ten 
 miles from the celebrated pass just alluded to. 
 Thursday, od Feb. — Calm all the morning. 
 At noon we passed Skyropouli, anciently 
 Sci/ros, the scene of the early youth of Achilles, 
 and of his discovery in the disguise of a girl 
 by the dexterous management of Ulysses. 
 Mount Athos was upon our left. 
 
 p 2 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Saturday, 6th Feb, — Arrived at Smyrna, 
 This morning one of the sailors wounded in 
 the contest with the pirates died; and the 
 Greek prisoners who had been sent to Scopeh 
 were returned, with a request from the govern- 
 ment that they might be hung. Parted com- 
 pany with the Seringapatam. She has been 
 ordered to Milo. 
 
 With regard to the actual situation of the 
 Greeks, the " English public' have been con- 
 siderably misinformed. The Papers are filled 
 with falsehoods. We received the " Liverpool 
 Courier^^ to-day, by the kindness of the cap- 
 tain of a merchantman, bearing date the 20th 
 December. Lord Gordon and a " gallant 
 company^* are here said to have arrived at Na- 
 poli, with forty stands of colours wrought by 
 the fair hands of the ladies of Edinburgh. We 
 were in that place (Napoli) for several days, 
 
UNFOUNDED REPORTS. 213 
 
 from the 25th of Dec. and I need not add, that 
 the report is totally unfounded. The Greeks 
 are stated to have taken several ships of the 
 line from the Turks — this also is false : they 
 have, since the commencement of the Revolu- 
 tion, hurnt two or three, but they do not pos- 
 sess, perhaps, in their whole navy, a larger 
 vessel than a brig of two hundred tons at the 
 very utmost. Those which we have met with 
 hitherto have not exceeded thirty or forty 
 tons. The truth is, they are unable to build 
 and equip ships of any magnitude, and they 
 have not funds sufficient to purchase them. 
 With their small vessels they cruise up and 
 down the islands, and principally by means of 
 Jire, effect the destruction of the larger ships 
 of the enemy. But then the Turks are so in- 
 corrigibly supine, that though their actual 
 losses are, in comparison with their resources, 
 very trifling ; yet they suffer more by this de- 
 sultory mode of warfare than by undergoing 
 positive defeats. The subjects of the Porte 
 already begin to murmur ; and reports are 
 abroad that the present sultan will be de- 
 throned ere long, and his son, a lad of about 
 nine years old, set up in his place. In fact^ 
 
^I* CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GREEKS. 
 
 the janizaries are said to be in a state of actual 
 rebellion, owing to the measures of depression 
 which the reigning sovereign has long adopted. 
 He would fain weaken their influence, and 
 when a contest of this kind is carried on be- 
 tween parties so constituted, it is not difficult 
 to foresee the result. 
 
 The Greeks, I am quite clear, have all the 
 qualities necessary for making them redoubted 
 warriors : patience, perseverance, and a high 
 determined valour are their characteristics ; 
 so far as I have seen, there has been no reason 
 to charge them with bad faith. But I have as 
 yet seen little ; and their very acuteness, which 
 is universally admitted, argues, I fear, (when 
 considered with reference to their depressed 
 and persecuted condition) a propensity to exert 
 it in a bad cause as well as in a good one. I 
 have heard numberless anecdotes of their ob- 
 stinacy, treachery, and petty trickery; but of 
 these I do not credit half; and of the rest, I 
 think that there may perhaps be many circum- 
 stances, concealed or not understood, which 
 might palliate and almost justify the facts, 
 which prima facie are deserving of the harshest 
 denomination. It is extremely difficult where 
 
 10 
 
SMYRNA— EXECUTION OF FOUR GREEKS. 215 
 
 we now are to obtain accurate information of 
 what is going forward ; the Greeks themselves 
 exaggerate their successes, and the Turks 
 falsify them m toto. But unquestionably the 
 balance of fortune is on the side of the former ; 
 and I verily believe that their own misconduct 
 alone can prevent the ultimate attainment of 
 their liberties. 
 
 Sunday^ 6th Feb. — Four Greeks of Smyrna 
 having attempted an escape on board an Ionian 
 vessel, were retaken by the Turks and put to 
 death. It is customary for the executioner 
 here to use a long and sharp sword in the per- 
 formance of his office, at which he is suffi- 
 ciently dexterous, but in the present case (for 
 what reason is not apparent) an ataghan had 
 been employed. The men knelt down upon 
 the quay near the Pacha^s house, with bared 
 necks, and heads drooped for the stroke of 
 death. In the number of these unhappy vic- 
 tims to Turkish cruelty was an old man ; he 
 also was placed in the manner I have men- 
 tioned, but instead of taking off the head, the 
 ataghan fell upon the hinder part of it, sink- 
 ing deep into the skull, and he was actually 
 struck SEVEN times before the murder could 
 
21G SMYRNA— INTERMENT OF A SAILOR. 
 
 be completed. In the mean while the place 
 re-echoed with his cries and groans ; and when 
 one of the English residents in Smyrna, at- 
 tracted by the noise, approached the spot, the 
 heads were thrown upon a heap, and the trunks 
 spouted forth a flood of gore ! Such are the 
 scenes to which the Turkish government ac- 
 customs its subjects ; and such are the facts at 
 which, while humanity shudders, the Mussul- 
 man only exults ! 
 
 The dead body of the sailor was interred 
 this afternoon in the burial-ground of the Fac- 
 tory, with military honors : the marines, with 
 their arms reversed, preceded by the band 
 playing the dead march in Saul, and followed 
 by the officers and seamen, accompanied the 
 body through the streets of Smyrna : — the day 
 was rainy. 
 
 Monday, 7th Feb. — We were at a ball this 
 evening given by an American merchant — the 
 agent of the American government. The Turks 
 refuse to acknowledge the independence of the 
 Americans, and will not allow them a consul 
 in the place. Suleiman Aga, (our old friend) 
 was present at the ball, and seemed vastly en- 
 tertained with what he saw. It is understood 
 
BAD MANNERS OF A PACHA. 2f7 
 
 that he apphed for an admission to the balls 
 of the Casino, but that it was not thought 
 proper to assent to his request. The reason 
 assio^ned is, that a former Pacha who was ad- 
 mitted to these assemblies (he has since lost 
 his head !) behaved himself with great inde- 
 corum, not only smoking and ejecting his 
 saliva upon the dresses of the damsels, but 
 even accosting them in improper language. 
 They fear, therefore, that the admission of Su- 
 leiman would become a bad precedent; and 
 that the future would be marked with conse- 
 quences prejudicial alike to themselves and 
 their assemblies. This, it must be owned, is a 
 good reason enough ; but others have said, that 
 some little jealousy of the French, &c. arising 
 from the civilities shewn by the Aga to Eng- 
 lishmen, has prompted the refusal. I have 
 nothing to say upon the point : either or both 
 of the causes may have had their weight. Su- 
 leiman indeed avers, that were he ten years 
 younger he would make a trip to England ; 
 and a superb double-barrelled " Manton" 
 which he has procured, testifies that English 
 manufactures have no less charms for him than 
 Enghsh society. 
 
218 SMYRNA— EXCURSION TO MOUNT PAGUS. 
 
 Wednesday, 9th Feb. — Strolled with Mr, 
 Arundell, whose kindness and antiquarian re- 
 search keep equal pace with his many other good 
 qualities, to the Castle of Smyrna on Mount 
 Pagus, in pursuit of relics. Amongst the loose 
 stones of the Amphitheatre I picked up a small 
 one, almost triangular in shape, and of about 
 four inches and a half long, with the following 
 inscription — too abrupt, I fear, to lead to any 
 thing determinate. 
 
 •••• AT 
 
 4>on ' 
 
 YxroK/ 
 
 AKTOH- . • • 
 TPXAIA 
 
 I found a second, but it^vvas even less per- 
 fect than the one I have copied. Mr. Arundell 
 was more fortunate, and he will, I hope, before 
 long give the result of his accumulated re- 
 searches to the public. 
 
 On our return we were overtaken by two 
 Turks, who seemed mightily inquisitive as to 
 the nature of our pursuits. One of them had a 
 
FUNERAL CEREMONIES OF THE GREEKS. 219 
 
 most ferocious aspect, and his conduct altoge- 
 ther was assuming and impudent. As we de- 
 scended the Mount one gave the other a push, 
 and out flew their ataghans — a prospect with 
 which W€ were httle fascinated. It seemed 
 done for the purpose of intimidation ; and im- 
 mediately afterwards one of them approached 
 me and signified by signs that my gloves had 
 taken his fency ; however I had no fancy to 
 part with them, and I have made a memoran- 
 dum never to ascend Mount Pagus again with- 
 out the accompaniment of a brace of pistols. 
 
 Thursday, 10th Feb, — I was present to-day 
 at the funeral of a Greek boy — ^it was curious 
 and interesting. The friends and relations of 
 the deceased assemble at a certain hour, and 
 seat themselves on the divan or on chairs around 
 the corpse, which is placed in the centre of the 
 room, arrayed in splendid funeral habiliments, 
 and with its head turned toward the east ; they 
 then kiss its cold and pallid cheeks, and utter 
 many lamentations, all of which are addressed 
 to the body. The mother, or, if the deceased 
 be a married man, his wife, takes the principal 
 share in the ceremony, weeping, beating her 
 breast, and talking to it, sometimes with gentle 
 
^20 FUNERAL CEREMONIES OF THE GREEKS. 
 
 reproaches, as if it could actually hear and un- 
 derstand all that was said *. When this has 
 been acted sufficiently, the corpse is deposited 
 on a kind of bier, and preceded by a number 
 of papas, walking two and two, and ringing in 
 a loud nasal tone perpetual changes upon the 
 following words : 
 
 ' Ayiog o 0£oc:, ayiog 'la'yypoi;, ayiog udavarot; tXiriaov 
 Vfiag, 
 
 which signify " Holy God, holy strong One, 
 holy Immortal, pity us ;" and are descriptive 
 of the three persons of the Trinity. Thus they 
 enter the church, where the archbishop (if the 
 
 * See the translated Gesta Romanorum, Vol. I. page 
 73, 4. and see also the Hero and Leander of Musaeus. 
 Thus Chapman — 
 
 " And as when funeral dames watch a dead corse 
 Weeping about it ; telling with remorse 
 What pains he felt, how long in pain he lay. 
 How little food he ate, what he would say : 
 And then mix mournful tales of others' deaths. 
 Smothering themselves in clouds of their own breaths. 
 At length, one cheering other, calls for wine : 
 The golden bowl drinks tears from out their eyne. 
 As they drink wine from it ; and round it goes. 
 Each helping other to relieve their woes." 
 
FUNERAk CEREMONIES OF THE GREEKS. 221 
 
 deceased be of consequence, and rich enough 
 to command the services of so great a man !) 
 is seated on a gilded throne attached to a 
 pillar in the centre aisle. They approach and 
 place the body before him, exclaiming at the 
 same time, lEtlg TroXXa, errj dstnroTa — " May 
 you live many years, Lord." Aea-TrorrjQ is 
 used only in addressing the archbishop. Two 
 lights are burnt at the head and two at the 
 feet of an adult, but a child has only one at 
 the foot. They then recommence singing 
 certain passages from the Psalms ; and small 
 waxen tapers are given to every person of re- 
 spectable appearance present. The tapers are 
 lighted and clouds of frankincense (supposed 
 to carry in their ascent the prayers of the 
 afflicted relatives to heaven !) are scattered 
 lavishly about. After this the lights are ex- 
 tinguished, and such of the crowd as are con- 
 nected with the deceased rush forward to take 
 the last kiss : they press their lips eagerly to 
 the cheeks, breast, &c. but principally to the 
 cheek. The body is then carried to the grave ; 
 divested in a rude and disgusting manner of 
 the decorations with which it had come forth, 
 and moistened with a quantity of oil, or more 
 
^22 PRECIPITATE INTERMENT. 
 
 frequently with water upon which a small por- 
 tion of oil floats. This is done by the priest, 
 accompanied with a short prayer, from a belief 
 that the dissolution of the body would not 
 otherwise take place. 
 
 The Greeks bury their dead within ten hours 
 after the vital spark appears to be extinct. If 
 this happen in the morning they are buried 
 before night, if toward evening they watch 
 the corpse till daylight, and then hasten the 
 interment. This singular precipitation has fre- 
 quently been followed by revivals, which ter- 
 minate in an excruciating and lingering death. 
 The places of sepulture are a kind of small 
 pits, capable of containing many human bodies 
 when they are extended one above the other 
 at fiill length. The pits are paved, partitioned 
 from each other by a slight brickwork, and 
 covered with a flat stone, upon which the 
 names of the dead and figures symbolical of 
 their trade or profession are engraved *. Into 
 this, without cofiin, and with scarce a shroud, 
 the corpse is put; so that the horrible situation 
 
 * This is usual also upon the tomb-stones of the Jews : 
 for instance, a pen and ink-stand denotes a scribe ; a pair 
 of scissors a tailor, &c. &.c. 
 
SINGULAR STORY RELATED BY TOURNEFORT. 223 
 
 of one awakening from a trance may easily be 
 imagined. These depositaries just admit air 
 enough to prolong suffering, and however 
 forcible be his cries they serve only to awake 
 the apprehensions of the living, without afford- 
 ing succour to the dying and despairing 
 wretch. The layman hears the utterance of 
 his agony, and instantaneously drops upon his 
 knees ; the papas hears it, and ha^ recourse to 
 prayers and fumigations, but human aid is 
 hopeless. The truth indeed is, that they con- 
 ceive certain evil spirits called vrouco loch as 
 have seized upon the dead, and that thei/ pro- 
 duce the terror-striking shrieks which issue 
 from the subterranean recesses. A singular 
 story relating to these spirits is told by M. 
 Tournefort, and as the book is scarce, and the 
 anecdote (marvellous though it be) from what 
 I have both seen and heard, likely to be fact, 
 I shall give it without curtailment. 
 
 " The man, whose story we are going to 
 relate, was a peasant of Mycone, naturally ill- 
 natured and quarrelsome. This is a circum- 
 stance to be taken notice of in such cases. He 
 was murdered in the fields, nobody knew hoAv, 
 nor by whom. Two days after his being buried 
 
224f SINGULAR STORY RELATED BY TOURNEFORT. 
 
 in a chapel in the town, it was noised about 
 that he was seen to walk in the night with 
 great haste, that he tumbled about people^s 
 goods, put out their lamps, griped them be- 
 hind, and a thousand other monkey tricks. At 
 first the story was received with laughter ; but 
 the thing was looked upon to be serious when 
 the better sort of people began to complain of 
 it : the papas themselves giving credit to the 
 fact, and no doubt had their reasons for so 
 doing : masses must be said to be sure, but for 
 all this the peasant drove his old trade, and 
 heeded nothing they could do. After divers 
 meetings of the chief people of the city, of 
 priests and monks, it was gravely concluded 
 that 'twas necessary, in consequence of some 
 musty ceremonial, to wait till nine days after 
 the interment should be expired. 
 
 " On the ten til day they said one mass in 
 the chapel where the body was laid in order 
 to drive out the demon which they imagined 
 was got into it. After mass they took up the 
 body, and got every thing ready for pulling 
 out its heart: the butcher of the town, an old 
 clumsy fellow, first opens the belly instead of 
 the breast, he groped a long while among the 
 
SINGULAR STORY RELATED BY TOURNEFORT. 225 
 
 entrails, but could not find what he looked 
 for ; at last somebody told him he should cut 
 up the diaphragm. The heart was pulled out 
 to the admiration of all the spectators. In the 
 mean time the corpse stunk so abominably 
 that they were obliged to burn frankincense, 
 but the smoke mixing with the exhalations 
 from the carcase increased the offensive smell, 
 and began to muddle the poor people's peri- 
 cranies. Their imagination, struck with the 
 spectacle before them, grew full of visions : 
 it came into their noddles that a thick smoke 
 arose out of the body ; we durst not say 'twas 
 the smoke of the incense. They were inces- 
 santly bawling out Vroucolacas * in the chapel 
 and place before it ; this is the name they give 
 to these pretended Redivivi, The noise bel- 
 lowed through the streets, and it seemed to be 
 a name invented on purpose to rend the roof of 
 the chapel. Several there present averred that 
 
 * " Vroucolacas, BpovKoXuKog koI BpovKoXaKac, Kal BpovKo- 
 XuKag. BpovtcoXuKag, a specti'C Consisting of a dead body 
 and a demon. Some think that BpovKoXaKoc signifies a 
 stinking- carcase denied Christian burial. BpovKog and 
 BovpKog, that nasty stinking slime which subsides at the 
 bottom of old ditches; for AnKog signifies a ditch" 
 VOL. I. Q 
 
SINGULAR STORY RELATED BY TOURNEFORT. 
 
 the wretches blood was extremely red ; the 
 butcher swore the body was still warm, whence 
 they concluded that the deceased was a very 
 ill man for not being thoroughly dead, or in 
 plain terms, for suffering himself to be re-ani- 
 mated by Old Nick, which is the notion they 
 have of a Vroucolacas. They then roared out 
 that name in a stupendous manner. Just at 
 the time came in a flock of people, loudly pro- 
 testing they plainly perceived the body was not 
 grown stiff when it was carried from the fields 
 to church to be buried, and that consequently 
 it was a true Vroucolacas ; which word was 
 still the burden of the song. 
 
 " I dont doubt they would have sworn it 
 did not stink had not we been there ; so mazed 
 were the poor people with this disaster, and so 
 infatuated with their notion of the dead's being 
 reanimated. As for us, who were got as close 
 to the corpse as we could, that we might be 
 more exact in our observations, we were almost 
 poisoned with the intolerable smell that issued 
 from it. When they asked us what we thought 
 of this body, we told them we believed it to be 
 very thoroughly dead; but as we were willing 
 to cure, or at least not to exasperate their pre- 
 
SINGULAR STORY RELATED BV TOUft^EFORT. ^27 
 
 judiced imaginations, we represented to them 
 that it was no wonder the butcher should feel 
 a little Warmth when he groped among entrails 
 that were then rotting ; that it was no extra- 
 ordinary thing for it to emit fumes, since dung 
 turned up will do the same ; that as for the 
 pretended redness of the blood, it still appeared 
 by the butcher's hands, to be nothing but a 
 very stinking nasty smear. 
 
 " After all our reasons they were of opinion 
 it would be the wisest course to burn the dead 
 man's heart on the sea-shore : but this execu- 
 tion did not make him a bit more tractable ; 
 he went on with his racket more furiously than 
 ever; he Mas accused of beating folks in the 
 night, breaking down doors, and even roofs of 
 houses, clattering windows, tearing clothes, 
 emptying bottles and vessels. 'Twas the most 
 thirsty devil ! I believe he did not spare any 
 body but the consul, in whose house w^e lodged. 
 Nothing could be more miserable than the 
 condition of this island ; all the inhabitants 
 seemed frightened out of their senses. The 
 wisest among them were stricken like the rest. 
 'Twas an epidemical disease of the brain, as 
 
 Q 2 
 
228 SINGULAR STORY RELATED BY TOURNEFORT. 
 
 dangerous and infectious as the madness of 
 dogs. Whole famihes quitted their houses, 
 and brouo-ht their tent-beds from the farthest 
 parts of the town into the pubhc places, there 
 to spend the night. They were every instant 
 complaining of some new insult ; nothing was 
 to be heard but sighs and groans at the ap- 
 proach of night. The better sort of people re- 
 tired into the country. 
 
 " When the prepossession was so general we 
 thought it our best way to hold our tongues. 
 Had we opposed it we had not only been ac- 
 counted ridiculous blockheads, but Atheists and 
 infidels. How was it possible to stand against 
 the madness of a whole people ? Those that be- 
 lieved we doubted the truth of the fact came and 
 upbraided us with our incredulity, and strove 
 to prove that there were such things as Vrou- 
 colacasses by citations out of the Buckler of 
 Faith, {Ta^ya ttjq V(t)f.iaiK7]£ TTifTTSMg) written 
 by F. Rechard, a Jesuit missionary. He was 
 a Latin, say they, and consequently you ought 
 to give him credit. We should have got no- 
 thing by denying the justness of the conse- 
 quence : it was as good as a comedy to us every 
 
SINGULAR STORY RELATED BY TOURNEFORT, 229 
 
 morning to hear the new folhes committed by 
 this night-bird ; they charged him with being 
 guilty of the most abominable sins. 
 
 " Some citizens that were most zealous for 
 the good of the public, fancied they had been 
 deficient in the most material part of the cere- 
 mony. They were of opinion that they had 
 been wrong in saying mass before they had 
 pulled out the wretches heart : had we taken 
 this precaution, quoth they, we had bet the 
 devil as sure as a gun ; he would have been 
 hanged before he would ever have come there 
 again. Whereas, saying mass first, the cun- 
 ning dog fled for it a while, and came back 
 again when the danger was over. 
 
 " Notwithstanding these wise reflections, 
 they remained in as much perplexity as they 
 were the first day. They meet night and 
 morning, they debate, they make processions 
 three days and three nights, they oblige the 
 papas to fast : you might see them running 
 from house to house, holy- water brush in hand, 
 sprinkling it all about, and washing the doors 
 with it; nay, they poured it into the mouth of 
 the poor Vroucolacas. 
 
 " We so often repeated it to the magistrates 
 
230 SINGULAR STORY RELAXED BY TOURNEFORT. 
 
 (E^TirpoTTot) of the town, that hi Christendom 
 we should keep the strictest watch a-nights 
 upon such an occasion, to observe what was 
 done, that at last they caught a few vagabonds 
 who undoubtedly had a hand in these disor- 
 ders ; but, either they were not the chief ring- 
 leaders, or else they were released too soan^ 
 for two days afterwards, to make themselves 
 amends for the Lent they had kept in prison, 
 they fell foul again upon the wine-tubs of those 
 who were such fools as to leave their houses 
 empty in the night. So that the people were 
 forced to betake themselves again to their 
 prayers. 
 
