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UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL 
 
 00022245508 
 
 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 A STORY OF 
 THE GRECIAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE 
 
 (1821-1827) 
 
 G. A. HENTY 
 
 Author of" Beric the Briton," " Condemned as a Nihilist," etc. 
 
 WITH TWELVE ILLUSTRATIONS BY W. S. STACEY, AND 
 A MAP OF THE GRECIAN ARCHIPELAGO 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 
 
 1902 
 
COPYRIGHT, 1892, BY 
 CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS. 
 
 THE CAXTON PRESS 
 NEW YORK. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 My dear Lads, 
 
 The struggle known as the Greek War of Independence 
 lasted for six years (1821-27), and had I attempted to give 
 even an outline of the events this would have been a history 
 and not a story. Moreover, six years is altogether beyond the 
 length of time that can be included in a book for boys. For 
 these reasons I have confined the story to the principal inci- 
 dents of the first two years of the war ; those of my readers 
 who may wish to learn the whole history of the struggle I refer 
 to Finlay's well-known Hisfo?y of Greece, which I have followed 
 closely in my narration. 
 
 As a rule in the stories of wars, especially of wars waged 
 for national independence, the dark side of the struggle is 
 brightened by examples of patriotism and devotion, of heroic 
 bravery, of humanity to the wounded, of disinterestedness and 
 self-sacrifice. The war of Greek independence is an exception. 
 The story is a dark one with scarcely a gleam of light. Never 
 during modern times has a struggle been disgraced by such 
 deeds of cruelty and massacre as those which prevailed on both 
 sides. Such being the case, I have devoted less space than 
 usual to the historical portion of my tale, and this plays but a 
 subordinate part in the adventures of the Misericordia and her 
 crew. 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 G. A. HENTY. 
 
 696732 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2012 with funding from 
 
 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hil 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/ingreekwatersstoOhenty 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 I. A Greek Student . n 
 
 II. A Yacht ,,.... = . 29 
 
 III. The Wreck 47 
 
 IV. A Startling Proposal ......... 66 
 
 V. Fitting Out 85 
 
 VI. Under Weigh 107 
 
 VII. A Change of Name 127 
 
 VIII. A Besieged Village 145 
 
 IX. Rescued . 162 
 
 X. A Daring Exploit 1S0 
 
 XI. In the Hands of the Turks 197 
 
 XII. Planning a Rescue 213 
 
 XIII. The Pasha of Adalia . 225 
 
 XIV. Chios 243 
 
 XV. A White Scjlall 259 
 
 XVI. Fire-Ships , 277 
 
CONTEXTS 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 XVII. Rescuing the Garrison of Athens .... 295 
 
 XVIII. A Turkish Defeat 312 
 
 XIX. Prisoners 330 
 
 XX. At Constantinople 348 
 
 XXI. The •• Misericordia" Again 365 
 
 XXII. All Ends Well 385 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Captured by Albanian Brigands Frontispiece 
 
 "Well, youngster, what is it?" 20 
 
 Horace suggests a Rescue 52 
 
 Their First Sight of the Schooner 82 
 
 A Discussion about Clothes no 
 
 "give them a round." said captain martyn . . . . 1-j.s 
 
 The Captain is Wounded 177 
 
 The Greek Captiyes are brought on Deck . . . . 19S 
 
 The Capture of the Pasha 228 
 
 Repelling the Turkish Boarders 279 
 
 The Goyernor comes on Board 306 
 
 The Doctor tells the Story 379 
 
 Map of Grecian Archipelago 10 
 
IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 A GREEK STUDENT 
 
 |]iiE people of the little fishing village of Seaport 
 were agreed on one subject, however much they 
 might differ on others, namely, that Mr. Bever- 
 idge was "a wonderful learned man." In this 
 respect they were proud of him : learned men 
 came to visit him, and his name was widely known as the 
 author of various treatises and books which were precious to 
 deep scholars, and were held in high respect at the universi- 
 ties. Most of the villagers were, however, of opinion that it 
 would have been better for Seaport had Mr. Beveridge been a 
 trifle less learned and a good deal more practical. Naturally 
 he would have been spoken of as the squire, for he was the 
 owner of the whole parish, and his house was one of the finest 
 in the county, which some of his ancestors had represented in 
 parliament; but for all that it would have been ridiculous to 
 call a man squire who had never been seen on horseback, and 
 who, as was popularly believed, could not distinguish a field 
 of potatoes from one of turnips. 
 
