GREEK PIRACY. 1823-1826
Charles Yorke, having attained the rank of commander in May of 1822,
was in August of the same year appointed to the command of the sloop
_Alacrity_, and in her sailed to the Mediterranean in the autumn,
anchoring at Gibraltar on November 29. He was dispatched to that
station to take up some important duties in the Greek Archipelago,
which arose out of the Greek War of Independence, then in full progress.
Until the year 1821, the Greeks, though often ready to rebel against
the Turkish government at the instigation of the agents of foreign
Powers like Russia or France, had shown little capacity for any really
national movement. But the gradual spread of liberal ideas which
followed the French Revolution; the bravery which distinguished the
resistance of certain sections of the Hellenic peoples, such as the
Suliotes, and Spakiots of Crete; the aspirations of Ali Pacha, who
conceived the idea of severing his connection with the Sultan and
assuming the independent government of Albania; the impunity with which
the Klephts or pirates pursued their calling in the Levant, all
combined to demonstrate the real weakness of the Turkish rule, and at
last brought about a national rising.
This is not the place to enter into any detailed account of the War of
Independence which followed, but its main events must be mentioned in
order to make clear the letters which my father wrote from the scenes
of the disturbance. The insurrection was begun in 1821 by Prince
Alexander Hypsilantes, who crossed the Pruth in March of that year, but
his efforts failed and he fled to Austria three months later; and other
movements in the northern provinces had a similar fate. But the rising
in the Peloponnesus under Germanos, the Archbishop of Patros, was more
successful; his forces drove the Turks before them, and the
independence of the country was proclaimed in January of 1823. The
Greeks, however, displayed little power of combination, and their
partial success was followed by internal dissensions which greatly
weakened their cause. Mavrocordato was elected president, but the
aspirants for honours and leadership were numberless, the various
factions were continually quarrelling with each other, and there was at
length open civil war inspired by Colcotronis.
Meanwhile the aspirations of Greece had excited great sympathy
throughout Europe; a Greek Committee was formed in London; the
Philhellenes became very powerful in most countries on the continent,
as well as in America, and many volunteers, of whom Lord Byron was a
notable example, enlisted in the cause of Greek liberty.
The Greek fleet, led by Miaoulis from 1823 onward, was exceedingly
active; the Greek seamen inspired the Turks with great terror, and did
immense damage to their fleets. The Turks retaliated by taking
vengeance on the unprotected islands of the archipelago, and committed
unspeakable atrocities on the inhabitants of Chios in 1822, and two
years later upon those of Kasos and Psara. In 1824 the Sultan invoked
the aid of Mehemet Ali, Pacha of Egypt, whose stepson, Ibrahim, landed
in the Peloponnesus and with his Arab troops carried all before him,
when the Greeks lost most of what they had acquired. The war, however,
was continued for many years; Lord Cochrane became admiral of the Greek
fleet and Sir Robert Church took command of the land forces. The action
of Navarino, which occurred in 1827 almost by accident, had a great
effect upon the fortunes of the struggle. The fleets of England,
France, and Russia were cruising about the coasts of the Peloponnesus
to prevent the ravages of the Turkish fleet on the islands and
mainland, and selected a winter anchorage at Navarino, where the
Turkish and Egyptian fleets lay. The Turks thinking they were menaced
opened fire upon the combined fleets, and were annihilated in the
engagement which followed. In the following year the Greeks had the aid
of the French, who cleared the Morea of Turkish troops, and by the end
of the year Greece was practically independent. Some anarchy followed
the assassination of the President Capodostrias in 1831, but at length
Otho of Bavaria was crowned king, and in 1832 a convention was signed
by which the protecting Powers of Europe recognised the new kingdom and
assigned its limits; and Greece attained an independence which she has
since maintained.
Among the results of this long period of anarchy and insurrection was
an outbreak of piracy among both Greeks and Turks. Individual
chieftains called their followers together, established their
head-quarters in out-of-the-way creeks, and preyed upon the commerce of
the Levant without any interference from their Government. As in the
case of the Barbary Powers, the depredations of these pirates became at
length so intolerable that the Governments of Europe were obliged to
interfere for the protection of their subjects.
Commander Yorke's part as representing his country in the mission he
undertook, to put down this state of things, appears fully in the
letters written to his father at intervals, which follow, and we there
see the important position he had to fill. He was, as he says, in those
eastern waters in the double capacity of warrior and diplomatist, or in
other words to command a neutral armed vessel, act impartially between
Greek and Turk, and protect trade from the piracies of both nations.
This was no easy task, and it appears that though his sympathies were
with the Greek cause, of the two he preferred the Turk as by far the
best to deal with.
It will be seen that he had to go round visiting the chief islands,
Corfu, Cephalonia and Zante, and ascertain from the governors if they
had any grievances to be remedied. He had no positive orders for his
guidance, but only 'act as you think most fit.' Often he found himself
in difficulties without even an interpreter, and so obliged to make
himself understood, if he could, in French. His short but graphic
description of Lord Byron at Missolonghi and his rencontre with Colonel
Leicester Stanhope will interest many readers.
From a journal kept by Commander Yorke during this service, which he
heads 'A few Miscellaneous Remarks. H.M. Sloop _Alacrity_,' beginning
in 1823, and now with the Hardwicke MSS. at the British Museum, I find
a few facts which supplement those of the letters. He records receiving
much civility from Lord Chatham at Gibraltar, and sailed from that port
on December 2 in company with the _Sybella_ for Malta, a passage which
occupied about fourteen days. After ten days at Malta refitting, he was
ordered to proceed to the Ionian station. He describes with great
admiration the beauty of the scene at sunrise on New Year's Day of 1824
as the _Alacrity_ made the coast of Epirus, the snow-covered mountains
of Albania contrasting with the green and fertile shore of Corfu with
its olive gardens reaching down to the water's edge. At Corfu he dined
with commissioners, generals, and at messes; and records meeting Lord
Byron's 'Maid of Athens,' 'who is now rather _passée_, but certainly
has remains of a fine face and a bad figure; large feet, of course,
that all the Greeks have,' he writes. There are accounts of other
diversions, including a week's shooting with a Mr. P. Steven and the
officers of the 90th Regiment, which he describes as 'a marvellous
slaughter of woodcocks,' after which he sailed to Missolonghi, where he
arrived on January 23. The letters describe his further experiences.
* * * * *
H.M.S. 'Alacrity,' Gibraltar:
Nov. 29, 1823.
'My dearest Father,
'I this morning at six o'clock anchored under the cloud-cap't top of
this extraordinary rock, and found that _Alacrity_ had made a better
passage by some hours than either _Ganges_ or _Sybella_ who are all
here. I paid my devoirs to Lord Chatham who asked after you, also your
old Teetotum G--- who I found in the very act of entertaining the
ladies of Gib with breakfast, music and a trip to Algeciras in the
_Tribune's_ boats to spend the day. He seems in great force and sorry
to leave this part of the world, indeed, they say that love has much to
do in the case. I afterwards paid my devoirs to the American Commodore,
Jones, who is here in the _Constitution_, and went over his ship; I
felt proud to see the ship that had captured our frigate--she is
enormous. Her cable and rigging in inches the same as the _Ganges_ by
level measurement, for they have taken the pains to examine, but she is
now in what I should call a state of nature as bad as I could wish to
see a Yankee in, with 450 men on board who look as if they were tired
of their work, and the officers say so.
'I have met a very intelligent man just left Cadiz, and have seen and
conversed with some of the Spanish Constitutionalists. Spain is in a
dreadful state; anarchy, confusion, highway robbery and assassination
daily take place. The game is up, if France has got and will keep
military possession of Cadiz. The French are disgusted with the whole
thing--the country and the people.... Officers and nobles are on the
highway.
'I shall sail for Malta on Monday. I am engaged in taking big guns up.
_Alacrity_ is the most comfortable vessel I have ever been in.
'Adieu. Love to all.
'Your affectionate and dutiful son,
'C. YORKE.
'I sailed without my Government chronometers, they were so bad I would
not take them, but the one C--- has on board is capital and we made the
rock to a mile.'
* * * * *
GIBRALTAR:
March 9, 1824.
