soldiers attempting to possess themselves of it. The latter were so terrified by the imposing attitude, assumed by the Mesolonghiots, that they hastened to give up the primates, and esteemed themselves fortunate in being allowed to embark, unmolested, for Anatolico.

As soon as Mavrocordato was informed of the arrival of the troops, he repaired to the town and appointed a military commission to judge Caraiscachi. It consisted of Nothi Bozzari, Stornari, Zonga, Dimo Scalza, Vlachopoulo, Demetri Macri, Coldari, Liacatà, Carajani, and Catzarò. These judges declared him an enemy to his country and a traitor; yet the only punishment, they awarded, was,-leaving Anatolico.

Although Caraiscachi was found guilty, yet many of the accusations, laid to his charge, subsequent reflection has demonstrated to be unfounded. That he proposed delivering up Vasiladi and Mesolonghi to the enemy was a mere supposition; unwarranted by any positive proof. The coincidence of the Turkish vessels sailing out of the gulf could be attributed only to chance, for they were accustomed to do so almost every fortnight. Besides, had they attempted to communicate with Vasiladi, or made signals, &c.? The garrison of Epacto and the castle made daily sorties, having no other object in view than obtaining sheep, cattle, &c. The two hundred Turks, who were repulsed at the Scala, formed too inconsiderable a force ever to venture on such an undertaking. Besides, I afterwards learned from Dr. Sibbert (who, during four years after the beginning of the Greek revolution, was Youssouf Pasha's physician), that this Osmanlee never corresponded either with Caraiscachi or any other Greek. I think it a duty to state these circumstances, in order to remove the stain, with which

many persons have disfigured the noble character of Citzo Zavella and the Suliots who, at first, sided with Caraiscachi. Incapable of treason, if they embraced his party, they were led to do so, from the opinion, that it was proper he should obtain satisfaction for the conduct of the Mesolonghiots towards his nephew. They were besides happy, no doubt, to embrace an opportunity of revenging themselves on those individuals, since they had but too much reason to complain of their inhospitality and insolence.

The volcanic mind of Lord Byron, as before observed, was thrown by these events into a violent state of commotion. He had come to Greece prepared to devote his wealth, talents, and even life itself to the consolidation of her liberties. Aware, how wofully the character of the nation had been corrupted; first, by the most profligate, and afterwards, by the most barbarous of governments, he expected, as a natural and inevitable result, that their proceedings would bear the stamp of their moral degradation. But he was not prepared to ✓ meet with black-hearted treachery; or to see Greeks themselves conspiring against their own country; courting the chains of their former masters; and bargaining the liberties and very existence of their own brethren. Ignorant, at first, how far the ramifications of this conspiracy might extend, he trembled while thinking of the consequences. Personal fear did not, however, occupy his mind; although most of the Suliots who composed his guard, being friends with the Zavellas, had, as soon as they heard, that they sided with Caraiscachi, declared openly that they would not act against their countrymen. The hopes, he had formed, for the prosperity of Greece were for a moment obscured; he feared lest the news of a civil war in the Peloponnesus, and of a con

spiracy to introduce the Turks into Western Greece, would, on reaching England, ruin the Greek credit, and preclude all hopes of obtaining a loan, which to him appeared indispensable to the salvation of her liberty. But what incensed him most, was the weakness and irresolution, exhibited on this occasion by Mavrocordato in respect to Caraiscachi. If he considered the infliction of capital punishment, incurred by Caraiscachi, as unadvisable, and impolitic in the actual state of the country, could he not at least have placed under confinement a person, who, it was easy to anticipate, would profit by his liberty to execute his sinister intentions, and be the more inexorable in his revenge, when he recollected, that his escape was to be attributed to the pusillanimity rather than to the generosity of his enemies? The consequences were soon observable; for as soon as Caraiscachi recovered sufficient strength, to be able to bear the fatigue of a litter, he placed himself at the head of his followers, and assisted by Andrea Isco, of Macrinoro, he again made Agrapha and its adjoining provinces the scene of his depredations and daily bloody encounters. The removal of his friend, Omer Pasha, from Janina to Salonica, however, fortunately proved the ruin of his evil designs.

CHAPTER XIV.

Illness, and death of Lord Byron-Conduct of his physicians.

AT no time of his life did Lord Byron find himself in circumstances, more calculated to render him unhappy. The cup of health had dropped from his lips, and constant anxiety and suffering operated powerfully on his mind, already a prey to melancholy apprehensions, and disappointment, increased by disgust. Continually haunted by a dread of epilepsy or palsy-complaints most humiliating to human pride

he fell into the lowest state of hypochondriasis, and vented his sorrows in language which, though sometimes sublime, was at others as peevish and capricious, as that of an unruly and quarrelsome child. When he returned to himself, however, he would request us "not to take the indisposed and sickly fit for the sound man."

Riding was the only occupation that procured him any relief; and even this was but momentary. On the 9th of April, prolonging his ride further than usual, he was on his return caught in a shower, and remaining exposed to it for more than an hour, he complained in the evening of shooting pains in his hips and loins; but he found himself, the next morning, sufficiently well to ride out for a short time. On his return, however, he scolded his groom severely, for having placed on the horse the same wet saddle he had used on the preceding day.

Mr. Finlay (then a staunch Odyssean), had been deputed to engage Lord Byron to assist at the congress at Salona. This gentleman and myself called upon him in the evening; when we found him lying on a sofa, complaining of a slight fever and of pains in the articulation. He was at first more gay than usual; but, on a sudden, he became pensive, and after remaining some few minutes in silence, he said that during the whole day he had reflected a great deal on a prediction, which had been made to him, when a boy, by a famed fortune-teller in Scotland. His mother, who firmly believed in cheromancy and astrology, had sent for this person, and desired him to inform her what would be the future destiny of her son. Having examined attentively the palm of his hand, the man looked at him for a while stedfastly, and then with a solemn voice, exclaimed; "Beware of your thirty-seventh year, my young lord; beware.”

He had entered on his thirty-seventh year on the 22d of January: and it was evident from the emotion with which he related this circumstance, that the caution of the palmist had produced a deep impression on his mind, which in many respects was so superstitious, that we thought proper to accuse him of superstition: To say the truth," answered his lordship, "I find it equally difficult to know what to believe in this world, and what not to believe. There are as many plausible reasons for inducing me to die a bigot, as there have been to make me hitherto live a freethinker. You will, I know, ridicule my belief in lucky and unlucky days; but no consideration can now induce me to undertake any thing either on a Friday or a Sunday. I am positive it would terminate unfortunately. Every Every one of one of my misfortunes, and, God knows, I have had my share, have hap

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