In this state of discord, nothing but a fatal result could be, in any way, anticipated. For though the ignorance and indolence of the Turks proved, as on former occasions, the safeguard of Greece; yet the jealousies and rapacity of the chiefs gave rise to such a general disorganization, that, exhausted of all competent means of defence, the country fell an easy prey to the Egyptians.

Immediately after my arrival, Nothi Bozzari presented me to his nephew, Costa, brother of the famous Marco; but so far inferior to him in every respect, that one could hardly believe them to be the issue of the same parents. He received me with kindness, yet with the haughty manner characteristic of an Albanian; and engaged to provide me with lodgings, and whatever else I might require. Having sent for his friend Dr. Lucca Vaya, he introduced me to him as a Philhellene and colleague; persuaded that these titles would induce him to allow me, for a few days, to share his quarters.

During the week, I spent with the doctor, he treated me with the most cordial hospitality; yet, notwithstanding all this, I could with difficulty reconcile myself to an observable want of cleanliness and comfort. In Mesolongiot houses beds, tables, and chairs, are in vain looked for. The divan is a substitute for them all. This consists of mattrasses and pillows, stuffed with wool, arranged on a raised portion of the floor all round the room. During the day, it is used as a sofa, on which the people of the house and casual visitors sit, cross-legged, occupied, like mussulmen, in smoking, drinking coffee, or, for want of thought, playing like children for hours with the beads of a chaplet (koμBoxóy). At the time of meals, it serves as the triclinium to the ancients;. the different dishes are introduced on a

copper-tray, which is laid on the divan; forks are looked upon as superfluities. At night the divan is metamorphosed into a line of beds for the whole family, and as every one sleeps with the same clothes as are worn in the day, and sheets are scarce, the capottes of the men supply the place of blankets.

Not in our house only, but in those of the most opulent primates, the windows are without glass. But let it not be supposed, that the fineness of the Grecian climate, on which such praises have been lavished by travellers, renders these means of protection against the inclemency of the atmosphere useless; for in no country can it be more disagreeable. The rains being almost incessant during three months; no alternative remains but either to brave the damp and the wind, or to shut oneself up in the dark. Chimneys, it is true, exist in most rooms; but they only tend to render the want of windows more sensible; for whilst one part of the body gets warm, the other is chilled with cold. The Greeks remedy this inconvenience by putting on their кàа on returning home; which, being made of a stiff goat's hair cloth, forms an excellent paravent.

During his stay at Vienna, where he was educated at Ali Pasha's expense, Dr. Lucca had learnt to speak German fluently. He civilized himself in a great measure, but could not help now and then betraying his national habits. I found much interest in his conversation; especially when Ali Pasha became the topic. No one could give more accurate information relative to this celebrated man, whose physician he had been during many years. Athanasi Vaya, a minister worthy of a similar tyrant, was his brother. They, and Vasilikee his favourite concubine, were the only individuals, whom the suspicious Ali trusted. Never would he take a medicine, unless Lucca pre

pared it; nor did he ever form a design without consulting the former. So well were the Turks aware of Athanasi possessing the confidence of the satrap, that, of the numerous retinue composing his court, no one but Vaya and Vasilikee were sent to Constantinople; persuaded that to them only he could have revealed where he had hidden his treasures.

Omer Pasha, being in quest of a physician, retained Lucca in his service, after the death of Ali. He accompanied him in his campaign of 1822: but not finding himself well treated, the doctor profited by the confusion, which attended the precipitate retreat of the Albanians, after the failure of the assault they attempted on the 5th of January, 1823, to escape to the mountains of Zugo, from which he descended, the next day, and presented himself at Mesolonghi. There he met several of his friends; as almost every capitano or primate of distinction in this part of Greece had been brought up at Jannina, or been employed in Ali's service. Disciples of that school of despotism and corruption, no wonder if, during the present war, they gave so few proofs of patriotic virtue, or displayed so much ignorance of the meaning of civil liberty. From the doctor's reports however I readily got an insight into the past and actual character of these individuals; which was the more correct, as he united to deep acquaintance with his subject, a mind, unbiassed by party feeling or personal animosity. He panted, too, only for the establishment of good order. He soon convinced me of the gross exaggerations, which had appeared in Pouqueville's work; and did not fail to show the inaccuracies, by which it is deformed, both in respect to the latter days of Ali Pasha, as well as to the first events of the Greek revolution.

At this time, I perused the Philhellene Colonel

Voutier's Memoirs. The best judgment on this work is contained in the following anecdote, related to me by Mavrocordato. On Voutier's return to Greece, Mavrocordato requested him to favour him with a copy of his Memoirs. Anxious to see in what manner his conduct, during the siege of Mesolonghi, had been represented, he hastened to consult the chapter, which relates that event, when, to his great surprise, he perceived that the whole of it had been torn out. The next day, on meeting the author, he asked him why he had given him so imperfect a copy. After stammering for a while, he replied: "As there are, in the chapter you allude to, some slight exaggerations, which I thought necessary to insert, in order to place the cause of Greece under a more favourable light, I took the liberty of retrenching those leaves; fearing you might blame me for having allowed my Philhellenism to get so much the better of my veracity." "If," answered Mavrocordato, "your conscience has, since your return, become so sensitive; I am surprised that you have not begun to revise your work altogether. For that chapter, I am sure, could not contain more lies than the rest."

CHAPTER VI.

Author introduced to Mavrocordato-Description and character of that chief-Manner in which the Greek chiefs conducted themselves-Cost of Greek arms and ornaments.

THE day after my arrival, I presented myself to the Governor-General of Western Greece, Mavrocordato; anxious to see a man who had such a reputation in Europe. He had arrived a few days. before on board the Greek vessels, that were engaged in the late action off Ithaca; being there as passenger with his suite; not, as Sir Thomas Maitland supposed in his proclamation, in the character of Commander. On the appearance of the Turkish fleet in June, the inhabitants of Mesolonghi, mindful of his services, and how he had, in 1822, contributed to the preservation of their town, began to feel the necessity of his presence; and at the same time, that they petitioned the senate to send the fleet to their assistance, they requested, that Mavrocordato might be appointed their eparch, instead of Constantino Metaxà; a Cephaloniot nobleman, whose arrogancy, they asserted, was equalled only by his incapacity.

When the petition arrived, Mavrocordato was at Hydra; where he had taken refuge; happy to escape the vengeance of Colocotrone, who had twice attempted to assassinate him. Although president of the legislative body, he willingly accepted the proposal of the Mesolongiots; not only because it placed him beyond the attempts of his numerous enemies;