 It was very seldom that Mr. Beveridge ventured outside the 
 boundary-wall of his grounds, except, indeed, when he posted 
 up to London to investigate some rare manuscript, or to pore 
 
 11 
 
12 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 over ancient books in the reading-room of the British Museum. 
 He was never seen at the meetings of magistrates, or at social 
 gatherings of any kind, and when his name was mentioned at 
 these many shrugged their shoulders and said what a pity it was 
 that one of the finest properties in the county should be in 
 the hands of a man who was, to say the least of it, a little 
 cracked. 
 
 Mr. Beveridge's father, when on a tour in the East as a 
 young man, had fallen in love with and, to the intense indig- 
 nation of his family, married a Greek lady. Upon coming 
 into possession of the property, two years later, John Bever- 
 idge settled down with his beautiful wife at the Hall, and lived 
 in perfect happiness with her until her death. 
 
 She had had but one child, a boy, the present owner of the 
 Hall, who was twelve years old when she died. Happy as she 
 was with her husband, Mrs. Beveridge had never ceased to 
 regret the sunny skies of her native land. She seldom spoke 
 of it to her husband, who hunted and shot, was a regular atten- 
 dant at the board of magistrates, and attended personally to 
 the management of his estate. He was a man of little senti- 
 ment, and had but a poor opinion of the Greeks in general. 
 But to Herbert she often talked of the days of her childhood, 
 and imbued him with her own passionate love of her native 
 country. This led 'him at school to devote himself to the 
 study of Greek with such energy and ardour that he came to 
 be considered as a prodigy, and going up to Oxford he neg- 
 lected all other branches of study, mixed but little with other 
 undergraduates, made no friends, but lived the life of a recluse, 
 and was rewarded by being the only first-class man of his year, 
 the examiners declaring that no such papers had ever before 
 been sent in. 
 
 Unfortunately for Herbert his father died a few months 
 before he took his degree. He had neither understood nor 
 appreciated his son's devotion to study, and when others con- 
 gratulated him upon the reputation he was already gaining at 
 the university, he used to shrug his shoulders and say, " What 
 
A GREEK STUDENT 13 
 
 is the good of it? He has not got to work for his living. I 
 would rather see him back a horse over a five-barred gate than 
 write Greek like Homer." He had frequently declared that 
 directly Herbert took his degree he would go with him first 
 for a few months up to London, and they would then travel 
 together for a year or two so as to make him, as he said, a bit 
 like other people. 
 
 Left to his own devices at the death of his father Herbert 
 Beveridge did not even go home after taking his degree, but, 
 writing to the steward to shut up the house, started a week 
 later for Greece, where he remained for three years, by the 
 end of which time he was as perfectly acquainted with modern 
 as with ancient Greek. Then he returned home, bringing 
 with him two Greek attendants, turned the drawing-room into 
 a library, and devoted himself to his favourite study. Three 
 years later he married, or rather his aunt, Mrs. Fordyce, mar- 
 ried him. That lady, who was the wife of a neighbouring 
 squire, came over and, as she said, took him in hand. 
 
 "This cannot go on, Herbert," she said; " it is plainly your 
 duty to marry." 
 
 "I have never thought of marrying, aunt." 
 
 "I daresay not, Herbert, but that is no reason why you 
 shouldn't marry. You don't intend, I suppose, that this place, 
 after being in the hands of our family for hundreds of years, 
 is to be sold to strangers at your death. It is clearly your 
 duty to marry and have children." 
 
 "But I don't know anyone to marry." 
 
 " I will find you a wife, Herbert. I know half a dozen nice 
 girls, any one of whom would suit you. You want a thoroughly 
 good, sensible wife, and then, perhaps, there would be some 
 chance of your becoming like other people." 
 
 "I don't want to become like other people, I only want to 
 be let alone." 
 
