and depose its native chiefs. Goura, of whose notorious perfidy they had lately profited, to rescue Athens from his friend Odysseus, who had hitherto usurped the whole of Eastern Greece, instantly obeyed the orders for passing the Isthmus, and entered the Morea with a corps of three thousand men. Caratassoe, Catzico Jani also accompanied him. Dyonysi Evmorphopoulo, who commanded the province of Megaris and the Derveni, followed him with one thousand five hundred more. They immediately occupied Tricala, the seat of the Notara family, and the troops, commanded by Jani and Sotiri Notara, were completely routed, after a feeble resistance. Without losing a moment, they marched on Calavita; whence they drove the adherents of Zaimi; and after leaving there a considerable detachment under the Suliot, Lambro Veico, he advanced towards Gastouni, and not only took possession of the town but the whole province without opposition. Sessini, the father, narrowly escaped falling into his hands; and precipitately embarked for Zante; where, the local authorities refusing to allow him to land, he saw no other party left; but following the example of the other Moriot chiefs, and passing to Anapli, to place himself at the disposal of government. Kitso Zavella, Caraiscachi, and all the Suliots, who had opposed Dervish Pasha at Amblani, in conformity with the orders of the executive, crossed the Corinthian gulf; and, after landing at Vostitza, pursued Londo, Michael Sessini, Zaimi, Nicitura, &c. with so much ardour, that, to avoid falling into their hands, they judged it expedient to embark for Mesolonghi, as we have stated. Chaye Cristo with his Bulgarians, Macrojani, Coletti, Spiliotachi Pa Q paflessa, and other capitani, inundated the provinces of Caritena and Arcadia; and so suddenly, that the Dehli Janei and Colocotrone himself, abandoned by their terrified followers, were constrained to submit and implore the mercy of government. These proud and insolent men were thus reduced in a few weeks by the authority, they had so often insulted and threatened to overthrow. They were imprisoned in a monastery at Hydra, and there left to await the punishment demanded, by their numberless crimes. Early in 1825, in compliance with the orders of the senate, which recalled him to Anapli, there to fill the post of secretary of state, the governor-general of Western Greece bade adieu to his provinces. Great indulgence should mitigate the censure, which has been laid upon him, for leaving things in the most complete disorder; but, destitute of pecuniary means as well as of military force, how was it possible to satisfy the endless exorbitant claims, addressed to him daily from all quarters? Weighty reasons not allowing me to accompany Mavrocordato, I obtained from him before his departure the promise of being appointed to the expedition against Patras; which, for the last two months, had been announced, and might have been undertaken, had not a civil war broke out in Peloponnesus. It was now spoken of, as on the eve of taking place. Towards the middle of December, the arrival of a division of the fleet before the entrance of the gulf, and the proclamation, by which the commodore declared the four Turkish fortresses in a state of blockade, seemed to leave no doubt, that this essential undertaking, so shamefully postponed, would be entered upon at last. I proposed, therefore, as soon as the besieging troops should approach Patras, crossing over to the Morea, and joining the army. Finding, however, that a considerable delay would ensue, before the troops were collected, and seeing the ships return to Hydra, in January; I thought I could not, in the mean while, employ my time better than in visiting Athens, and the seat of government, Anapli. ૨ ૨ CHAPTER XXVI. Account of the police and administration of justice at Mesolonghi-Revenues-Corinth-Dreadful scene there-Author arrives at Megara. HAVING made no mention of the police, or administration of justice, at Mesolonghi, it may not be amiss to dedicate a few words to these subjects. Instances having, however, more power of communicating ideas, than the minutest descriptions and definitions, I shall relate a fact which will precisely show, that in the cities as well as in the country, the most trifling, as well as the most weighty matters were decided by force, and that nothing but the shadow of judicial institutions existed in Greece. A person, not in the easiest circumstances, had sent a horse out to grass, and paid so much a month beforehand to the man who kept it. After three months, persuaded, that the animal had grown sufficiently strong, the owner sent for it; but, instead of finding it improved, as he expected, it was evident that it had been most cruelly worked. Its hoofs were almost entirely worn out, and its back covered with sores. Complaints of this being lodged before the astynomi, or police magistrates, they condemned the horse-keeper to pay for the beast, which he had ruined by employing it, as he himself confessed, in an oil-mill. Under the pretence of going to bring the money, the condemned called on a relation, who served as janissary, or armed constable, under the orders of the politarch, Mitzo Machaliotti; and having obtained the assurance of his protection, sent word to the police-officers, that, if they chose, they might come and take the sum demanded. They went; but after repeated applications to Mitzo Machaliotti, all they could obtain was an answer, that he would never do any thing, that might serve to alienate the affection of his men. In consequence of this, the poor claimant was advised by the magistrates themselves quietly to put up with his loss; and this they did to avoid incurring any resentment from the janissaries. During my stay in Western Greece, upwards of twenty assassinations were committed at Mesolonghi and Anatolico; yet, in no single instance, were the murderers punished. They even continued to walk about the bazaars, as if nothing had happened. And the very corps, which had been created to maintain the public peace, was the cause of the daily quarrels and riots which disturbed it. As to the administration of the finances, with an unprincipled man, like Luriotti, at the head, it was corrupted by the same spirit of rapacity every where prevalent in Greece. Hence it was impossible precisely to estimate the revenues of Anatolico and Mesolonghi; the state of things rendering the amount of the receipts continually fluctuating; while an almost impenetrable veil kept the subject from public investigation. The following estimate, however, will be found nearly correct. Fisheries and salt-works Sp. dollars. 20,000 10,000 Currants, vine and olive yards, belonging to Turks 10,000 A tenth from the produce of Zugo and the pro vince of Anatolico Tax on sheep, &c. &c. } 8,000 3,000 51,000 |