 " One day, as they were hard at this work,, 
 after having stuck I know not how many 
 naked swords over the grave of this corpse, 
 which they took up three or four times a day, 
 for any man^s whim, an Albaneze, that hap- 
 pened to be at Ml/cone, took upon him to 
 say, with a voice of authority, that it was to 
 the last degree ridiculous to make use of the 
 swords of Christians in a case hke this. Can 
 you not conceive, blind as ye are, says he, that 
 the handles of these swords being made like a 
 cross, hinder the devil from coming out of 
 
SINGULAR STORY RELATED BY TOURNEFORT. 231 
 
 the body ? why do you not rather take the 
 Turkish sabres ? The advice of this learned 
 man had no effect: the Vroiicolacas was in- 
 corrigible; and all the inhabitants were in a 
 strange consternation. They knew not now 
 what saint to call upon, when of a sudden, 
 with one voice, as if they had given each other 
 the hint, they fell to bawling out all through 
 the city, that it was intolerable to wait any 
 longer, — that the only way left was to burn 
 the Vroiicolacas entire; that after so doing, 
 let the devil lurk in it if he could ; that it was 
 better to have recourse to this extremity, than 
 to have the island totally deserted. And in- 
 deed whole families began to pack up in order 
 to retire to Syra or Tinos. The magistrates 
 therefore ordered the Vi^oucolacas to be carried 
 to the point of the Island of St. George, where 
 they prepared a great pile, with pitch and tar, 
 for fear the wood, as dry as it was, should not 
 bum fast enough of itself. What they had be- 
 fore left of this miserable carcase, was thrown 
 into this fire, and consumed presently : "twas 
 on the first of January, 1701. We saw the 
 flame as we returned from Delos; it might 
 justly be called a bonfire of joy, since after 
 
S32 SMYRNA— GREEK PAPAS. 
 
 this no more complaints were heard against 
 the Vroucolacas ; they said that the devil had 
 now met with his match, and some ballads 
 were made to turn him to ridicule/' 
 
 This strange superstition, Tournefort, all 
 bigotted as he is, very properly ridicules ; but 
 honestly speaking, the Greeks are to the full, 
 with a few exceptions indeed, as much pre- 
 possessed with the feeling as they were a 
 century ago. The Greek Papas are ignorant 
 in the extreme ; and struggle hard to keep 
 their flock in the same pitiable condition. It 
 is a remarkable circumstance, that one of those 
 persons, in Smyrna, bears the most perfect re- 
 semblance to the portrait of our Saviour, as 
 painted by the masterly hand of Carlo Dolce. 
 He wears his hair parted in front, and hanging 
 to a considerable length down his shoulders. 
 Strange to say, he is nearly an idiot. The 
 likeness is undoubted, and has struck numbers ; 
 amongst the rest, my friend Arundell is a host 
 of witnesses. 
 
 Saturday, 12th Feb. — I was invited this day 
 by my Greek master, Kyriacos Phaidro, to wit- 
 ness the celebration of vespers in the Greek 
 church. Kyriacos is a man of very superior 
 
KYRIACOS PHAIDRO— GREEK RITES AND CEREMONIES. S33 
 
 intellect and information, possessing a thorough 
 knowledge of his own, and of several foreign 
 languages. He is, indeed, a complete contrast 
 to many of his ignorant and self-sufficient 
 countrymen in Smyrna; although born and 
 bred there, and, I believe, never was a dozen 
 miles from it in his life. With that genuine 
 love of his country, which is inseparable from 
 a really enlightened mind, he sees and ac- 
 knowledges the defects — the charlatanerie of 
 its ecclesiastical constitutions ; and laments the 
 want of unanimity evident in its political career. 
 Besides giving instruction in Greek, he acts as 
 clerk to a Levant merchant here; and thus con- 
 trives to eke out a very narrow income by the 
 most unremitting and well-directed industry. 
 
 Unfortunately we did not arrive till the 
 ceremony was half finished. The archbishop 
 was in his chair of state, and in the act of 
 consecrating a quantity of bread, surrounded 
 by a croud of " worshippers.^^ Six immense 
 cakes were brought forward in a basket, in 
 which was a seventh of moderate size, which 
 was blessed and set apart for the primate^s 
 own supper ; the rest were supposed to be dis- 
 tributed among the poor. But I am well in- 
 
234! SMYRNA— GREEK EPISCOPAL CROISIER. 
 
 formed, that the priests themselves, unwilUng 
 that so gross an ahment should feed their flock, 
 bestow on them benedictions en masse, but 
 retain the cakes for their own private use. 
 These facts prove how much every modification 
 of the Catholic religion is capable of being 
 perverted; and how little the honesty of a 
 body of men so regulated and so maintained 
 is to be depended on : but this is a question 
 I have no design to pursue. I know it may 
 give occasion to a hundred remarks; but I 
 know also that it may be well and sufficiently 
 upheld ; here I shall leave it. 
 
 The Greek episcopal croisier is unlike that 
 of Rome. Each side is formed by the twisted 
 head of a serpent, in a manner like the fol- 
 lowing : 
 
 On departing, the archbishop took up a 
 small cross, a few inches in length, and waved 
 it, while he bestowed his blessing on the as- 
 sembled people. I caught his eye several 
 
CEREMONIES OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH. 235 
 
 limes ; and, as it afterwards appeared, was the 
 cause of some questions and curiosity. He en- 
 quired of Kyriacos why he had not introduced 
 me to him ; and bade him remember, that his 
 house was open to every Enghshman, and to 
 every friend of his, I was glad to find my 
 Greek master stand so well with his " Despot/^ 
 The archbishop is an old man, of rather a 
 venerable appearance ; and shews more of the 
 gentleman than the majority of his cloth in 
 this country. 
 
 From hence we went to the church of the 
 Armenians ; but again we were too late. They 
 w^ere just dispersing. I observed, however, 
 a custom which prevails here every Saturday, 
 called,^ in Greek, fivrjfioffvvog, or the day of 
 memorial. The church-yard was absolutely 
 covered with small chafing-dishes, into which 
 was thrown a compound of rosin and myrrh, 
 intended, as an Armenian priest, whom we 
 questioned, said, " for the gain of the Uving, 
 and remembmnce of the dead.^^ They sup- 
 pose that the souls of the departed take plea- 
 sure in seeing the cloud rise upward from the 
 grave, bearing with it the prayers and re- 
 miniscences of the friends whom they have 
 
236 SMYRNA— CEREMONIES OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH. 
 
 loved ; and in truth the observance is as harm- 
 less as any that I have noticed. It may serve 
 to recal the heart from its vi^anderings, and 
 convince it of its frailness and mortality. At 
 least, if the frequency of the occurrence does 
 not weaken the effect, it may soothe and soften 
 the mind when it renews its intercourse with 
 the world, by presenting images of the most 
 grateful order, by flattering it with holding a 
 sort of direct communication with the spirits 
 " of just men made perfect,^^ and by filling it 
 with the hope of walking securely in the same 
 path, and of preserving in turn the same con- 
 nexions it has loved and left. They have 
 ample faith for all this. When I asked the 
 priest upon what ground they performed the 
 ceremony, he said, " It was a tradition which 
 they had received from their fathers, and it 
 was his duty to perform it without seeking for 
 a reason."' The composition which they burn, 
 is put up into small paper parcels, and pro- 
 vided by the priests, who charge a few paras 
 for each portion. A sort of money-till stands 
 beside the basket. On a stone, forming part 
 of a fountain, opposite the gate of the Arme- 
 nian church, is an ancient Greek inscription, 
 
FRANK MERCHANTS OF SMYRNA. 237 
 
 which I had not time to copy. This I regret 
 the less, as in all probability it will be given 
 hereafter by Mr. Arundell. 
 
 Sunday, loth Feb. — We hear that the vice- 
 consul of this place, (a merchant,) and his 
 family, are to have a passage with us to Malta ! 
 People have positively no consciences, though 
 certain of them have abundant officiousness, 
 self-conceit, and ridiculous pretensions. 
 
 " Like to the bending shoulders of our anticks. 
 Who seem as they'd supported the foundation 
 Of an imperious structure, when, God wot ! 
 Those arched cieHngs, rafters, beams, and all 
 Would feel th' weight of their grandeur and decline 
 To moulder'd earth that had no firmer ground-works 
 To buttress their rare fabric : So did th' Fly 
 I' th' fable glory, that she raised the dust 
 Those spoke-wheels fanned. Thus tho' sense forbid it, 
 A self-opinion ever thinks she did it." 
 
 The Franks in Smyrna are, to this day, the 
 very same that they were in the days of Anas- 
 tasius; and what they then were, the reader 
 may perceive by the subjoined extract. 
 
 " In that trucking, trafficking city, peoples' 
 ideas run upon nothing but merchandize : their 
 discourse only varies between the exchanges 
 
238 MODERN GREEK LITERATURE. 
 
 and the markets : their heads are full of figs 
 and raisins, and their whole hearts wrapped 
 up in cotton and broad-cloths. They suppose 
 man created for nothing but to buy and sell ; 
 and whoever makes not these occupations the 
 sole business of his life, seems to them to neg- 
 lect the end of his existence. I verily believe, 
 that they marry for no other purpose but to 
 keep up the race of merchants/' 
 
 Would that we were at Malta ! 
 
 Monday^ 14^/i Feb. — I have as yet said 
 nothing of Greek literature ; but it will here- 
 after form a prominent part of my observations. 
 Notwithstanding the depressed state of the 
 times, and the lamentable ignorance of those 
 who are appointed to instruct the vulgar, there 
 are not wanting distinguished examples of 
 learning among the ecclesiastical body, by far 
 the least inquiring portion of the community. 
 But superstition and prejudice chain them in 
 almost indissoluble bonds ; and never, it is to 
 be feared, will knowledge flourish, untii a more 
 enlightened character of religion becomes pre- 
 valent, — until she is freed from the galling 
 shackles with which bigotry and slavery have 
 encompassed her. Decidedly, however, the 
 
TRANSLATION OF MOLIERE'S " AVARE." 239 
 
 Spirit of improvement is struggling against her 
 oppressors, and will, no doubt, conquer at last. 
 I have obtained, in Smyrna, by great good 
 luck, several Hellenic performances of uncom- 
 mon interest ; and I shall now proceed to lay 
 before the reader some account of them, and 
 as far as I can, of their authors. But the fear 
 of incurring the heaviest penalties, has obliged 
 the most part to publish these works anony- 
 mously : information, therefore, can only be 
 collected accidentally, and in detached and 
 minute portions. 
 
 The first which I shall notice, is the transla- 
 tion of Moliere's " Avare^' published at Vienna 
 in 1816, by a Greek Presbyter of Smyrna, called 
 Oi/co2^ojtiO£, or Economics. There is a good 
 deal of interest attached to this person's his- 
 tory. He was originally a schoolmaster at 
 Smyrna, and greatly esteemed for his many 
 rare and uncommon endowments. The esta- 
 blishment prospered under his hands ; and it is 
 owing chiefly to him, that the present reviving 
 taste for literary pursuits has made such pro- 
 gress among the Greeks. He was also an elo- 
 quent and able preacher; several of his sermons 
 have been translated into various foreign lan- 
 
 11 
 
240 MODERN GREEK LITERATURE. 
 
 guages, especially a funeral sermon upon the 
 last patriarch of the Greeks ; who having sub- 
 jected himself to the suspicions of the Sultan, 
 was strangled, and clad in his pontifical habit, 
 tied up in a sack, and thrown into the sea. A 
 merchant vessel, on its way to Smyrna, dis- 
 covered the body, and conveyed it thither, 
 where it was sumptuously interred. 
 
 The fame and attention which Economus 
 attracted, excited the envy of one or two 
 Smyrniote bishops ; and his unprejudiced way 
 of thinking drew upon him the censure of the 
 ignorant, and the calumny of the malicious. 
 " Oi <Tvf:nzoKiTai fiov ^fivppaToL,' he has made 
 Zoetza say, in his comedy above mentioned, 
 " ^vcrma ayairovv va KaraXaXovv. It is the 
 same at this day : the Franks complain of it, 
 and accuse them of propagating the most un- 
 founded tales. But whether the Franks do 
 not equally deserve the charge, and whether 
 it be not the common misfortune of all places 
 where the population have little beside their 
 neighbours* affairs to concern them, I shall 
 not pretend to determine. Certain it is, that 
 Economus felt the full force of their industri- 
 ous mischief. With the usual persuasion of 
 
HISTORY OP ECONOMUS. 241 
 
 superstitious and uneducated times, they con- 
 strued his experiments in chemistry into magic ; 
 and he was actually forbidden by the Turkish 
 government to instruct his pupils in mathe- 
 matics, under the apprehension (how they 
 stumbled upon it is a mystery) that it was a 
 vehicle for training them in the art of war. 
 This was about three years ago, nearly a 
 twelvemonth after the breaking out of the 
 Greek Revolution. But imputations of this 
 nature he might probably have overcome, had 
 he not, unhappily, during Lent, when greatly- 
 reduced by sickness, had recourse to diet more 
 strengthening and nutritious than accords with 
 the regulations of a Greek fast. This proved 
 his overthrow. Aware of the prejudice so rife 
 with those of his persuasion, under whatever 
 circumstance, he used the forbidden food as 
 privately as possible ; but his servant discovered 
 the abomination, and revealed it immediately 
 to his superiors. The envious bestirred them- 
 selves in fanning the spark ; and clamoured 
 in the most outrageous fashion. The conse- 
 quence was, that he retired to Constanti- 
 nople, and submitted his case to the Patri- 
 arch. He judged of it so lightly, that knowing 
 
 VOL. I. R 
 
^42 MODERN GREEK LITERATURE. 
 
 the high talents and scientific character of the 
 exiled priest, he sent him back, with letters to 
 the archbishop, commanding that he should 
 be reinstated in his former offices. The people 
 were accordingly convoked, and the Metro- 
 politan church fixed on as the place of meet- 
 ing. The primate ascended his chair, and 
 read to them the orders of the Patriarch ; but 
 so inflamed were the minds of the populace, 
 so surprizingly had they been worked upon by 
 the arts of priestcraft, that they rushed for- 
 ward, snatched up the written mandate, and 
 tore it into a thousand pieces ! So violent an 
 ebullition of popular fervour, in a country so 
 superstitious, and enslaved as this, never per- 
 haps was recorded in the pages of history ! 
 Economus yielded to its fury, and returned 
 again tp Constantinople, where he entered into 
 the service of a Greek Dragoman to the Porte, 
 whom he assisted in the discharge of his official 
 duties. 
 
 But the disasters of the persecuted priest 
 terminated not here. The Dragoman incurred 
 the displeasure of the Sultan, and he, with his 
 whole household, were put under an arrest. It 
 seems, that in cases of this kind, the Patriarch 
 
HISTORY OF ECONOMUS. S43 
 
 is made responsible for the persons of the 
 offenders. He is to guard them at his own 
 cost, and to answer for their escape, to the 
 higher powers. Accordingly, the Dragoman 
 and his family were confined to their own 
 house under the custody of a caloyer, one of 
 the lowest order of Greek monks, whom they 
 easily contrived to elude. They pledged his 
 reverence so heartily, in some right orthodox 
 beverage, that he was soon no longer in a con- 
 dition to oppose their flight. By the aid of 
 Economus, they had engaged a Russian vessel 
 to carry them away ; but it happened, that 
 though they all got safely on board, contrary 
 winds precluded every possibility of sailing. 
 In due time the monk recovered from his fit of 
 intoxication ; and having ascertained that the 
 prisoners had uncourteously left him alone, he 
 sallied hastily forth to disclose his negligence 
 and inebriety to his principal. The Patriarch 
 carried the story to the Vizier, and the Vizier 
 to the Sultan, " then curled his very beard 
 for ire,^' and orders were sent off to the admi- 
 ral of the port to make diligent search for the 
 fugitives. The emissaries went three times on 
 board the very vessel in which they were con- 
 
 R 2 
 
S44 MODERN GREEK LITERATURE. 
 
 cealed ; but through the influence, or more 
 properly, the money of Count StrogonofF, the 
 Russian minister, (who is said, much to his 
 honour, to have contributed largely to their 
 escape, and whom they had, by some means 
 or other, apprized of their situation), they got 
 off undiscovered to St. Petersburg!!, where Eco- 
 nomus now resides. 
 
 Moliere's play of " L'Avare,^' is adapted to 
 Hellenic manners and ideas. The scene is 
 placed in Smyrna, and the characters each 
 speak in dialects proper to them. They are 
 thus described : 
 
 1. Exentavelones, the father of Clean thes 
 and Zoetza. 
 
 2. Varthalambumba, father of Chariclea 
 and Demetrius. 
 
 3. Cleanthes, son of Exentavelones, and 
 lover of Chariclea. 
 
 4. Zoetza, daughter of Exentavelones. 
 
 5. Demetrius, the adopted son of Vartha- 
 lambumba, and lover of Zoetza. [His name 
 is properly Demetj^aces^ a diminutive of De- 
 metrius ; as from man, mcinekin ; a little man, 
 Zoetza is similarly formed.] 
 
 6. Chariclea, daughter of Varthalambumba. 
 
TRANSLATION OF MOLIERE'S " AVARK." 2i5 
 
 7. Keratza Sophoulio, a female go-between. 
 lli^o^EpflTpiay literally, a tnarriage'hroker.~\ 
 
 8. Mr. Simos, a messenger. 
 
 9. Mr. Giannes, (or John,) cook to Exenta- 
 velones. 
 
 10. Mrs. Maria, maid-servant to Exentave- 
 lones. 
 
 11. Vrakes, gardener to Exentavelones. 
 
 12. Mrs. Kakoula, a poor tenant of Exenta- 
 velones. 
 
 13. Stroveles, servant to Cleanthes. 
 
 14. Wardens [^^ttIt^ottoi] of the hospital. 
 
 15. Archelaus, principal public secretary. 
 Of these characters, the third, fourth, fifth, 
 
 and sixth, speak in the best dialect of Smyrna, 
 which is superior even to that spoken in the 
 Fanal of Constantinople, and so much extolled. 
 In the latter place, a vast number of Turkish 
 words are mingled with the Greek ; but in 
 Smyrna it is more pure. 
 
 The first, second, seventh, tenth, eleventh, 
 and twelfth, are also of the dialect of Smyrna, 
 but appropriated exclusively to the lower order 
 of uneducated persons. The ninth is a dialect 
 of Macedonia, or rather of Thessaly, as the 
 
^46 MODERN GREEK LITERATURE. 
 
 author hints in his Preface : and the thirteenth 
 of the Island of Scio. Economus also wrote 
 an original tragedy, which has been acted ; 
 and a comedy which is still in manuscript. 
 
 I have met with an original play, a rhyming 
 tragedy, called "Folyxbn a, co?nposed by the 
 most noble gentleman, Mr. J acobKizos^ other- 
 wise called Neroulos." This is certainly a step 
 in Grecian literature. The tragedy was acted 
 three times in Smyrna, and oftener in Con- 
 stantinople. They had a part of the Spanish 
 consul's house prepared for the purpose, 
 with costumes adapted to the parts that were 
 represented. But all this was disturbed by 
 the Revolution ; and a copy of the drama 
 is of the last degree of scarcity. It was pro- 
 cured with the utmost difficulty by the worthy 
 Kyriacos. 
 
 Lord Byron, in the Appendix to his first 
 part of Childe Harold, mentions, that " Chris- 
 todoulos, an Acarnanian, has published, in 
 Vienna, some physical treatises in Hellenic."" 
 I have obtained a work, by the same author, 
 published at Vienna in 1811, entitled " Laoni- 
 cus and Zantippe ; or, the Faithful Lover and 
 
TRANSLATION OF " TEMISTOCLE" AND " OLYMPIADE." 247 
 
 Imprudent Mother. A drama, in two parts/' 
 It is written in prose, and forms a sort of dra- 
 matic history, each division containing four 
 long acts. 
 
 The " Temistocle'' of Metastasio, printed at 
 Vienna, in 1796, by George Ventole, " now 
 first printed,'' says the title-page, " at the ex- 
 pence and by the care of Polyzoes Lampanit- 
 ziotes, of loannina ; is translated by an anony- 
 mous writer, (Hapd tov Kvplov . . . . ) in prose. 
 The translation is by no means literal. 
 
 The " Olyinpiade," by the same Italiartpoet, 
 is also anonymously translated into Greek 
 heroic couplets, " E'N 'O^ENH," 1815; in- 
 termingled with songs. It is ornamented with 
 very indifferent vignettes, cut in wood. Mar- 
 montel's " Shepherdess of the Alps,*' versified 
 chiefly in the irregular measure of the Italian 
 sonnet ; and " The First Mariner, a Poem, in 
 two Cantos, hy the German Poet Gesner, trans- 
 lated into our Tongue hy Antonius, the Son of 
 Koronius," are in the same volume, of 204 
 duodecimo pages. The latter is in prose. 
 
 The last work which I obtained at this time 
 is an original Hellenic composition, with the 
 following title, " Certain Dramatic Poems, 
 
^48 MODERN GREEK LITERATURE. 
 
 composed by George, the Son of Nicholag 
 Soutzos, formerly Grand [^i^ieyaXog] Interpreter 
 of the powerful Ottoman Empire. At the 
 expence of that most useful gentleman Eusta- 
 thius Mitze. In the year 1805. By the care 
 of Theodosius of loannina," What is singular, 
 it bears at the bottom of the page the notifi- 
 cation in Italian " Con regia approva- 
 zioNE." But whose may be the royal appro* 
 bation is a matter of no small doubt. 
 
 This collection is curious. There are four 
 pieces, of which the first is called " TO ASY- 
 AON TOY $eONOY," The Asylum of Envy, 
 in three short acts, partly composed in verse, and 
 partly in prose. The names of the actors are — 
 
 Wisdom, 
 
 Riches, 
 
 Consanguinity, 
 
 Virtue, 
 
 Sin, the mother of Envy, 
 
 Envy, the son of Sin, 
 and the 
 
 Chorus. 
 The next bears the tide of the " Illuminated 
 Courtier," and represents the following cha- 
 racters : 
 
/ORIGINAL DRAMATIC POEMS. 249 
 
 The Courtier, 
 Lov^E OF Truth, 
 
 Deceit, under the appearance and in the 
 name of Virtue. 
 
 Ambition, under the appearance and in 
 the name of Honour. 
 
 Venality, under the appearance and in 
 the name of Friendship. 
 
 It is comprised in two acts, and is entirely 
 prose. 
 
 The third part of the volume is called " The 
 Country of Fools/' in three acts. The de- 
 scription of the dramatis persoiicB is singular; 
 Maniarches, the leader of the .fools, 
 PoTAMORRYTOS, the prodigal fool, 
 Vrontokrotos, the irritable fool, 
 Chrematophilos, the covetous fool, 
 Kallianchia, the vain female fool, 
 Terpsithymos, the gay (or noisy) female 
 
 fool, 
 
 and 
 
 Servants^ who do not speak. 
 
 This piece is composed chiefly in prose, but 
 there are rhyming passages scattered about. 
 
