PROCLAMATION OF A CHARTER.

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gave to Omer Bey Vrioni, under whom Alexi Noutza and Mantho were nominated lieutenants; Odysseus had the chief direction of his guerilla forces; whilst all his strong forts were committed to the most tried warriors; and that of Suli to the redoubtable Tahir Abbas.

Public enthusiasm at this time appeared to be completely on the side of Ali, who set an example of unceasing activity in the various duties of a brave and experienced warrior: sometimes in a litter, sometimes on horseback, he inspected all his fortifications, and the works which it was thought necessary to raise or to strengthen, exciting the zeal and rewarding the exertions of every one whom he saw active in his service: wherever he appeared he was welcomed with loud shouts and protestations of self-devotion; but these were, in most instances, the effects of dissimulation, not of love; snares with which a people, long harassed by a cruel and vexatious tyranny, sought to circumvent their tyrant and to hurl him from his seat. Moreover, at this time the subtle despot sought to give a still stronger impulse to the spirit of his people, when, in accordance with that of the age, he announced his intention of granting them a Constitutional Charter. The Greeks responded with great alacrity to his proclamation; but the Albanians only asked if a charter would insure their pay; while the Turks spoke of it with contempt and indignation. "A charter!" they observed to one another; a charter indeed! Have we not the Koran ? would the kiaffir change the laws of the prophet?" In the mean time Signore Colovo and a merchant of Ioannina were dispatched to Corfu, that great phrontisterion of political speculators, under the plausible pretext of collecting materials for this important document; but the real motives of their mission were to purchase ammunition, and to deposit, in what were thought safe hands, a consi

66

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EARLY SUCCESS OF ALI.

derable portion of their master's treasures. Unfortunately for his emissaries, whilst they were thus engaged at Corfu, the Turkish fleet under the capudan-bey appeared on the coast, and by it they were intercepted on their return to Epirus. Being taken on board the admiral's ship, Colovo was immediately recognized as Ali's principal secretary, and put to the torture for the purpose of extorting from him all he knew respecting his master's affairs.

At the commencement of the campaign fortune seemed inclined to smile upon her ancient favourite. Moustaï Pasha of Scodra, who first put his forces in motion, was forced to retreat before Mouchtar, as the crafty old vizir had succeeded in exciting an insurrection of the Montenegrins in his rear; the Ottoman fleet was obliged, for want of supplies, to retire upon the coasts of the Morea; and Ismael Pashou Bey did not appear in haste to move his raw undisciplined levies, which had been collected together by compulsion, from their position between the Haliacmon and the Vardar. Appearances however were deceitful: notwithstanding these and the exhilarating dispatches of Mouchtar, who had occupied Croia and Albassan, the day of retribution was approaching, and justice had already sharpened her avenging axe. Very few of Ali's troops could be relied on the warlike beys and agàs of Albania had been nearly exterminated by his severe policy: most of his Mahometan retainers had been long disgusted at the preference given to Greeks in all offices of trust and profit: the Greeks themselves looked up to the Russians as deliverers, and were eager to desert the standard of a Mahometan despot: the fickleness of the Armatoli, of whom Ali had been the greatest persecutor, was already shown his English allies no longer wanted his assistance, and had moreover paid him their bond by the surrender of Parga: to the French and Russians he could look for

SULIOTS RETURN TO EPIRUS.

279

no aid, for they hated him with a reciprocal hatred; whilst the hardy peasantry of his country, those who, if he had cherished them with common equity and humanity, would have shed their life-blood in his defence, were alienated from him by his odious system of chiflicks, massacres, expatriations, and a thousand other machinations of tyranny.

Accordingly, at the first decisive movement of his opponents, Ali's power began to crumble to pieces around him. All the places on the Eastern side of Pindus submitted to Dram-Ali: Pehlevan Pasha, after having taken Lepanto, attacked and occupied Messolonghi and Vonizza, the strongest places in Acarnania: the capudan-bey having provisioned his fleet, returned and took possession, by force and treachery combined, of all the ports on the Albanian coast except Prevesa, young Mehmet Pasha surrendering Parga after a few broadsides, and transferring him on board the admiral's ship. By Pashou's orders the Rumelie Vasilee Achmet now advanced towards Berat; when a defection of Albanian tribes around Canina and Avlona obliged Mouchtar Pasha to retreat from his pashalic, and to shut himself up in the great fortress of Argyro-Castro. The surrender of Parga was a signal for the Suliots, of whom considerable numbers still existed in the Ionian Isles and the Neapolitan dominions, to return and act against their ancient foe. Their principal leaders were Noto Botzari and his nephew Marco, the Leonidas of modern Greece, under whom these valiant mountaineers upheld their ancient fame, making many and successful attacks upon those troops of Ali who remained faithful to his cause, in the vicinity of Arta and Cinque Pozzi, and chasing them up to the very gates of the Castron. By one of the articles in their agreement with Pashou Bey, that chief engaged to rein

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OMER BEY VRIONI'S DEFECTION.

state them in their native mountains; and this above all things animated their zeal and courage. In the mean time Pashou himself advanced his forces to Larissa, from whence he penetrated the defiles of Anovlakia; when the treacherous Mantho, instead of defending his post, went over to the Ottoman standard, and having informed Omer Bey Vrioni of his movement, was followed by that traitor and Alexi Noutza: thus Ali, who with fifteen thousand troops expected to have kept his adversaries in check until events around him should take a favourable turn, found himself suddenly betrayed by his generals, deserted by his army, and reduced to the necessity of defending himself in his last retreat, amidst the fortresses of his capital. These, however, were garrisoned by his most faithful Arnaouts, provisioned for some years, supplied with more than two hundred pieces of artillery, besides Congreverockets, and commanded by a skilful engineer: moreover the navigation of the lake was secured by a strong flotilla and the castle of the island.

ALI APPLIES TO THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES, 281

CHAPTER IX.

As Pashou Bey was now advancing upon Ioannina, Ali was desirous that the city should neither cover his adversary's approach, nor afford him any advantage of position. He resolved therefore to destroy this ill-fated capital, and gave orders to Caretto for that purpose. I have been informed, indeed, that immediately after the defection of his army, he made application to our Ionian authorities, to know if they would protect him in passing over the channel of Corfu, provided he could escape from the coast. The answer returned is said to have been that if he could get within the British line of demarcation, i. e. beyond mid-channel, he would then be entitled to protection. His repeated request of an escort to the place of embarkation was refused; but information was secretly conveyed to him, that some English gun-boats would be lying at Butrinto during a certain period : upon them he might seize and pass over in safety; but no open assistance could be given to a declared rebel of the Porte. Ali was now betrayed by his own avarice: