German officers, who had occupied distinguished ranks in the Prussian armies, stated to him evident proofs of Parry's ignorance of artillery; and the little likelihood there was of a person's having ever served, as he pretended, in the American or any other army, who presented himself before the troops with an apron and hammer. Lord Byron, however, was so infatuated in favour of Parry, that, neglecting to look into the affair with his own eyes, he attributed those complaints to jealousy, and to German ideas of etiquette; quite misplaced in a country, where merit, and not former titles, established distinctions between individuals.

Messrs. Humphries, Finlay, Fowkes, Blackett, and Winter, refused taking service in the artillery brigade for the above reasons; and those officers, who remained, did it out of necessity; poverty, not their will, consenting.

To a certain extent, Lord Byron was excusable. Ignorant himself of military matters, how could he suppose Parry so destitute of merit as he was represented, when Colonel Stanhope, and, in fact, the whole Committee, several members of which were officers of distinction, gave him the most flattering recommendations? But Lord Byron overlooked, for the moment, the truth, which he acknowledged on other occasions, viz. that, notwithstanding his pretensions to good sense and judgment, John Bull is, at times, the most credulous creature in existence, and allows himself to be imposed upon and dazzled by the tinsel of quackery, with all the simplicity of an unreflecting child. This man, who so completely acquired the confidence of the Committee, as to be looked upon by them as the future palladium of Greece, was as ignorant as he was presumptuous. Parry had been introduced to the Committee by Mr.

Gordon, who recommended him as a man, who possessed all the requisite qualities for serving the Greeks. Without dwelling on his acquaintance with almost every branch of military mechanics, it was sufficient to inform them, that he knew the composition of Congreve rockets. With this mighty instrument of mischief, the Greeks would, at once, paralyze all the efforts of their enemy by land as well as by sea. The valour of their cavalry, the only arm against which the Greeks were not yet able to cope, would, through these rockets, become inefficient; and their vessels would, thanks to the same means, more easily be destroyed, than by expensive and unmanageable fireships.

Once introduced to the notice of the Committee, Parry soon paved his way to their confidence. He gradually assumed so much self-assurance, that none of the members, who were not military, could venture to make him any objections or remarks, without his replying to them (to use a vulgar but characteristic expression) in a bullying manner; ridiculing their attempts to talk on subjects, they could not comprehend. This assurance was successful, and Parry was recommended to Lord Byron as a man essentially important to Greece; but, unfortunately, of a temper irascible, obstinate, and difficult to manage.

In order to gain an ascendant over this hitherto unmanageable man, Lord Byron treated him with particular kindness and generosity, and encouraged him by praise and marks of confidence. Parry, on his side, was indefatigable. No hundred-handed Briareus could have undertaken more. He gave plans for the erection of a laboratory, and presided over the works. He paved the yard of the seraglio, repaired batteries, instructed the troops in the musket and

cannon exercise, gave lessons with the broad-sword, inspected the fortifications, gave orders to Cocchini, the engineer; repaired gun-carriages, &c. Nothing could be done without him; even the regimental tailors awaiting his directions.

All this was Much ado about nothing; and although things went on as Parry wished, he hourly lamented the impossibility of making his rockets, incendiary kites, and improved Grecian fires, since the English mechanics could not work till coals arrived. A Turkish ship could not appear, without his exclaiming; "it is not my fault if I do not burn it.” Unfortunately, about this time a report was circulated at Mesolonghi, that the Turkish authorities, alarmed at these preparations, had set a price on the lives of the Europeans engaged in the Greek service, and great apprehensions were, in consequence, entertained.

While the minds of the mechanics, in particular, were preyed upon by these fears, the following tragical event occurred: a sentinel had been placed at the gate of the seraglio, to prevent every one, who did not belong to the laboratory from entering. A Suliot, named Toti, presented himself; and, without paying the slightest attention to the prohibition, boldly walked in. Lieutenant Sass, a Swede, informed of this, came up to the Suliot; and, pushing him roughly, ordered him to go out. On his refusal, the officer drew out his sabre, and struck him with its flat edge. Incensed at this, the Suliot, who was of Herculean strength, cut the Swede's left arm almost entirely off with one stroke of his yataghan; and, immediately after, shot him through the head. The soldiers belonging to the artillery brigade shut the gate, and after inflicting several wounds on Toti, who continued to defend himself, succeeded in securing him. His countrymen, with whom he was a

H

favourite, being informed of the accident, hastened to the seraglio, and would have proceeded to acts of violence, had not their friend been delivered into their hands. The next morning, Sass was buried with military honours. The Suliots attended the funeral; and thus terminated the temporary misunderstanding between them and the Franks. Nothing, however, could calm the anxieties and fears of the mechanics. With death-like faces, they presented themselves at Lord Byron's house, and implored permission to return to their families. This being instantly granted, they embarked for the Ionian Islands.

CHAPTER X.

Application of Hatajè's mother to the author-Her introduction to Lord Byron-His adoption of her-Jealousy of Mavrocordato -Conduct of Lord Byron in respect to him.

WHEN I passed to the Chanè, where the apartments appropriated to the establishment of the dispensary were, the wife of Hussein Aga, one of the Turkish inhabitants of Mesolonghi, came to me, and imploring my pity, begged me to allow her to remain under my roof, in order to shelter her from the brutality and cruelty of the Greeks. They had murdered all her relations, and two of her boys; and the marks remained on the angle of the wall, against which, a few weeks previously, they had dashed the brains of the youngest; only five years of age. A little girl, nine years old, remained to be the only companion of her misery. Like a timid lamb, she stood by her mother, naked and shivering; drawing closer and closer to her side. Her little hands were folded like a suppliant's, and her large beautiful eyes, so accustomed to see acts of horror and cruelty, looked at me now and then, hardly daring to implore pity. "Take us," said she; "we will serve you, and be your slaves; or you will be responsible before God, for whatever may happen to us." I could not see so eloquent a picture of distress unmoved; and from that day I treated them as relatives. Some weeks after, I happened to mention before Lord Byron some circumstances, relative to these individuals, and spoke with so much admiration of the noble fortitude displayed