 The fourth division is perhaps the most cu- 
 rious of the whole : it is denominated " The 
 
250 MODERN GREEK LITERATURE. 
 
 Catechumen ; or the Cos??iogonical Theatre," 
 and relates to the various opinions of ancient 
 philosophers respecting the origin of the world. 
 Adam and Moses are among the number. 
 Dramatis Persona. 
 
 Catechumen, or Student, 
 
 Anaxagoras, 
 
 Aristotle, 
 • Epicurus, 
 
 A Disciple of Epicurus, 
 
 Cartesius, [Des Cartes,] 
 
 Newton, [NEY0^N,pronounced]Sret)^/zo/i,] 
 
 Adam, 
 
 Moses. 
 In the second act, at the conclusion of the 
 fourth scene, the Catechumen, after listening 
 to the arguments of Newton, remarks, " Tovro 
 TO (TV(TTrjfia (Tov fioL E^avrj Kai TriOavojrepop, Kal 
 
 TrpOKpLTOJTepOV TlOP XoiTZOiV' oOsp Kai VITOCT^Of^iat 
 
 eTTL Z,iii7)Q fiov va TO ^£^x^ syKe)(apayii£vop sig 
 T^v Kupdiav (.lov. ^evyei ^/' Finally, how- 
 ever, he declares for the system of Moses, 
 
 * " This system of yours appears to me both more 
 probable and more eligible than the rest : therefore, I 
 promise, through my life, to hold it deeply engraved 
 within my heart. — He goes out." 
 
ORIGINAL DRAMATIC POEMS. 251 
 
 which he pronounces " to TeXeiorepov, koI to 
 
 OUOTEQOV oXoJP Tit)V XotTTOiP TToXaiZp TE Kttl 
 
 vecoTepcov . 
 
 It is written in prose, and contains three 
 acts. 
 
 * ** The most perfect, and the most divine of all 
 others, old and new." 
 
CHAPTER VII r 
 
 Tuesday, 15th Feb. — Preparations made for 
 leaving Smyrna, the quarantine flag already 
 hoisted. Besides the family of the vice-consul 
 aforesaid, and three or four families of Greeks, 
 we have another passenger, a Mr. Bulwer, one 
 of the agents for the Greek committee, appa- 
 rently in the last stage of consumption. Mr. 
 Bulwer came out from England several months 
 ago in company with Mr. Hamilton Browne. 
 They landed at Napoli, where the first of these 
 gentlemen caught the yellow fever. We hear 
 that the Greeks took advantage of his unhappy 
 situation to pilfer him on all sides ; his Greek 
 physician demanded and received two hundred 
 dollars for his assistance, and the government 
 required him to decamp immediately, lest he 
 should spread the contagion farther. And this 
 was done to persons who entered the country 
 
MR. BULWER— BEAUTIFUL STATION OFF VOURLA. 253 
 
 expressly for the purpose of negotiating a loan, 
 and of rendering such other assistance as their 
 situation called for ! All I can say of the story 
 at present is, that it wants proof. As yet I 
 have had no opportunity of communicating 
 with him. Mr. Bulwer went from Napoli to 
 Smyrna, where he has been most humanely and 
 kindly entertained by the English consul for 
 four or five months. It is said he is sick of the 
 Greeks ! Alas ! Alas ! 
 
 Wednesday, l6th Feb. — Sailed this morning 
 from Smyrna and anchored at Vourla, where 
 we shall stay some days. The Cyrene is to 
 take in water. Our destination is Malta, which 
 will require twenty-five days quarantine. 
 
 Monday, 21st Feb. — Still off Vourla, wait- 
 ing for the return of the Seringapatam. We 
 are in stiict quarantine, and not even permitted, 
 as we anticipated, the pleasure of shooting on 
 an uninhabited island close by. Last Satur- 
 day we were amused by witnessing some of 
 the lower deck guns fired at a mark. 
 
 Our station is extremely beautiful : we lie 
 in a sort of gulf, surrounded on three quarters 
 by six small islands like dots upon a circle. 
 Upon the fourth rise the lofty mountains of 
 
1254 EMPLOYMENT OF THE GREEK PRISONERS. 
 
 Asia, and the well cultivated country beneath. 
 Peering over the islands are other remote 
 mountains silvered with snow, and illumined 
 by a bright sun. 
 
 The Greek prisoners have been judiciously 
 set to the pumps, and otherwise employed in 
 the ship. They seem cheerful and uncon- 
 cerned at their situation, being in all likelihood 
 better lodged and fed than they have ever 
 before been accustomed to. I regret that I 
 sometimes overhear expressions of bitterness 
 and animosity against them fall from the sai- 
 lors ; they appear to consider these unfortunate 
 men as beings of another class, and scarcely 
 entitled to the common obligations of hu- 
 manity. Whilst the blood shed in the conflict 
 was yet undried, one might not perhaps blame 
 some sudden ebullitions of this kind ; or we 
 might find in the mournful spectacle, presented 
 by the death of their comrades, a partial jus- 
 tification. But one is sorry to hear an Eng- 
 lishman, of whatever station, indulge a pro- 
 tracted and cowardly spleen ; and still more 
 sorry must we be to perceive it, as I have per- 
 ceived it, extend even to the inanimate body 
 of the dead ! A few days ago, one of the 
 
REFLECTIONS ON HUMAN FAILINGS. 255 
 
 Greeks who had been wounded by a sabre 
 stroke across the head, expired, and the sailor 
 engaged in preparing the corpse for its last 
 home, treated it in a manner so vindictive and 
 revolting as to call down a severe reproof from 
 the officer who was superintending the arrange- 
 ment ! It was worthy of a more touching cas- 
 tigation ! 
 
 Uneducated and boisterous men, it is true, 
 are not expected to discover much delicacy or 
 much feeling, but common decency it is right 
 to demand from them. The pirates were well 
 worthy of their fate, but once subjected to it 
 all further exhibition of hostility should cease 
 — we are not called upon to pursue even the 
 wicked to extremity, but this is frequently 
 overlooked or not attended to by the educated 
 and refined. It has happened to me, more 
 than once, to hear many well-meaning people 
 express themselves, respecting wicked men, in 
 terms of inveteracy, which no Christian can or 
 ought to approve. A late illustrious and (spite 
 of his many failings, I will add) lamented poet, 
 has remarked that " None are all evil,'' and 
 it does not demand a very profound know- 
 ledge of the human mind to arrive at the same 
 
S56 REFLECTIONS ON HUMAN FAILINGS. 
 
 truth. The fact is, they cannot be so — the un- 
 restrained violence of some particular passion 
 will oftentimes impel them unconsciously to- 
 wards virtue. The wild daring of the robber 
 gives a kind of savage generosity to his cha- 
 racter which an honester man may not pos- 
 sess : he will carelessly fling his gold to the 
 wretch whom poverty has stripped, though it 
 may have been attained by bloodshed and the 
 imminent jeopardy of his own dark existence. 
 The man who would rejoice to steal away your 
 reputation will shrink from actual robbery. 
 He who would wind himself around the unsus- 
 pecting heart, and sting it unto death, m ill not 
 become indeed a murderer : there is a barrier 
 of pride, perhaps of fear, which rises up against 
 it ; — there is the bias of prejudice — there is the 
 current of opinion, and the bulwarks of situa- 
 tion and circumstance, — there is, in reality, all 
 that contributes to form one vice, opposed, and 
 vigorously opposed, to another. As we cannot 
 be wholly good, neither can we be wholly vi- 
 cious. The Roman Emperor, placed on the 
 summit of cruelty as well as power, who wished 
 that the human race had but one head that it 
 might be sundered at a blow, expressed but his 
 
REFLECTIONS ON HUMAN FAILINGS. US'! 
 
 incapacity to be as evil as his will. And could 
 he have achieved it, the operation of that horrid 
 crime would have effectually precluded the" 
 commission of another ; it would have left him 
 amidst an unpeopled world, a solitary monster, 
 the despot of a wilderness, and the lord of one 
 wide cemetery. Yet even towards him, as the 
 historian * relates, the most delicate mark of 
 feeling which affection could devise was exhi- 
 bited. Flowers were scattered upon his tomb 
 at the very moment when public odium was 
 busiest with his memory, and his barbarities 
 were yet fresh upon their minds. There had 
 then been some good deed which called forth 
 the honest tribute ; and the oppressed and la- 
 bouring waters which had so long flowed on in 
 darkness felt a gleam of momentary sunshine ! 
 The first Richard of England commanded and 
 witnessed in cool blood the execution of three 
 thousand Turks ; yet the archer whose shaft 
 put a period to his martial frenzy, he had ge- 
 nerosity enough not only to pardon but re- 
 ward ! — These are not isolated facts ; they are 
 supported by innumerable evidences, both of 
 
 * Suetonius. 
 VOL. I. S 
 
258 REFLECTIONS ON HUMAN FAILINGS, 
 
 ancient history and the experience of every 
 day, although it be most true that while 
 
 " The evil that men do lives after them. 
 The good is oft interred with their bones." 
 
 They call upon us, therefore, to regard the 
 wicked, not as being too bad to be redeemed, but 
 as being bad enough to need our warning voice, 
 our helping hand ; to believe them not such as 
 we may virtuously persecute for their wicked- 
 ness, but such as we may confidently hope our 
 exertions may awaken, and our earnestness re- 
 trieve. To take the worst light, whether of 
 men or actions, is not, to say the least, the 
 most charitable part ; and it is but a small de- 
 gree removed from the vanity of self-applause, 
 and the pride of conscious superiority ! 
 
 I have been led unwillingly into this subject, 
 but it can hardly be thought an unnecessary 
 digression. And if I have suggested any thing 
 which may check the impulses of an outrage- 
 ous animosity, or obviate the poisonous virul- 
 ence with which some delight to bespatter frail 
 humanity, I shall not lament the occasion 
 which has led to it. 
 
INTENDED PRESENT TO CAPT. IIAMILTOK. 259 
 
 Monday Noon, — The Seringapateim just 
 arrived : she has been at Hydra and Spetzia, 
 as well as at Milo. The Greek government at 
 Hydra, M'e hear, has provided two fine Arabian 
 horses for Captain Hamilton, as a testimony of 
 the great esteem in which he is held. It is 
 thus that his enlightened and humane policy 
 secures the respect and approbation of all 
 parties; — Turks, Greeks, and Franks! 
 
 Thursday, 24th Feb. — Sailed from Vourla 
 with a light wind. Two of our passengers were 
 turned over to the Seringapatam, the Hon. Mr. 
 Strangways, and Mr. Hall. The latter gen- 
 tleman left England with us intending to go 
 no further than Gibraltar ; but our company 
 proved so agreeable to him, that he has re- 
 mained ever since. Happy Cambrian ! when 
 she can produce so unquestionable a testi- 
 monial of good conduct ! May the Seringa- 
 patam prove as happy ! ! 
 
 With Mr. Strangways I feel loth to part, as 
 I always do with a well-informed and gentle- 
 manly man ; and it seems probable, that we 
 shall meet again at Smyrna. Our eternal old 
 friend, Mr. Hall, likewise anticipates this 
 particular pleasure ; and I doubt not, although 
 
 s 2 
 
S60 HINTS TO PASSENGERS IN A MAN-OF-WAR. 
 
 it is " nhsolutely requisite that he should re- 
 turn home in June/' that he will be delighted 
 to renew his intimacy with us (us of the Cam- 
 brian !) at the same place, in that, or in any 
 one given month of the year ! " But its Jove^s 
 doing ; and Jove make us thankful !" We have 
 been much incommoded by the number of the 
 passengers ; and the difficulty of finding them 
 births is not small. I cannot, in this place, for- 
 bear throwing out a hint to those who may 
 hereafter be favoured with a passage in a man- 
 of-war, not to consider themselves as sailing in 
 a public conveyance ; nor to assume such a de- 
 portment as may authorise a conclusion, that 
 they think themselves conferring a favour, 
 rather than receiving one. I would also hum- 
 bly suggest, that to press upon the good-nature 
 of the Captain, even when it is obviously con- 
 trary to his inclination — to solicit a passage 
 for one port, and being arrived, to require it 
 for " another, and another, and another,''' is as 
 indelicate as for any one to come a mere 
 stranger to your house, and, finding the quar- 
 ters good, there to set up his rest. The cases 
 are perfectly similar; and it seems to me to 
 imply such a total want of proper feeling, as 
 
HINTS TO PASSENGERS IN A MAN-OF-WAR, 361 
 
 to render those, who are thus deficient, objects 
 of merited contempt. I cannot, for my part, 
 comprehend the principle on which they act. 
 A person is shghtly introduced to a Captain 
 of a man-of-war, in order to obtain a gra- 
 tuitous present of bed and board. The cost 
 is wholly on the side of the commander ; 
 and if he be not a man of independent for- 
 tune, he has to endure a tax upon his in- 
 come, which he can perhaps very hardly sup- 
 port. Besides this, he is obliged to surrender 
 his own comforts to the encroachments of his 
 passengers, who, in many cases, think them- 
 selves entitled to the attention which they 
 would exact from the hired servant of a 
 packet-boat. 
 
 What I have here said, I wish to be un- 
 derstood as a common feeling among the 
 officers of a man-of-war ; and without meaning 
 to impute any thing further to particular indi- 
 viduals than inexperience and want of consi- 
 deration, it may be useful to future voyagers, 
 to understand in what light their presence is 
 considered, and how they are expected to act. 
 We have, indeed, several distinguished excep- 
 tions to the method upon which I have ani- 
 
262 HINTS TO PASSENGERS IN A MAN-OF-WAR. 
 
 madverted ; but I am persuaded some com- 
 ment is needed for the rest : and I hope it will 
 be taken in good part. 
 
 With regard to the ward-room passengers, 
 a system somewhat different is, for various 
 reasons, adopted : but here too, I have seen 
 more than one individual conduct himself as 
 he would, where not only a full equivalent 
 was paid, but where his superiority of rank 
 authorized an unceremonious disposal of what- 
 soever he might desire. Such practices never 
 will be tolerated in a man-of-war; at least, 
 not on a peace establishment, when the officers 
 are generally men of fortune and family. For 
 the present I quit the subject ; if I should see 
 occasion, it shall certainly be resumed. 
 
 The Seringapatam is to cruise up and down 
 the islands, and to take the part that would 
 have been taken by the Cambrian had she not 
 received the damage before alluded to. It is 
 extremely annoying to have seen just enough 
 of these places to augment my avidity for re- 
 search and travel, and then to be carried off 
 and detained elsewhere, one knows not how 
 long ! Our next voyage will, I hope, be more 
 fortunate. 
 
DERIVATION OF " NEGROPONt. " S6.S 
 
 Friday^ 25th Feb. — About noon Negropont 
 appeared upon our starboard bow. The name 
 of this island has been most singularly cor- 
 rupted. Originally Eiibcea, it has, by the 
 change of the Greek pronounciation of the 
 letters Eu and b, into Ef and v, been con- 
 verted into E/vaa, Efripo or Evripo^ Egripo, 
 Negripo, Negripont ; which last has, I ima- 
 gine, (with Wheeler and Hobhouse) been de- 
 rived by confounding the three Greek words, 
 eiQ TOP "EypLTTov, abbreviated in the vulgar 
 dialect to ^crrov ^'^ypnrop, and pronounced as 
 one word. 
 
 A little after three o'clock we anchored in 
 Port Mandri, near which Dr. Sibthorp noticed 
 the ruins of a temple and the remains of an 
 ancient town *. But his accounts are always 
 meagre and unsatisfactory. Unfortunately our 
 quarantine prevents any communication with 
 the shore at present. A Maltese brig, at an- 
 chorage in this place, informs us, that she fell 
 in with the Turkish fleet, consisting of twenty- 
 seven sail, off Patras, a few days ago. 
 
 Saturday^ 26th Feb. — Passed Cape Colonna 
 
 * See Walpole's Travels in Greece. Vol. II. p. 34. 
 
264 OFFICERS OF THE " BELLONA AUSTRIACA." 
 
 at an early hour this morning. The day broke 
 rainy and cheerless; and the white pillars of 
 the temple necessarily lost somewhat of their 
 beauty from the dense atmosphere through 
 which they were seen. But I distinguished 
 enough to remember the " Bellona Austriaca," 
 and to anathematize her with due energy. This 
 vessel is stationed at Smyrna ; and it was our 
 lot to see something of her officers at the Casino 
 there. I would keep within bounds, and leave 
 a portion of their merits to be guessed at by 
 the sagacious reader : I w ill only say, there- 
 fore, that a greater set of bears never danced 
 at a fair, or scribbled upon a column ! And 
 it is comfortable to reflect, that such really 
 was the description of persons who had wan- 
 tonly defaced a noble monument ! 
 
 Anchored toward evening in Garden Bat/, 
 about six miles from Hydra : it rained violently, 
 with some lightning. Last voyage a boat be- 
 longing to the Cambrian upset, in its w^ay back 
 from Hydra, in consequence of a sudden squall : 
 all the crew, with the exception of three sailors, 
 were lost. 
 
 Sunday^ 27th Feb. — The celebrated Greek 
 Admiral Miaoulis, accompanied by his secre- 
 
VISIT OF THE GREEK ADMIRAL MIAOULIS. 2G5 
 
 tary, came along-side the Cambrian, about 
 two o'clock, for the purpose of conversing 
 with Captain Hamilton. He is a grey-headed 
 man, of about sixty years ; of large but 
 rather coarse features. His face, however, is 
 far from bad ; and his frame is bulky, and knit 
 with the appearance of uncommon strength. 
 A blue capote, lined with scarlet, covered a 
 dress of brown cloth, fashioned after the 
 national taste. He wore the common light 
 scull-cap of his country, and grey mustachios 
 decorated the upper lip. His appearance in a 
 boat resembling a fisherman^s, attended only 
 by two or three sailors, together with the 
 homely exterior which he presented, gave one 
 no very lofty conception of the admiral of a 
 Greek fleet ! But there might be policy in 
 this : he might wish as few auditors of what 
 passed between him and the captain, as pos- 
 sible ; and might think, with Petruchio, that 
 
 " 'Tis the mind that makes the body rich ; 
 
 And as the sun breaks thro' the darkest cloud s^. 
 So honour peereth in the meanest habit." 
 
 To say truth, it is one of the greatest weak- 
 nesses of humanity to be caught by the tinsel 
 of adventitious circumstances. Such hold. 
 
266 THE FORCE OF EXTERNAL APPEARANCE. 
 
 however, has it upon the vulgar of all denomi- 
 nations ; and so imperceptibly does it insinuate 
 itself into the minds even of those who look 
 farther than the superficies, that there are few 
 upoh whom the impression is not made ; and 
 its effect is often in full activity, when the 
 cause has ceased to be remembered, or ac- 
 knowledged. It is the " feathers green and 
 gold,^"* that occasion many an unprofitable two- 
 legged thing to pass muster, and to assume a 
 rank very far beyond its merit. It is this that 
 enshrines it in public opinion. It is this that 
 lightens up the most gloomy portions of hu- 
 man character, and throws an artificial sun- 
 shine over the vilest relations of life ! But 
 who knows it not? Can we pass from one 
 threshold to another without observing it ? 
 Can the eye, possessing all its faculties, avoid 
 distinguishing what has dyes so vivid, and 
 magnitude so immense ? Here men may need 
 a monitor, but not information ; they may 
 think little of what long use has rendered 
 familiar; but they cannot be ignorant of its 
 presence, or of its power ! — Enough. 
 
 The admiral, Miaoulis, expressed himself dis- 
 appointed at Captain Hamilton's intention to 
 
PRESENT OF A MEDAL TO MIAOULIS. 267 
 
 decline the horses which they were preparing 
 to present to him. This, for private reasons, it 
 was judged better to do; and Miaoiihs there- 
 fore testified some rekictance in accepting a 
 beautifully engraved medal of George IV. which 
 the captain had received from our ambassador 
 at Naples, and which bore some reference, on 
 the obverse side, to the present state of Greece. 
 It was of little value, although of admirable 
 execution. Ultimately it was received. The 
 Greek intimated that as soon as the govern- 
 ment at Hydra learnt from the Seringapatam 
 the defeat and capture of the pirates by our 
 ships, they immediately sent out a schooner of 
 war to cruise in that quarter : whether for the 
 purpose of ascertaining on the spot what had 
 passed, or perhaps of putting a stop to future 
 piracies. The number of their squadron des- 
 tined to oppose the Turks, he stated at forty 
 vessels. But they had not as yet recommenced 
 operations, although aware that the Turkish 
 fleet had quitted the harbour and were sailing 
 in pursuit of them. In opposition to this au- 
 thentic communication, it may be amusing to 
 subjoin an extract or two from Galignani's 
 Messenger, dated 21st. Dec. 1824. 
 
^68 EXTRACT FROM GALIGNANI'S MESSENGER. 
 
 " Extract of a private letter of the 8tli inst, 
 from Trieste : — ' An Austrian vessel from the 
 Mediterranean has arrived at this port. On 
 the 8th Nov. it met off Candia the Greek fleet, 
 which had just gained another victory over 
 Ibrahim Pacha, commander of the naval 
 forces of the Turks. The following is an ex- 
 tract of a letter relative to the affair, written 
 by an officer of the Greek navy to one of his 
 friends at Trieste : — 
 
 " On board the admiraFs ship off Crete, 
 
 " Nov, 8. 
 
 " ' The checks which Ibrahim Pacha expe- 
 rienced off Cos, in the channel of Scio, and 
 off Mitylene were the more deeply felt by him, 
 as, in a fit of Mussulman bravado, he had pro- 
 mised bi/ his beard to reduce the Isle of Hydra 
 in seven hours, and immediately to turn his 
 victorious arms upon the Morea, which he ex- 
 pected to subject to his authority in a month. 
 Upon returning into the Gulf of Halicarnassus 
 (Boudroun) he redoubled his efforts to eft'ect a 
 disembarkation in the Isle of Crete, in order to 
 repair, in some degree, his humiliating losses. 
 Scarcely had he set sail for that destination 
 
HYDRA— STATE OF THE GREEK NAVY. 209 
 
 when owr admiral, who watched all his move- 
 ments, went in pursuit of him. We came up 
 with the enemy between Crete and Casos. 
 Twenty of his vessels were captured, and 
 others sunk. Nearly two thousand men of the 
 Egyptian troops called regulars fell into our 
 hands, and many others were drowned. The 
 rest of the Mussulman fleet is dispersed. 
 (Signed) « Maleas/ '' 
 
 Galignani's Messenger, December 24. 
 
