Narrative of a Journey across the Balcan; ... also of a visit to Azani, and other newly discovered ruins in Asia Minor, in 1829-30

Front matter

NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY ACROSS THE BALCAN, etc. ILLUSTRATIONS. VOL. I. PAGR A Zebek, or Rebel Mountaineer to face title. Map ofthe Turkish Provinces of Roumelia and Bulgaria 1 Plan of Shumla and its Environs 322 LONDON : J. Moves, took's cocrt, chancbrv lam*. A % E- B _E E, tzar t7a 7a// 7 rf uA'/^fisx>7i7£z-/iœ4j,,7ictzl _? '/////I //a. Zz/ktm/ aw LyUœnTal'JjrfslÆi/-. Pld>: l(y CaOnirn &Btiul(,.Z<ri&>Ti.l83L NARRATIVE OP A JOURNEY ACROSS THE BALCAN, BY THE TWO PASSES OF SELIMNO AND PRAVADI; also or A VISIT TO AZANI, AND OTHER NEWLY DISCOVERED RUINS IN ASIA MINOR IN THE YEARS 1829-30. BY MAJOR, THE HONBLE GEORGE KEPPEL, F.S.A. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON : HENRY COLBURN AND RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 1831. HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS AUGUSTUS FREDERICK, DUKE OF SUSSEX, K. G. PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY, &c. &c. &c. THESE VOLUMES ARE HUMBLY INSCRIBED, WITH SINCERE FEELINGS OF AFFECTION AND RESPECT, U\ HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS'S EVER GRATEFUL AND DEVOTED SERVANT, THE AUTHOR Losdon, March 14, 1831. CONTENTS TO THE FIRST VOLUME. PAGE Dedication v

Chapter I

Introductory — Choice of Routes — Steam Packet from Ancona to Corfu — General Muffling — Otranto — Corfu — Zante — Embark on board H. M.S. Rattlesnake — Lepanto — Corinth — A Palikari Chieftain — Garrison of Corinth — American Philhellenic Association — Egina — The Piræus — A Greek Renegade and Parricide. .Page 1

Chapter II

Expedition to Athens — A Greek's Head — Visit the Bey — Ruined State of Modern Athens — Return to Egina — Prince Mavrocordato — We hear of the Russians' Advance across the Balcan — Napoli di Romania — Visit from Admiral Miaulis — Admiral Rosamel — Count Heyden — Admiral Lazaroff — Greek Legislative Assembly — Interview with Count Capo d'lstria — His Policy — The Fort of Palamedes — Civil Strife CONTENTS.

Chapter III

Sail in H. M. S. Samarang — Join the British Squadron — Sham Fight — Arrive at Vourla — Austrian Espionage — Mitylene — Tenedos — Russian Admirals — Sail up the Dardanelles — Jewish Dragoman — Turkish Batteries — Curious Cause of Detention Page 35

Chapter IV

Disembark in Asia Minor — Turkish Purveyor-General — John Leach — Commencement of the Land Journey — Turkhana — Bourgaz — Lampsaca — A Drunken Turk — Harbour-master — Virtue of a Booyoodery 53

Chapter V

Turkish Song — State of Turkish Feeling — Desertion from the Army — Jewish Sabbath — Population of Gallipoli — A Hint to Travellers — Chersonesus of Thrace — Dellis — Adrianople Army — Cavac — Our Night's Lodging — A Turkish Hero — An Armenian Rogue — Mortality in Gallipoli — Embark in a Caique 61

Chapter VI

Pivates — Land at Pera — The Bosphorus — Therapia — Mosque of Sultan Achmet — Turkish Mad -house — Opium-eaters — Sultan Selim, his Attempts at Civilisation — Burying-grounds, the Lounge of Constantinople — Proofs of Depopulation — Curious Tombstones — Slave Market — The Bagnio Prison — A recent Fire in Galata — Walls of Constantinople — General Disaffection throughout Turkey — Abortive Conspiracy — Executions — Mr. Slade — Mode of exposing the Bodies of Turks Christians— Jews— Women — Translation of a Yafta. CONTENTS. IX