'MY DEAREST FATHER,
'It is a long while since I have had an opportunity of putting pen to
paper to address you, not having been in any Christian Port for some
time, nor have I received a single line from any one since I left you.
'I am just arrived at this port having brought Convoy from Malta, and
now I am here I think I had better begin at the other end of my story,
and so come down to the present time, instead of going back; relating
all the little matters just as they are and how H.M. sloop and her crew
have been employ'd since I last address'd you from the same place.
'I sailed from Gibraltar to Malta in company with my friend Capt.
Pechel, and after remaining at that Island for ten days to put a little
to rights I proceeded to the Ionian Islands and there, as I believe I
before told you, to act in the capacity of warrior and diplomatist, or
in other words, as an arm'd neutral vessel between the Turks and
Greeks, to protect our trade from the piracies of both Nations, I
assure you no very easy task, but certainly of the two the Turk is the
best by far to deal with. I visited the Islands of Corfu, Cefalonia and
Zante, inquiring of the Governors and if they had any abuses to be
remedied, and I soon had over ten Petitions from Merchants whose boats
had been plundered and pillaged by both parties.
'Now we are on this station placed in rather awkward circumstances,
having no positive orders how to act in cases of refusal and obstinacy
on the part of these People, but only, _to act as you think most fit_;
how the Government would bear us out in any act of violence such as
taking by force that which they will not give up I know not; even with
justice on your side, I question much whether they would support you.
'I ask'd and consulted Sir T. Maitland on the mode I should adopt, but
he seem'd to advise that where they had captured a vessel, or property,
and refused to give it up on a fair review of the case, to take "vi et
armis" an equivalent or the vessel that committed the act. Thus armed
with his opinion it was not long before an opportunity offered, and
one, take it all in all, which was to me most interesting. A vessel of
the Greek fleet had captured an Ionian vessel coming from Patras to
Zante with a cargo "_as the Petition stated_" worth 400 Dollars, and
having plundered her and ill used the crew, permitted the vessel
herself to depart. This petition is put into my hands by Col. Sir F.
Steven the resident of Zante, for here a Capt. of a man of war is a
species of Penang Lawyer, and whenever a petition comes to any of these
gentlemen they always say "Oh! give it the Capt. of the Brig or
Frigate, &c. he will soon settle it, and do it by _Club Law_." However
away I went to Missolonghi, and anchored off the Town on the 23rd of
Jany. observing ten sail of Turkish men of war to leeward, went on
shore, and with much difficulty we poked our way through the narrow
channels of this extraordinary place, there being a low flat of sand
turning out from the land about seven miles; it seems to be the only
defence the town has. Had an interview with Mavrocordato who received
me of course, with civility, on Divan, supposing that I came to do him
no good, having with me two or three officers and an arm'd boats crew.
When I landed I met with a face that put me in mind of Hyde Park,
Balls, Parties, Almacks, &c. This was no one more or less than Col.
Leicester Stanhope come out with Jeremy Bentham under his arm to give
the Greeks a constitution.
'Powerful in strength must he be who can manage this; long in pocket,
with a head filled up with every talent that man is capable of
possessing and a pair of loaded pistols in his belt, with no more words
than are absolutely necessary to warn people, if they do not do this,
that they will have a chance of being sent to sleep with their Fathers.
'St. James's Street and English notions must be abolish'd, so must all
Romance of Liberty and the children of the antient Greeks struggling to
shake off the yoke of the bloody Turk; Lord Byron knows all this, and
is in fact the only man that has ever come out to them who understands
the people. He was at Missolonghi, living in every way like a great
Chief; and in fact he is so, arm'd to the teeth with 500 Suliotes, the
bravest and best troops the Greeks have, and twenty German Veterans,
besides a certain Count Gamba, a beautiful Albanian Page, an Italian
Chasseur, and an old Scotch butler, making in all about 530 well arm'd
men, besides the Suliotes from all parts of Greece flocking to him
daily, he could if he liked set up a Govt. in Missolonghi, but as he
hates governments, and likes this sort of life where his nod and beck
are a law, he will have nothing to do with their legislation altho'
they come and offer to place him at the head of the Government
victorious. He however has pay'd their fleet for them, who immediately
landed their Admiral and sailed away the Lord knows where. 'The first
interview I had with this Prince Mavrocordato I could do nothing, as I
plainly saw they were detaining me while they made out a case and that
Stanhope's wits were put in requisition. In addition to which I had no
interpreter, and so I was obliged to speak French, the only other
language Mavrocordato understood besides Greek. So I broke up the
interview by saying it was late and that I should wait on him again
to-morrow. This however I did not effect, as it blew a gale on the
following day, but the next I again saw him, and having previously put
a few questions to the purpose on paper I defeated his quibbles, and
made him refund in hard dollars the value of the cargo, threatening
that if he did not I should burn, sink and destroy immediately. I gave
him four hours to consider of it, and stay'd with Ld. Byron until the
time elapsed, much amused by all his sayings and anecdotes, firing
pistols at a mark, eating, &c. &c.
'The time pass'd and the money came; thus ended my diplomatic Mission
at Missolonghi. I have just seen some English papers, they talk of
Missolonghi having sixty pieces of Cannon and a large garrison.
'I can only say from personal knowledge that if it has sixty pieces of
Cannon they are all on the wrong side, or where the Dutchman had his
anchor. The garrison consisted of about 1000 arm'd men 500 of whom were
Lord Byron's Suliotes. The only defence towards the sea is what
bountiful Nature has given it, and a small fort on an island with two
guns, one dismounted, much more like a pig stye than a fort. In short
there seem'd to me to be nothing to prevent the Turkish Admiral from
landing men and destroying every soul in the place, but their style of
warfare is very harmless (except now and then, when they catch some
poor devil alone, then they murder him). The Greeks talked much of a
fine ship, and Ld. Byron recommended Mavrocordato to take boat with him
in the evening and "smoke a cigar against the Turkish fleet" which
however he declined. I was obliged soon to return to Zante for water,
intending to go up to Lepanto and be present at the storming of that
place by the Greeks. Ld. Byron and myself had agreed, he was to lead
the attack and indeed had undertaken the Enterprise entirely, and as he
jocosely observed to me a very fit man he was as he could not run if he
wished, alluding to his club foot; but it was otherwise ordained, for
to my great grief news one evening was suddenly brought me as I was
dining at the Mess of the 90th Regt. of the loss of H.M. sloop
_Columbine_ at Sapienza, my friend Abbot's ship. I lost no time in
being at sea and was with him on Saturday the 31st of Jany. having put
to sea from Zante with a gale from the N.W. and had much ado to keep
clear of the Coast of the Morea. On my arrival in Porto Longue, I found
my friend and his crew all well having only lost two people; the brig's
tops just above water; she was lost by parting her S.B. cable, and had
not room to bring up; she soon bilged on the rocks, and the people had
much ado to save themselves; little or no property was saved, they had
tents on shore and miserable enough, as the rain was almost constant.
The Pasha of Modon é Aron supplied them with provisions and was most
attentive to them. Abbot and myself pay'd our respects to the old boy,
he regaled us with Pipes and Coffee: and acknowledgement was made him
for his attentions to the shipwreck'd crew by a salute of twenty guns
from H.M. sloop, four of my cut glass tumblers as sherbet glasses, and
1 lb. of Mr. Fribourg's and Palets' best snuff. I think you will laugh
at our presents to him, but I assure you it was thought much of, and
highly valued. I think the Turks, tho' they speak seldom, yet when they
do are more profuse in their compliments and fine speeches and
questions than any people I have ever seen.
'I am obliged to close my discourse as I am ordered to take another
convoy, and a ship is this moment weighing for England.
'So with affte. Love to Lady C.: and all haste,
'Believe me most sincerely,
'Your affte. Son,
'C. YORKE.'
* * * * *
H.M.S. 'ALACRITY,' MALTA:
May 24, 1824.
'MY DEAREST FATHER,
'I am once more in this part after divers peregrinations and events
which in due time I shall narrate. But first of all I am in despair at
hearing from no single soul in the land of Roast Beef. One solitary
letter from yourself is all I have received since I sailed from
England. You last heard from me from Gibraltar where I was waiting to
take Convoy to Cape St. Vincent having brought four sail to that place.