 " The defeat of Ibrahim Pacha by the 
 Greek squadron off Crete is confirmed by 
 letters from Constantinople and other places.'^ 
 
 These forgeries are the more ridiculous when 
 we remember the size of the Greek vessels, and 
 consequently, the almost moral impossibility 
 of such a capture as is here spoken of. Not a 
 ship of the Greek squadron now in Hydra pro- 
 bably exceeds 150 tons. The lofty Pouque- 
 ville too, who always writes as though his head 
 touched heaven — and indeed it often is among 
 the clouds — speaking of Hydra observer" Cette 
 lie possedait en 1816 quarante vaisseaux du 
 port de quatre cents c) six cents tonneaiix 
 
S70 INCONVENIENCES OF TRAVELLING IN GREECE. 
 
 construits dans ses chan tiers, avec des pins 
 d'Olympie/' Admitting the bare possibility 
 of such a circumstance then^ it is out of all 
 reach of possibility now ; and though they 
 could be built, it is most certain that at present 
 they could not be equipped. 
 
 A conversation which I have had to-day 
 with Mr. Bulwer, satisfies me as to the inac- 
 curacy of the information before hinted at re- 
 lative to the government of Napoli. They 
 shewed them all the civility in their power, 
 though from the disastrous circumstances of 
 the period, they were incapable of doing much. 
 What he chiefly complains of, is their tardi- 
 ness in giving definitive answers to the pro- 
 posals, and the petty intrigues which they 
 seemed to be carrying on. Perhaps he may 
 be right ; but surely he was wrong when he 
 embarked for a remote country like Greece in 
 the very woi'st state of a revolutionary epoch, 
 expecting (as it appears to me he did) to find 
 accommodations in travelling similar to those 
 of his own country ! His servants are raw in- 
 experienced Frenchmen, to whom he leaves all 
 the arrangements of his journey ; and they 
 being equally ignorant and careless, are pro- 
 
THE GREEK. PRISONERS. 371 
 
 vided scarcely with one single requisite. They 
 carry coffee with them, but no means of grind- 
 ing it ; a few eggs, but, I believe, no utensil 
 for cooking them. Now every man who knows 
 any thing of Greece, know s well that apparatus 
 of all kinds must be conveyed along with the 
 traveller, and that he must depend entirely 
 upon his own resources for his " daily bread.'' 
 Unhappily, Mr. Bulwer has dearly bought his 
 experience ; but it is unfair to stigmatize the 
 Greeks for the improvidence of himself or his 
 attendants. 
 
 The Greeks, to whom Captain Hamilton's 
 kindness permitted a passage in the ship, were 
 put on board the boat of their admiral to be 
 conveyed to Hydra. Our prisoners had ima- 
 gined that they also would be landed in the 
 .same place, but finding their mistake several 
 of them burst into tears. One man in parti- 
 cular exhibited very considerable agitation, 
 and thrusting his head out of a port-hole, 
 bawled lustily to his countrymen for aid. His 
 entreaties and tears were equally ineffec- 
 tual. 
 
 Monday, 2Sth Feb.^-The rebel Coloco- 
 troni, as I omitted to observe before, is de- 
 10 
 
272 REPORTED VICTORY OF THE GREEKS. 
 
 tairied a prisoner in a convent a little above 
 the town of Hydra. 
 
 Tuesday, 1st March — The Seringapatam 
 has made us a signal this evening to say that 
 the Greeks have gained a splendid victory over 
 the Turkish fleet off Navarin, a place of consi- 
 derable importance, not far from the Gulf of 
 Coron. This communication is said to have 
 been made by a boat from Hydra. The cir- 
 cumstance, if true, is extremely gratifying, but 
 it wants confirmation. 
 
 Wednesday, 2d March — Sailed early from 
 Garden Bay with a fair wind toward Malta. 
 Passed Spetzia about noon. 
 
 Thursday, Sd March — In sight of the 
 Island of Sapienza, about thirty miles from 
 the place described as the scene of the naval 
 victory just gained by the Greeks. Several 
 English and Austrian merchant ships cruising 
 about. 
 
 Friday, 4eth March — A beautiful morning; 
 the state of the atmosphere is considerably 
 changed; "the time of the singing of birds 
 is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard 
 in our land.^' The mountains of Arcadia in 
 sight. 
 
MALTA— APPEARANCE OF LA VALETTA. 273 
 
 Tuesday Evening, Sth March. — Arrived at 
 Malta, that " military hot-house/' as it has 
 been not inaptly called. The appearance 
 which it presents from the sea is always new 
 and inviting. We had to-day rather a different 
 aspect ; and I thought La Valetta resembled a 
 town chiselled out of the rock, to which the 
 skilful hand of the lapicide had but just given 
 the finishing touch. Malta is famous for vases 
 cut from the same soft porous stone ; and I 
 could easily have fancied that the clean yellow 
 cast of the houses and churches, rising over 
 this the most precipitous part of the island, 
 was devised by a sculptor, and executed con 
 amove ! Let not my faith be quarrelled with, 
 I have no wish to impose it upon others ; he 
 who proposed cutting Mount Athos into a mo- 
 nument for the son of Philip, had, perhaps, an 
 imagination equally lively. 
 
 We have yet ten days to remain in qua- 
 rantine, {tJiirty being the allotted number in- 
 stead of twenty-five as we supposed,) unless 
 the situation of the Cambrian induce the Board 
 of Health to shorten our durance. 
 
 Thursday, 10th March. — To-day Captain 
 Hamilton read a letter from the admiral, ap- 
 
 VOL. I. T 
 
^74 MALTA— THE LOFTS. 
 
 proving of the capture of the pirates, and stat- 
 ing his intention to represent the conduct of all 
 concerned in a favourable light to the Admi- 
 ralty. The Dock people are removing such of 
 the Cambrian^s stores as are not liable to com- 
 municate infection. This is preparatory to her 
 being hove down. 
 
 Tuesday, 15th March. — We were released 
 from quarantine — a most joyful circumstance. 
 To be cooped up in our " winged citadel" at 
 sea is nothing ; we expect no other, and our 
 minds are made up to the endurance ; but to 
 be so imprisoned in harbour, with the prospect 
 of an augmented society before us — with the 
 power of roaming at pleasure from place to 
 place — " from flower to flower," just as inclina- 
 tion prompts ; all in sight, yet all withheld, is 
 realizing the fable of Tantalus, and tempting us 
 to wish the right honourable Board of Health 
 a hearty ducking ! 
 
 As soon as I could make it convenient to 
 land I set out in pursuit of lodgings ; there is 
 indeed a place appropriated to the officers of a 
 man of war during repairs of this nature. It 
 is called the Lofts, and it might as well have 
 been called the Lights, for it is very low and 
 
 13 
 
PREACH AT THE CHAPEL OF THE PALACE. 275 
 
 very dark ; but " lucus <i non lucendo" is not 
 in these days so remarkable a cognomen ! 
 " Things change their titles as our manners 
 turn '," and of a surety, never age, in compari- 
 son with another, has proved itself so mutable 
 as this. 
 
 Friday, \^th March, — The account of our 
 expedition against the pirates I find in the 
 Malta Gazette, a weekly (also a weakly) pa- 
 per, reserved entirely for the promulgation of 
 the edicts of government. It is said likewise 
 that Ibrahim Pacha has landed 6,000 men at 
 Modon, near Navarin. The information was 
 brought by a Maltese vessel. 
 
 Sunday, 20th March. — Preached at the 
 Chapel of the Palace, on the subject of Con- 
 versation. Malta, like all other places where 
 time hangs heavy upon peoples' hands, is noted 
 for its propensity to scandal ; and the zeal 
 with which the affairs of others are canvassed 
 in preference to their own. My observations 
 made a little stir — a slight sensation, and — 
 were forgotten ere night-fall ! 
 
 Tuesday, 22d March. — To-day the Cam- 
 brian was hove down, and all the fair and the 
 young and the high-born honoured us with a 
 
 T 2 
 
216 MALTA— EXCURSION TO CIVITA VECCHIA. 
 
 visit. She (that is the ship) lay with her keel 
 out of water, and exhibited her v/ounds to the 
 admiring damsels. Let us hope that the 
 Cambrian will never be insensible to the com- 
 miseration and interest shewn in her misfor- 
 tunes ! 
 
 Thursday, 24<th March, — Rode with my 
 friend Cleugh to Civita Vecchia, a distance of 
 eight miles from Valetta. A high wind and 
 dusty roads were no less a torment than the 
 crowds of importunate Ciceroni who beset us 
 on our arrival, and pursued us with the most 
 determined coolness in spite of many urgent 
 entreaties, and certain formidable menaces. 
 Civita Vecchia Mas anciently the capital of 
 Malta, and the chief residence of the Grand 
 Masters. It contains some magnificent houses, 
 now unoccupied ; courts of justice which retain 
 nothing of their original character but the 
 usual emblems above the entrance. There is 
 a strong fortification here, but it is also neg- 
 lected ; and its gates serve to enclose a warren 
 of lazy, dirty monks, and a cathedral church of 
 great beauty ; the interior possesses a chastity 
 of ornament quite surprising for a Catholic 
 country. The catacombs are said to be worth 
 
EFFECTS OF A HIGH WIND. 277 
 
 seeing, but this I was obliged to defer until 
 another opportunity. 
 
 Dined with Cleugh, and spent the evening 
 at Sir Harry Neale's, where a pretty married 
 lady (whom I strongly suspect of being a 
 Blue /) told me, with a look expressing an in- 
 definable compound of coquetry, simplicity, 
 and pedantry, that the Sirocco wind, of which 
 we were speaking, " would annul salt :" — fine 
 words these, " prave 'ords as you shall see in 
 a summer's day/' 
 
 Ibrahim Pacha's fleet is said to be dispersed 
 by a storm — which is likely ; for the wind has 
 blown with extreme violence of late, insomuch 
 that the same pretty lady above mentioned 
 protested that it " had almost blown her out 
 
 of bed r 
 
 Saturday, 26th March. — Dined with Major 
 General Sir Manley Power, to whose civilities 
 I confess myself much indebted. I learnt the 
 result of the trial, and the story of a number of 
 Greek pirates, who, about a year ago, were 
 captured by the Naiad. They had boarded a 
 Maltese merchantman, murdered seventeen of 
 her crew in cold blood, and scuttled the ship. 
 The evidence against them was clear and de- 
 
218 MALTA— RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES 
 
 cisive ; but, by some extraordinary and inex- 
 plicable conceit of the jurymen, they were ac- 
 quitted of the murder; and have, in conse- 
 quence, been sentenced on another count to 
 the gallies. So little did any of these wretched 
 beings look for life, that one of them, on ascer- 
 taining that certain property found in their 
 possession had been identified by a Maltese, 
 hung himself in a fit of despair. 
 
 The pirates whom we secured are to be im- 
 prisoned until the case has been reported to 
 the Admiralty : their fate will rest therefore 
 upon the communication from England. 
 
 Major Laing, the gallant officer mentioned 
 in the accounts of the contest with the Ashan- 
 tees, was of the party mentioned above. He 
 is about to proceed on an expedition to the 
 Niger. 
 
 Good Friday, 1st April. — The Roman Ca- 
 tholics in this place have been occupied during 
 the whole of this day, and the greater part of 
 yesterday, in the exhibition of the most dis- 
 gusting mummery that ever disgraced rational 
 beings. Representations of our Saviour, fa- 
 shioned after a manner almost too hideous to 
 conceive, have been carried about the town, to 
 
OF THE ROMAN CATHOLICS ON GOOD FRIDAY. 279 
 
 the singular edification of all true believers. 
 The flesh of certain of these images was of a 
 fine sea-green, upon which streaks of red paint, 
 intended to convey an idea of blood, were la- 
 vishly sprinkled. A child, cloathed in the skin 
 of a lamb, pourtrayed, by a kind of practical 
 blasphemy seldom paralleled, the type of our 
 Saviour. Monks in their albs preceded them, 
 holding lighted wax torches of immense bulk ; 
 and, in the rear of each came a number of pe- 
 nitents, barefooted, and clanking heavy chains 
 attached to the ankle. These are sometimes 
 so ponderous as to cause unspeakable pain ; 
 and the perspiration produced by the eftbrt of 
 dragging them along, is frequently so violent as 
 to saturate the sack-cloth garment which com- 
 pletely envelopes their persons. This strange 
 vesture reminds me of a pig in a poke; it 
 towers at the head like a fool's cap, and has 
 two small round holes cut in it for the especial 
 service and gratification of the eyes. Besides 
 the penance just noticed, there were certain 
 folk sitting bare-breached on thorns ; so at least 
 I was told, but their naked feet were only ex- 
 posed. Throughout the day nothing was to be 
 heard but the ratthng of wooden machines, 
 
280 MALTA— ROMAN CATHOLIC CEREMONIES. 
 
 which were incessantly grinding the hones of 
 Judas Iscariot ! A very large machine of this 
 kind, I observed placed upon the roof of one 
 of their churches, at which three men were la- 
 boriously employed. What could maniacs do 
 more at variance with common sense ? And 
 what must be said for the religion which thus 
 deprives men of their reason and consigns them 
 to absurdity and bigotry ? But above all, what 
 can we think of its ministers, whose unre- 
 mitted endeavour it is to work upon the igno- 
 rance of these poor people, and to keep alive 
 an infatuation which leads to such deplorable 
 results ? What plea is there for them ? — for 
 those " whom methinks I see coming towards 
 me, with a sullen gravity, as though they could 
 not abide vice — by day-light ; rudely cloathed 
 for to witness outwardly their contempt of out- 
 ward things ; with books in their hands against 
 glory, whereto they set their names; sophis- 
 tically speaking against subtlety, and angry 
 with any man in whom they see the foul fault 
 of anger*/' God be thanked, my own country 
 at least is untainted by such abominations. 
 
 * Sir Philip Sydney's " Defence of Poesi/." 
 
PRIVATE THEATRICALS. 281 
 
 Instead of grinding the bones of Judas, they 
 very properly break the bones of one another. 
 Now this I call rational ! and as to the rest of 
 the description, I put the parallel entirely upon 
 their own consciences — good beasts of burden 
 are they, and will scarcely break down with 
 the load ! 
 
 Wednesday, 5th April. — Last evening was 
 marked by a theatrical representation, in which 
 the amateurs of the garrison were actors, in 
 behalf of a charity. Major de Batha, Lieut. 
 Colonel Whitmore and two of his family, en- 
 acted the principal characters ; and were, in- 
 deed, intitled to them. The play was the 
 " Midnight Hour," with the farce of " X. Y. Z." 
 The female parts were " lively" represented by 
 certain fair-faced youths; of whom, one copied, 
 to admiration, the " minced speech, set look, 
 and ginger pace," of a waiting-woman. All 
 this is very well ; and, if it go no further, is a 
 harmless method of enlivening the dulness and 
 varying the monotony of a garrison town. But 
 who does not know what mischievous fire has 
 been enkindled by the " bravos" of good- 
 natured friends ? From hence we may probably 
 trace much of the theatrical mania of loungers 
 
282 MALTA— PRIVATE THEATRICALS. 
 
 at play-houses, many connexions (of all the most 
 prejudicial) formed with the heroes and heroines 
 of the green-room : imprudent marriages, and 
 the best and most important period of life 
 trifled away, (to say no worse,) in pursuits 
 whose tendency is to unnerve the mind, and 
 leave it incapacitated for any useful or manly 
 occupation. For these reasons, I confess, I 
 am no friend to private theatricals ; and I re- 
 probate, in the strongest manner, the admis- 
 sion of /aJ?/-actresses, on any grounds, into 
 such amusements. In this respect, the good 
 sense of the amateurs was distinguished ; and, 
 I hope, always will be distinguished. The 
 effect of them upon the minds and hearts of 
 women, is deep and lasting : and, at all events, 
 they introduce a vitiated taste, which seeks for 
 gratification among the garbage of novels and 
 romances. Having turned the heart, it may 
 eventually turn the head, " as it sometimes 
 fared with a gentlewoman of our own nation,^' 
 (I adopt the anecdote from one who, amidst 
 much pedantic quaintness, has read the ladies 
 a lecture, to which they would do well to at- 
 tend ;) " who so daily bestowed the expence of 
 her best hours upon the stage, as being sur- 
 
ANECDOTE OF A LADY AND HER PHYSICIAN. 283 
 
 prised by sickness, even unto death, she be- 
 came so deaf to such as admonished her of her 
 end, as when her physician was to minister a 
 receipt unto her, which he had prepared to 
 allay the extremity of that agonizing fit where- 
 with she was then assailed, putting aside the 
 receipt with her hand, as she rejected it, in the 
 very height and heat of her distemper, with an 
 active resolution, used these words unto her 
 doctor, — * Thanks, good Horatio, take it for 
 thy pains */ " 
 
 It was amusing, after the play, to hear the 
 encomiums bestowed upon each of the actors, 
 as they rejoined their friends, with all their 
 newly-acquired laurels flourishing gracefully 
 upon them. " Your performance was excel- 
 lent, admirable, inimitable,'^ — and so forth. 
 Then the modest suffusion of countenance 
 which accompanied each announcement; the 
 pride of conscious excellence, uniting with a 
 
 * " The English Gentlewoman drawn out to the full 
 body; expressing what habiliments do best attire her, 
 what ornaments do best adorn her, what complements do 
 best accomplish her." By Richard Braithwaite, Esq. 
 London, 1641. p. 299. 
 
284 MALTA— CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 beautiful reluctance to receive the homage 
 that was rendered. My friends must pardon 
 me for indulging in a smile, but I fancied that 
 this was the better part of their acting, " ad- 
 mirable^^ as that was which preceded. So true 
 is that which Young, if I quote correctly, has 
 embodied in the following lines : 
 
 ** The love of praise, howe'er conceal'd by art. 
 Glows more or less, and reigns in every heart. 
 The proud to gain it, toils on toils endure. 
 The modest shun it, but to make it sure. 
 It aids the dancer's skill — the writer's head. 
 And heaps the plain with mountains of the dead : 
 Nor ends it here ; it nods with sable plumes, 
 Shines on our hearse, and glitters on our tombs." 
 
 Thursday, 6th April. — The conversazione 
 of the Marchioness of Hastings, last night, gave 
 a new character to the ancient residence of the 
 Grand Masters. They seemed to look out 
 from their pictures with surprise upon Mhat 
 \vas going on ; and to think, in spite of the 
 many changes which the island had witnessed, 
 that this was the most outre of all ! Perad- 
 venture, they were right ; but it was, never- 
 theless, an imposing scene. Monks of the 
 
OF THE MARCHIONESS OF HASTINGS. 285 
 
 Order of St. Dominic were moving about in 
 the peculiar dresses of their caste ; and almost 
 brought to life again departed ages. The 
 scarlet uniforms of the military, the " waving 
 plumes/' the fair smiling faces which converted 
 the apartments of the palace " into a firma- 
 ment glistered with breathing stars/' were all 
 of them objects upon which a sage might have 
 looked with satisfaction, though it were tinc- 
 tured with regret : for he might have asked 
 why they were assembled — to what profitable 
 end? Were they better, or were they happier? 
 In all probability, he would have thought not! 
 And he might have lifted up the veil of futu- 
 rity, and beheld all these animated and ani- 
 mating objects mingled with the dust ; loath- 
 some relics of mortality — things that the heart 
 sickens to contemplate. But for all that, one 
 who is not a sage, — one who takes matters just 
 as he finds them, would have been pleased with 
 the scene before him. A philanthropist would 
 have hoped that they were the happier, and 
 a philanthropic moralist, that they were the 
 better. An enthusiast would have believed it 
 at once ; and the satiated man of the world, 
 whilst he constrained his features to return the 
 
286 
 
 REFLECTIONS. 
 
 smile which saluted them, would pronounce a 
 bitter curse upon the heartlessness of refined 
 society, and the mockery of worldly pleasure ! 
 How far any, or all of these, are constituent 
 parts of the man of wisdom ; let those answer 
 who will. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Friday, Sth April. — I mentioned, a few days 
 ago, the trial of certain Greeks, for piracy and 
 murder. The whole statement of this extra- 
 ordinary case has been published by authority 
 in the Government Gazette. It is, on a variety 
 of accounts, so extremely interesting, it will 
 serve to illustrate, in so many ways, the cha- 
 racter of certain portions of Grecian warfare, 
 and solve so many problematical circumstances 
 which may hereafter appear in this Journal, 
 that I transcribe it without scruple, taking 
 the liberty at the same time to correct some 
 grammatical inaccuracies, and involutions of 
 phrase. 
 
 " It will be recollected that Salvatore Fer- 
 ?iandez, (who was considered as the original 
 planner of the piracy committed on board the 
 Maltese brig La Speraiiza, of which five of his 
 companions have been found guilty, after a 
 
288_ CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 
 
 most deliberate investigation at the late Ad- 
 miralty Sessions), hung himself in prison, in 
 August last. He had, however, made a con- 
 fession, before the magistrate for the Ports. 
 This document was not produced at the trial, 
 as it was considered not legally available in 
 proof of the guilt of his confederates. Still it 
 is supposed to contain the fullest and most cir- 
 cumstantial account of this truly horrible trans- 
 action. We therefore give it at length. 
 
 " Confession, taken through the medimn of a 
 sworn interpreter. 
 
 " * On the 1st September last. Captain 
 Giovanni Mavromicali wrote to me a letter 
 from Zimova in Maina, addressed to me at 
 Calamata, requesting that I would go there 
 and enter on board his privateer. I accord- 
 ingly went to Zimova ; and on my arrival, 
 Captain Mavromicali told me to go on board, 
 as he was ready to proceed on a cruize oft" 
 Scondra or in the Levant ; but we did not sail 
 for about thirty-five days afterwards. Captain 
 Mavromicali is brother of the general com- 
 manding that district, Petro Bey. The priva- 
 teer was a mistico, the name of which I do 
 
CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. S89 
 
 not remember, and commanded by Captain 
 Hadgi Panajotti, who is related to Captain 
 Mavromicali and Petro Bej. On the day fol- 
 lowing my arrival at Zimova, Captain Giovanni 
 invited me to come and dine with him at his 
 house, at twelve o'clock. The first conversa- 
 tion that took place between us, was about 
 some prizes Captain Mavromicali had tried to 
 capture at Piscardo, in Cephalonia, but he had 
 been prevented by the English ; these were two 
 Turkish vessels, one of them a trabaccolo and 
 the other a brig. He said, the English loved 
 the Turks more than those who were Christians, 
 and that, if when we w^ere cruizing I should 
 fall in with any English, Imperial, French, or 
 other vessels, I must do my duty by killing 
 the people whenever I should find cash on 
 board, and sink the vessels. I was engaged to 
 be superintendent over the crew, being an old 
 man ; but I was not an officer, though Captain 
 Mavromicali promised I should live in the 
 cabin with the captain and officers ; but being 
 a bad man, he has put me down as second 
 captain. When the before-mentioned conver- 
 sation took place, I answered, that I would not 
 go on board his vessel being such a man as he 
 VOL, I, u 
 
S90 CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 
 
 was. Captain Mavroiiiicali replied^ he thought 
 I was a difterent character than I appeared to 
 be, and that he was only joking with me ; and 
 he would not act in the manner he had said. 
 