Chapter VII

Remarks on the late Executions — Anticipated Results from the Destruction of the Janisaries — Observations on the Turkish Empire — The Sultan — Origin of the Power of the Ulemas — They combine with the Janisaries — Result of this Union to the Empire Page 92

Chapter VIII

The Seraskier's Tower — Hajee Mahomet — Illness — Doctor M'Carthy — Advice to Invalids in Turkey — Reside with the British Ambassador — -Manner of passing Time — Sailing Match with the Capitan Bey — Visit to the Capitan Pasha — Our Interpreter — Sketch of the Capitan Pasha's Life — Policy of Nicknames in Turkey — State of the Turkish Flag-ship — A Ship-launch — State ofthe Docks — Four Greek Murderers hanged 105

Chapter IX

Preparations for Departure — My Fellow-traveller, Lord Dunlo — Our joint Servant, English Mustapha — Sketch of his Adventures — Equipment for the Journey — We leave Therapia — St. Stephano — Dine with the Consul-General — Excellent Fish — Quail Shooting— Resume our Voyage — Unpleasant Disaster — A .Salt-water Bath — Put into Selivri — A Turkish Coffee-house 117

Chapter X

Resume our Journey — A second Accident — Eligree — Arrive at Rodosto — A Yuz-bashee — Our Evening's Repast — Mustapha's Fears — Visit the Pasha of Rodosto — Mustapha offended X CONTENTS.

Chapter XI

Detention — Public Treasure — Deserted State of the Town — The Inhabitants employed on the Ramparts — Desolation observable in the Country — Scenery — Irregular Cavalry — Yagee — Ben- Ali — Hirepoli — Turks disarmed — Wretched Horses — Remarks on the Turkish Seat and Saddle — The " Dirty Village" — Our Lodgings for the Night Page 1 33

Chapter XII

Oozan Kupri — Russian advanced Guard — General Cheremetoff — Demotika — Water-mills — The River Maritza dammed ; an impolitic Abuse — A Population on a March — Mortality amongst them — Mustapha's Self-will — Cross the Ferry — Arrive at Adrianople, and reside with the British Consul 141

Chapter XIII

Story of Marigo — Her Companions in Misfortune — The Massacre of Scio brought on by the Greeks themselves — Account of it by one of the Sufferers — Visit Count Diebitsch — The late Campaign — General Reuchtern — London Porter — The Old Seraglio — Count Diebitsch receives the Order of St. George of Russia — Bulgarian Dirt —Whimsical Mistake — Dirty State ofthe Bulgarian Quarters — View from a Ruined Kiosk — Last new Female Fashions in Turkey — Dragoman and his Wife — Fate of the Lady's Father 150

Chapter XIV

M. Iasigi — Anecdote of a Cossack — Mosque of Ooch Sherifler — Russian Barbarism — Mosque of Yeni Maret CONTENTS. XI — Statue of Adrian — Abidy Bey, a Turkish Colonel of Hussars— His Dress — A Wallachian Prince — Cap tain Alexander — Russian Cavalry — Count Pahlen's Corps — Imperial Economy — Grotesque Dance — Pro tection of the Holy Virgin — Scott's Novels — A Visit to the Camp Page 1 69

Chapter XV

Jewish Feast of the Tabernacles — Our Host — His beautiful Daughters — Their Dress — Their Notions of Delicacy — The poorer Class of Jews — Jewish Form of Government — Anecdote of Jewish Cowardice — Mahometan Service — Mosque of Sultan Selim — Visits from Russian Officers — Count Diebitsch made a Field-marshal — Affair between the Russians and the Pasha of Scutari — The Sultan's Ideas of Etiquette 180

Chapter XVI

Captain Alexander leaves Adrianople — A Bulgarian Funeral — Executions on the Philippopoli Road — ■ Howling Dervishes — Mustapha's Remark — Fortune-telling — A Corps of Russians leave Adrianople for Russia — Te Deum — Field-Marshal Count Diebitsch Zabalcansky — Count Wittginstein — General Damelousky — Karabet, an Armenian — Exchange of the Russian and Turkish Ratifications of Peace 196

