dollars, being about the balance of my separate letter from Messrs. Webb and Co., making the bills also payable at Ransom's in London.

66

Things are going on better, if not well; there is some order, and considerable preparation. I expect to accompany the troops on an expedition' shortly, which makes me particularly anxious for the remaining remittance, as money is the sinew of war," and of peace, too, as far as I can see, for I am sure there would be no peace here without it. However, a little does go a good way, which is a comfort. The Government of the Morea and of Candia have written to me for a further advance from my own peculium of 20 or 30,000 dollars, to which I demur for the present (having undertaken to pay the Suliotes 2 as a free gift and other things already, besides the loan which I have already advanced), till I receive letters from England, which I have reason to expect.

When the expected credits arrive, I hope that you will bear a hand, otherwise I must have recourse to Malta, which will be losing time and taking trouble; but I do not wish you to do more than is perfectly agreeable to Mr. Barff and to yourself. I am very well, and have no reason to be dissatisfied with my personal treatment,

1. It had been decided to attempt the capture of Lepanto, garri soned by a few Albanian troops, who had received no pay for 16 months, and would, therefore, it was supposed, surrender, if guaranteed a safe-conduct to Prevesa. On the 25th of January, Byron accepted a commission from Mavrocordatos, giving him full military and civil powers, assisted by a military council. Parry's arrival was, it was hoped, alone required to set the expedition in motion. But after Parry landed, the Suliots refused to attack stone walls.

2. Fifteen hundred Suliots in and around Mesolonghi, with their wives and families, depended entirely on their pay; but they had received nothing for eight months. Byron undertook to provide for 500 Suliots, the Government engaging 100. The 600 men were placed under Byron's immediate command (Gamba, Narrative, PP. 99-101).

or with the posture of public affairs-others must speak for themselves.

Ever and truly yours,

N. B.

P.S.-Respects to Colonels Wright and Duffie, and the officers civil and military; also to my friends Muir and Stevens particularly, and to Delladecima.

1127.-To Charles Hancock.

Messolonghi, January 19, 1824.

DEAR SIR,-Since I wrote on the 17th, I have received a letter from Mr. Stevens, enclosing an account from Corfu, which is so exaggerated in price and quantity, that I am at a loss whether most to admire Gamba's folly, or the merchant's knavery. All that I requested Gamba to order was red cloth enough to make a jacket, and some oil-skin for trunks, etc.—the latter has not been sent the whole could not have amounted to fifty dollars. The account is six hundred and forty-five !!! I will guarantee Mr. Stevens against any loss, of course, but I am not disposed to take the articles (which I never ordered), nor to pay the amount. I will take one hundred dollars' worth; the rest may be sent back, and I will make the merchant an allowance of so much per cent.; or, if that is not to be done, you must sell the whole by auction at what price the things may fetch; for I would rather incur the dead loss of part, than be encumbered with a quantity of things, to me at present superfluous or useless. Why, I could have maintained three hundred men for a month for the sum in Western Greece.

When the dogs, and the dollars, and the negro, and

the horses, fell into the hands of the Turks, I acquiesced with patience, as you may have perceived, because it was the work of the elements of war, or of Providence: but this is a piece of mere human knavery or folly, or both, and I neither can nor will submit to it.1 I have occasion for every dollar I can muster to keep the Greeks together, and I do not grudge any expense for the cause; but to throw away as much as would equip, or at least maintain, a corps of excellent ragamuffins with arms in their hands, to furnish Gamba and the Doctor with blank books (see list), broad cloth, Hessian boots, and horsewhips (the latter I own that they have richly earned), is rather beyond my endurance, though a pacific person, as all the world knows, or at least my acquaintances. I pray you to try to help me out of this damnable commercial speculation of Gamba's, for it is one of those pieces of imprudence or folly which I don't forgive him in a hurry. I will of course see Stevens free of expense out of the transaction;-by the way, the Greek of a Corfiote has thought proper to draw a bill, and get it discounted at 24 dollars if I had been there, it should have been protested also.