 " * On the following day, early in the 
 morning, there was a boat ready to sail for 
 Calamata, in Mhich I applied for a passage, as 
 I wished to return to Calamata. I was on 
 board of the Mistico, and the boat came along- 
 side to take me off. Captain Mavromicali 
 seeing this, and supposing I was going to em- 
 bark in the boat, called out to me from the 
 shore, and asked why I was going away with- 
 out first informing him. He then desired me 
 to come on shore, as he wanted to give me a 
 letter for Mr. Giacomo Cornelio, at Calamata > 
 and besides the letter, he would give me an 
 order upon him for six dollars, which was one 
 month's salary ; I accordingly went on shore, 
 and took from him the letter and order for six 
 dollars, and then went into the boat, and pro- 
 ceeded with it to Calamata, leaving the Mistico 
 at Zimova. We arrived at Calamata on the 
 following day, where on my arrival I delivered 
 to Mr. Cornelio the letter and order ; and, ac- 
 cording to the latter, I received from him the six 
 
CONFESSION OF A GREEK. PIRATE. 291 
 
 doUai^. After this I went to my house at Cala- 
 niata, where I remained quiet during five days ; 
 after which the British Vice Consul of Arcadia 
 came to Calamata: his name was Anastasachi 
 Pasqualigo ; I met him soon after, and he sa- 
 luted me. After this he came to my house to 
 take his coffee and make his compliments to me 
 according to the custom of the Greeks. I then 
 told him that I was about to reveal a matter 
 of great consequence — a plot that was forming ; 
 but that I ^vished he would not mention my 
 name, fearing I might lose my life. The Vice 
 Consul then asked me who were the persons 
 that were intending to execute the plot I hinted 
 at. I answered, that ' our superiors of this 
 place and tlwse of Zimova, were the persons.* 
 I said this, because the Governor of Calamata 
 was brother of Captain Mavromicali and Petro 
 Bey. The governor's name is Costantino 
 Mavromicali. The Vice Consul asked me if 
 tlie plot was to be executed against British 
 subjects, or any other foreigners : I answered 
 him, ' against all the world, provided money 
 was on board.' The Vice Consul then told me 
 he was going to Tripolitza, thence to Arcadia, 
 and thence to Navarino ; and that if any thing 
 
 u 2 
 
S92 CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 
 
 should occur, I was to come to him at the 
 latter place ; and should any vessel be cap- 
 tured, any money taken, the crew killed, or 
 the vessel sunk, I was to put all the papers of 
 the prize or prizes in my breast at the first 
 place we should arrive at, and come with them 
 to him at Navarino. He advised me to go on 
 board of the Mistico ; it would be better, be- 
 cause should any thing happen at sea I could 
 discover it. After this conversation, I re- 
 mained forty-five days at Calamata; and after 
 that time the Mistico arrived there from 
 Zimova. On her arrival, the Mistico fired a 
 salute of ten guns in compliment to the cap- 
 tain's brother, the governor. The governor of 
 Calamata ordered me to go that evening on 
 board of the Mistico, because on the next 
 morning early she was to take troops on board, 
 and convey them to Coron, for the purpose of 
 attacking the castle at that place. — I accord- 
 ingly embarked ; and on the next morning 
 seventy soldiers were taken on board. The 
 Mistico then set sail, but on account of bad 
 weather, we put into Petatidi, where the 
 soldiers were landed, and Captain Panajotti 
 went along with them, from mere curiosity, to 
 
CONFESSION OF A GREEK HRATE. 393 
 
 witness the attack on the castle of Coron. On 
 the next day he returned, and told the crew, 
 that as the castle would not be attacked for 
 five or six days, there was no occasion to re- 
 main ; we therefore went to Armiro. After the 
 six days the Greeks attacked the castle, when 
 we proceeded to Coron near the castle, to see 
 if it had been captured. On our arrival, we 
 perceived that the Greeks had lost the battle ; 
 so we left and returned to Armiro. Two days 
 after, the weather being fine, we set sail from 
 Armiro, bound to Coron, to bring back the 
 General of the Greek troops. Captain Costan- 
 tino Mavromicali, the governor of Calamata, 
 and the troops that had been embarked in the 
 Mistico. The Mistico returned with them to 
 Armiro, which is the port of Calamata. Ano- 
 ther brother of Captain Costantino, Captain 
 Antonachi, wrote a letter from Coron to his 
 brother, and sent it to him at Armiro; in con- 
 sequence of which letter Captain Costantino 
 called me and the captain of the Mistico, and 
 shewing us the letter, desired us to proceed 
 immediately to Coron, as a vessel with pro- 
 visions had arrived there to succour the Turks 
 in the castle. 
 
294 CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE, 
 
 " ' We accordingly, on the same evenings 
 set sail for Coron, where we came to anchor, 
 close to Vunaria. On the next morning Capt. 
 Panajotti immediately went on shore to speak 
 to Captain Antonachi, who was in camp there. 
 At twelve o'clock he returned on board, and 
 told the whole of the crew that the order was, 
 should a vessel be captured near the castle, she 
 and her cargo would be condemned, be her flag 
 what it might. After this Captain Panajotti 
 brought upon deck an image of the Virgin 
 Mary ; and calling all the crew, desired them 
 to take an oath, that they would willingly con- 
 sent to kill the crew of that vessel, of whatever 
 nation she might be — English, Imperial, French, 
 or any other ; and further, that they would kiU 
 the crew, sink the vessel, and take from her 
 whatever they might find on board. The whole 
 of the crew then took the oath. I was the last 
 one, I took the oath because I could not help 
 it. The captain further said to the crew, ' you 
 know our conditions are these : that four shares 
 of the prize will belong to the four captains on 
 shore \ namely, Captain Costantino Mavromi- 
 cali, governor of Calamata ; Captain Giovanni 
 Mavromicah, his brother, generally called Cazzi ; 
 
CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 295 
 
 Captain Kristair, whose son intended to marry 
 the daughter of Captain Cazzi, brother of Petro 
 Bey ; and the fourth, Mr. Giacomo Cornelio, a 
 native of Zante, residing at Calamata, and one 
 of the first nohle^ of Zante. To which foyr 
 persons were hkewise to be paid four thousand 
 piastres for expences of the Mistico alre^^dy 
 incurred, which were first to be deducted from 
 the whole proceeds ; and the remaining pro- 
 ceeds of the prize, either money or any thing 
 else, were to be divided ; namely, one half to 
 the four persons before named, who were the 
 sole owners of the Mistico, and the other half 
 to the crew ; but out of this latter half, the 
 owners were to be paid the four shares before 
 stated. At tliis time, when Captain Panajotti 
 was explaining the business to the crew, I re- 
 mained silent, sitting upon a gun, reflecting 
 seriously, and much displeased. The captain, 
 saemg me in this humour, said to me, ' what 
 is the matter with you ; what are you thinking 
 about V I repHed, ' I am sure that vessel is 
 an English one ; we shall displease the Elnglish, 
 and should we fall in with an English frigate, 
 she will sink us.' The captain answered, ad- 
 dressing himself to all the crew : ' If the 
 
296 CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 
 
 English have a good fleet, we have our moim-' 
 tains, which are much stronger than their men 
 of war/ After this, the captain took me down 
 into the cabin, and shewed me a letter signed 
 by the four persons before mentioned ; which 
 letter stated, ' Don t fear any thing; do what 
 you can, and you shall he defended by us, all 
 in our power,' 
 
 " ' After this we set sail, and went near to 
 the vessel anchored by the castle of Coron, and 
 fired two guns at her. At the same time the 
 castle fired a gun at the Mistico, and the vessel 
 moved nearer to the shore, and under the pro- 
 tection of the castle ; so we quitted the place, 
 and steered towards Cape Gallo, where we per- | 
 
 ceived three vessels sailing eastward. The cap- 
 tain said we had better go and visit them. And 
 we pursued them for three hours, but could 
 not come up with them ; part of the crew said 
 we had better abandon the chase, and return 
 to Coron, as the vessel there might set sail. 
 We accordingly returned, and during the re- 
 mainder of that and the following day we 
 cruised about. 
 
 " ' On the evening of the latter day, three 
 hours after sun-set, we fell in with the Maltese 
 
CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE 297 
 
 vessel, named La Speranza ; I think that was 
 her name, commanded by Captain Francisco 
 Gristi. We hailed her : Captain Mari, a Ce- 
 phaloniote, hailed her with a speaking-trumpet, 
 and desired the captain to come on board in 
 his boat, and bring his papers with him. The 
 vessel then let a boat down, into which the 
 Maltese captain, a Greek passenger, and two 
 seamen, four in all, embarked. I should have 
 stated, that when the captain of the Mistico 
 ordered the Maltese brig to be hailed, I asked 
 him for what reason he ordered the captain to 
 come on board ? Captain Panajotti replied, he 
 wanted to see if there were any Turks on board, 
 or papers for Constantinople. I replied, ' you 
 must consider, that the vessel and her master 
 are Maltese, and belonging to my own country, 
 and if you attempt to molest her, from friends 
 that we now are, we shall become enemies.' 
 Captain Panajotti answered, ' the English took 
 from me a million, at Piscardo, and I will take 
 from them much more ; if you speak any more, 
 I'll serve you the same as I intend to do the 
 Maltese.' Saying this, he knocked me down ; 
 my head struck on the nail of a gun, and made 
 
298 CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 
 
 a wound. Afterwards the brig^s boat came 
 alongside, with the four persons I had before 
 mentioned. They were called upon the Mis- 
 tico's deck, when the Maltese captain and the 
 Greek passenger were sent down into the cabin, 
 and the two seamen were sent into the hold. 
 The hands and legs of the Maltese captain and 
 Greek passenger were tied, — the same was 
 done to the two seamen. Immediately after 
 Captain Panajotti ordered thirteen of the 
 Mistico^s crew to go on board of the Maltese 
 brig. The names of some of them I recollect ; 
 these were Elia, nephew of Petro Bey ; Capt, 
 Mari, the Cephaloniote ; Giorgi the Nostromo^ 
 a Spetziote ; the son of Captain Panajotti, 
 Cristodulo ; Costantino, a Previsan ; Mosca, a 
 Corfiote ; Pano, a Previsan, who is one of those 
 in custody; Spiro, a Calavritan, another of 
 those in custody ; and Costantino di Giorgio, a 
 Spetziote, the boy now in custody. I do not 
 recollect the names of the others. I now re- 
 member another was Anagnosti, the brother- 
 in-law of Captain Panajotti; and another named 
 Nicola Lagonica, nephew of the captain ; and 
 another named Scartato? 9' Zantiote, They were 
 
CONFESSION OP A GREEK PIRATE. JJ99 
 
 all well armed with pistols, and large knives 
 called attaghani. It was moon-light, and al- 
 most calm. 
 
 " ' As soon as they got on board of the 
 Maltese brig, Anagnosti went to the poop of 
 the brig and hailed Captain Panajotti, saying 
 to him, * ask the Maltese captain where the 
 key of his chest is to be found/ Captain 
 Panajotti answered, that the key was in a 
 small drawer in the cabin, where the Maltese 
 captain slept. The two vessels were very close 
 to each other. Anagnosti, about three-quarters 
 of an hour after, came again to the poop of 
 the brig, and spoke to Captain Panajotti in 
 the Albanese language, which I do not under- 
 stand. Immediately after this I heard three 
 pistol-shots fired ; after which Capt. Panajotti 
 ordered the crew of the Mistico that remained 
 on board to go alongside and board the brig. 
 The whole of the crew then went on board of 
 the prize ; and began to take out of her chests 
 belonging to the captain and crew, sails, ropes, 
 and many other things, which they put into 
 the Mistico. An hour after the brig had been 
 boarded. Captain Panajotti ordered all the 
 people to return to the Mistico, except the 
 
800 CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 
 
 thirteen persons who were first sent on board. 
 I and five or six others did not board the brig : 
 we remained in the Mistico to receive the 
 things from her. Captain Panajotti ordered 
 ten muskets to be given to the thirteen hands 
 on board the brig, to defend themselves with. 
 The vessels then separated ; this was about 
 midnight. The Mistico steered towards Vu- 
 naria, and the prize towards Capo Grosso. On 
 our way towards Vunaria, Captain Panajotti 
 ordered the deck to be cleared of the things 
 taken out of the brig. After this was done, 
 he ordered the crew to put the two Maltese 
 seamen to death. They were then brought on 
 deck and carried to the forecastle, and there 
 put to death ; but in w^hat manner I cannot 
 saVj as I was astern on the poop, and did not 
 see them. When this was done, the Greek 
 passenger was brought upon deck, and Captain 
 Panajotti asked him what money he possessed. 
 The passenger replied, he had only thirty dol- 
 lars. The Greek said to the Captain, ' don't 
 put me to death, because I am a Christian, 
 like you ; you are quite right to kill the Mal- 
 tese dogs, — those you have killed, — because 
 they dont like us at all.' Upon this, Captain 
 
CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 301 
 
 Panajotti said, ' take this man also forward,' 
 meaning to say that he was to be put to death 
 with the others. After this, Captain Panajotti 
 went astern, and called to Gregorio, (one of 
 those now in custody), who was in the cabin, 
 and had tied the Maltese captain and Greek 
 passenger, and stood guard over them. He 
 desired him to bring the Maltese captain upon 
 deck; which he did, and brought him to the 
 middle of the vessel. At this time Captain 
 Panajotti asked the Maltese captain what sum 
 of money he had in his chest. He answered 
 him, he had one thousand seven hundred and 
 seventy dollars. Immediately after Captain 
 Panajotti said, ' take this man also forward 
 with the others.' At this time he asked Atha- 
 nasi, the cook, where he had put the rope he 
 had given to him from the Maltese vessel. 
 The cook immediately brought the rope, and 
 gave it to Captain Panajotti, who cut it into 
 four pieces, and gave them to the cook, saying 
 to him, ' go forward, and tell the people to 
 put the dead bodies into four bags. Put some 
 ballast into them, and tie them with the four 
 pieces of rope, and throw them overboard.' I 
 did not see either of the four put to death, but 
 
302 CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 
 
 I heard every thing. I was in such bad hu- 
 mour, I would not see any thing ; and vexed 
 as I was, I took my capote, and remained on 
 the poop. I do not know if either or all of the 
 four prisoners said any thing. I was alarmed, 
 and wmmded in the head, when the captain 
 knocked me down. I tied my head with a 
 handkerchief; the wound is perfectly healed, 
 but can be seen. 
 
 " ' After this the Mistico steered for Vu- 
 naria ; where, having arrived, Captain Pana- 
 jotti ordered two persons to go on shore. One 
 of them was named Panajotti Gianni, and the 
 other Anagnosti, the brother-in-law of the cap- 
 tain, who came on board from the Maltese 
 brig before we parted from her. He was re- 
 placed by another man of the same name. 
 The two persons sent on shore did not return on 
 board. At day-light the next morning, the 
 Mistico steered in the direction of the prize, to 
 look after her. We remained at sea all the 
 day. At mid-day we perceived the prize, and 
 about sun-set we came near to her, when Cap- 
 tain Panajotti hailed the Nostromo, and asked 
 him if he was ready. The Nostromo replied 
 ' We are ready.' Then Captain Panajotti or- 
 10 
 
CONFESSION OP A GREEK PIRATE. 303 
 
 ilered the Mistico's boat to go alongside of the 
 prize, and bring the people back. The boat 
 went accordingly and returned again with two 
 or more cases of rosolio, some sails and wearing 
 apparel ; also four or five pieces of calico, a 
 bale of Maltese brown nankeens and some red 
 handkerchiefs. The boat after discharging these 
 articles returned again to the prize and brought 
 a further quantity of them, Compasses, sails, 
 the ship's bell, plates, knives and forks, and 
 other articles. The boat returned again to the 
 prize and brought back part of the people who 
 were on board ; and her boat brought the re- 
 mainder of the thirteen who took charge of her. 
 When they returned Captain Panajotti asked 
 them if they had prepared the brig for sinking. 
 They replied all was well done, and that she 
 would soon go down. Captain Panajotti then 
 asked them what they had done with the crew of 
 the brig who remained on board. Three of them, 
 namely, Pano Previsiano, Costantino Calavri- 
 tano, (both of them in custody) and the third, 
 Scartato, replied, ' We put them to death at 
 twelve o'clock to-day.' The captain asked if 
 any of the Maltese had been kilkd by the 
 pistols they heard fired. They answered no — 
 
304 CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE, 
 
 but two of them had been wounded, and the 
 others concealed themselves under the deck. 
 They said they had found on board seven of 
 the crew, whom they had put to death with 
 pistols and with knives. I cannot say if they 
 made any resistance. Elia, nephew of Petro 
 Bey, was wounded in the head. He said it 
 was by a blow given him with a piece of wood 
 by one of the Maltese. He said to me at the 
 same time, that for that wound in his head 
 my head should pay for it, because he had re- 
 ceived it from a Maltese like me. Captain 
 Panajotti then asked what had become of the 
 murdered bodies. They answered they had 
 taken the whole of them down into the store 
 or steward's room. The captain then enquired 
 if they had fastened down the hatchways. 
 They replied, ' Yes, perfectly well.' About 
 half an hour after this the prize went down. 
 
 " ' On the following morning the captain 
 ordered all the clothes which were in the chests 
 of the seamen of the Maltese brig to be di- 
 vided. Half of the whole was set apart for 
 the owners of the Mistico ; and the other half 
 distributed in proportions. They offered to 
 me three shirts, two jackets, and some other 
 
COXFESSIOX OF A GREEK PIRATE. 305 
 
 things, but I refused to accept any of theni> 
 saying, * My heart does not even wish to look 
 at these clothes/ From the Maltese captain's 
 chests there were taken some Spanish dollars : 
 they amounted to seventeen hundred and se- 
 venty. This cash was not divided until after 
 our arrival at Armiro. There were also twelve 
 Greek capoti of a black colour, not new, which 
 were distributed to those who first boarded the 
 brig. Two of them are now in the possession 
 of two of the prisoners in custody, namely, 
 Pano Previsano and the boy Costantino. They 
 have also each of them a sash, some shirts, 
 and each a black cap common in Malta. The 
 whole of the prisoners now in custody have 
 each in their possession some of the clothes 
 that were taken from the Maltese brig. On 
 our arrival at Armiro, according to the order I 
 had received, as I said before, from the British 
 Vice Consul, when the chest of the Maltese cap- 
 tain was opened (it was the last one opened), 
 I was very attentive to get hold of his papers ; 
 so perceiving a tin case, I took hold of it, and 
 from it withdrew three papers, namely, the 
 passport, the patent, and muster roll. I took 
 possession of these papers, and concealed them 
 
 VOL. I. X 
 
SOG CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 
 
 under my sash. In the captain's chest there 
 were found a gold repeater, two seals, and a gold 
 watch-key; four gold rings with small dia- 
 monds; a shirt-pin with a small diamond, a 
 small gold cross with topazes, and a gold cord. 
 From the chests of the seamen there were taken 
 three silver watches, in addition to their w'ear- 
 ing apparel. Captain Panajotti ordered his 
 son, in whose possession those articles were, to 
 bring the money on deck to be divided, which 
 was brought up accordingly. The captain then 
 ordered the four thousand piastres for the ex- 
 pences of the Mistico to be first deducted. 
 Upon this a dispute arose : some of the crew 
 said they would not consent to it, and others 
 would not consent that the four owners should 
 take four shares of the half which was to be- 
 long to the crew. About these they had a long 
 dispute. At last they agreed, that instead of 
 four, the owners should only have two thousand 
 piastres for the vessel's expences. The other 
 two thousand were to remain on board for the 
 expences of the next cruize. The four shares 
 before mentioned were given up to the owners. 
 The remainder of the money was distributed, 
 as follows : fortv-five dollars to each of the 
 
 11 
 
CONFESSION OK A (JKEEK PIRATE. 307 
 
 thirteen who boarded the Maltese brig, and 
 twenty dollars to all the others. I do not 
 know what amount was taken by the captain 
 and the other officers ; because my mind was 
 wholly bent upon saving the ship's papers and 
 delivering them into the hands of the British 
 Vice Consul PasqUaligo. The captain ofFered> 
 and gave me, twenty-three dollars ; telling me 
 to take them for the present, and that the nejit 
 voyage I should have much more. I refused 
 to accept the twenty-three dollars; but the 
 captain told me he would not allow me to go 
 on shore if I did not take them, so I was com- 
 pelled to take them. Some of the things wer6 
 put up at auction. The captain purchased the 
 gold repeater and the four rings. I do not 
 know what he paid for them, as I was at the 
 helm. He came to me and said, th&t as he 
 had purchased the gold watch and the rings, 
 he did not like to appear to buy any more 
 things, and requested that I would purchase 
 for him the gold cross with topazes, as he 
 w ished to • give it to his daughter. I accord- 
 ingly complied with his request, and went and 
 offered six dollars for it; when the captain 
 said, " Well, it is for you;'' — when in fact I 
 
 X 2 
 
308 CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 
 
 purchased it for him. Half an hour after I 
 deUvered the cross to the captain. Of the sil- 
 ver watches, the spy Gregorio took one I think, 
 for about eighty piastres ; another was taken 
 by a Mainote whose name I do not know, and 
 the third was taken by Spiro Calavritino, who 
 is in custody. The division and auction took 
 place at sea. The money was divided in the 
 cabin, on the morning after our arrival at Ar- 
 miro, which took place two hours after sun-set. 
 The division of the clothes and the auction 
 took place in midships an hour after I con-, 
 sented to receive the twenty-three dollars, 
 which were forced upon me. At twelve o'clock 
 I jumped into the Mistico's boat, and at- 
 tempted to go on shore. The captain told me 
 to stop a moment, and said ' I wish to go with 
 you on shore.^ I waited some time in the 
 boat, and the captain went into the cabin, and 
 I think brought with him the gold repeater, the 
 four rings, with all the money belonging to 
 him, and to the owners of the Mistico, and 
 carried them to the house of the Governor 
 of Galamata, Captain Costantino Mavromi- 
 cali. 
 