Chapter XVII

Visit the Archbishop of Adrianople — Greek Inscription — Why did not the Russians advance on Constantinople ? — Probable Causes — Policy ofthe Russians — High Discipline of their Army — Their Regard to Property — The Effect of this Conduct on the Inhabitants — Russians wel- CONTENTS. corned by the Greeks and Bulgarians, who are disaffected to the Turkish Government — The Cause — The Invasion agreeable to the Turks, but not the Invaders — Turkish Nicknames to the Army — The Enemy, how esteemed by the Mahometan Ladies — The Sultan's Attempt at Female Reform — Its Degree of Success — Adrianople Scandal. Page 213

Chapter XVIII

Feelings of the Russian Army on the subject of the Peace — Its Progress after the Passage of the Balcan — Folly of the Turkish Government — The Turkish Position — Strength of the Russian Army — Its unhealthy State — Adoption ofthe Lance — Appearance ofthe Russians on Parade — Their extreme Dirt — Mortality in the Russian Army — Disgraceful State of the Medical and Commissariat Departments — Pay and Rations — Foreigners in the Russian Service - — Germans 232

Chapter XIX

City of Adrianople — Population — Advantageous Situation for Commerce — Land and Water Carriage — Maritza navigable — Sea-port Town of Enos — Adrianople the Depot of Roumelia — Fairs of Roumelia — Copper Mines of Trebizond — Observations on the Greeks — Their original Subjugation —Policy of Mahomet II. — Former Influence of the Priesthood — Greeks' Activity in Commerce — Their Industry and Economy — Their Intercourse with the World — Consequent Diffusion of Knowledge — Commerce of Adrianople — In/ports and Exports — Policy of Mr. Adair, Ambassador to the Porte in 1809 — Enterprise of Greek Merchants — Productions — Causes of the Decline of Commerce — Variation of Exchange — Debase- CONTENTS. XIII ment ofthe Currency — Its Effect on Trade — Impolitic Cruelty of the Avania — Prohibitions and Monopoly of the Turkish Government — Evils resulting therefrom — — A Simile — Montesquieu's Remarks on the Effects of Despotism — Taxes of Adrianople Page 250

Chapter XX

Preparations for Departure — Our Equipage — Our kind Hosts — We leave Adrianople — Dead Cattle on the Road — Russian Graves — Deserted Village — Russian Quarter-Master — Mustapha's Generalship — Buyuk Derbent— Kutchuck Derbent — Breakfast — Incessant Rain — Papasli — Wretched Quarters 278

Chapter XXI

We leave Papasli — State of the Roads — Character of Roumelian Scenery — Ianboli — Russian Picket — First Appearance of the Balcan — Selimno — Its weekly Fairs — ■ Trade — Manufactures — Public Khans — Decrease of Population — Mosques — Russian Attack on Selimno — It surrenders without Opposition — General Montresor — Ascent of the Balcan — Soil of the Mountain — Its Adaptation to Road-making — The slight Obstacles to an opposing Army — Numerous Roads — Vedgerah — The Bulgarian Peasantry all armed — Cloth Mills — Party of Cossacks — Russian Theft — Disposition of the People of the Balcan in favour of the Invasion 291

Chapter XXII

Leave Cazan — Roads easily repairable — Chutakh — Bulgarians Their Employments — Property — Dress — Marriage — Divorce — Derbent — Turkish Inhospitality — Unpleasant Prospect — Anecdote of Mustapha — CONTENTS. A Tax-gatherer — A Turk assassinated — Mahometan Disaffection — Mountain Gorge — Juma — Country fertile, but depopulated — Villages rased to the Ground — -Ascent to the Heights above Shumla — Turks at Drill — Search for a Host — A renegade Doctor — Miserable Lodgings — Mr. Haggermann — Turkish Execution — Indifference ofthe Bystanders — Observations on the Culprit — Agreeable Termination of our Adventures Page 308