Made short work of the Cape St. Vincent trip having a gale of wind
through the Gut of Gib. And not able to show a stitch of canvas, so
next day I was able to haul my wind again having made the Cape. The
letter which I hope you received was sent by one of the ships. On my
return to Gib. I again three days afterwards took convoy to Malta where
I did not remain more than six hours being called on to perform a
service of some delicacy; different are the opinions of the way in
which I acquitted myself but I feel conscious of having strictly done
my duty, and if I have done wrong, all that I have to say is that the
laws of nations were not the groundwork or capital of my education, but
it has made me take books up a little in that way. The fact was a
vessel under English colours received on board at Rhodes 250 Algerians
to take passage to their native city (among whom was the brother-in-law
of the Dey) with all their money and effects; on this passage they hear
of the war between their country and our own, the master of the vessel
wishes to bear up for Malta but the Turks will not allow it, and he is
obliged to use the stratagem of cutting his main topmast rigging and so
let the mast go overboard for his excuse. He cannot reach Malta, but he
gets into Messina, the Consul for our Government there was applied to
in this matter by the Sicilian Authorities, & as by the salutary laws
of that country no barbarians can perform quarantine in any of their
ports, it became their desire to get her away. The master of the
_Crown_ refuses to go, stating that his life was in absolute danger
from the people. I arrived in Malta from Gib with Convoy and in six
hours after I sailed for Messina with orders and that caused his
untimely end.
'Give my kindest love to Lady Clanricarde and if she wants Turkey
carpets, shawls, &c. &c. now is the time. Affectionate love to all. I
wish Hy. was with me, I think if he would read as he travelled he would
make good use of his time.
'Your affectionate son,
'C.Y.'
* * * * *
H.M.S. 'TRIBUNE,'
In the Channel off Corfu, on the coast of Epirus:
July 16, 1824.
'MY DEAREST FATHER,
'I am here with G--- under sail and about to eat the gouty old
Commodore's dinner, _Alacrity_ in company. We start together for Zante,
Cephalonia, Cerigo, &c. though I leave him to take command in the
Archipelago.
'He is, as you well know, all that a kind and affectionate friend can
be. I wrote you a few days ago a very short letter and one that I know
you will abuse much when you receive it, but I promise a long one when
I am in for the Station and business that will naturally occur
therefrom. I have already one affair in hand with a Greek corvette for
plunder which will be acted on by me in a burning manner, for these
fellows require it.
'All the Algerian business is settled and the Admiral has expressed
himself well pleased with my conduct. Hamilton of the _Cambria_
promised me to see you and acquaint you with all particulars of the
affair.
'Love to all.
'Your affectionate son,
'C. Y.'
* * * * *
H.M. SLOOP 'ALACRITY,' SMYRNA:
Sept. 17, 1824.
'MY DEAREST FATHER,
'I received your kind letter of the 1st of May a few days ago at
Spezzia on the Gulf of Napoli di Romania (Nauplia) by H.M.S. _Martin_
which arrived from Malta. Capt. Eden commands our little squad (for
squadron I will not call it as there are only 46 guns among three of
us) and being my senior officer has of course taken possession of the
Green Bag, & my command in these seas has expired after having held it
nine weeks. 'I believe before I go further it will be wise of me to
explain to you what this "Green Bag," as I call it, is, and when you
hear I rather think you will be a little amused.
'From the present state of Greece and the islands in the Archipelago
some Greek, some Turk, some both, and some neither, much piracy and
murder goes on against all the flags of Europe; and of course we fall
in for our share, and hardly a week passes but some appeal to humanity
or justice is brought to the Senior Officer, or any cruizing ship in
the Archipelago, indeed of late owing to the small force up this
country these papers have so accumulated that a large bag became
necessary to hold them, and when I gave up my command to Eden of the
_Martin_, up the side after me came the "awful Green Bag." The Senior
Officer here is in himself an Admiralty Court for all the Archipelago,
and a most difficult and delicate service it is, for _"truth is never
to be got at"_ and the Ionian who is always the person aggrieved is as
bad as the Greek. I foresee myself getting into a discussion, but I
must say a little of my opinions to you, faulty as they most likely
are, yet such has been the impression made on my mind by what I have
seen and heard; but I shall not break out here as I wish to give you an
outline of what I have been about since I left Malta.
'I had a passage of five weeks to Smyrna touching at Corfu and Milo and
delivering at the former 120,000 Dollars for the Government, found our
friend Guion there as much the ladies man as ever. I gave you a line
from _Tribune_ myself, I parted from her two days afterwards. After
remaining a few days at Smyrna I sailed on a cruizer leaving the _Rose_
there for the protection of the Trade. But before I weigh and make sail
I shall say something of John Turk, who has always stood rather well
with me until you take him into the field, and there he is bloody,
cruel, ferocious and desperate but _not brave_. In the drawing room he
is polish'd, well bred, and from the pomp and magnificence of style in
which he lives he cannot fail at first to impose on the stranger a good
opinion of at least his gentlemanly manners, and courtlike behaviour.
On my arrival at Smyrna I did not fail as soon as I was able to gain an
interview with Hussan Pacha, the Governor. This man gain'd his
Government by some merit of his own; marching thro' Smyrna on his way
to take possession of his Pachalick with his troops, he was called on
by the Authorities and Consuls of foreign powers to exercise his
military authority in restoring order to the town which was at this
time (1821) in a state of anarchy, massacre and cruelty, against the
Greeks; he undertook the task and succeeded in restoring order and
stopping the slaughter in twenty-four hours, after which service, in
consequence of a representation from the Consuls, the Porte confirm'd
him to the Government.
'My party on the visit consisted of Capt. Dundas, Mr. Whitehead (the
Admiral's son who has been with me from Malta) Lt. Trescott and Mr.
Forester Wyson, with the Dragoman; we were received with all due
respect and pomp and after many compliments, pipes, coffee, sherbet,
&c. &c. we took our leave. The conversation that took place is not
worth relating, as it was of that nature which such a visit might be
supposed to produce.
'I afterwards went a round of visits to the Turkish nobles and
principal officers of the Town, Delibash Beys, Beys, Agas, &c. &c.
Smyrna is a large town, and like all other Turkish towns has narrow
streets, low dirty houses, and long Bazaars; the people from their
costume and arms forming the most amusing and picturesque objects of
the whole. Here and there you saw strong symptoms of firing in the
dominions of the Porte, doors full of shot-holes, and now and then a
random ball whizzing over your head. Above the town on an eminence is a
very picturesque old castle built by the Genoese, now in ruins and
nothing more than a very beautiful object, and one of the finest
roadsteads in the Mediterranean. The country at the back of Smyrna is
rich and beautifully wooded.
'I rode out one evening with Capt. Dundas to the Consul's, the roads
infamous and my horse stumbling exceedingly I did not quite enjoy the
beauties of Asia, and the romance of the ride thro' the burying-place
of the Turk, studded with the Turban [Footnote: The Turks at the top of
the tombstone have the turban of their rank] or stone and Cypress, as
much as I ought.
'On the 4th of July, I sailed from Voorla, a watering place on the
south side of the Gulf of Smyrna, for Psara and arrived there on the
5th. The Turks having attacked the place on the 3rd, which they carried
in about twelve hours, excepting a strong work on the west end of the
Island which did not fall till the following day. I thought at first
that this had been a decided and bloody blow struck at the root of the
Greek revolution, but the Turk has gone to sleep since, or nearly. I
have myself little doubt that the French had much to do with the
capture of this island, for I learnt from many that a Frigate had been
at Psara on the 22nd of June, and for four successive days had sounded
round and round the Island and then sailed for Mytilene where the Capt.
Pacha was. Moreover when I was on board the Pacha's ship he show'd me a
Chart or plan of the Island, which the moment I saw it, I exclaimed
"This is done by a Frank," and he said, yes that it had been done for
him. The attack was made on the north side, the only place in this
Island that Turkish troops could land on with safety, and even here the
pass was so narrow up the mountain that only one man could pass at a
time. To shew the difficulty of gaining ground, and how easily this
place might have been defended, one Greek who was near the spot asleep
on hearing a noise jumped up, and with his single arm killed seven
Turks, one after the other as they came up; and then fled.