 *' ' When we reached the shore Captain Pa- 
 
CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 309 
 
 najotti and I each took a horse and proceeded 
 together to Calamata. Before I left the Mis- 
 tico, I sent Strati, one of the prisoners now in 
 custody, on shore, to go to Calamata and bring 
 me a horse to Armiro. The horse which the 
 captain rode belonged to Armiro, Strati having 
 sent only one : he remained at Calamata. We, 
 that is, the captain and myself, arrived at Ca- 
 lamata two hours before sun-set. I went to 
 my own house, and delivered the ship's papers, 
 which I had concealed, to my wife. An hour 
 after this, namely, an hour after sun-set, the 
 nephew of the governor, Elia Cazzacho met 
 me at the market. As soon as he saw me, he 
 seized hold of me, and said that the crew of 
 the Mistico had sent notice to Captain Pana- 
 jotti that I had taken the ship's papers ; and 
 that Captain Panajotti having applied to the 
 governor, he (Elia) had come to arrest me. 
 He then conveyed me to the house of Captain 
 Costantino, the governor. As soon as 1 ar- 
 rived there the governor ordered me to be tied, 
 and diligent search made about my person for 
 the papers : and not finding any thing, except 
 the twenty-three dollars before mentioned, Elia 
 went to my house and asked my wife where 
 
sip CONFESSION OF A GREEK I'lRATE. 
 
 the papers were which she had received from 
 me. She, not knowing any thing of what had 
 happened to me, dehvered them to him. When 
 Eha returned with the papers to the house of 
 the governor, the governor said to me, ' You 
 9xe a damned dirty dog for having stolen these 
 papers ; you must have had a bad intention.' 
 I rephed, * I took the papers to preserve them, 
 and not with the bad intention which you say.' 
 Notwithstanding this I was put into a room of 
 the governor's house, where (in the same room) 
 six men were placed as a guard over me. I 
 remained there during that night ; and on the 
 following morning a declaration was presented 
 to me to sign. I said I would not sign it until 
 its contents were explained to me. The go- 
 vernor replied ' Very well, I'll read it to you; 
 and then you'll sign it.' On reading over this 
 paper I found the tenor of it to be this : — That 
 five miles off Coron the Mistico perceived a 
 brig at sea, — the Mistico fired a musket for the 
 brig to lay to, — the brig then fired a gun, and 
 the shot from it killed two persons on board 
 the Mistico ; so the privateer answered with a 
 shot : and soon after, the brig was seen sink- 
 ing, and immediately went to the bottom.— 
 
 I 
 
CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 311 
 
 Upon this being read to nie, I refused to sign 
 it, saying it was not the truth, and I would 
 never consent; but that they might get it 
 signed by the captain of the Mistico and other 
 persons of her crew. In consequence of this 
 refusal, I was tied with my hands between my 
 legs ; and a stone weighing thirty pounds w as 
 put on my breast. Placing a pistol to my 
 head, Elia Cazzacho told me, that if I did not 
 consent to sign the paper he would put me to 
 death. I said * Take off the stone and I will 
 sign it.' After this, as I cannot read or write, 
 they told me to make the sign of the cross, — 
 which I complied with in the presence of a 
 Greek priest and three gentlemen of Calamata, 
 as witnesses to my mark. One of the three 
 latter is a relation of Petro Bey, and his chris- 
 tian-name Theodosio ; the second is named, I 
 think, Giovanni Costantinachi ; the name of 
 the third I do not recollect. — The Greek priest 
 was named, I think. Papa Athanasi. As soon 
 as I had put my mark, Elia said, ' In conse- 
 quence of this you will be hanged at Zante or 
 at Malta/ Notwithstanding that I had con- 
 sented to sign the declaration, I was kept a 
 prisoner in the same room for the space of four 
 
S12 CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 
 
 days. After which I saw pass by the house, 
 the nostromo of the Mistico and four other of 
 her crew, namely, Costantine the boy, Spiro 
 Calavritino, Pano Previsano, and Athanasi 
 Mosconissiote ; which last four are now in cus- 
 tody. I heard that these five had been carried 
 to the house of the bishop. I forgot to men- 
 tion, that another of those in custody, named 
 Strati Aivaliote, was arrested on the same day 
 as myself, and brought prisoner to the same 
 room. On the following day I and Strati were 
 conveyed to another house, where we found 
 the other five, w ith whom we were confined in 
 the same room. This house belonged to my 
 mother-in-law, which was taken from her by 
 force ; and she attempted to set fire to it. 
 Twelve or thirteen days after the acting British 
 Vice Consul of Calamata, Ignazio Giovanni 
 Hadgi Yanuli, came into the house and went 
 up stairs. (We were confined on the ground 
 floor.) They sent for the nostromo, who went 
 to them accordingly ; and when he was enter- 
 ing the room where they were I heard the act- 
 ing British Vice Consul say to him, if he wished 
 to get his liberty he must sign the attestation 
 that had been signed by Gregorio. The nos- 
 
CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 313 
 
 tromo replied he would not sign it until he had 
 his liberty. Soon after, the other four who 
 were brought with the nostromo were sent for 
 up stairs, the nostromo remaining there also. 
 The actins: British Vice Consul said the same 
 to them, namely, that upon their signing the 
 attestation they should be set at liberty : — so 
 they all five signed the paper; the whole of 
 them came down stairs; when I asked them 
 what they had been doing, they told me no- 
 thing at all. About five or six days after, the 
 adjutant of the governor, accompanied by Caz- 
 zacho, the nephew, and Giorgio Mavromicali, 
 the son of Petro Bey, came to the house, and 
 sent for the nostromo ; and soon after I heard 
 that he had run away. About the same time 
 two persons entered our prison with sticks in 
 their hands, and began to beat all of us, under 
 the pretence that we knew where he was gone, 
 and that we were privy to his escape. On the 
 next day they sent the attestations signed by 
 us to Anastasachi Pasqualigo, the British Vice 
 Consul at Arcadia. In consequence of this 
 Mr. Pasqualigo wrote a letter to the acting 
 British Vice Consul at Calamata, stating that 
 the facts could not be as they had been repre- 
 
314 CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 
 
 sented ta him, because he had heard of them 
 two months before. The acting British Vice 
 Consul at Calamata having received this letter 
 from Mr. Pasqualigo, immediately went to 
 Captain Costantino to inform him of its con- 
 tents; and Captain Costantino said to him, 
 ' We had better write another letter to him, 
 requesting him not to discover us, he being a 
 Greek and a Christian." On the next day 
 they wrote a letter to him, and sent a present 
 to him of honey loaded on four mules, six an- 
 tique stones, and the gold repeater of the de- 
 ceased Maltese captain ; desiring him to be so 
 kind as to receive them as a httle proof of their 
 regard, and as a recompence for the assistance 
 they hoped to receive from him. After being 
 confined thirty-six or thirty-seven days a Bri- 
 tish frigate arrived, and on the same day in 
 the afternoon we were conveyed on board. 
 
 " ' The frigate carried us to Zante, where I 
 was examined, but what I said I do not recol- 
 lect, having been frequently interrupted, and 
 not permitted to speak. On board the Mistico 
 I sometimes wore an European and sometimes 
 a Greek dress, the same as is worn at Cala- 
 juata. The deceased captain and the Greek 
 
CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 315 
 
 passenger, when brought down into the cabin, 
 were tied by Gregorio, the spy. I do not know 
 who tied the hands of the two seamen. The 
 Maltese brig arrived at Calamata when I was 
 at Ignocastro. On my return I found her 
 lying there. I had known her captain, Fran- 
 cesco Gristi, on a previous voyage to Calamata 
 a year before. I was requested by him to pur- 
 chase some figs for him, which I did — about 
 twenty or twenty-five cantars, perhaps more. 
 I am married to a native of Calamata, she was 
 living there when I left it. I have been absent 
 from Malta about twelve years, but came to 
 Malta during the plague to settle some ac- 
 counts. I was previously married in Malta to 
 a native woman, but left her as she proved a 
 woman of bad character. On board the Mis- 
 tico I sometimes lived in the cabin and some- 
 times messed with the crew. My wages were 
 six dollars per month. When I quitted the 
 Mistico for the last time I left Gregorio on 
 board. The crew of the Mistico was composed 
 of thirty-five or thirty-six persons in all. I 
 brought the letter which I had received from 
 Captain Giovanni Mavromicali, dated 1st of 
 September, on board the frigate ; but lost it 
 
S16 CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE, 
 
 there. The letter now exhibited to me is one 
 which I received from the same person ; and 
 is, I think, dated in January. It desired me 
 to come to Zimova, and embark on board the 
 Mistico. I went there, and afterwards returned 
 to Calamata ; as the voyage was defeated 
 through the soldiers she was to convey from 
 Armiro to the attack of the Castle at Coron. 
 I have known Gregorio Mavrichi, who is in 
 custody, about six months. I heard on board 
 that he was a Mainote. He was first gunner 
 of the two large guns which were at the fore- 
 castle of the Mistico. 
 
 " * Of the various wearing apparel now shown 
 to me in court, I know that a white shirt which 
 was in the possession of Spiro Calavritano (one 
 of the prisoners in custody) was taken from the 
 Maltese brig. The Greek capote, the red sash, 
 and the dark-coloured handkerchief, were in 
 possession of Pano Previsano, (also in custody) ; 
 and were likewise taken from the Maltese brio:. 
 The capote now shown to me was in the posses- 
 sion of Costantino the boy (who is in custody) ; 
 it was taken from the Maltese brig. The shirt 
 and the red sash, now produced, were in the 
 possession of Strati Aivalioti, and were taken 
 
CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 317 
 
 from the Maltese brig. The quihed coverhd, 
 and I beHeve the white shirt, were in the pos- 
 session of Gregorio, (who is in custody) ; and 
 they were both taken from the Maltese brig. 
 Of the bundle now shown to me, the blue cloth 
 jacket I received at Calamata from Signor 
 Giovanni Coronetopulo ; the coloured waist- 
 coat I brought from my house at Calamata; 
 and the blue striped shirt was given to me by 
 the government at Zante. As for the linen 
 shirt and the coloured handkerchief, I do not 
 know to whom they belong. The sash shawl, 
 which I have now upon my person, I purchased 
 at Calamata, about twelve months ago, from a 
 sailor of a Maltese bombard, commanded by 
 Captain Vincenzo Cachia : the sailor is named 
 Pasquale San Martino. The two striped jackets 
 or waistcoats were taken from the Maltese brig. 
 One of them was in the possession of Costan- 
 tino, the boy in custody ; and the other was in 
 the possession of Athanasi Misconissiote, the 
 cook on board the Mistico, and now in custody. 
 I know these two jackets were taken from the 
 Maltese brig, because such are never worn by 
 Greeks. I gave to Atanasio Mosconissiote, 
 one of the prisoners, a white calico shirt; it 
 
318 CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIPxATE, 
 
 ^i^as very old ; and he tore it up to put round 
 the iron fetters which were on his legs. I gave 
 the shirt to him at Zante ; and he gave me 
 another white shirt, one of three in his posses- 
 sidri, which had been taken from the Maltese 
 brig. It ought to be at the prison, as I washed 
 it the day before yesterday ; and it ought to be 
 clean. 
 
 " ' I confirm this my voluntary confession ; 
 the same having been read to me word for 
 word in the Greek language, by the sworn in- 
 terpreter; and not knowing how to write, I 
 make tiie sign of the cross. ^ 
 
 his 
 (Signed) " ' Salvadore if Fernandes, 
 
 mark. 
 
 " ' Giuseppe Coen, Sworn Interpreter. 
 
 " ' This confession taken by me, 
 
 and signed in my presence, this r 
 
 7th day of July, 1824 
 " • James Calvert, 
 Acting- Magistrate for the Ports.' " 
 
 " His Excellency the Governor has been since 
 pleased to commute the sentence of death, in 
 consequence of the prisoners having been re- 
 commended to mercy by the jury, on the 
 
SENTENCE OF THE PIRATES. 319 
 
 ground that tliey seem to have been rather 
 bhnd instruments in the hands of others, than 
 the planners of the piracy. Pcmo Cavani, 
 Strati Cojiingi, and Spiridion di Giorgio Lico, 
 are to be transported for the period of their 
 natural lives ; and Costantino Marini Gior- 
 ghizza and Atanasio Silvriano, for fourteen 
 years, to such place as His Majesty may please 
 to direct. 
 
 " By the arrival of His Majesty's transport 
 Maria, from Cephalonia and Zante, we are 
 informed, that the Turkish fleet, consisting of 
 eleven ships of war, entered the Gulf of Patrass 
 on the 27th ultimo, convoying many Austrian 
 vessels, laden with provisions and ammunition; 
 which had been detained at Zante by the 
 Greek blockade. 
 
 " The Messolongi Gazette of 12th February, 
 announces the appointment of a commission of 
 nine members for the trial of those chiefs who 
 have lately acted against the Provisional Govern- 
 ment. The only other intelligence is a con- 
 firmation of the active preparations, particu- 
 larly in Albania, for the ensuing campaign. 
 The Albanese, it is thought, will not delay 
 their invasion of the Plains of the Peloponesus 
 
320 MALTA— EXCURSION TO BOSCHETTO. 
 
 until June and July, as has been hitherto their 
 practice. '^ 
 
 Tuesday, 12th April. — Yesterday, Lady 
 Neale contrived a pic-nic party to Boschetto, 
 a sort of country house, or " bosky bourne," 
 anciently belonging to the Grand Masters. It 
 is a handsome square building, flanked by 
 towers of the same character. A deep fosse 
 surrounds it ; but otherwise it does not discover 
 any sign of having been used as a place of 
 defence. Its elevation is, perhaps, the most 
 considerable in the island; and affords a fine 
 prospect of much the largest portion of the 
 territory, including the Island of Gozo, which 
 may be easily distinguished. Its internal con- 
 dition is now the most desolate imaginable ; 
 the painting is defaced upon the walls, and 
 both the windows and the doors are de- 
 molished. The sleeping apartment of the 
 Grand Masters alone, (their bed is colder now, 
 and their sleep sounder than it was !) has a fire- 
 place ; and a miserable recess, above which a 
 Maltese cross is blazoned, formed the place of 
 their occasional repose. One of the towers sup- 
 plied a small dressing-room. 
 
 At the foot of the castle is a valley, remark-. 
 
EXCURSION TO BOSCHETTO, 321 
 
 able for the grove of orange trees, which is al- 
 most the only specimen of that description of 
 fertihty which Malta displays. At all events, 
 it is certainly the most extensive : and, at this 
 season of the year, when the cultivated land 
 puts on its fairest aspect, the appearance of 
 this *' green spot,^' amid the barrenness and 
 aridness of all around, is exceedingly striking 
 and agreeable. A stream of water gushes 
 through it amid an unusual luxuriance of olive 
 trees. Here the bramble flourishes ; of which 
 a young English lady (to whom I allude with 
 sincere and merited respect,) averred that of 
 all other things it soonest brought back to her 
 recollection the feelings of early youth, and the 
 beauties of her native land. A leaf or a flower 
 might have done the same ; but these were 
 common objects — common as men^s faces, and 
 stood not alone, like the solitary bramble, in 
 the most retired and verdant portion of the 
 island ; almost beautiful from its rarity, and 
 loved for its afiinity with something beloved ! 
 And she broke off" two or three branches of the 
 hallowed bramble; — this was for one friend, 
 
 and that was for another. " There was 
 
 poor fellow ! he was indisposed, and should 
 VOL. I. r 
 
MALTA— CURIOUS RENCONTRE. 
 
 have something to comfort him, — give him 
 this ;" so she sent him a thorn ! Strange 
 power of association ! and stranger still the 
 power of natural sentiments developed in a 
 natural manner ! I never thought so well of the 
 human heart, as I did upon this occasion. 
 
 We were a party of about thirty ; and we 
 eat, and drank, and danced, and laughed — 
 " as though the earth contained no tomh ;' 
 and as though one painful reflection should 
 never again start up into anxious life. We 
 had bade farewell to sorrow ; and we hoped, 
 perhaps, to meet with her no more ! But the 
 vulture will not be driven wholly from the 
 prey. The shout of merriment may raise her 
 a moment upon the wing, but she descends 
 again with redoubled eagerness and fury. It 
 is after hours of high-strained hilarity, that 
 solicitude is experienced the most. 
 
 As I rode to the theatre of action, being 
 somewhat puzzled about the way, I put my 
 head to a grated window that I passed, and 
 was saluted with a most alarmingly sonorous 
 " viva !" Out came " a tall thin gentleman,'" 
 equipped very much like a cook : his hair was 
 of an intense black, plaited and tied behind 
 
CURIOUS RENCONTRE. 32S 
 
 his head eu queue. He had a bustUng, self- 
 complacent mien, and spoke broken unintelli- 
 gible English ; but his prompt and decisive man- 
 ner plainly indicated that he himself held ano- 
 ther estimate of its worth. I enquired the way : 
 " yei/' he answered — " the way is. You must 
 ask. Me tell you ; go — ask." I interrupted 
 my informant with something of impatience, 
 but before I could speak, he burst forth with, 
 *' welcome \" — as though he supposed I was 
 expressing my gratitude — " the way is. You 
 go — and ask.^' I thought it time ; so I rode 
 forward, followed, on a full trot, by the com- 
 municative " tall thin gentleman, ^^ whose mel- 
 low tones and choice phraseology I heard be- 
 hind me for nearly five minutes after I had 
 left him. About half the distance, (having 
 been previously joined by two friends,) we rode 
 on at a brisk canter in order to avoid a shower 
 of rain, which threatened to put an end to 
 the pleasure of our excursion, and overtook a 
 middle-aged monk, of a most dingy com- 
 plexion, mounted on a mule, or rather on the 
 well-filled panniers which his mule carried. We 
 passed rapidly on ; but our monk, whom some 
 fiend inspired with an ambition to " witch 
 
 Y 2 
 
324 MALTA— RIDICULOUS SITUATION OF A MONK. 
 
 the world with noble horsemanship/' stuck his 
 heels into " Muley Hassan/' His long-eared 
 friend not understanding the laudable inten- 
 tion, or not relishing the experiment, began 
 to caper most asininely; the paniers turned 
 round, and the whole machinery of the poor 
 ascetic turned with them. He clung with such 
 an air of vexation, breaking from beneath his 
 huge three-cornered hat, to the neck of the 
 mule, and twined his long black legs so awk- 
 wardly around it, that a more ridiculous pic- 
 ture never met the visual ken of a laughter- 
 loving spirit. We drew up our steeds and 
 saluted him ; but whether he thought that it 
 was done maliciously, or that he was over- 
 whelmed with confusion at the undignified 
 figure he had cut, true it is, that he replied, 
 by an affected nod, which added yet more 
 strikingly to the absurd situation in which he 
 was placed, and made it almost impossible to 
 restrain the laugh inspired by the occasion. 
 We presently lost sight of him, no doubt 
 " chewing the cud of sweet and bitter fancy :" 
 — the first, in that he had escaped so w^ell ; 
 and the last, in that he had acquitted himself 
 no better. 
 
PRESENTATION OF COLOURS TO 95tii REGIMENT. 325 
 
 We returned to Valetta about nine o'clock, 
 with feelings, I will venture to say, as varied 
 as the hues of a prism ; although, perhaps, not 
 all so highly coloured. Of the party, were 
 Lord Crofton, whom I cannot but mention 
 with respect; Admiral Sir Harry Neale ; and 
 Sir Charles Burrard, whose kindness and good- 
 nature are above comment; Lady Richardson 
 and her daughter, whom I regret that I do not 
 know more of; Miss W. Whitmore, who is one 
 of the *' best creatures living ;" with sundry 
 other right fair and right fashionable per- 
 sonages, " all honourable,"^ but whom I lament 
 that my present Gazette cannot designate in 
 the full odour of their renown. This arises 
 chiefly from " press of matter,'' as all the 
 world knows. 
 
 Wednesday , 13th April. — " Proud day for 
 Malta this."' The colours of the 95th regiment 
 were consecrated by Mr. Le Mesurier, and pre- 
 sented by the Marchioness of Hastings. In 
 the evening a splendid ball was given by the 
 officers, at the Auberge de Provence. A 
 clerical gentleman (whose character, alas ! 
 will be but little affected by the anecdote !) 
 was so intoxicated on this occasion, as to be 
 
326 MALTESE BIBLICAL CRITICISM. 
 
 made the subject of the most indecorous ex- 
 posure. He was crammed into an empty claret 
 hogshead; and, it is said, his chief complaint, 
 on returning to his senses, — or rather, on 
 awakening from sleep ! — was, its emptiness ! 
 He was afterwards (on the same evening too) 
 conveyed up the chimney ; a circumstance 
 which somebody entitled, " a new way of re- 
 novating a black coat." The stains commu- 
 nicated by such conduct, are of the deepest 
 dye; they are the leopard's spots — the iEthio- 
 pian's darkness ! But though the person can- 
 not be cleansed of such impurities, the church 
 might, and ought ! 
 
 Thursday, 14th Ap7'il.— In a Latin preface 
 to a Maltese grammar, published at Rome in 
 1791, I find certain morsels of biblical cri- 
 ticism, that are at least curious : I shall, there- 
 fore translate them. Speaking of the word 
 RACA, the writer observes, " interpreters vary 
 as to the signification of this word. Some de- 
 duce it from the Greek pdiciog, a piece of cloth 
 or rag. Others imagine it only an interjection 
 expressive of anger ; and others supply other 
 explanations. But the force of this word raca 
 is manifest in the Maltese language ; for it hath 
 
MALTESE BIBLICAL CRITICISM. 327 
 
 Ri$ spittle, saliva, from a disused radical verb 
 Raj- JTuj, to spit, of which we preserve the 
 enlarged word Rejja|, to stain with spittle. 
 And in this signification of spittle or saliva, I 
 suppose the word raca to be taken. For in- 
 stance, ' whoever shall say to his brother 
 7'acai is in danger of the council.' Matt. v. 22. 
 That is, he who shall evince contempt of his 
 brother, by spitting upon him, shall be in dan- 
 ger of the council. 
 