Chapter XXIII

The Grand Vizier's Dragoman — Visit to his Highness — Michalachi metamorphosed — Military Dialogue — The Vizier's Mode of Signature — The Honour of Smoking in the Grand Vizier's Presence — My Brother Major — Turks' Opinion of British Soldiers — Turks at the European Drill — Extreme Youth ofthe Soldiers — The Band — Dismissal from Parade — Observations on the Changes ofthe Dress and Arms of the Turks — Visits from the Grand Vizier's Dragoman — The Archbishop of Shumla — The Turks' Ignorance of foreign Languages favourable to the Greeks' Revolt 330

Chapter XXIV

Remarks on Taxation — Mohumud Aga — Reason for his becoming a Mahometan — Postponement of a Turkish Review — Visit the Fortifications of Shumla — The Town has no Walls — Chunghiul Fort — Sultan Fort — Fidia, Alifatah, and Shialli Forts — Operations of the Russian Army before Shumla, in 1829 — Remarks on the Conduct of the Russian Army before Shumla, Silistria, Varna — Was the Turkish Commander at Varna bribed by the Russians? — Visit a Turkish General — Manual and Platoon Exercise — Usual Extent of a Turkish Officer's Military Knowledge CONTENTS. XV

Chapter XXV

Defective State of the Turkish Army — Prospects of its Improvement considered — The Arguments adduced — Relative State of the Mahometan and Christian Armies — Feudal System of the Turks — In what different from that ofthe Christians — Origin ofthe Janisaries — Their severe Discipline — Success of their Arms — Their gradual Decline — Abuses — Independence ofthe Crimea — Consequences to the Turks — Establishment of the new Troops — Their Apathy observable in the late War — The Parallel between the Destruction ofthe Strelitz and Janisaries considered — Concluding Remarks Page 362

Appendix

. No. I. Containing some Notes of Captain Arthur Gregory concerning Count Capo d'lstrias, in the Morea 381 No. II. Protocol of Conference with Ibrahim Pasha, at Modon, 11th June and 6th July 1828 ; and with Mehemet Ali, at Alexandria 397 No. III. Extracts from a Letter written by Captain Arthur Gregory relative to the Affairs of Greece in 1828 408 No. IV. Translation of Three Yaftas CONTENTS. No. V. Treaty of Peace between his Majesty and the Sublime Porte, signed January 5, 1809 Page 431 No. VI. Extracts from a Letter, relative to a Journey from Constantinople to Semlin 436 ERRATA. Page 1, line 5, for campaigns, read campaign. — 63, — 20, for were speedily, read was speedily. — 76, — 12, for landing at the seraglio, read landing at Scutari, opposite the seraglio. — 94, — l,for Imaun read Imaum, hie et passim. NARRATIVE, etc. etc.

Chapter I

Introductory — Choice of Routes — Steam Packet from Ancona to Corfu — General Muffling — Otranto — Corfu — Zante — Embark on board H. M.S. Rattlesnake — Lepanto — Corinth — A Palikari Chieftain — Garrison of Corinth — American Philhellenic Association — Egina — The Piræus — A Greek Renegade and Parricide. In the summer of 1829, public attention was directed to the war which was then pending between Russia and Turkey. The ill success which had attended the Russian arms in the preceding campaigns had produced an impression unfavourable to their military character, while it had proportionably raised in estimation the troops to whom they were opposed. This opinion of Turkish superiority was strengthened by the improvements which, it VOL. i. b INTRODUCTORY. was alleged, had been introduced into the Ma hometan army.

They were formed on an Eu ropean model, and were able to compete with an European force. The Turkish sovereign, the destroyer of the Janizaries, had overcome the prejudices of his birth and education, and was one of the most enlightened monarchs in Europe. By the wisdom of his measure.s, a radical reform had been established, not only in the army, but in every department of church and state. A previous intercourse with the Turks had given me a more than usual interest in the question : I determined to visit the country myself, and to bring home a faithful record of all that I saw, heard, or felt, which should serve as data to ascertain how far these con jectures were founded in fact. My first intention had been to hover on the rear of the Turkish army, in order to observe their operations and mode of warfare.

