lated khan, and having passed it, commenced ascending the last chain of hills which separated us from the Gulph of Napoli. The view here was sublime in the highest degree; all around [were] spread the most luxuriant but solitary hills; the sun was oppressively warm, and myriads of glittering insects were sporting in his beams; a long team of camels were slowly winding up the steep ascent, whilst the tinkling of their bells, and the songs of their drivers, were softly floating down on the breeze. A short turn brought us in sight of the ocean; the "deep dark blue Ægean," slumbering beneath an almost breathless sky, with the high rock of Napoli towering amongst the eminences on its shore. In another hour, our view opened widely, and we had an unrivalled prospect of the Argolic bay, with Hydra and Spezzia on its distant entrance; whilst below us lay Napoli di Romania, Zerynthus, Argos, and the marsh of Lerna, the whole bounded by the distant chain of Epidaurus. A rapid descent brought us to the shore, and, in half an hour, after stowing our baggage on board a caïque, at the little dogana of Mylos, we landed on the quay at Napoli. - pp. 80-82.

The situation of Napoli di Romania is striking and beautiful; but what is of more importance to the Greeks, its citadel is generally considered impregnable, and easily defended. They only obtained possession of it by blockade, and when its Turkish defenders had been reduced by famine to seven! The interior of the town, with the exception of one large square, is composed of narrow streets, filthy in the last degree: even of the best dwelling houses, the lower story is appropriated to the horses. The only trade which it enjoys at present is in the mere necessaries of life and in arms; with the latter every shop is filled. From its climate, or rather from its uncleanliness, its narrow streets, and its situation at the foot of a steep hill, which prevents the effluvia from being borne away by the air, the place is subject to epidemic fevers, which every year commit dreadful ravages.

Conduriotti, the President, and Prince Mavrocordato having previously set out for Navarino, to resist the progress of Ibrahim, the remaining members of the executive remained in Napoli, through which a constant communication was kept up between the forces north of the isthmus and the camp at Navarino. The following sketches of the most remarkable of those members of the executive and legislative bodies whom Mr. Emerson found at Napoli will be read with interest.

The Vice-President, Botazi, a good-natured honest Spezziot, not overstocked with intelligence, but bearing a high character for honour and principles, had taken Conduriotti's chair in the executive body. Cristides, an intriguing active man, acted as secretary, and the other members remained at their posts as usual. Of these, John Coletti, a physician by profession, and, as such, formerly in the pay of Ali Pacha, is by far the most clever and intelligent: of his sterling patriotism, however, there are few in the Morea, or even among his own countrymen, who are not rather sceptical. The exactions which have been carried on in Roumelia by his agents, and with his approbation, have rendered him odious to the people whom he represents; and his intriguing spirit, forbidding countenance, and repulsive manners, have gained him, both

with the Moreots and foreigners, a character for cunning, avarice, and dangerous ambition. Nevertheless, his acknowledged abilities have given him such an ascendency with the President and the executive body, that he may be considered the spring of its movements. Of the other two,

Speliotaki is a mere nobody, who would never be heard of, were it not for the attaching his name to the proclamations of the government; and Petro Bey, the Mainote, is a good-humoured round-faced fellow, who seems remarkable for nothing more than his appetite and epicurism. Amongst the members of the legislative body, none seem to make any prominent figure except Spiridion Tricoupi, son to the late Primate of Messolunghi, representative of that town. Having been secretary to Lord Guilford, and a few years resident in England, he adds, to an extensive information, a good knowledge of English. The meetings of the legislative body, though containing about fifty members, are usually taciturn, or enlivened only by colloquial discussion, Tricoupi being the only member who ever attempted "a speech." It was lately proposed to publish their proceedings in the Hydriot Journal, but the motion was immediately negatived by the overpowering majority of the silent members. Of the other ministers connected with the administration, by far the most promising is Adam Ducas, Minister of War, a young man descended from one of the most ancient and honourable Greek families. I say promising, because, though at present almost ignorant of the duties of his office, he seems well aware of his deficiency, and is anxious on all occasions to remedy it.