'As soon as I anchored on the roadstead, I sent to say I wished to pay
my respects to the Captain Pacha, who returned a very civil answer, and
I went _en grande tenue_, to see this mighty conqueror and Royal
Prince. Our interview was truly amusing. I began with saying that
having anchored in the road, and finding his fleet there (which
consisted of one 80 gun ship, seven frigates and about eighty
Corvettes, Brigs and Transports) I had come to pay my respects to him
and to congratulate him on his successes over his enemies; he whimpered
and simpered, like an old woman, thank'd me, but pretended to be
excessively sorry for the loss of life on the part of the Psariotes,
_he_ having taken very good care that not a _man_ on the Island should
have his head left on his shoulders; but the women would not give him a
chance, they did that which would do honor to the Antient Hist: of
Greece! throwing their children from the precipices into the sea, and
then following themselves. The Pacha told me he had not taken a single
woman, and only a few children, that some of the boats pick'd up
floating. We conversed on different topics, but more particularly on
the politics of Turkey and Greece. I ask'd him if he meant to strike
the iron while it was hot, and get on to Hydra, and strike a blow
there, telling him at the same time that I was going to the Naval
Islands on business and should tell all I had seen. He replied, "No, I
love the Hydriotes." The crafty old dog loves them like a cannibal
"well enough to eat them." After having sat above an hour (for I was
determined to see all I could) he was called out by the Admiral who
whispered in his ear; out he went, I was curious, and walked to the
front part of the cabin opening a little of the Door; I saw him on the
deck surrounded with Turkish soldiers who were each producing their
day's work, in the process of extermination. Each head got the
possessor a few Liqueurs. After he came into the cabin again, I tax'd
him with what he had been at. He smiled and ask'd me should I like to
see it. I told him I had read of these things among Eastern nations,
but was not quite sure before that it was true, upon which he not
knowing that I had seen a great deal, ordered the head of a Greek
Priest just taken off, and still reeking with gore, to be brought in to
me, which was accordingly done. After this I took my leave of the Old
Turk, who pressed my hand cordially; I ask'd his permission to go on
shore, but he would not give it, saying that it was a horrid sight and
that most likely I should be shot myself. The Turks here killed about
8000 Greeks and lost themselves by their own account about 3000, but
the fact is they cannot tell, for they never know the number of people
they have on board.
'Ismail Pacha had one of his Captains wounded, and he ask'd me to allow
my surgeon to visit him, which I did. This Ismail Pacha is an Albanian
and served under the old lion Ali for a long while and was by him
raised to a Pachalick which was confirm'd to him by the Porte after the
death of Ali; he commanded the 12,000 men that landed at Psara. Another
desperate act of heroism took place in the strong fort situated on an
eminence at the West End of the Island, it held out till the last and
was not destroy'd until everything was lost. The Turks had made a
forlorn hope to storm it, the Greeks allowed them easy access, then
fired the magazine. Thus perish'd 1000 Greek men, women and children
and 400 Turks. I sailed in the evening after saluting the Pacha with
twenty guns, and saw them fire the Town, the Plunder being finish'd.
'From Psara to Hydra where I had a grievance to try to redress, but
from its being a year old, I had much fear that with my small force I
should not be able to effect that which a larger ship would have
immediately succeeded in, with nothing more than threats. I intended to
try _those_ first and ultimately to do more and take my chance of what
the Govt. might think.
'But the _Martin's_ arrival has taken the "Green Bag" away from me. I
will now relate that on my arrival off Hydra, I found Miaoulis the
Greek Admiral on his way to assist Psara. I hailed his vessel and
invited him on board, he came and I made him acquainted with the
capture and massacre at the place, (since I left Psara I found that
about twenty-five sail of vessels had escaped, with some women and
children). He seem'd much distressed, but said he would push on and see
what was to be done. I afterwards heard that he kept aloof until the
Captain Pacha quitted, he then attack'd the gun boats in which about
2000 [Footnote: The garrison left at Psara] Turks were attempting to
escape and destroyed nearly the whole of them. Now the Island is
desolate and _neutral_ having neither Greek nor Turk on it; but I hear
that the Captain Pacha is going to adopt the miserable and contemptible
policy of destroying its harbour, and then taking no more regard of the
Island. I must say the want of unanimity in the Greek against the
common enemy is here too perceptible. The Hydriotes well knew that
Psara was soon to be attack'd and it was in their power to have saved
it, but its having been in former days a rival island in commerce, and
was now a rival island in achievements in war, they delay'd sending
their ships until it was too late. There were also traitors among their
own people, no doubt of it!
'My business at Hydra was a case of piracy, against a British merchant
of Alexandria, and all the property was stolen and the vessel burnt,
&c. &c. I called off the island and as _they_ wish'd to refer back to
the affair before they would give an answer, I passed on to Napoli di
Romania (Nauplia) where the Greeks have set up an attempt at a
government, for a government I cannot call it that has neither laws or
courts, not even a national assembly is yet instituted; but anarchy
seems to reign among them, and until something like a strict union
among the chiefs of this people takes place I fear their cause is not
likely to be progressive, or their means effective.
'The people who are now at the head of what they style the Provisional
Government of Greece are men who under the Turks were merchants, or
masters of merchant ships. The Chief or Primate of this Government
(Condenotti by name) is an Hydriote (his Brother is now Primate of
Hydra) who during his life has amassed a fortune of Five million of
dollars, having had for twenty-three years the Trade, I may say, of the
whole of the northern part of the Archipelago; himself a ship owner,
having no less than eighteen or twenty fine Brigs and ships from 180 to
300 tons burthen. This man has never given a Para to the cause of his
country; what can you expect with such a beginning? The Govt. have in
their pay about 10,000 men, ragamuffins of all sorts. This is that part
of the population of Greece that our Committee in London send money to.
'Are the Greek Committee such fools as to suppose that they are
honourably dealt with, and that this money is all put to the uses they
would wish to see it put to, or that the money sent from England will
ever do any good to the Greek cause, unless they appoint proper
Commissioners to receive it, and to dole it out, in such a way as to be
of service to those who merit it? Is the Provisional Govt. of Greece
such a Committee? Or are they who have been tricking and trafficking to
make money all their lives fit people to be entrusted with such a
Commission? _There is not one Patriot among them!_ And they are
accountable to no one by law, for there are no laws in the land.
'Money has arrived lately from the Greek Committee and it was put into
the hands of the Provisional Govt. What they have done with the _whole_
of it I do not know; some they have given to Odysseus. When he heard
that money was coming from England to Napoli he left his stronghold in
Parnassus and came down with the small retinue of 300 men to demand of
the Govt. some remuneration for his services, he had expelled the Turks
from Livadia, and he now required that they would pay 5000 men for him.
This Odysseus is the only man whom I should call a Patriot among them.
So different in style is the free Mountain Chief from the Lowland long
enslaved Greek, that you would hardly believe them to belong to the
same nation. Odysseus ever called and thought himself free, and his
family before him never own'd the dominion of the Turk, living in
inaccessible holds no Turkish turbaned head was ever near them. This
man tho' wild and untaught is patriotic, brave, devoid of superstition,
and last and most rare among the Greeks, has an utter contempt for
money. He has talents for war or peace, and the most moderate in his
principles of any of them. If there is a man in Greece who is to be
depended on _he_ is the man. He maintains that one of the greatest
steps towards the well-being of Greece is the putting down the
ascendancy of the Priests, with that you will put down intolerant
avarice and much crime. At first the Govt. would not give much ear to
his demands, but he goes to them in person, stripped of his arms,
telling them he is no longer a soldier, that he would turn barber for
he could shave; he said he would get an honest livelihood as a poor man
but not pilfer &c. _as some of his friends did_ who had neither
patriotism or virtue, and who thought of nothing but aggrandizing and
enriching themselves. Such was his opinion of this Govt., and he
assured me himself that not one of their heads should be on their
shoulders in ten days if they did not distribute this money in such a
way as to ensure something like a successful campaign against the
Turks. They have however given what I suppose they could not keep from
him and what he _had before_; the command in _Livadia_, and pay 5000
men for him.