Had the campaign lasted, I feel confident that I should have had no difficulty in putting my projects in execution ; but the Fates ordered it otherwise. The Russians spared me the STEAM-PACKET FROM ANCONA. trouble, by beating the Turks before I could get up to them. My first object was to reach Constan tinople : two modes presented themselves of arriving at my destination ; the one through the Austrian dominions and the European pro vinces of Turkey ; the other by France, Italy, Greece, and the Archipelago islands. The former was uncertain and precarious. As I could not learn whether the communication was open between Vienna and Constantinople, I adopted the latter route. June 13, 1829. An extra mail coach leaves Lombard Street for Dover every Wednesday and Saturday, at a quarter of an hour after midnight.

By this conveyance I started on the 13 th of June, 1829, being the thirtieth an niversary of my birthday. I stepped on board the packet, with the letters, at ten, and was immediately afterwards in full steam across the British Channel. I disembarked at Calais, and proceeded through France, Switzerland, and Italy. I had hoped to have fallen in at Ancona with the British government steam - packet, ANECDOTE OF GENERAL MUFFLING. which goes periodically to and from Corfu ; but I discovered that this vessel had just gone ; and I learned, what may be of use to a future traveller, that I could not have obtained a passage on board her without either an order from the Colonial Office, or from Sir Frederick Adam, the lord high commissioner of the Ionian islands. Foiled in this intent, I went to Naples, and had secured a place in the diligence to Otranto, when I heard that a Neapolitan man-of-war was under sailing orders for Smyrna, to convey thither a Prussian general and his staff.* * The general for whom this vessel was in readiness, was ofthe name of Muffling.

He had come round from Berlin, and was going on a special mission to Constantinople from the King of Prussia, to signify the Emperor of Russia's desire of peace. This, of course, was before the successes of the great autocrat. I heard of the general at Constantinople, but did not meet him : he arrived there on the 6th of August. He is a corpulent man, rather advanced in years. On his first visit to the Reis Effendy, or Turkish foreign secretary, that minister said to him : " Well, general, what proposal from the emperor have you to lay before us with regard to peace?" The general replied, thathe was merely instructed to assure the Porte that the emperor was pacifically inclined. ZANTE 5 As our minister, Mr. Hill, was indisposed, Sir Henry Lushington was so kind as to apply for a passage for me in the same ship ; but the answer not arriving in the evening, I resolved not to wait for it, but to proceed by the dili gence, in company with Captain Boileau, of the rifle brigade, and went to Otranto, whence, at the expiration of three days, we embarked for Corfu, on board a sailing packet in the employment of the British government, and reached that island on the evening of the 2 1st of July.

On the 24th we embarked on board the steam-boat which plies between the Ionian Islands, and anchored off the town of Zante at five in the afternoon of the fol lowing day. July 26. Dined with Lord Charles Fitzroy, the British resident of the island. Overlooking the town is a conical-shaped hill, on the top of which is a gibbet with three arms. From these " Upon my word, then, general," rejoined the Reis Effendy, " I wonder that a man of your age and corpulency should have undertaken so long and fatiguing a journey on so trifling an errand, seeing that we have had the same assurance on the faith of nearly every ambassador." ZANTE the bodies of three men were suspended in chains. They had been executed by order of General Campbell. When I was on duty at Zante, some years ago, this gibbet was called by our soldiers " General Campbell's direction post."

The fatal tree, with its former comple ment of bodies, met my eye, as I was taking my ride this afternoon. " What ! my old friends there still ?" was my observation to an old Zantiote acquaintance. " Oh, no," was the reply : " your friends have been removed ; but as fresh examples have been found neces sary, the bodies you see belong to a new set of murderers!" A scampavia, or row-boat, is employed by the Ionian government to assist in maintaining a communication with the British resident in Greece. If the traveller could procure a pas sage in this boat, it would land him at Pyrgos ; in three days' journey on horseback he would cross the Morea to Argos, whence he might easily obtain a passage in some vessel going towards or direct to Smyrna, from which place he would find no difficulty in proceeding to Constantinople.