 " In like manner mammon may be de- 
 rived from the particle myn, — from or out 
 of; and mun^, which properly signifies in 
 Maltese, whatever is laid up, viz. ; corn, oil, 
 wine, charcoal, wood, branches, and all kind 
 of annual or monthly provisions ; in a word, 
 everi/ thing reposited. Hence we say, mun^ 
 
 A ^ V 
 
 TAT-TNAM, a store oj corn; mun^ tal- 
 LASAM, store of meat, 8cc. These were the 
 riches of the ancients ; such in truth they are, 
 and therefore were so received. As to the 
 particle myn, out of, it adds greater force to 
 the word munte; as though you should say, 
 * I have something out of, or bi/ reason of, 
 riches' — for riches themselves : * they are to 
 me in consequence of riches,^ that is, in the 
 
32S MALTESE CRITICISM. 
 
 place of them. This mode of speaking is pro- 
 per and common to the east. And by aid of 
 the Maltese language, very many other words- 
 will find a comment."' 
 
 The author then goes on to notice the deriva- 
 tion of certain Greek words, which he main- 
 tains originated in the Phoenician language. 
 " Thus Kadfiog, Cadmus, the man so cele- 
 brated among the Greeks. Because he first 
 brought letters from Phoenicia into Greece he 
 was called Cadmus, either from the Phoenician 
 Cachn, (or in Maltese with the Qof*, ^adm,) 
 that is, one who conveys or cajTies, from the 
 radical verb ^adem. Hence our enlarged 
 33addem jjaddem, to carry, to bear, to bring 
 to any one. Or Cadmus may be derived from 
 Cadim (with the Qof ^adim) ancient. It 
 also signifies first, as it does in the Syriac : 
 thus the Greeks, mindful of this renowned 
 person, called him Cadmus — that is, ancient 
 or first, — because he first brought letters to 
 them. 
 
 " Mv(jTi]giov, mystery, is rather from mys- 
 
 * " Qof; epiglotticum, aGutum et gutturale, ^ 
 aiit |/' 
 
MALTESE BIBLICAL CRITICISM. S29 
 
 TUR, to lie hid, to hide, of Phoenician origin, 
 than from the Greek fivo), to shut. MystUr 
 with us signifies covered, veiled, that which is 
 hid or concealed ; from jystor, to conceal, to 
 cover, &c. which in Hebrew is "IDD, to lie hid. 
 " Ba()|3a^ot, barbarians, (vide 28 chap, of 
 the Acts of the Apostles, ver. 1 and 3.) has re- 
 ceived various interpretations. The most na- 
 tural and genuine meaning in this place may, 
 I think, be found by looking to the origin of 
 the expression. Barbarus is a word altogether 
 eastern, passed to the Greeks and Latins by 
 the course of time. Originally it signified no 
 more than a rustic, a husbandman, or occupier 
 of a wilderness : for it is compounded of two 
 words, BAR, the Syriac for a son, and barr, 
 a plain, field, or wood. Which word {barr) 
 remains also in the Maltese tongue. Thus we 
 say, Aamym yl barr, wood-pigeons, or wild 
 doves. Sec. But amongst the orientals it was 
 customary in the formation of adjectives to 
 take the word bar, a son, with another word 
 indicating the adjective. In this manner, to 
 point out a rustic, or inhabitant of the country, 
 they termed him a son of the plain, son of the 
 country, which is the proper signification of 
 
330 MALTESE BIBLICAL CRITICISM. 
 
 harharus^ from barharr, viz. a farmer or hus- 
 bandman, &c. Hence is it that St. Luke, 
 when he wished to indicate certain people rude 
 and dweUing in fields, (the Maltese to wit, 
 and their neighbours who inhabited the coun- 
 try and places near the sea, where there are 
 shipwrecks in winter) terms them properly bar- 
 bari or barbarians. And indeed, who beside 
 could St. Paul find in the winter season in 
 those dreary places except sons of the country 
 — wild people who occupied those parts for the 
 purpose of cultivation and pasture ? Certainly 
 they were not citizens of Medina (Medina an- 
 ciently was a city of Malta, and this name it 
 retains at present in the Maltese tongue, 
 namely Mdina,) who succoured Paul after his 
 shipwreck ! — These things, amongst innumer- 
 able others, are sufficient to corroborate what 
 we have said of the usefulness and antiquity of 
 the Maltese tongue.^' 
 
 Saturday, l6th April. — Dined at the Pa- 
 lace. Lady Hastings communicated a very 
 interesting account of the mode by which silk- 
 worms are cultivated in India, and which her 
 ladyship (with that attention to every prac- 
 ticable scheme of utility which peculiarly 
 11 
 
SCHOOL OF INDUSTRY. 331 
 
 marks her character,) has been endeavouring 
 to introduce into Malta. She has also estab- 
 lished a school of industry at St. Antonio for 
 Maltese children, though I fear not as yet with 
 that happy result which the importance of the 
 object merits. Indeed nothing of moment was 
 ever brought about instantaneously ; and what- 
 ever may be done by perseverance and judg- 
 ment her ladyship^s well-directed efforts will 
 accomplish. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 Saturday, 2Sd April. — To-day the Marquis 
 of Hastings held a levee ; a dinner and ball 
 followed. On Tuesday the Cambrian is to 
 convey his lordship and family to Nice, on 
 their way to England. 
 
 Monday, 25th April. — The Marchioness 
 was employed this morning in distributing 
 prizes to the children of the Maltese school 
 established under her ladyship's directions. A 
 variety of articles fabricated by the industry of 
 the English ladies resident in Malta were sold 
 in support of it. The Hon. Mrs. Gardener 
 and the members of her amiable family de- 
 serve an especial note of applause on this occa- 
 sion; not only for the assiduity with which 
 they laboured in providing articles for the sale, 
 but also for their exertions in rendering it 
 effective. A considerable number of dollars 
 was thus raised in aid of this excellent charity. 
 
EMBARKATION OF THE MARQUIS OF HASTINGS. 333 
 
 Mrs. Jovvett, (the wife of the missionary of 
 that name) has been extremely serviceable 
 herein ; indeed, she is spoken of as a person of 
 very superior endowments both of mind and 
 heart. 
 
 The children were arranged according to 
 their respective classes in the Albergo de Pro- 
 vence, and examined by Lady Hastings in per- 
 son. The account which she gave of their 
 progress was gratifying ; and I do most sin- 
 cerely hope that the result will be commensu- 
 rate with the endeavours and praiseworthy in- 
 tentions of her ladyship. 
 
 The Albergo de Provence I formerly alluded 
 to as the garrison ball-room. As a building it 
 is scarcely worth notice; but many of these 
 knightly residences are of splendid dimensions, 
 and of the most ornate style of architecture. 
 
 Tuesday, 26th April. — About six o'clock, 
 P.M. the Marquis of Hastings and the whole 
 of his family came on board the Cambrian, ac- 
 companied by his staff, and a large concourse 
 of boats filled with English residents and na- 
 tives of Malta, whom curiosity and respect 
 had drawn to witness the embarkation. The 
 firing then commenced, and continued, at in- 
 
334 SINGULAR ANECDOTE. 
 
 tervals, till we quitted the harbour. It was 
 nearly dark when we passed the last battery, 
 and the vivid flashes of the cannon, as it " spoke 
 to heaven/^ produced a fine striking effect. 
 The Sirocco has since blown, and every appear- 
 ance indicates a swift and agreeable voyage. 
 
 Thursday Morning, 28th April, — A cir- 
 cumstance occurred last night which has cre- 
 ated much merriment. In the suite of the 
 Marchioness was a rubicund complexioned 
 damsel, — " a fair hot wench in flame-coloured 
 taffeta," of five and fifty years, peradventure, 
 (but I am an ill judge of these matters) who 
 might have been our admiral, for she " bore 
 the lantern in her poop — but it was in the nose 
 of her." She was the lady " of the burning 
 lamp," and wandered forth at midnight, bully- 
 ing the sentry, and making a portentously cla- 
 mourous appeal to the slumbering organs of the 
 crew. The Marquis and Marchioness of Hast- 
 ino;s were aroused by her vociferations — in 
 fact, she had surprised and taken possession of 
 a cabin appropriated to the latter, and perti- 
 naciously refused to evacuate her post — a mi- 
 litary manoeuvre which she had no doubt ac- 
 quired at Malta. The Marquis asserted that 
 
SINGULAR ANECDOTE. 335 
 
 she was drunk, and recommended her being 
 put into irons ; the Marchioness that she was 
 mady and therefore had more occasion for the 
 doctor, who was sent for accordingly. But 
 the damsel was valorous and resolute : she so- 
 lemnly protested that she had swallowed onh/ 
 one bottle of MarceUa^ and certain delicate 
 morsels of bread and cheese — (" one half- 
 pennyworth of bread to this intolerable deal of 
 sack'' — monstrous !) and could not possibly be 
 drunk, admitting that she was " half seas 
 over ;" but a sailor, notorious for his devotion to 
 grog, observing her condition, piously remarked 
 " that he never saw any one half so drunk in 
 his life !" The thing being so, she was ordered 
 to her cabin ; and this morning, whether 
 ashamed of the subsequent night's misconduct, 
 or meditating another discussion of the Mar- 
 cellaand cheese, her door was locked, and ac- 
 cess unto her shining presence thereby rendered 
 impracticable. Apprehensive of a more fatal 
 catastrophe, a servant was directed to look in 
 at the port-hole which formed the window of 
 her apartment : but all fears were soon dissi- 
 pated, and she has since blushed rather bluer 
 than ordinary ! 
 
336 MARCHIONESS OF HASTINGS. 
 
 Communicated this morning with the " Gcm- 
 ?iet," an eighteen gun sloop of war from Eng- 
 land. 
 
 Thursday Evening. — I am every day called 
 upon to admire the intellectual resources of 
 Lady Hastings, Entering con amove into the 
 various scenes to which her high destiny has 
 summoned her, she has been always prepared 
 to meet the exigencies of the period, and to 
 draw from every object a beneficial and edify- 
 ing character. During her ladyship^s residence 
 in India, the zeal with which she prosecuted 
 the most arduous undertakings for the improve- 
 ment and happiness of the natives, has the tes- 
 timonial of every traveller of the time ; and I 
 fancy that I am continually discovering some 
 gratifying trait of kindness of heart and strength 
 of intellect. The schools that she established 
 at Barackpore, marked in their progress by the 
 most inveterate prejudices, evince at the same 
 time the spirit with which she commenced, and 
 the humanity and judgment with which she 
 pursued her career. The difficulty of procuring 
 books that the jealousy of the national priest- 
 hood would admit, was long a main obstacle 
 to her ladyship's efforts, and this was at lengdi 
 
MARCHIONESS OF HASTINGS. 337 
 
 overcome only by giving herself up to the 
 M'earisome labour of compiling, or rather of 
 composing books to which no exception could 
 be taken on the score of doctrine. An object 
 of this nature could arise but from the purest 
 and most amiable feelings; and when I ob- 
 served to her that the undertaking strongly 
 indicated how much she had its welfare at 
 heart, she answered — " that it was true ; that 
 a thing of such a description — of such deep and 
 vital interest, must necessarily be had at heart 
 by those who had any heart at all/' — I am 
 proud to be the humble instrument of recording 
 these sentiments : I should be proud of it, ori- 
 ginating in any class of life, but in a station 
 of such commanding influence — in a sphere 
 where the weight of them is felt as soon as 
 they are uttered, and where a thousand causes 
 contribute to give them an additional efficacy, 
 I am inexpressibly happy ! For to say truth, I 
 am something of Sir Edward Coke's opinion, 
 and disposed to think that 
 
 " Ubi non est scientia, ibi non est conscentia *." 
 
 * Institutes, Cap. 63. Fourth Part. 
 VOL. I. Z 
 
S^8 IGNORANCE OF THE NATIVES OF INDIA. 
 
 Of the ignorance of the natives of India ge- 
 nerally, the Marchioness related a curious anec- 
 dote. One of her female attendants absented 
 herself during an eclipse of the moon : on 
 enquiring w^hither she had been, the woman 
 answered that " she had been paying the cob- 
 ler, for that it was quite dark." Not per- 
 ceiving what connection the darkness had with 
 the payment, her ladyship naturally required 
 a solution of the mystery. " Oh !'' said the 
 simple creature, " it is a very old story. A 
 long while ago they borrowed nails and a piece 
 of leather of a cobler to nail over the moon. 
 The cobler never was repaid ; so I have been 
 with the rest to pay our share of the money to 
 the priest.'^ — Her ladyship stated herself a 
 good deal amused with the ?iaivetS of the girl ; 
 and to give her ocular demonstration of the 
 possibility of the moon being eclipsed without 
 being shrouded in a leathern case, she placed 
 herself before a lighted lamp which stood in the 
 apartment, so as to intercept its rays, and then 
 bade her observe how easily the light was dimi- 
 nished and the room obscured. The girl readily 
 comprehended the illustration, (for they are na- 
 turally a quick and sensible people) and ran 
 
CURIOUS BOOKS. 339 
 
 away in great haste and pleasure to communi- 
 cate the discovery she had made. 
 
 Friday, 29th April. — A wet morning re- 
 minds me of one or two curious volumes which 
 I picked up during our last visit to Malta. 
 The first is in Latin, and has the following co- 
 pious title-page. " The Sacred History of the 
 Terrestrial Paradise, and of the most holy 
 State of Innocence : in which is described, I. 
 The Terrestrial Paradise. II. The most blessed 
 Life of Adam and Eve in the Garden. III. The 
 most felicitous State of their Posterity, if their 
 original Uprightness had remained. IV. The 
 Temptation, Sin, Judgment and Punishment of 
 our First Parents. Lastly, the wretched Life 
 which for a long Time they dragged on even in 
 sleep. Collected from Scriptures, Councils and 
 Fathers, from Theological, Rabbmical, Histori- 
 cal, Chronological, and Geographical Exposi- 
 tions, &c. By Augustine Inveges, Priest.'' It 
 was published at Palermo in 1649. 
 
 Among other curiosities, it may be thought 
 worthy of mention, that the first age of the 
 world was constantly in the habit of bringing 
 two and three children into the world at a 
 time ; " ob corporis molem, copiosos humores, 
 
 z 2 
 
340 CURIOUS BOOKS. 
 
 et sic providente Deo humani generis multi- 
 plicationi/' — " But how many children were 
 our first parents blessed with in the whole pe- 
 riod of their long life ? This is not quite clear ; 
 but Epiphanius says twelve sons and two 
 daughters, Sava and Azura ; the former of 
 whom was the wife of Cain, and the latter of 
 Seth. How^ever, Philo Annianus asserts that 
 they had thirteen sons and five daughters, 
 whose names he also puts on record. Cedre- 
 nus, again, affirms that Adam left thirty-three 
 sons and twenty-seven daughters, but he can- 
 not give us their names. And if, as Moses 
 assures us, Adam lived 930, and Eve, as we 
 have shewn above, 940 years, it is not to be 
 doubted but that, in the course of such a life, 
 they had a much greater number of both sexes. 
 " Eve weaned her children when they were 
 twelve years old ; — so saith Cedrenus. She 
 also brought forth twins annually, a male and 
 a female : consequently, in the thirteenth year 
 of the world, she had twenty-four children, 
 twelve males and twelve females, to all of whom 
 it is certain that she gave suck. But how 
 could a single mother provide for nearly two 
 dozen babes at the same time, and with her 
 
CURIOUS BOOKS. 341 
 
 own milk alone ? Verily it is vvorth a marvel. 
 Salianus however thinks, that for the purpose 
 of supplying nutriment to so many infants, 
 either Eve had a supernatural copiousness of 
 milk, or that it was furnished directly from 
 heaven. Or even that Adam himself, solicitous 
 to obtain milk enough for his offspring, drew 
 it from the udders of his goats and his cattle.'' 
 — Here s no foolery ! If human wit cannot 
 employ itself better than in speculations and 
 deductions of such a nature, the sooner man- 
 kind convert the world into one huge asylum 
 for lunatics the happier will it be for them. 
 And yet the work in question displays prodi- 
 gious reading of a particular description, some 
 shrewd conjectures, and not unfrequently a 
 sly smile at the credulity and uncontrolled 
 fancies of others. 
 
 " O the good gods. 
 How blind is pride f what eagles are we still 
 In matters that belong to other men ! 
 What beetles in our own * !" 
 
 But another little volume, at which I have 
 already hinted, is really a very precious relic. 
 It is in French ; and professes, in part, to be 
 
 * Chapman.—" All Fools:' 
 
34f2 CURIOUS BOOKS. 
 
 " An Apology for the grand Work or Elixir 
 of the Philosophers, commonly called The 
 Philosopher^'s Stone ; wherein the possi- 
 bility of this work is very clearly demonstrated ; 
 and the gate of true natural philosophy is en- 
 tirely opened. By Monsieur TAbbe, D.B/' 
 Paris, 1659. 
 
 Another part, which is indeed the first, sets 
 forth with " A Treatise on Talismans, or 
 Astral Figures : in which it is shewn, that their 
 effects and admirable virtues are natural. The 
 manner of making them is also discovered, and 
 the mode of using them with profit and singular 
 advantage.^' Paris, 1671. Third Edition. 
 
 And again, " The Powder of Sympathy Jus- 
 tified." Paris, 1671. Third edition.^ — " Avec 
 privilege du Roy.^' 
 
 The author of this curious production writes 
 with a zeal worthy of a better cause, and is 
 evidently deeply impressed with the conviction 
 of its truth. He complains bitterly of the de- 
 graded light in which his favourite studies are 
 considered by the world. " It is now a crime,'' 
 he exclaims indignantly, " to call oneself a ma- 
 gician ; whereas it was formerly an honour to 
 be one. Celestial astronomy, a science more 
 
CURIOUS BOOKS. 34-3 
 
 worthy of angels than of men, passes only for 
 an idle dream ; and should we assert, that by 
 its means we can compose seals, images, cha- 
 racters, and planetary figures, through the aid 
 of which we are enabled to perform very re- 
 markable and wonderful things, they accuse us 
 at the same time of having connection with 
 demons ; and we are constrained to hold our 
 peace, and bury our light under a bushel, in 
 order that we may not offend the eyes of the 
 ignorant, the weak, and the purblind/^ 
 
 After enumerating the various excellencies 
 of the philosopher's stone, the author proceeds, 
 " All these marvels, which have charmed the 
 hearts of sages, have irritated the minds of the 
 ignorant; who, being unable to elevate their 
 thoughts higher than the bound of sense, have 
 at all times striven to make their elixir of life 
 pass for some learned trifling — some chimaera — 
 some delusion. They cannot comprehend how 
 an elementary substance should cure all sorts of 
 evils, and even all that species of disorders 
 which physicians commonly reckon incurable. 
 They cannot conceive, that, by the use of this 
 universal medicine, we may wholly preserve 
 health, and prolong life. They can scarcely 
 15 
 
344 CURIOUS BOOKS. 
 
 persuade themselves that it can act upon all 
 natural bodies by a means so astonishing. 
 They know not how to imagine that minerals, 
 vegetables, and all kinds of animals, find, in 
 the use of it, deliverance from the evils which 
 debase them, and the possession of advantages 
 which elevate them :' that lead, tin, and other 
 gross metals, may become gold ; — a bitter fruit, 
 sweet : that a crystal, capable of breaking, 
 may acquire the hardness of adamant ; a leper, 
 a gouty person, or a paralytic, may recover 
 their original vigour. Thus, their want of 
 judgment makes them accuse sages of impos- 
 ture, and philosophers of error, because they 
 have openly averred that this universal remedy, 
 this Catholic balm, and elixir of life, was not 
 only possible, but that they themselves had 
 made and acknowledged by experience, all the 
 results which they attributed to it. 
 
 " This deplorable ignorance has, in our day, 
 become so strongly rooted, that the greatest 
 lights are not too dazzling to dissipate it. And 
 as it is long ago since it had its origin in the 
 world, its darkness is the more intense. It has 
 swollen as a rivulet, that widens as it removes 
 farther from its source; and I may say, that it. 
 
CURIOUS BOOKS. 345 
 
 has reached such a point, that the design of 
 enHghtening the minds of this our age, might 
 pass for a kind of temerity and presumption. 
 
 ** Nevertheless, the truth and reaUty of the 
 philosopher's elixir appears to me so evident, 
 that I would rather expose myself to the cen- 
 sure of ignorant people, than be silent. If I 
 draw down upon me, by this attempt, a host 
 of senseless persecutors, I hope to engage the 
 learned in my defence ; and perhaps those who 
 fly into a passion with me, in the face <Sff this 
 apology, M'ill surrender themselves one day to 
 the force of its reasonings. And if, in the ' 
 commencement of this discourse, they regard 
 me as an excommunicated person, in the end 
 they will treat me as a friend to philosophy. 
 Thus I shall have had the honour to open the 
 door to a work so rich and so advantageous as 
 this is. And that too, in such a manner, that 
 they who, plunged in error, have laboured to 
 the present time guided by a blind desire; and,' 
 without a reasonable foundation, built on false 
 and foreign matters to the prejudice of their 
 time, their pains, and their property, will 
 happily know the truth, and the source from 
 whence they must extract it. At least I shall 
 
346 CURIOUS BOOKS, 
 
 enjoy the pleasure of having laboured for the 
 public good, combated contempt, and advo- 
 cated the side of truth. These are the prin- 
 cipal reasons which engage me in this under- 
 taking; and which oblige me to shew the 
 world, to the great scorn of the ignorant, that 
 the Elixir of the Philosophers is a work possible 
 in nature, provided that it be aided and as- 
 sisted by art ; and this shall be the result of 
 the following reasonings/' 
 
 With what delightful simplicity this good 
 man writes; and with what energy he de- 
 nounces the ignorance of the times ! How 
 proudly does he submit to the ridicule he an- 
 ticipates ; and with what self-complacency does 
 he look forward to the period in which his ar- 
 guments will have converted an infidel world ! 
 And then his disinterested views " for the pub- 
 lic good \" Nothing can be better. He must 
 have been among the latest votaries (and per- 
 haps 'victims) of Alchymy. The eighteenth 
 century was at hand : and yet a churchman 
 could sit down and seriously undertake to 
 prove the existence of the Philosopher's Stone, 
 — could prescribe rules for its discovery, and 
 conceive it little short of blasphemy to deny 
 
MAY-DAY. 34)7 
 
 it the most ample credence ! This tone and 
 style of writing, besides conveying fully and 
 fairly the exploded tenets of Alchymy, gives 
 an uncommon value to the book ; and I have 
 it in contemplation to array it in an English 
 garb, and present it to that portion of the 
 public who feel an interest in tracing the pro- 
 gress of the human mind, and in musing upon 
 the aberrations of human reason ! 
 