'I had some very amusing excursions with this Chief and we became great
friends, he is in person one of the handsomest and finest men I ever
saw, and had Maria seen him manage his horse she would never have
forgotten it. I could give very interesting accounts of our picnics and
rides, when his Albanians roasted the sheep whole stuffed with almonds
and raisins, &c. &c. but it will take more time than I can spare, and I
fear by this time you will be nearly tired, but you must bear with me
up to the date I write from before I give up. The other Chiefs of Note,
Mavrocordato and Colcotronis, are men of perfectly different characters
but both by their different means attempting to aggrandize themselves.
The former's weapons are his talents and his tongue, the latter's his
courage and his sword. Colcotronis rebelled and try'd to overthrow the
provisional Government, he blockaded Napoli and was for some weeks
fighting with the Govt. Corps in the Plains of Argos, but Odysseus
appearing on the mountain, neither knowing which side he would take,
they suspended their arms and a reconciliation was brought about. I
think of late there has been a little more apparent conduct in the
Chiefs than before. I see in our papers great puffs about the fighting
in Greece. The warfare, in fact, is desultory and next to ridiculous
excepting in the passes of the Mountains, and when Turkish cavalry are
caught there the Greeks always kill them all. As yet the campaign is
rather against the Greek by the loss of Psara, their chief Naval
Island, which from its situation much annoy'd the Turk.
'But to the Greek Committee! Great as the respect is which I feel for a
set of men who have wished to give assistance to that cause so dear to
every Englishman, yet I regret much the material and money that has
been wasted and frittered away to no purpose. Had the Greek Committee
fully understood the business they were about to take in hand they
would not have sent out the quantities of valuable yet useless stores
which are now I believe in the possession of the people of Missolonghi.
If instead of sending out surveying instruments, sextants, telescopes
and numberless instruments used by our artillery and engineers, they
had caused to be manufactured musquets, yataghans and pistols in the
fashion of the country together with powder and ball, and had taken
care that a proper commission was there ready to receive it and take
care that they were properly distributed, I would have given them some
credit; but as yet I think what they have sent has created bad blood
among the people and rivalry among the Chiefs who should possess the
whole. When Odysseus heard that supplies of stores had arrived from
England at Missolonghi he sent 300 men and a captain to get some, he
demanded a share and it was refused; he then forcibly took away four
field guns and forty barrels of powder on mules and carried them safe
to Parnassus. The man who did this was Mr. Trelawney from whom I had
the circumstance. Of the money the Committee have just sent out, a
little comes back to us, for the Greeks always allege they cannot pay
for the piracies committed on our Flag until the money arrives from
England! This is too great a farce! I have actually been once to Napoli
for money, which has been owing for this year pass'd and which they
never would pay until they were able to pay it in English sovereigns.
'Greece has the name of fighting but with the present sort of warfare
that goes on, unless some interference is made or the one party or the
other gets weary, it may continue without progression towards the grand
end, peace, until doomsday.
'After leaving Napoli I went to Hydra where I had some piratical
business to settle. On pulling into the port in my boat I saw a vessel
there under British colors that informed me they had that morning been
captured by an Hydriote corsair, I desired that she should be instantly
given up to me which they refused doing; I that evening cut her out
with the _Alacrity's_ Boats; I put half my crew and all my marines into
the three boats going myself in my gig, making Trescott in the brig
stand slap into the port with her guns loaded with round shot and
grape. The shores of the harbour (which is not more than two cables
lengthward) lined with about 12,000 men, her guns would have made
dreadful havoc. In three minutes from the time we got on board, the
Greeks had jumped overboard and her cables were cut, and out she came
without the loss of a single man. They have protested against me to the
Govt. at Napoli but _it's all right_, and I did what was perfectly
proper in all points. These rascals must not be allowed to capture
British vessels on any pretence whatever; if they are allowed to do so,
even on pretences of assisting their enemies, no vessel but a man of
war will be able to sail in these seas.
'From Hydra hearing that Samos was about to be attacked by the Turks I
sailed thither, and on the first day of their attack (in which they
were repulsed) I took off 106 women and children with their property,
_being British subjects_, and carried them to Smyrna. From there on my
way to Napoli I fell in with the _Martin_ and returned to Smyrna, where
I found _Euryalus_. He went to sea and has left me Gardo here. Finding
that for a time my sea trips were suspended I set off for Magnesia and
much delighted I have been with my trip, suffice it to say that nothing
can be kinder than the great Turks are to me, and in a few days I
return to Magnesia to hunt with Ali Bey the Governor of that Town. But
I must reserve a description of these trips until another letter, as I
am sure you will be heartily tired by the time you have got through my
_griffonage_.
'I have enjoy'd all this summer most excellent health, and the climate
has completely left off its baneful influence upon me, thank God.
'Tell Lady C. I have collected for her a quantity of antient Greek,
Roman and Egyptian pottery, the greater part of which is most
exceedingly valuable, and some that I dug myself at Samos.
'I have also collected a quantity of very fine Coins (Greek) which _if_
I get a safe conveyance, I shall send Uncle Charles. Tell him so! This
letter I know he will see, so if he will, take it as written as much to
himself as you and indeed all the family, To whom individually &
collectively give my afftn. love.
'Don't show my letters to any but the family Pray!
'You will be amused to hear I wear the Turkish dress on these
excursions.
'Your most afftn. Son
'C. YORKE.
'PS.--Affectionate Love to U. K. and Agneta an affectionate Embrace to
H. Y., E. Y. and G. Y.'
* * * * *
ALEXANDRIA:
Dec. 27, 1825.
'MY DEAREST FATHER,
'Although I cannot write as long a letter as I intended and wish, for
lack of time, yet, as there are several vessels in this harbour on the
point of sailing for England, I must, after so long an interval, put
pen to paper in your behalf.
'By the finish of my last letter to you which I trust was prolix enough
I was at Smyrna, and had informed you of my visiting in this country
its nobles and princes: and I think mentioned something of a visit I
paid to Ali Bey, the Governor of Idun a country to the Nd. of Smyrna,
whose capital is Magnesia, where the residence of the Governor is. I
twice visited this Prince, and, so much was he pleased the first time,
that he invited me to come a second when there was to be a hunt of
birds and beasts. On the 13th of September, Forrester the Surgeon,
Weatley my 2nd Lieutenant, and myself with a young Armenian as an
interpreter and a Janissary for a "Garde du corps," started "au point
du jour" from Smyrna, and arrived in the afternoon at Magnesia, one of
the prettiest Turkish towns I have seen. Our journey slow, over bad
roads, did not afford any circumstances much worth relating. We found
our new acquaintances Turk and Christian, both in their way agreeable;
the Armenian, young, sensible, and an extraordinary linguist, speaking
nine languages though not twenty years of age. The Old Turk, funny, fat
and good-natured. The latter part of our journey lay thro' a pass in
the mountains from the summit of which the Valley of Magnesia suddenly
burst on our view, with the town on the eastern side at the foot of a
perpendicular rocky mountain very like the rock of Gibraltar, but if
anything higher, more craggy, and bold: the valley that lay before us,
bounded on the W. by a ridge of regular round topped hills, and to the
Nd. the eye could not reach the extent of this immense plain, which is
covered with vines, and fig trees, corn, and tobacco, the best in
Natolia. On my arrival, I sent my Janissary from the Kane I put up at
to say I was arrived, when an officer from the Bey came, and marched us
thro' the street till we stopped at one of the best looking houses I
had seen; we were ushered in, and I was then informed we were to live
here and that if I did not like it and was not comfortable that I
should have another. But I soon found out we could not be better off;
the Bey having sent us to the house of the Primate of the Greeks, who
was obliged to receive us whether he liked it or not, it being
sufficient that a Turk orders it. But in truth, I believe the old
Patriarch was very proud of the honor for no hospitality could outdo
his: the fatted calf was killed and we feasted sumptuously. Fingers
were now called into requisition as knives and forks are no part of the
necessaries of these Oriental nations. Such tearing of fowls and
tucking up of sleeves! After dinner the water, and then the Alpha and
Omega of all oriental visitings, mornings, noons, and nights, "Coffee
and Pipes." During the evening some pretty girls, the daughters of the
Old Man, danced before us, those dances which the women of the country
are so famous for: tho' none of the most decent yet very curious, some
young men playing the guitar and singing, for the song always
accompanies the dance. My Janissary was so delighted, that, he swore if
he had only had two glasses of wine he would fire his pistols right and
left. I felt rather satisfied he had not had the wine he spoke of. We
were all fagged enough to find our beds on the floor capital; and the
next day we visited the Bey.