EMBARK ON BOARD H. M. S. RATTLESNAKE. 7 It was by this route that I intended to have gone myself, if a more agreeable mode of tra velling had not presented itself. Captain Finucane, an old brother -officer, was charged with despatches to Mr. Dawkins, our resident in Greece. His majesty's ship Rattlesnake was to convey him as far as Co rinth, and the captain of the Rattlesnake, the Hon. Charles Bridgeman, was so obliging as to give me also a passage in the frigate. July 28. I dined this evening with Sir Frederick Adam, under whose command I had been at Corfu, in 1817. Captain Finu cane and myself embarked at midnight, and Captain Bridgeman immediately weighed, and sailed ; but, the wind blowing directly in our teeth, we did not reach Cape Papas till the evening. July 29. The wind still foul.

In passing Missolunghi, a white house was pointed out to me as that in which Byron died. When the Rattlesnake was here last, a Greek army was besieging the town. At noon, we passed the castles of Roumelia and Morea, which defend the mouth of the LEPANTO AND ITS FORTIFICATIONS. Gulf of Lepantd. We saw, flying on the ram parts of the Morea fort, the ensigns of Russia, France, and England. At Lepant6 (as the Greeks pronounce it, laying a strong accent on the last syllable), there were two Greek brigs of war at anchor ; one of them, the Epaminondas, was commanded by a son of Admiral Miaulis. There were also a few gun-boats off the town. Lepanto is ap parently a wretched place, but is picturesque, from its cypresses, mosques, and minarets. On one of these last, the Greeks had erected a cross over the crescent.

The fortifications, on the land side, consist of two parallel crenellated walls, which run up the side of the hill, and terminate in a small heptagon fort. The place is evidently commanded in several points ; yet though it was garrisoned by a mere handful of Turks, five thousand Greeks were compelled, after many ineffectual attacks, to raise the siege. From the appearance of Lepanto, I should say, that three or four field-pieces might have taken the citadel, and the capture of the town LAND AT CORINTH. would have followed of course. The Greeks had a post out of the range of the musketry of the highest part of the citadel. At eight in the evening, we arrived off Vostizza. A few years ago it contained three thousand inhabitants. The population is now considerably reduced ; but it is better off than most other towns in the Peloponnesus.

I believe that the neighbourhood of this town was not ravaged by the troops of Ibrahim Pasha ; but Patrass, which Captain Finucane saw on his return, was one com plete ruin. July 30-3 1 . At noon we were off the bay of Salona, and early the next morning we anchored off Corinth. Captain Finucane and myself landed at a mile and a half below the town. We met on the beach a Greek engineer officer, a native of Cephalonia ; he conducted us to the Governor of Corinth, also a Cepha loniote. This last personage wore the highly picturesque Albanian dress, which has been very generally in vogue amongst the Greeks since the Revolution. He was remarkably civil ; but, like all his countrymen with whom A PALIKARI CHIEFTAIN. I have conversed, highly discontented with the arrangements of the great powers with regard to Greece.

From the governor's we went to a miserable coffee-house, which was filled with Palikari (irregular Greek troops), a wild, undisciplined banditti. They were all dressed as Albanese, were covered with embroidery, and begrimed with dirt. The chief of the party, already half tipsy, was hastening to complete this happy state. With his legs crossed, his pipe in one hand, a cup of strong red wine in the other, and with each arm supported by the butts of his pistols, he did the honours of the coffee house to us strangers, with half-closed eyes, and with a drunken formality that was highly entertaining. There were some Greeks here who spoke Italian : they were very eloquent on the defeat of Brama Ali, between this place and Argos. The town of Corinth is one heap of ruins ; a few newly-built huts are the only habitations now standing.