'But, perhaps, the most singular character amongst all the Greek legislators is the Minister of the Interior. His name is Gregorius Flessa, by profession a priest; and having, in the early part of his life, been steward of a monastery, (dixaios,) he is now generally known by the two names of Gregorius Dikaios, and Pappa Fiessa. A naturally vicious disposition had early given him a distaste for his profession, and, on the commencement of the revolution, he joined the standard of his country as a military volunteer. Having manifested his bravery on many occasions, he was at length promoted to a command, and in several actions conducted himself with distinguished courage. He now totally abandoned the mitre and the robe for the more congenial employments of the army and the state; and at length, after a series of active and valuable services, he was appointed by the government to be Minister of the Interior. Here, with ample means, he gave unbridled license to his natural disposition. His only virtue is an uncorrupted patriotism, which has all along marked his character, and has gained him the confidence of the government, whilst they despise its possessor. Such a character, though in an office of trust, is by no means a popular man. The scandal which the open commission of the most glaring immoralities has brought upon his original profession has entailed upon him the contempt of all parties, though his diplomatic abilities, if artifice and cunning may deserve that name, added to his patriotism and bravery, have secured him the good will of the government.

Of the Minister of Justice, Teotochi, little more is known, than that he was obliged to abscond from the Ionian islands for some fraudulent practices. The name of the Minister of the Police I have never heard, and from the abominable filth of the city, and the dilapidated condition of its streets, I fancy the office must be a sinecure.

We must add the description of the Cabinet:

pp. 86-91.

April 21.—I was this morning presented by the Minister of War to the members of the executive body. Their present residence is a very large Turkish house near the walls: the ground floor of which is a stable, the second story a barrack, and the third, the office-bureau of the Grecian government, a plain small room, surrounded by a divan, and ornamented by a large French chart of Greece and the islands: here, round a plain deal table covered with papers, sat the few descendants of Themistocles and Epaminondas, to whom was intrusted the regeneration of the "lost land of gods and godlike men."'-pp. 107, 108.

During the time of Easter, the inhabitants of Napoli enjoyed the amusements of that festival, always the occasion of great rejoicings in the Greek church, with as much freedom and gaiety as if the Egyptian army had been buried in the Mediterranean. In the mean time the Turks rapidly approached Messolunghi, before which place they appeared in considerable numbers. The intelligence of these movements had the (perhaps intended) effect of drawing the Roumeliot soldiers from the defence of Navarino. They never co-operated cordially with the Moreots; and on hearing that their own homes were invaded by the Turks, they marched away to the assistance of their relatives and friends. This proceeding reduced the strength of the Greeks at Navarino so considerably, that, although they were assisted by a portion of the fleet, and maintained their station with desperate valour for several days of hard fighting, they were at length obliged to accede to a capitulation which was offered to them by Ibrahim Pacha, and which was scrupulously adhered to on his part. Among the number of the slain on that occasion was Count Santa Rosa, an Italian exile of distinction, who having been refused a commission, or any office worthy of his merit, in the Greek service, finally entered their ranks as a private soldier, and fell with a musket in his hand; a striking example, if one were necessary, to those foreigners who seek to push their fortunes with the Moreots. The fall of Navarino was in some degree avenged by the destruction dealt among the Egyptian squadron at Modon by the fire-ships of the Greeks, in the management of which they have shown so much dexterity and enterprize. As the reader frequently hears of these destructive engines of maritime warfare, he may not be displeased to learn some particulars of their construction.

The vessels usually employed for this service are old ships purchased by the government. Their construction, as fire-ships, is very simple; nothing more being wanted than active combustion. For this purpose, the ribs, hold, and sides of the vessel, after being well tarred, are lined with dried furze, dipped in pitch and lees of oil, and sprinkled with sulphur; a number of hatchways are then cut along the deck, and under each is placed a small barrel of gunpowder; so that at the moment of conflagration each throws off its respective hatch, and giving ample vent to the flames, prevents the deck being too soon destroyed by the explosion.

A train which passes through every part of the ship, and communicates with every barrel, running round the deck and passing out at the

steerage-window, completes the preparation below; whilst above, every rope and yard is well covered with tar, so as speedily to convey the flames to the sails; and at the extremity of each yard-arm is attached a wickered hook, which being once entangled with the enemy's rigging, renders escape, after coming in contact, almost a matter of impossibility. The train, to prevent accidents, is never laid till the moment of using it; when all being placed in order, and the wind favourable, with every possible sail set, so as to increase the flames, she bears down upon the enemy's line, whilst the crew, usually twenty-five or thirty in number, have no other defence than crouching behind the after-bulwarks. When close upon the destined ship, all hands descend by the stern, into a launch fitted out for the purpose, with high gunwales and a pair of small swivels; and, at the moment of contact, the train is fired by the Captain, and every hatch being thrown off, the flames burst forth, at the same instant, from stem to stern; and ascending by the tarred ropes and sails, soon communicate with the rigging of the enemy's vessel, who have never yet, in one instance, been able to extricate themselves. In fact, such is the terror with which they have inspired the Turks, that they seldom make the slightest resistance. On the distant approach of the fire-ship, they maintain, for some minutes, an incessant random cannonade; but, at length, long before she comes in contact, precipitate themselves into the sea, and attempt to reach the other vessels, scarcely one remaining to the last moment to attempt to save the devoted ship. Sometimes, however, armed boats are sent off from the other vessels of the fleet, but they have never yet been able either to prevent the approach of the fire-ship, or seize on the crew whilst making their escape; and, though fire-ships are in other countries considered a forlorn hope, such is the stupidity and terror of the Turks, that it is rarely that one of the brulottiers is wounded, and very seldom, indeed, that any lose their lives.'-pp. 168-171.