'January 16, 1825.--I am now at sea and had intended this letter from
Alexandria, and, as I said before, it was to be short; but now I shall
send it from Malta, and it is to be long.
'But to resume my story. When we arrived at the palace he was dining in
the Kiosk with some of his friends, and we had to wait a little while
until the repast was ended when we were ushered in. He received us very
haughtily, and in a manner not at all consistent with the kind messages
he had sent us. Pipes and Coffee were served, and the conversation was
rather slack. At his feet sat one of the most extraordinary figures I
ever saw in my life; a countenance more devilish was never given to
Dervish before. After we had been seated some time, this man, who had
never opened his lips but had eyed us with the greatest attention and
ferocity, at length began to mutter, "Kenkalis, Kenkalis, taib ben"
("English, English, I hope you are well"). This was one of those
privileged people which in these countries are called Dervishes, who
are dreaded and respected by the superstitious, and who afford
amusement by their extraordinary antics to others. They have the
_entrée_ of all houses great or small, rich or poor, and are never
refused food or raiment: it being in itself a crime, to insult or
offend all who are in any way extraordinary: the more mad, the more
sacred the person. Madness in Turkey is an excellent trade.
'At length I soon discovered how it was that my new friend the Bey was
thus: his friends (Turks) rose to depart, so did I but he desired me to
sit down again. The moment the Turks had departed he was a new man. I
have never been so pleased with any Turk in my life as with Ali Bey.
His affability and kindness were European, which, when blended with the
handsomest form and face the costume of a Turk and pomp of a prince,
made a most agreeable acquisition to my Eastern acquaintance.
'He now began to make his attendants play all sorts of tricks with the
Dervish to draw him out; who seemed to be a perfect prince in the art
of buffoonery. We were amazingly amused. He now told me he had a grand
_chasse_ in twenty-five days' time, and desired that I would come to
him on that day, bring my gun, and stay with him a week; nothing could
have pleased me more than this offer. And as I lay Gardo in Smyrna,
twenty-five days afterwards I again found myself in Magnesia, housed
with the old Greek Patriarch a second time. He now sent us down to the
village of Graviousken (?) (Infidel Village) where we were well lodged:
his cook and household chief accompanied us, and the following day he
came himself. Our hunt, tho' not much sport to English taste, yet was
most amusing. The magnificence of the horses and riders; their equipage
and management of the animal; riding at speed, as tho' they were on the
point of being dashed to pieces, against a wall or down a precipice, at
once coming to a dead stop. Riding at each other, delivering the
jareed, firing their pistols and wheeling short round in an instant,
and at speed in the opposite direction. We had greyhounds and killed a
few hares. The following days were unfortunately wet; we returned to
Magnesia.
'The first visit I paid the Bey this time, I honored him with my full
dress for reasons very good, he was not quite sure who I was. It was
also necessary that his people should have outward shew, to satisfy
them: this I was nearly paying dear for. There is a horrid custom in
this country, of paying a certain sum to the attendants of these great
people every visit you make. A few piastres had heretofore satisfied,
but on leaving, after this Golden Visit, they seized my interpreter the
moment he took his purse out, tore it away from him took all he had
saying, "they should never see such a man again" and returned him the
empty purse. He fortunately had been prepared for such an attack and
had a proper sum and no more in his purse, but had it not been for this
sagacity, I might have lost all the money I had with me. Our dinner at
Graviousken was capital, he had wine for us; fingers were again in
requisition, and we were obliged to eat of twenty-six dishes, each
brought separately on the table, one after the other, which you had no
sooner begun to think good, than it was immediately snatched away and
disappeared. After having given to my old Greek some presents of silks
for his wife, and caps for his daughters, we returned to Smyrna, where
I found H.M.S. _Cyrene_, Captn. Grace, and soon after arrived Clifford
in the _Euryalus_, who most kindly gave me an opportunity of seeing a
great deal of other countries by an order to visit the coast of Syria,
&c. &c.
'Oct. 24, 1825.--We passed thro' the Straits of Scio, and on the 25th
anchored at Scala Nova. I shall not trouble you with nautical details,
as all my remarks, bearings, soundings, &c., which I have carefully
taken in this voyage I keep in a distinct remark-book. It is a small
town, governed by an Aga, situated on an elevated promontory, with a
small island and fort off the point, bad shelter for a winter
anchorage. Scala Nova had much interest to me, as I was completely able
to appreciate the conduct of the Captain Pacha with regard to his
pitiful attempt on the island of Samos, which is distant about twenty
miles. This Pacha had 100,000 men at Scala Nova, with a sufficient
number of boats and transports to convey them, and about eighty sail of
men of war to protect them. Yet he made the attempt to land 3000 men,
which I myself was a witness, and they nearly all perished by the
musketry of the Greeks. No further attempt was made on the island, the
fleet remains to the Northward of Samos, under sail for fourteen days,
(fine weather) the Greeks thirty-five sail of small vessels and
fireships in the little Bogaz, which separates the island from the
main. At length the fleet sail for Mytilene. The troops at Scala Nova
know not what to think, no provisions, no water, 25,000 die of famine,
the rest in a most pitiable condition, receive orders to return to
their homes, massacre, pillage, and plunder the whole way back.
Nevertheless, the Turks contrived to lose two small frigates by the
fireships of the Greeks. The conduct of the Pacha, and his disgraceful
mode of entering Constantinople with about fifty sail of small Greek
Boats for the occasion, with a Greek hanging at each mast head, you
might have seen from the public prints. My business with the Governor
of Scala Nova being settled (having obliged him to release an Ionian
Vessel one of his cruizers had captured), Ephesus three hours distant
became the next object. Little is now left of this once celebrated
city, and the site of Diana's huge temple I think is not to be found.
One splendid relic still remains. A part of a fluted Corinthian column,
of Parian marble, about 111 feet long, broken; the remainder is gone;
but from the diameter, the block forming that part could not have been
less than fifty feet; a part also of a huge cornice which was
immediately over this column remains, of marble also, weighing about 15
tons. The carved work on the capital and cornice is as fresh as the day
the artist finished it, tho' most likely above 2000 yrs. old. Ephesus
is thought by many to have been latterly destroyed by an earthquake,
and this small relic certainly tends to prove the assertion. On
examining this column carefully, I found that the fluting, about half
way down, was finished and polished, and a part in the rough. The
ancients always finished and polished, after the column was erect.
Certainly, some sudden accident must have occurred to have prevented
the artist from completing so fine a piece of work, and the manner in
which it is broken leads me to suppose an earthquake, without doubt, to
have been the cause of the abrupt departure of the chisel from its
occupation.
'Leaving Scala Nova, we sailed thro' the little Bogaz, by Patmos when
we fell in with some Greek cruizers, on the look out for the Egyptian
fleet under Ibrahim Pacha, whom we found at Bodrum (?) where we next
anchored. Nothing whatever of antient Halicarnassus, or the wonder of
the world, here remains! Not a trace, not a vestige! One tower more
modern, the base of which appears Roman with a Turkish superstructure,
and one block of granite on which is an inscription stating that Caesar
mounted his horse from this stone: I would have carried this relic
away, but Mr. Arbro, Premier Interprète et Lieutenant à son Altesse
Ibrahim Pacha, informed me that he had laid hands on it. Here I no
sooner anchored than a number of Maltese captains of merchant vessels,
in the employ of the Viceroy of Egypt, came on board to beg my
interference with the Pacha as to some grievance they had suffered. I
was quite determined I would have nothing to do with these blackguards
in the Turkish service; but, on going on shore I could not help feeling
immensely enraged at seeing upwards of twenty large Red Ensigns
(English), flying on his fleet of Transports, loaded with Turkish
soldiers going to carry them to the Morea! I presume the British
subject is free to trade as he pleases but, at the same time, that he
must take the consequence of his speculations. Whether this large
national flag was to be displayed at sea, in a rencontre with the Greek
fleet, became a question with me? Whether our ensign was to be borne by
vessels actually engaging Greek ships, was also a question I asked
myself. And the reply instantly was, "_No_, it cannot be neutrality." I
determined to take the ensigns from them which was done, and having cut
the Unions out I gave them back, which I have since been sorry for. In
short, I should have taken all the vessels as they were all sailing
under false papers, or have taken the flags away altogether and have
considered them as they really were, Turkish transports. But I felt it
a very delicate affair as Ibrahim Pacha, when I waited on him,
declared, that I should be the means of his losing his expedition, and
that he trembled for the consequences. He had previously sent his
Secretary on board me, to try and talk me over to give back the flags.