1. "Byron," says Stanhope (Greece, etc., ed. 1825, pp. 543, 544), "was constantly attacking Count Gamba, sometimes, indeed, play"fully, but more often with the bitterest satire, for having purchased "for the use of his family, while in Greece, 500 dollars' worth of "cloth. This he used to mention as an instance of the Count's "imprudence and extravagance. Lord Byron told me one day, "with a tone of great gravity, that this 500 dollars would have been "most serviceable in promoting the siege of Lepanto; and, that he never would, to the last moment of his existence, forgive Gamba "for having squandered away his money in the purchase of cloth. "No one will suppose that Lord Byron could be serious in such a "denunciation: he entertained, in reality, the highest opinion of "Count Gamba, who, both on account of his talents and devoted"ness to his friend, merited his Lordship's esteem. Lord Byron's "generosity is before the world; he promised to devote his large "income to the cause of Greece, and he honestly acted up to his "pledge."

Mr. Blackett is here ill, and will soon set out for Cephalonia. He came to me for some pills, and I gave him some reserved for particular friends, and which I never knew any body recover from under several months; but he is no better, and, what is odd, no worse; and as the doctors have had no better success with him than I, he goes to Argostoli, sick of the Greeks and of a constipation.

I must reiterate my request for specie, and that speedily, otherwise public affairs will be at a stand-still here. I have undertaken to pay the Suliotes for a year, to advance in March 3000 dollars, besides, to the Government for a balance due to the troops, and some other smaller matters for the Germans, and the press, etc., etc., etc.; so that with these, and the expenses of my own suite, which, though not extravagant, is expensive, with Gamba's damned nonsense, I shall have occasion for all the monies I can muster; and I have credits wherewithal to face the undertakings, if realised, and expect to have more soon.

Believe me, ever and truly yours,

N. B.

1128.-To His Highness Yusuff Pasha.1

Missolonghi, 23/11 Gennajo, 24.

ALTEZZA,-Un bastimento con alcuni miei amici e domestici è stato condotto ai Castelli da una Fregata Turca giorni fa e fu rilasciato per ordine di V. A.

1. This letter is reprinted from Letters etc... to Samuel Barff (see p. 325, note 1), pp. 7, 8. Moore (Life, p. 618) gives the following translation:

“Missolonghi, January 23, 1824. "HIGHNESS!-A vessel, in which a friend and some domestics of "mine were embarked, was detained a few days ago, and released "by order of your Highness. I have now to thank you; not for

Io le rendo grazie, non per avere rilasciato un bastimento che, avendo bandiera neutrale, ed essendo sotto protezione Inglese niuno aveva diritto di ritenerlo: ma per avere trattato i miei amici con somma cortesia finchè erano alla di lei disposizione. Sperando di fare cosa non discara all' A. V., ho pregato questo Governo Greco di voler mettere nelle mie mani quattro prigionieri Mussulmani: il che mi è stato gentilmente accordato.

Li mando dunque liberi a V. A. per contracambiare in quanto posso alla vostra cortesia. Sono mandati senza condizione: ma se la cosa può meritare un luogo nella vostra memoria, pregherò solamente l' A. V. di voler trattare con umanità qualche Greco che può essere costi o che possa cadere nelle mani dei Mussulmani, giacchè gli orrori della guerra sono sufficienti in sé stessi senza aggiungere da una parte e dall' altra delle severità a sangue freddo.

Ho l' onore di essere ec.

A sua Altezza

Yusuff Pasha Governatore l'Esercito Ottomano nei Castelli.

e Comandante del

Feb. 29th, 1824. This is the copy of a letter sent to Yusuff Pasha with four Turkish Prisoners released at my "liberating the vessel, which, as carrying a neutral flag, and being "under British protection, no one had a right to detain ; but for "having treated my friends with so much kindness while they were "in your hands.

"In the hope, therefore, that it may not be altogether displeasing "to your Highness, I have requested the governor of this place to "release four Turkish prisoners, and he has humanely consented to "do so. I lose no time, therefore, in sending them back, in order "to make as early a return as I could for your courtesy on the late "occasion. These prisoners are liberated without any conditions : "but should the circumstance find a place in your recollection, I "venture to beg, that your Highness will treat such Greeks as may "henceforth fall into your hands with humanity; more especially "since the horrors of war are sufficiently great in themselves, with"out being aggravated by wanton cruelties on either side.

"NOEL BYRON."