in the Consulate, belonging to British merchants at Malta, I have succeeded by great exertions in load to the numerous violent and unjust attacks which, from the very commencement of the Revolution, were made against me in my official capacity, by the insurgents or their partisans, and I have thought a Note in this place the fittest and most convenient manner of mentioning the subject, once for all. From a perusal of these Extracts it must be admitted that the situation in which I was placed at the breaking out of the insurrection at Patrass, was one of some difficulty and danger. I have shewn the manner in which the Ionians conducted themselves, when forbidden to take part in the Revolution, and I could not but perceive that the line of conduct which my duty prescribed, had subjected me to the most violent resentment of Greeks of every description." It will be seen that my own servant, an Ionian, conspired with a set of Greeks to burn my house, to destroy myself and family, and even proposed to have recourse to poison. Having defeated these diabolical designs, I was next assailed by a soi-disant declaration of the Greek people, which was published in most of the European Journals in September, 1821. This document (a translation of which will be found in the Appendix), was styled a protest on the part of the Greeks of the Peloponnesus, dated the 27th April, 1821, appeared without signature, was never notified to me during my residence at Patrass or Zante, up to the month of July; nor was any notice of it given to my brother, who remained at Patrass as Vice-Consul until the month of December following. Soon after my arrival at Marseilles, in September of the same year, I was greatly astonished at finding, in a French Journal, a string of false and calumnious accusations against me, in the form of a solemn official document; upon which, and after taking legal advice, I proceeded to Paris at considerable inconvenience and expense, to prosecute the journalists, and give them an opportunity of proving, if in their power, the infamous charges made against my character. Upon consulting Monsieur Berrier, Fils, (in justice to whom, and the Advocate at Marseilles, I cannot omit stating that I was unable to prevail on either to accept any remuneration,) I found that I could not maintain judicial proceed ing on board the packet, and have sent them to Malta: to effect this, I was myself compelled to labour with my servants. I have still my own property in the house, which of course is far from safe, but I shall endeavour to send it over to the Islands. Monsieur Pouqueville, the French Consul, has been placed in an unpleasant situation, and was obliged to apply to me for protection. Much valuable Greek property had been received into the French Consulate, and, on the Pasha's entry, from three hundred to three hundred and fifty men, women and children, took refuge there: among the number were several persons under the French protection. On the 17th instant, some of these being intoxicated, took occasion to insult and intimidate the Consul, and threatened to shoot him; he managed to escape, disguised in his servant's coat, and rushed to my house, imploring protection. Such was his terror, that, on entering my gates, he called to the Janissary to close them, as he was pursued by assassins he rushed into the house, which he traversed with inconceivable speed, and was pro ings against the editors, as not being accredited in France. Under such circumstances it only remained for me to call upon the editors of the different Parisian journals, and, by submitting to them authentic documents, proving the falsehood of such charges as were capable of refutation by direct evidence, to obtain their recantations, in which I succeeded. I shall not intrude on my readers with more than that of the Constitutionnel, which will be found in the Appendix. ceeding to take refuge in a room, when he was met at the entrance by my brother. Ere the latter could gain the least insight into the cause of such an unexpected visit, Monsieur Pouqueville retraced his steps with equal rapidity, and finally forced himself into the drawing-room, where, quite overcome, and the picture of despair, he threw himself on his knees before Mrs. Green, exclaiming, "Pour l'amour de Dieu, sauvez-moi, Madame." As I was absent at the moment, assisting in extinguishing the conflagration, a servant was sent for me: but notwithstanding all my entreaties to the contrary, nothing short of embarkation would content him, and I was obliged to seek Captain Hunter, of the Clifton, then engaged among the burning ruins, who accompanied him on board his vessel, after he had been induced to re-clothe himself in his uniform. Fearful of meeting any of the ruffians, he refused to go by the road, preferring to be let down a precipice at the bottom of my garden, which was accomplished by the aid of the cords of my flag-staff, and without accident, except a little damage done by the friction of his gaudy Parisian uniform. After remaining three days on board, and suffering from sea-sickness, at my urgent solicitation he returned, and resided in my house two days. In the meantime I had investigated the affair, and ascertained that the disturbance arose from a fear lest M. Pouqueville should leave the Consulate however, I found means to persuade the rioters to quit Patrass, and provided them a conveyance to Missolonghi. As soon as these quitted the Consulate, the French Consul returned there. I never recollect to have seen any one so completely under the influence of fear; he was incapable of the least exertion*. My advices from Zante state, that several thousand refugees had arrived there and in the other islands; the women and children had been re * Dr. Pouqueville's account of this transaction is as follows:"Qu'on me pardonne de transcrire le journal du consul; je le mettrai désormais en scène le moins que je pourrai. 'Je n'avais jamais entendu un pareil langage. Moi, qui ne croyais pas avoir un ennemi sur la terre, quelle fut ma surprise! Des hommes que je connaissais depuis quinze ans, me menacer, demander mon déshonneur! En réfléchissant sur une pareille démence, je descendis seul et sans armes jusqu'à la porte. Alors, m'adressant au plus furieux: Vous savez, lui dis-je, que mon intention n'est pas de partir; mais puisque vous prétendez commander ici, je vous ordonne, au nom du roi, d'embarquer votre famille et de sortir. A ces mots, le furieux me repousse, deux assassins se présentent en seconde ligne, d'autres me suivent, lorsqu'un de mes domestiques me crie en grec, du haut de la galerie, de me sauver. Quelques personnes m'arrachent de leur mains; je sors par une des brèches que le tremblement de terre de la veille avait faites au mur d'enceinte ; je me rends à bord d'un vaisseau Anglais, commandé par le Capitaine Hunter. De là mes regards se portent sur la grand scène de désolation qui enveloppe Patras. La nuit tombe, les Turcs sont rentrés au château; les rebelles m'addressent plusieurs messages; un de leurs négociateurs veut les excuser en rejetant sur l'ivresse la faute qu'ils ont commise; ma réponse est: qu'ils partent, et qu'ils' s'émbarquent. Ils cèdent, et au point du jour je rentre au consulat, que je n'avais pas perdue de vue, et où je n'osais faire pénétrer la force armée, qui aurait fait, avant tout, main basse sur les Grecs réfugiés.”” D ... |