But it would not do, I saw thro' the whole thing. The fact was, these
mercenaries employed in the Egyptian service had refused to proceed any
further, their contract having expired. He having exhausted five months
in reaching Bodrum (?) from Alexandria wished to throw the whole of the
revolt of the Maltese on me, as having taken their colors; they
declaring that they could not go to sea in safety under any other flag.
He wished to be able to use this pretext to his father, the Viceroy.
After about four hours' conversation we parted as we begun, I would not
return the colors. We parted however the following day better friends,
the revolted vessels were moored in a line before the loyal ones so
that those who were willing could not go to sea. He sent for me, and
begged me to speak to the Maltese which I did, and desired them to move
their ships to let the other Transports pass out. What he said to the
Viceroy of Egypt I know not, but be that as it may the old man was very
civil afterwards to me in Egypt. I daresay you will think me a great
fool for having troubled my head in this affair at all; but really,
whether I am right or wrong, I could not bear to see the flag under the
Turk, and the vessels bearing it conveying troops to the conquest of
the Morea. Much as I dislike the Greek character, yet I love the cause.
'I was not sorry to get clear of Ibrahim and his expedition, as I
inevitably saw difficulties would increase and that from the situation
of the British subjects violence might be resorted to by the Turk, and
that my presence only added fuel to the fire. For while I was there the
Maltese grew more and more impudent. However, all since has ended well.
The Maltese have been honorably paid off by the Viceroy of Egypt.
'Passing between Stanco(?) and the main on the 2nd of Novr. we anchored
in the Harbour of Marmorico (?), certainly the finest in the
Mediterranean. Here we remained in consequence of bad weather, but we
managed to wood and water. After leaving this port I visited Rhodes, so
famous an island requires me to give some description. Keeping the Brig
boxing about between the island and the main, I made my visits leaving
her early in the morning, she standing in the evening to pick me up.
The Port here I by no means considered safe for the _Alacrity_. Small
merchant vessels do go into the Port, and often pay for their temerity
by being totally wrecked. Here you see the remains of what the island
was, with some of the Knights, but nothing more ancient except the
remains of a temple to Apollo. The works and fortifications are very
like Malta on a diminished scale, and the great Street of the Knights
with their arms and devices over each door. To see a turban'd head
sticking out of the window is a provoking proof of the triumph of the
Mussulman over these deserted Christian Knights.
'January 28th, 1826.--I am just anchored in the Quarantine Harbour at
Malta; I find the packet for England on the point of sailing so I
cannot finish my letter, but I think it already too long. In my next I
shall take up my proceedings from Rhodes, going into Cyprus,
Scandaroon, Beirut, Tyre, Sidon, St. Jean D'Arc, Deir-il-Kamr in the
Mountains of Lebanon, Lady Hester Stanhope with whom I stayed one week,
Alexandria, Cairo, &c. and back to Malta after a cruize of eight Months.
'I must now finish with a little Turkish politics. The whole
arrangement of the Greek War is put into the hands of the Viceroy of
Egypt. The Captain Pacha does not go afloat this year but is I fancy in
great disgrace. The Constantinople and Egyptian fleets are to be
combined under Ibrahim Pacha, who is now at Marmorico, waiting for
reinforcements to go to the Morea. I fancy the divided Councils of the
Greeks now gives a fine opportunity of success. Colcotronis has
secretly sided with Mehemet Ali, and it is supposed that Albania is
bought with Turkish gold. The Greeks are quite capable of this. The
only way in which the Turk will do anything in the Morea is by
corrupting the Greeks: if it is to be a contest, I prophesy the
Egyptian army _will never return_. The conduct of the French to the
Turks has been most decided. The King of France wrote to the Viceroy of
Egypt, complimenting him on his genius, and wishing him all possible
success. The bearer of this letter was General Boyer who has come out
to discipline the Turkish army, has assumed the Turkish dress, being
installed in his command with the title and allowance of a Bey and a
salary of 10,000 Dollars per annum. He brought out also two most
beautifully manufactured carpets, and 500 stand of arms and
accoutrements complete, as a present from the King to the Viceroy. The
Turks of the country do not know what to make of this gracious like
conduct, but they say he has formed an alliance with France either to
stop, at any time they wish, our overland intercourse with India, or to
strengthen himself so that he may be better able to shake off the
Turkish yoke of Istamboul. His views are certainly most ambitious; but
as yet have not sufficiently developed themselves for anyone, I think,
decidedly to form an opinion.
'Dr. Father, Adieu!'
* * * * *
The letter from Vourla which follows is that promised to his father in
the preceding letter from Alexandria, and is strictly of an earlier
date as it takes up the story of his experiences in the later months of
1824. The narrative requires no comment, as it speaks for itself, and
the description of Captain Yorke's visit to Lady Hester Stanhope at
Djoun will be read with interest. He attained the rank of Captain on
June 6, 1825.
* * * * *
'... After a tedious passage from Larnica we anchored at Beirut, once
the capital of the Druses but conquered in the time of Daher Prince of
Acre by the Turks. The place is supposed to be the ancient Baal Berith.
Here we stay a week. Beirut is a curious town. The architecture is
substantial, perfectly different from any seen in other parts of Asia
until you arrive in Syria; quite Saracenic, arches in abundance and
curious tesselated pavements of coloured stones. But this is not
Turkish, though now in possession of the Turks, but the architecture of
its former inhabitants remains. I made short excursions into the
country with some English and Armenian missionaries who have resided
some years in the country, but except the beauties of nature little
else remarkable is to be seen. For the best information in a small
compass of this part of Syria Mr. Hope's "Anastasius" will give it. But
within the compass of a letter I cannot enter into very great detail
unless I were to write it on the spot and take more time and pains than
my disposition inclines to. As far as professional remarks go, I have
as much as a boat and lead line and bearings will give.
'Here I was in some distress, for the pilot, a Greek, that I got at
Rhodes declared he knew nothing of the coast, so I discharged him. A
Turk now undertook to pilot us to Seyden, though on our arrival there I
determined to have no more pilots, as they rather confused the
navigation, not being able to give positive information at any time.
'After leaving Beirut we next let go anchor at Saida (Sidon) once so
famed, and now a very tolerable Turkish town. Here no relic of
antiquity is visible except a large block of marble about a mile to
southward of the town with a Greek inscription (which _I_ did not see;
Mandiel gives a sufficient account of it, and my friends who visited it
say it appears to be in precisely the same state that he saw it in)
with some remains of a galley mole, which the Turks in their profound
policy have blocked up so that it is with difficulty that a small boat
can get in. Here my attention was greatly diverted from examining much
of the town and its contents by the circumstance of my dispatching a
civil line "with Captain Y's compts to Lady H. Stanhope" offering my
services in any way to take letters &c. to Malta or elsewhere that I
might be going. Lady Hester for some years has refused to see English
people, therefore I had not a hope that she would give me an interview;
but to my surprise, on the evening of my writing, her Armenian
interpreter came on board with a kind note by which I found that a
horse and escort were at Saida waiting to conduct me when I might
please to Djoun her residence in Libanus, about three hours from Saida.