Bones of men and horses lie scattered amongst the rubbish of fallen houses, GARRISON OF CORINTH. 11 and attest the last bloody massacre which visited this once prosperous town. A Cephaloniote has been commissioned by the government to erect some public buildings, and the governor's house is in progress. Near the site of this building, the workmen employed in clearing away the rubbish have discovered five Doric columns, belonging, I believe, to a temple dedicated to Apollo. There were five hundred troops in the Acro polis. They were mean, dirty-looking lads, and were all wretchedly clothed. The garrison is commanded by a Hanoverian. The governor furnished us each with a saddle-horse, and we hired two others for our baggage. We were discussing the chance of obtaining a boat on the opposite side, when an old Greek called out, " I give boat, sir ; I once live in Piccadilly."

We immediately accepted the traveller's services, who forthwith over whelmed us with gibberish, which he evidently intended to pass off as English on the group of staring, untravelled palikari by whom he was surrounded. Our baggage packed, we AMERICAN PHILHELLENIC ASSOCIATION. proceded across the isthmus. The distance is six miles. There was considerable cultivation near Corinth. To the westward we observed some vineyards and olive-groves. The fruit of the olive is an important article of food with the Greeks. We passed the remains of an amphitheatre, and afterwards came to a village founded by a Philhellenic Association of Americans. It is under the direction of one of their countrymen, named Howe, who resided in a hut close to the village. We wished much to have visited this meritorious gentleman, but he was suffering for his philanthropy, being confined to his bed by a severe attack of fever.

He had been furnished with means to promote the Greek cause, but found, upon his arrival, that the money would be made most available in forwarding that ob ject, by bringing the people to industrious habits. Accordingly, with the co-operation of Count Capo dTstria, he collected together, from dif ferent parts of Greece, such persons as had neither money nor means of subsistence, and EMBARK FOR EGINA. formed a colony of them. These plains were given up to him for the purpose, free for five years from all imposts. At first the colony consisted of only fifty families, but they in creased to upwards of a hundred in a little more than three years. I heard, afterwards, that Count Capo dTstria, its quondam protector, having changed in his disposition towards this nucleus of Greek regeneration, had, by various means, latterly so disgusted Dr. Howe, that he has determined upon withdrawing from the country.

Two or three fishermen's huts on the oppo site side of the isthmus comprise the village of Kerkhus. Here we dismissed the cattle, and gave each two dollars for the trip. My journey through Italy cost a hundred pounds, — that through Greece a hundred pence. We now embarked on board the fishing-boat we had hired; but had not been more than two hours under weigh when it fell calm. Our boat being principally intended for sailing, we made but slow progress, though our crew kept con tinually tugging at the oar ; so we were obliged to pass the remainder of this day, and the whole ARRIVE AT EGINA. ofthe following night, with our backs resting on the heap of stones which formed the ballast of the boat. August 1. We arrived off Egina* at day light in the morning, immediately landed, and proceeded to the house of Mr. Dawkins.

Cap tain Finucane then delivered his despatches, and, after dressing at the small inn in the town, we returned to breakfast with the British resident. Two British men-of-war, the Wasp and the Mosquito, were at anchor off the town. We met their commanders, Captains Hoste and Bentham, at breakfast. The former of these gentlemen, himself a highly meritorious officer, is the brother of the late gallant Sir William Hoste, whose name holds so conspicuous a place in the records of British valour, and is included in that list of naval heroes for which my native county of Norfolk stands so pre eminent. We were now so near Athens, that we * The Greeks pronounce the word Egina, and not Egina, laying the stress upon the syllable over which the accent is marked. LAND IN THE PIRÆUS. thought it would be a pity to leave this country without paying it a visit.

We had but to express the wish. My kind countryman, Cap tain Hoste, immediately ordered the corvette to be got ready for sea, and purposed, while my fellow-traveller and myself were occupied in viewing the antiquities, to complete his stock of water in the Piræus. Pipes and breakfast over, we were again gliding over the deep, but in a much more agreeable manner. Instead of lying exposed to the influence of a burning sun on a dirty open Greek boat, we were lounging under an excellent awning, on the spotless deck of a British man-of-war. August 2. We landed in the Piræus early in the morning, a party of nineteen from the ship. We sent to the Bey of Athens to inform him of our arrival, and remained near the beach awaiting his answer. We were here joined by several of the Turkish outlying picket, to whom we made ourselves welcome by giving a few glasses of rum.