 Saturday, 30th ApriL — Passed Ostia, situ- 
 ated near the mouth of the Tiber, and cele- 
 brated for the scene of ancient merry-making. 
 Rome was not visible, from the prevalence of 
 mist : but it is not more than sixteen or 
 eighteen miles from Ostia. 
 
 Sunday, the First of May. — - 
 
 *' Worship, O ye that lovers bene, this May ! 
 For of your bUss the calends are begun ; 
 And sing with us, away, winter away ! 
 Come summer, come, the sweet season and sun ; 
 Awake for shame, that have your heavens won ; 
 And amorously lift up your heades all — 
 Thank love, that lists you to his merry call." 
 
 Thus sings a royal poet. King James I. of 
 Scotland*, in a style and with a feeling for 
 
 * See « The Qtiair;' Canto ii. st. 15. 
 
348 RECOLLECTIONS OF MAY. 
 
 which few crowned heads have been celebrated 
 — few even of those among whom poetry seems 
 more congenial, the " Squires of Low Degree/' 
 King James's poetry is little known; less known 
 than it ought to be. His sorrows and his songs 
 are almost wholly forgotten ; and they would 
 have been entirely so, perhaps, but for Irving's 
 paper in " the Sketch Book/' 
 
 The month of May is redolent of many 
 pleasing recollections. It brings back again 
 the days of childhood, with all its joyous feel- 
 ings; the escape from the nursery, and the 
 exuberance of animal delight, with which we 
 bounded over the green turf, " dewy with 
 nature's tear-drops." We weave the wreath 
 of May-flowers afresh, and triumphantly de- 
 corate ourselves with a rustic coronet. Again, 
 in imagination, " we walk into the sweet mea- 
 dows and green woods, there to rejoice our 
 spirits with the beauty and savour of sweet 
 flowers, and with the noise of birds, praising 
 God in their kind *." And yet what days 
 may have intervened since that period and the 
 
 * Stowc, speaking of the ancient usages of a May-day 
 mornins:. 
 
BEAUTIFUL SCENE OFF ELBA. 349 
 
 present, — what months of vanity, and weari- 
 some nights ! Alas ! the recollection, gratify- 
 ing as it is, seems but like wild flowers spring- 
 ing above a grave ; associated, at the same 
 moment, with thistles and hemlock ! 
 
 Monday, 2c? May. — We were nearly be- 
 calmed this evening; off the Island of Elba. 
 The moon rose transcendantly beautiful, and 
 poured down a silver rivulet of light upon the 
 quiet surface of the ocean. The rocky coast of 
 Elba lay upon our left in the shade of its own 
 loftiness ; and the air was so temperate, the 
 ship, with her sky-sails set, looked so stately, 
 the waters were so deeply blue and still, the 
 moon so bright and pure, that it had almost 
 the feeling of enchantment. 
 
 Tuesday, Sd May. ^^It is impossible to con- 
 verse long with Lord Hastings and not derive 
 some valuable information. His remarks re- 
 lative to India, are very entertaining, and in- 
 terest me exceedingly. To-day the unicorn 
 coming upon the tapis, his lordship observed, 
 that he had no doubt of its actual existence. 
 During his presidency in India, a native from 
 the interior was desired to sketch out such 
 animals as he had seen, with charcoal ; and to 
 
350 ANECDOTE RESPECTING THE UNICORN. 
 
 give some description of their mode of life, for 
 the purpose of ascertaining whether he was 
 famihar with any that were unknown to Eu- 
 ropeans. Amongst the rest, he drew a unicorn, 
 at the same time being totally ignorant of the 
 curiosity attached to it. It was delineated with 
 the horn somewhat curved, and (I think his 
 lordship said) fluted. Its feet resembled those 
 of a stag, and its tail was curled or twisted like 
 that of a pig. The communication thus made, 
 was immediately acted upon. Lord Hastings 
 sent the drawing to one of the native princes, 
 an ally of the British, and one who had re- 
 ceived considerable favours at their hands, 
 with a request that he would signify whether 
 such a thing existed, and whether it were pos- 
 sible to obtain a specimen. The answer was 
 satisfactory. It stated, that though the animal 
 had occasionally been taken, yet that it was by 
 no means common ; that it was extremely fleet 
 of foot, ferocious, and shy ; that they were only 
 enabled to obtain them by penetrating to their 
 haunts, entirely covered with green branches, 
 and shooting them from the ambush. He pro- 
 mised withal, to send the first specimen that 
 could be taken to the governor. It is to be 
 
EXISTENCE OF THE UNICORN. 351 
 
 regretted, that this never came ; but the fact of 
 their existence cannot now be discredited. That 
 point may fairly be set at rest. 
 
 As I have mentioned the subject of the uni- 
 corn, perhaps it will not be disagreeable to 
 many, if I lay before them the ideas of the 
 ancients on this topic. Rejecting what is 
 clearly fabulous, the remainder is not so utterly 
 out of resemblance as to make the description 
 impertinent. 
 
 " Monoceros is a beast with one horn, called 
 therefore by the name of unicorn; and albeit 
 there be many horned beasts which may im- 
 properly be called unicorns, yet that which is 
 the right unicorn indeed, is like unto a colt of 
 two years and a half old, which hath naturally 
 but one horn, and that a very rich one, Avhich 
 groweth out of the middle of his forehead ; 
 being a horn of such virtue as is in no beasts' 
 horn besides; which, whilst some have gone 
 about to deny, they have secretly blinded the 
 eyes of the world from their full view of the 
 greatness of God's great works. For were it 
 not said that the horn were excellent and of 
 surpassing power, I persuade myself it would 
 never be doubted whether there were an uni- 
 
352 EXISTENCE OF THE UNICORN. 
 
 corn or no. But that there is such a pecuUar 
 beast, the Scripture, both in Deuteronomy, 
 Isaiah, Job, and the Book of Psahiis, doth bear 
 us witness. In all which places how do ex- 
 positors translate the original word, but thus, 
 unicorns, or monoceros, which, in English, is 
 an unicorn ? 
 
 ** And again, it is the testimony of Ludovi- 
 cus Vertomannus, alleged by Gesner, Topsell, 
 and others, that he himself saw a couple of 
 the true unicorns at Mecca, in Arabia ; one 
 whereof had a horn of three cubits, being of 
 the bigness of a colt two years and a half old. 
 The other was much less, and his horn shorter, 
 about a span long, for it was but 'young; and 
 both these were sent to the sultan of Mecca, 
 for a rare present, by the king of Ethiopia, who 
 ever desireth to be in league with the said 
 sultan, thinking nothing too dear to maintain 
 his amity. And certainly he could not send 
 him a gift more welcome, especially this being 
 a beast so rare, and seldom seen ; which may 
 be, in regard that it is a creature delighting in 
 nothing more than in a remote and solitary life. 
 
 '* The colour of these thus sent, was like a 
 weasel-coloured horse, the head like the head 
 
EXISTENCE OF THE UNICORN. 35S 
 
 of a hart, the neck not very long, and the 
 mane growing all on one side ; their legs 
 slender and lean, like the legs of an hind ; the 
 hoofs on the fore-feet cloven, and the hinder 
 legs somewhat shaggy. The nearest (of any 
 beast better known) is the Indian ass, and 
 Indian horse ; excepting that their hoofs are 
 whole, and not cloven, and their colour some- 
 what differing. For there is a horn grows out 
 between their two eyes like to the true unicorn. 
 By which it appeareth, that of unicorns there 
 is one principal kind only ; the rest are less 
 principal, and subordinate to him whose horn 
 is the strongest, sharpest, and of the greatest 
 virtue. For in granting more kinds than one, 
 I do not understand every beast with one 
 horn ; but only such monocerots as have in 
 their horns virtue against poison, — like unto 
 those horses of India mentioned but even now; 
 and of which Mr. Topsell writeth, that they 
 have harts^ heads, and one horn, of which their 
 kings and princes make cups to drink their 
 drink against poison, finding a great preserva- 
 tive to be in the said horn. Munster saith, that 
 the king of Ethiopia hath some store of these 
 beasts ; and Mr. Topsell nameth two kingdoms 
 
 VOL. I. A a 
 
354 EXISTENCE OF THE UNICORN. 
 
 in India (the one tailed Nie?n, the other Lain- 
 bei\) which be likewise stored with them. 
 
 " Moreover, concerning the horn, it is 
 neither light nor hollow, nor yet smooth like 
 other horns ; — but hard as iron, rough as any 
 file, revolved into many plates, sharper than 
 any dart, straight and not crooked, and every- 
 where black, except at the top or point. It 
 hath many sovereign virtues, and with an ad- 
 mirable dexterity expelleth poison : insomuch, 
 that being ,put upon a table furnished with 
 many junkets and banquetting dishes, it will 
 quickly descry whether there be any poison or 
 venom amongst them. — For if there be, then 
 presently the horn is covered with a kind of 
 sweat or dew. And (as it is reported) when 
 this beast cometh to drink, he first dippeth his 
 horn in the water, that thereby he may drive 
 away the poison when venomous beasts have 
 drunk before him. 
 
 " And again, I find it recorded, that the 
 Indian and Ethiopian hunters catcii of those 
 unicorns which be in their country, after this 
 manner. — They take a goodly, strong, and 
 beautiful young man, whom they cloath in the 
 apparel of a woman, besetting him with divers 
 
FABULOUS STORIES OF PLINY, S55 
 
 flowers and odoriferous spices, setting him 
 where the unicorns use to come ; and when 
 they see this young man, whom they take to 
 be a woman, they come very lovingly and lay 
 their heads down in his lap, (for above all 
 creatures, they do great reverence to virgins 
 and young maids,) and then the hunters, hav- 
 ing notice given them, suddenly come, and 
 finding him asleep, they will deal so with him 
 as that, before he goeth, he must leave his 
 horn behind him */' 
 
 Part of the above may be seen in Pliny; 
 with reference to whom, Lord Hastings well 
 observed, that most of the marvels mentioned 
 in his Natural History, might, in all proba- 
 bility, be found to have some origin in fact : 
 and he supplied a very singular illustration. 
 Pliny notices a people of India (and he is fol- 
 lowed by the notorious Sir John Mandeville) 
 who possessed but one leg, placed centrically, 
 and whom he speaks of as rapid runners. This 
 fable may have had foundation in a people call- 
 ed Biuidelas, who are accustomed, when they 
 
 • Swan's " Speculum Mundi, or a Glasse representing 
 the face of the world." P. 435, et seq. 1635. 
 A a 2 
 
356 A GRAMPUS— VILLA FRANCA. 
 
 enter into the presence of a superior, to stand 
 on one leg so long as they remain there. This 
 pecuHarity Lord Hastings frequently observed ; 
 and no entreaties could prevail on them to 
 dispense a moment with the custom while they 
 conversed with him. The whole circumstance 
 is strongly analogous to the fable of the cen- 
 taurs; who, being greater equestrians than 
 their neighbours, were said to be half man and 
 half horse. 
 
 Thursday, 5th May. — Still calm, and our 
 course scarcely perceptible. Last evening the 
 sun disappeared behind the island of Corsica, 
 and exhibited the most diversified and gorgeous 
 colours that I ever witnessed. An immense 
 Grampus was sporting about the ship, and 
 breathed so sonorously as almost to supply us 
 with a gale. 
 
 Friday, 6th May. — Anchored off Villa 
 Franca this morning — a small fortified town 
 about a mile distant from Nice. It is beauti- 
 fully situated at the bottom of a winding bay. 
 The place itself is villainous ; but the bold 
 rocky shore, covered with olive-trees and villas, 
 gives considerable interest to the picture. On 
 first communicating with the commandant of 
 
FINE APPROACH TO NICE. 357 
 
 the fortress of Villa Franca, we were astounded 
 to hear that five-and-twenty days, including 
 the voyage, was the regular quarantine. But 
 this evening better news has reached us, and 
 we expect pratique on the morrow. 
 
 Monday, ^h May. — After considerable va- 
 riation in the reports relative to pratique, a 
 few of the officers of the ship with the family 
 of the Marquis of Hastings were permitted to 
 land at two o'clock this day. An invitation to 
 dine with the Governor of Nice having been 
 previously received, Lieut. Christie, Lieut. 
 Smart, and myself, accompanied Captain Ha- 
 milton on shore. It was the intention of the 
 latter to sail the same evening, but the wind 
 being unfavourable, orders were issued to have 
 all in readiness for weighing by day-hght the 
 ensuing morning. We saw very little of Nice, 
 but the approach to it is exceedingly fine. In 
 the foreground are olive groves, to the left a 
 precipitous rock crowned by a citadel. Monte 
 Calvo, so called from its barren aspect, rears 
 itself proudly in the distance, forming part of 
 the chain of the Maritime Alps. About three 
 miles from Nice commences the French fron- 
 tier, separated from Piedmont by the little 
 
358 NICE— DINE WITH THE GOVERNOR. 
 
 river Var, (now dried up) beyond which boun- 
 dary, saith a sagacious French tourist*, the 
 fire-fly, so abundant in the country around 
 Nice, never adventures. The cause of this 
 rigid abstinence from a trespass to which the 
 " denizens of air," (as, I think, Darwin affect- 
 edly calls them,) have a peculiar claim, is not 
 very obvious ; nor, as it appears to me, is the 
 fact very clearly substantiated. 
 
 The governor dined at three o'clock. We 
 were ushered into an apartment which was 
 darkened to exclude the sun. The dining- 
 room, darker still, was illuminated by a crowd 
 of wax candles ; and thus, if we did not 
 " burn day-light,'' we burnt the day. The 
 room was small, and the party rather large, 
 at least, large enough to fill it : so that, me- 
 thinks, the exchange of natural for artificial 
 heat was not altogether judicious. However, 
 the repast was worthy of Gallic science : would 
 that I could say so much for Sardinian taste ! 
 For our host marshalled the ladies in one long 
 line, and the gentlemen in another, as if the 
 fair sex had been nothing more than beautiM- 
 
 * Monsieur Melun. 
 
DEPARTURE OF LORD HASTINGS. 359 
 
 images; something to look at only, and not 
 listen to ! — I abominate such heathenish inven- 
 tions ! — All that passed worthy of being re- 
 corded in this place was an unsuccessful at- 
 tempt of my own to obtain a rose ! — Perhaps it 
 is just as well that it chanced so ; that rose might 
 have been prolific in thorns! What a fine 
 moral ! Rochefoucauld is right — " Quelque 
 difference qui paroisse entre les fortunes, il y a 
 une certaine compensation de biens et de maux 
 qui les rend egales/' 
 
 As the evening advanced we bade farewell 
 to the family of Lord Hastings, with a regret, 
 I believe, seldom experienced und^r circum- 
 stances of this nature. But their whole con- 
 duct while on board had been so' kind and 
 conciliating — the expression of their good-will 
 at parting evinced so much amiableness and 
 excellence of heart, that there was not an 
 officer of the ship who did not unite in extolling 
 and in following them with all the best wishes. 
 Such, indeed, ever result from the exhibitioiv 
 of good taste and good feeling ! 
 
 Mr. Tennant also, who had hitherto accom- 
 panied us in our wanderings, remained at 
 
360 MALTA— PROMOTION OF LIEUT. MARSHAM. 
 
 Nice, leaving us to indulge the hope that he 
 would rejoin the ship before she left her sta- 
 tion. The other passengers forsook us at the 
 same time — " white spirits and black, red 
 spirits and grey,'' — for we have had them of 
 all colours ! 
 
 Tuesday, 10th Ifo?/.— Sailed for Malta at 
 an early hour this morning, with a light wind, 
 which has continued pretty nearly all the day. 
 
 Saturday, 14^^ May. — The wind called a 
 Tramontano has for several days past carried 
 us at the rate of six or seven knots an hour : 
 the weather is delightfully mild. 
 
 Tuesday, 17th May. — Arrived very early in 
 the morning at Malta, after beating about all 
 night off the island. It blew hard, and was 
 too dark for us to enter the preceding evening. 
 
 It is with no small satisfaction that by the 
 arrival of his majesty's ship Rose (Hon. Captain 
 Abbot,) we learn the promotion of my friend 
 Marsham to the rank of commander, arising 
 solely from the capture of the Greek pirates, 
 recorded in a foregoing chapter. Although 
 we shall lose him by the circumstance, yet it 
 is of a nature too important and too reputa- 
 
CHARACTER OF CAPT. MARSHAM. 3G1 
 
 ble to permit regret to overpower the plea- 
 surable feelings which should and which do 
 attend his preferment. Long may he live to 
 enjoy it ! 
 
 The senior midshipman, Mr. Smaile, was at 
 the same time, and for the same cause, pro- 
 moted to the rank of lieutenant. We are con- 
 veying the Greek pirates to Hydra to be deli- 
 vered up to the government. 
 
 Thursday, 19th May. — Left Malta with a 
 fine wind for the Archipelago. Captain Mar- 
 sham came out with us a couple of miles, and 
 on quitting the ship was warmly cheered by 
 the crew. A better dispositioned man does not 
 exist upon the face of the earth, nor one with 
 a heart more open to every generous and ho- 
 nourable feeling. During the time that we have 
 been together, placed too as we necessarily have 
 been in hourly intercourse, sufficient opportu- 
 nity has been afforded for the discovery of even 
 the minutest turn of character. Nor have I 
 neglected in this instance what is my constant 
 practice in others ; and I think it a duty, no 
 less than it is a pleasure and a pride to me, to 
 enter in this page of my Journal my impartial 
 
362 REPORTED DEATH OF THE PACHA OF EGYPT. 
 
 testimony to his merits. If people deserve 
 censure when they do amiss, they are equally 
 entitled to praise when they do well. And 
 mine, however trivial and unimportant it may 
 be accounted, shall not be withheld when I see 
 a cause, and such cause, to record it ! 
 
 The elder son of Sir Manley Power accom- 
 panies us on this voyage ; and there is Anar- 
 guros Condouriotti, a nephew of the Greek 
 chief, on board, with a Greek damsel, to whom 
 Captain Hamilton gives a passage. 
 
 Saturday Mornings ^\st May. — Between 
 the Island of Cerigo and the South coast of the 
 Morea. We have sailed at the rate of ten 
 knots in the hour nearly all the way from 
 Malta. Our present destiny is Milo, and then, 
 probably, Alexandria : since the news of the 
 death of the Pacha of Egypt reached us on 
 the morning previous to our departure from 
 Malta, the captain is extremely anxious 
 about it : but circumstances may change 
 our plans, and the rumour is not well authen- 
 ticated, 
 
 Whit'Sunday, 22d Ma?/.— Off Milo, but 
 not likely to touch at present. The report here 
 
DESTRUCTION OF THE TURKISH FLEET. S63 
 
 is, that ten days ago six Greek fire-ships, hav- 
 ing been sent into the Bay of Modon, where 
 the Turkish fleet then lay, twentif-seven of 
 them were consumed, of which four were 
 frigates, and eight corvettes. This is great 
 news, if true : but alas ! " c'est trop bon, pour 
 etre vrai/' 
 
 Monday, 23d May. — Arrived off Hydra. It 
 is delightful to find that the news relative to 
 the destruction of the Turkish fleet (with which 
 were four Austrian iner chant men that had been 
 used as transports) is quite correct. Besides 
 this, Modon, a Turkish possession, has been 
 reduced and burnt, A boat came along side 
 of us just now containing several Greeks ; 
 amongst them is a nephew of the Admiral 
 Miaoulis, and Tombasis, a member of the 
 senate, and brother of him who formerly com- 
 manded the Greek fleet. They are both fine 
 looking men, but the countenance of the latter 
 is extremely prepossessing. There was likewise 
 a Mr. Masson, (a Scotch gentleman) who has 
 been residing at Hydra several months, and 
 who speaks enthusiastically of the amiable and 
 intellectual qualities of the principal people. 
 
S64 ENDEAVOURS OF MR. MASSON TO ASSIST THE GREEKS. 
 
 Colocotroni is still here, but has almost made 
 his peace, and is laying down plans for the en- 
 suing campaign. Mr. Masson thinks he is not 
 so bad as report represents him. This may be, 
 or not ; but the Greeks should be careful of 
 entrusting him again with too much power; — 
 he is certainly a dangerous man. Ambition 
 and avarice cannot co-exist with patriotism — 
 scarcely with probity. 
 
 Mr. Masson, it appears, has fixed himself at 
 Hydra for the purpose of establishing a college 
 there, and of presiding over the establishment. 
 He instructs several young Greeks in English, 
 and seems to be greatly respected by the pri- 
 mates, who listen to him (he says) with much 
 deference. Tliis accounts for his admiration 
 and praise : but still, as I understand that he 
 does not possess any further means of assisting 
 them than by his own individual efforts, the 
 fact speaks favourably for both parties. They 
 are endeavouring to scrape together a library. 
 
 I lost an opportunity of landing at Hydra 
 this morning, and we sail for Napoli di Ro- 
 mania to-morrow. But our return in a few 
 days is pretty certain ; and we shall be here 
 
GREEK VESSELS BUILDING IN AMERICA. 365 
 
 frequently : so that many occasions of inves- 
 tigating this place and people are likely to 
 arise. There are two Englishmen at present 
 there, beside the Scotchman above mentioned ; 
 their names I forget. 
 
 Our old friends the " pirates^' departed with 
 Tombasis. They are to be placed on board a 
 Greek vessel of war ; and will thus have the 
 means of effacing the dishonourable stain at- 
 tached to their late proceedings. Amongst 
 other circumstances of moment, we have learnt 
 to-day, that the Greeks expect, in less than a 
 couple of months, two large frigates, built in 
 America, and equipped with ewery requisite. 
 These vessels have been provided at the ex- 
 pence of certain Englishmen ; and it must be 
 confessed, that the measures they are now 
 adopting, are much more likely to be of ser- 
 vice than any, or than all their previous under- 
 takings. Vessels of magnitude, sufficient to 
 cope with the larger ships of the enemy, and 
 to enable them to strike a sure and effective 
 blow ; — to take advantage of opportunity, and, 
 by some resolute and well-concerted plan, to 
 seize and employ the finely-modelled ships of 
 
366 GREEK VESSELS BUILDING IN AMERICA. 
 
 the line, which the Turks so uselessly construct, 
 are objects of the deepest and most vital im- 
 portance. And all this may be effected by 
 the frigates about to be delivered to them. 
 Men and officers are already prepared; and 
 they only wait their arrival to begin with 
 loftier pretensions, and more assured success. 
 
 END OF VOL. I. 
 
 Printed by R. Gilbert, St. John's Square, London.