 " Well, you see that is out of the question, Herbert. You 
 shirk all your duties as a large land-owner; but this duty, at 
 least, you cannot shirk. Let me see, to-day is Monday; on 
 
14 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 Wednesday our gig shall be over here at half-past twelve, and 
 you shall come over and lunch with me. I will have Miss 
 Hendon there; she is in all respects suitable for you. She is 
 fairly pretty, and very bright and domesticated, with plenty of 
 common sense. She won't have any money; for although her 
 father's estate is a nice one, she has four or five brothers, and 
 I don't suppose Mr. Hendon lays by a penny of his income. 
 However, that matters very little. Now you must rouse your- 
 self for a bit. This is an important business, you know, and 
 has to be done. After it is over you will find it a great com- 
 fort, and your wife will take all sorts of little worries off your 
 hand. Of course if you don't like Mary Hendon when you 
 see her, I will find somebody else." 
 
 Herbert Beveridge resigned himself quietly, and became 
 almost passive in this matter of his own marriage. He liked 
 Mary Hendon when he had got over the shyness and discom- 
 fort of the first visit, and three months later they were married. 
 He then went back to his library again, and his wife took the 
 management of the estate and house into her capable hands. 
 During her lifetime Herbert Beveridge emerged to a certain 
 extent from his shell. He became really fond of her, and 
 occasionally accompanied her on her drives, went sometimes 
 into society, and was generally considered to be improving 
 fast. 
 
 Ten years after marriage she died, and her husband fell 
 back into his old ways. His life, however, was no longer 
 quite solitary, for she had left him a boy eight years of age. 
 He had been christened Horace, which was a sort of com- 
 promise. Mr. Beveridge had wished that he should have the 
 name of some Greek worthy — his favourites being either 
 Themistocles or Aristides. His mother had called in Mrs. 
 Fordyce to her assistance, and the two ladies together had 
 succeeded in carrying their point. Mrs. Fordyce had urged 
 that it would be a misfortune for the boy to bear either of 
 these names. 
 
 "He will have to go to school, Herbert, of course, and the 
 
A GREEK STUDENT 15 
 
 boys would make his life a burden to him if he had either of 
 the names you mention. I know what boys are; we have 
 plenty of them in our family. If he were Aristides he would 
 get the nickname of Tidy, which would be hideous. The 
 other name is worse still j they would probably shorten it into 
 Cockles, and I am sure you would not want the boy to be 
 spoken of as Cockles Beveridge." 
 
 "I hate common names," Mr. Beveridge said, "such as 
 Jack, Bob, and Bill." 
 
 "Well, I think they are quite good enough for ordinary 
 life, Herbert, but if you must have something classical why 
 not take the name of Horace? One of Mary's brothers is 
 Horace, you know, and he would no doubt take it as a com- 
 pliment if you gave the boy that name." 
 
 And so it was fixed for Horace. As soon as the child was 
 old enough to go out without a nurse, Mr. Beveridge appointed 
 one of his Greek servants to accompany him, in order that the 
 child should pick up a knowledge of Greek; while he himself 
 interested himself so far in him as to set aside his books and 
 have him into the library for an hour a day, when he always 
 talked to him in Greek. Thus at his mother's death the boy 
 was able to talk the language as fluently as English. In other 
 respects he showed no signs whatever of taking after his 
 father's tastes. He was a sturdy boy, and evinced even 
 greater antipathy than usual to learning the alphabet, and was 
 never so happy as when he could persuade Marco to take him 
 down to the beach to play with the fisher children. At his 
 mother's death he was carried off by Mrs. Fordyce, and spent 
 the next six months with her and in the houses of his mother's 
 brothers, where there were children about his own age. At 
 the end of that time a sort of family council was held, and 
 Mrs. Fordyce went over to Seaport to see her nephew. 
 
 " What were you thinking about doing with the boy, Her- 
 bert?" 
 
 "The boy? " he asked vaguely, being engaged on a paper 
 throwing new light on the Greek particles when she entered. 
 
16 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Naturally, Herbert, the boy, your boy; it is high time he 
 went to school." 
 
 " I was thinking the other day about getting a tutor for 
 him." 
 