Accordingly on the following morning, with Luca my Armenian interpreter
whom I have mentioned in company, we started for the residence of her
ladyship. The ride, uninteresting from any circumstance but that of
actually being on Mount Libanus, deserves no remark, sterile, and but
little cultivated in this part. Her residence is on an eminence about
ten miles from the sea which it overlooks; on the other side it does
not look into the bosom of the Valley of Bernica, yet it is high enough
to enjoy the beautiful verdure of the mountain rising on the opposite
side, whose tops are the most lofty of Libanus. The air is pure and the
scenery bold. On a hill about a mile to the southward of her habitation
is a village which flourishes in the sunshine of her favour and
protection. Her house is a neat building, a mixture of Oriental and
English. From the entrance gate a passage (on either side of which is a
guard room and some apartments for soldiers and servants) leads to a
square yard, half way across which is a terrace with three steps, round
which terrace are the different apartments of servants, interpreters,
as also spare rooms for visitors. On the left side of the terrace under
a lattice work of wood woven with rose and jessamine I was ushered, and
shewn into a small apartment furnished in the Eastern style. The
chiboque and coffee were instantly brought me by a French youth in the
costume of a Mameluke, with compliments from my lady begging I would
refresh myself after my fatigue. On my ablutions being finished I was
sent for. Passing through several passages I was shewn into a room
rather dark with a curtain drawn across, which being withdrawn I found
myself in the presence of a Bedouin Arab chief who soon turned out to
be Lady Hester. She expressed great joy at seeing the son of one of the
most honest families in England, so she was pleased to express herself.
She received me as an English lady of fashion would have done. I at
once became delighted with her, with her knowledge, and I must say her
beauty, for she is still one of the finest specimens of a woman I ever
saw. She spoke much of Uncle Charles; her conversation beyond any
person's I ever met; she was in fine spirits. Her dress, which well
became her gigantic person, very rich. I shall pass over our
conversation which was full of liveliness, of marvels and wonders,
manners and customs of the people, plagues, troubles, and famines &c.
&c. I went back to the brig the following day and returned in the
afternoon to Djoun, taking with me Mr. Forrester, my surgeon, who she
requested I would allow to arrange her medicines which were in
confusion and disorder.
'In the evening she sent for me; she smoked the chiboque, her mind was
wrought to a high pitch of enthusiasm, she talked wildly and was much
distressed in mind, in short her intellects were much disordered and it
was very distressing.
'However, she arranged that I should next morning start for
Deir-el-Kamr, the capital of the Druses, with a letter to the Emir
Bashire, the prince of that nation. I perceive that, were I to begin a
description, I should waste much good paper without stating any thing
that is new. The Druses are a most extraordinary people; the Palace of
the Emir superb, the country richly cultivated by the greatest labour
being all in ridges on the sides of the mountains, but I shall refer
you to Mr. Hope's "Anastasius" for a good description and for all that
is supposed, for nothing is known of their religion. The Emir treated
us with much kindness and I stayed two days in his palace where we had
apartments, visited him in the forenoon after which he did not
interfere with our pleasure; excellent living, about fifty dishes
served to about four people for dinner.
'On a visit to the Emir was a son of the Pacha of Damascus, who offered
me to accompany him back to that city where, he said, I should reside
in the palace of his father and see all that was to be seen. Such an
offer almost tempted me to cut the _Alacrity_. I suppose a Christian
hardly ever had such an opportunity which he was obliged to lose. Lady
Hester said it was my djinn or star which got me into such favour. On
the third morning we breakfasted at Deir-el-Kamr, the town about one
mile distant from Petedeen the palace, and returned to Djoun arriving
late that night. She made me several presents, the most valuable of
which I sent home to your charge by _Euryalus_. She has written to me
once since.
'I wrote a letter to Lord Chatham about her as I know her family knew
little or nothing about her; in a manner I found myself called on.
'Much more could I write, but really just now my attention is so much
called off by continual calling from Capt. Hamilton, who sends for me
on every occasion, that this despatch will be curtailed, but I trust
that more particulars will come _viva voce_.
'Tyre was the next place where we anchored; no vessel of war with
English colours had visited this port in the memory of any inhabitant
living at the place, which to be sure is not many; it is little better
than the prophecy states it should be "a rock for fishers to dry their
nets upon." There are here some superb remains of antiquity,
Alexander's isthmus and Solomon's cisterns. Alexander's famous siege of
this place is too well known and it is quite out of my power to say
anything new of it, but his work will remain for ever; the isthmus he
made to connect the island on which Tyre stood with the mainland is
perfect to this day and has no appearance of being a work of art, but
of nature. It is 200 fathoms wide in its narrowest part. The most
ancient relic in the town of Tyre is the east end of a Christian church
which is mentioned by Mandiel; this stands nearly as he left it. Tyre
itself is a wretched place; any little attempt that the people have
lately made to improve themselves has been thwarted by the Pacha of St.
Jean d'Acre, who squeezes them so for money that they never have a para
in their pockets. Filth, misery and starvation are the legacy of a
Tyrian. The country around is rich and superb, its produce might be
enormous, but so it is with all Syria that I have seen.
'Solomon's cisterns, which are situated about three miles from Tyre to
the south east, are of an octagonal form built of gravel and cement
that form a solid stone. The elevation of the largest above the level
is twenty-seven feet on the south side, and eighteen on the north; a
walk round on the top eight feet wide, a step below twenty-one feet
broad, a stream leaves it turning four mills. There are two smaller
ones turning two mills at a small distance to the northward of the
large one. Their original shape appears to have been square, but now
much disfigured. The large one is thirty-three yards deep, the people
believe it has no bottom and that the water is brought there by genii.
Where it comes from no one knows, but it is always full. I think these
cisterns originally supplied Tyre with water; I traced the remains of
an aqueduct from them nearly to the walls but better than half way
across the isthmus, so that I think they are of a later date than the
time of Solomon because the aqueduct could not be built over the
isthmus before the isthmus was made. They are on the whole the most
curious relics of antiquity I have seen, they must at least be 2300
years old and they are in no way injured, but the supply of water is
constant even in the wannest weather. The country for seven miles round
is a perfect level: I think the water must be brought by some
underground drain from the mountains in the distance to the eastward.
The story is that Solomon among the presents made to King Hiram for his
assistance in building the Temple built for him these cisterns, but
they are not mentioned in the Bible, and I think the story improbable
for reasons before mentioned, and that Solomon certainly had not such
good artificers as King Hiram himself.
'By the bye there are considerable remains of the old port, a mote, by
the ruins of which you can easily trace its extent.
'Haipha and St. Jean d'Acre, Mt. Carmel and the river Kishon "that
ancient river" became next the objects of my amusement. I bivouacked
one night on the banks of the river at Mt. Tabor and Carmel in sight.
At this time an alteration in the weather took place, the gales of wind
began to blow here and the coast consequently became exceedingly
dangerous. I thought it prudent to quit it and arrived in Alexandria in
fourteen days after leaving Haifa, having had a contrary gale nearly
the whole time.
'During my stay in Egypt I was four days in Cairo, eight days on the
Nile, two days at Sakkara and one day at Gizeh. Salt lent me his house
and his boat with twenty men, and I saw all that was to be seen.
Mehemet Ali gave me a Turk to attend me and I play the traveller here
for a few days; time for description I have none. You will be sorry I
have hurried over the latter part of this despatch but I assure you it
is unavoidable. The vessel that takes our letters to Malta I expect
will put herself in quarantine every hour.
'I have returned to Malta, refitted, and am again up the Archipelago
with Captain Hamilton who has just joined company. We have been the
last forty-eight hours rather harassingly employed routing out a nest
of pirates which we have done nearly to a man. Our boats have been away
all night and the brig under way. My marines took the men under Lieut.
Weately, and my men took two Greek boats with nine men each on board
one of which was the Captain of the Pirates; the _Fury's_ boats took
the vessels and their prizes, eleven in number. There was no fighting.
Captain Lethaby in the _Vengeance_ and _Alacrity_ brought the Bey of
Rhodes to his senses the other day; the Consul had been insulted, he
would give no satisfaction, so we took the old way and began at him,
when he came to terms. One 18 lb. shot through his palace made him know
that we did not always bark and never bite. _Alacrity_ was near enough
the battery to receive a heavy fire of stones from the Turks which,
with a few muskets discharged at us, was all the return made by the
Turks before the thing was amicably arranged....
'Love to all; I wish Lady Elizabeth Stuart (de Rothesay) would write to
me, I do sincerely love that cousin of mine; Grantham's letter I will
answer next opportunity, I am delighted with it.
'Adieu,
'C. YORKE'
VOURLA, GULPH Of SMYRNA:
June 10, 1825.