Mr. Emerson states that the number of vessels at present employed in the Greek fleet, does not exceed sixty-five; that of the fire-ships seldom exceeds fifteen. Six or seven of the vessels of war carry three masts, and eighteen guns at the utmost, all of different calibre; the remainder are brigs and single-masted schooners, of from one hundred to two hundred and fifty tons. The entire fleet is as yet the property of individuals; and though the sailors and certain allowances for disbursements are paid by the government, yet the main expenses fall on the owners. The greatest number are from Hydra, whose vessels are distinguished for the beauty of their models, and the taste displayed in the cutting of their sails. The discipline and government of the vessels depend very much on the extent of confidence, which the crews repose in their commanders. Jealousy and faction prevail among the latter quite as extensively as among the chieftains of the land-forces. Their principal, if not indeed their only exploits have been hitherto achieved by the fire-ships. It is seldom that they venture to board an enemy-never if they can help it. The most daring and successful of their admirals is Miaulis, a Hydriot merchant, of from fifty to sixty years old, and of sterling patriotism. Mr. Emerson gives several minute and curious details of the customs observed on board the vessels of the Greek fleet, (with which he made

a short cruize,) and of the mode in which their manœuvres are conducted, which show that they are as yet in a very defective state of organisation.

After the fall of Navarino, Conduriotti, and Mavrocordato, most patriotically,' left the troops to shift for themselves, and sailed in a brig from Calamata for Napoli, where they arrived on the evening of the 16th of May. They are both sketched off by the author in a concise and perspicuous manner.

I was rather disappointed in the appearance of Mavrocordato: his figure is small, and any thing but dignified or prepossessing. The little of his countenance which is visible through his bushy hair and eyebrows, and his fiercely-curling mustachios, indicates more of childishness than intellect, though the deep glance of a penetrating eye gives it an occasional animation. His manners, like that of all Fanariots, though easy and obliging, contains too much of an overstrained politeness, which seems like intriguing servility; and this, together with a studied lightness of conversation, and an extremely silly laugh, renders the first impression of him by no means favourable. George Conduriotti, the president of the executive body, is a plain inactive man, of no talent, but unshaken integrity. His family came originally from Condouri, a village in the vicinity of Athens, but have been long resident at Hydra; where an unprecedented success in trade, together with an unblemished reputation, have rendered him and his brother the most opulent, and amongst the most honourable inhabitants of the island. A desire to please the Hydriots, whose exertions have been so important in advancing the success of the revolution, has no doubt been the leading cause of his election to an office for which he is so ill qualified both by nature and education; but to which, however, his honourable character gives an importance in the eyes of his countrymen, which the higher talents of others might be less efficient in conferring on it.' - pp. 158, 159.

It would be superfluous to go through the details of Ibrahim's short campaign. Colocotroni had been liberated from his imprisonment at Hydra, for the purpose of rousing his countrymen, the Moreots, to oppose the progress of the Pacha, and had strenuously co-operated with the troops of the government, in defending the passes and fortresses between Navarino and Tripolizza. The Pacha, however, overthrew every obstacle, and established 6000 of his infantry, and 700 of his cavalry in that important place: where, by the latest accounts, he still remained, most probably waiting the result of the siege of Messolunghi by the Turks, which seems to be carried on with much activity.

During a short sojourn at Hydra, Mr. Emerson witnessed one of the most horrid scenes of massacre which have ever been recorded in history. It is painful to say, that the cruelty was all on the side of the Greeks. It is a stain upon their escutcheon, which no victory can obscure, no reverses expiate. It is a disgrace to human Some Hydriots had been blown up in a ship at Vathico, by a Turkish slave on board, whom the captain had struck, and when the intelligence reached Hydra, the inhabitants were maddened to such an excess of revenge, that 'they butchered every inmate

nature.