 "Getting fiddlesticks!" Mrs. Fordyce said sharply; "the 
 boy wants companionship. What do you suppose he would 
 become, moping about this big house alone ? He wants to 
 play, if he is ever to grow up an active healthy man. No 
 harm has been done yet, for dear Mary kept the house bright, 
 and had the sense to let him pass most of his time in the open 
 air, and not to want him always at her apron-string. If when 
 he gets to the age of twenty he develops a taste for Greek — 
 which Heaven forbid ! — or for Chinese, or for any other 
 heathen and out-of-the-way study, it will be quite time enough 
 for him to take it up. The Beveridges have always been men 
 of action. It is all very well, Herbert, to have one great 
 scholar in the family; we all admit that it is a great credit to us; 
 but two of them would ruin it. Happily I believe there is no 
 record of a great scholar producing an equally great son. At 
 any rate I do hope the boy will have a fair chance of growing 
 into an active energetic man, and taking his place in the 
 county." 
 
 "I have no wish it should be otherwise, aunt," Herbert 
 Beveridge said. " I quite acknowledge that in some respects 
 it would be better if I had not devoted myself so entirely to 
 study, though my work has not been without fruit, I hope, 
 for it is acknowledged that my book on the use of the di- 
 gamma threw an entirely new light upon the subject. Still I 
 cannot expect, nor do I wish, that Horace should follow in 
 my footsteps. Indeed, I trust, that when I have finished my 
 work, there will be little for a fresh labourer to glean in 
 that direction. At any rate he is far too young to develop a 
 bent in any direction whatever, and I think therefore that 
 your proposal is a good one." 
 
 "Then in that case, Herbert, I think you cannot do better 
 than send him with Horace Hendon's two boys to school. 
 
A GREEK STUDENT 1< 
 
 One is about his own age and one is a little older. The elder 
 boy has been there a year, and his father is well satisfied with 
 the school." 
 
 "Very well, aunt. If you will ask Horace to make arrange- 
 ments for the boy to go with his sons I am quite content it 
 should be so." 
 
 So Horace Beveridge went, a week later, by coach with 
 his cousins to a school at Exeter, some forty miles from Sea- 
 port, and there remained until he was fourteen. He passed 
 his holidays at home, never seeing his father until dinner- 
 time, after which he spent two hours with him, a period of 
 the day to which the boy always looked forward with some 
 dread. Sometimes his father would chat cheerfully to him, 
 always in modern Greek- at others he would sit silent and 
 abstracted, waking up occasionally and making some abrupt 
 remark to the boy, and then again lapsing into silence. 
 When about the house and grounds Marco was his constant 
 companion. The Greek, who was a mere lad when he had 
 come to England, was fond of Horace, and having been a 
 fisherman as a boy, he enjoyed almost as much as his charge 
 did the boating and fishing expeditions upon which he accom- 
 panied him. 
 
 At this time Horace had a strong desire to go to sea, but 
 even his Aunt Fordyce, when he broached the subject to her, 
 would give him no hope or encouragement. 
 
 " If it had been ten years ago, Horace, it would have been 
 another matter. The sea was a stirring life, then; and even 
 had you only gone into the navy for a few years you would 
 have seen lots of service, and might have distinguished your- 
 self. As to staying in it, it would have been ridiculous for 
 you as an only son. But now nothing could be more wretched 
 than the position of a naval officer. All the world is at peace, 
 and there does not appear to be the slightest chance of war 
 anywhere for many years. Hundreds and hundreds of ships 
 have been paid off and laid up, and there are thousands of 
 officers on half-pay, and without the smallest chance of ever 
 
18 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 getting employment again. You have arrived too late in the 
 world for sailoring. Besides, I do not think in any case your 
 father would consent to such a thing. I am happy to say that 
 I do not think he has any idea, or even desire, that you should 
 turn out a famous scholar as he is. But to a man like him it 
 would seem terrible that your education should cease alto- 
 gether at the age at which boys go into the navy, and that you 
 should grow up knowing nothing of what he considers the 
 essentials of a gentleman's education. No, no, Horace, the 
 sea is out of the question. You must go up to Eton, as ar- 
 ranged, at the end of these holidays, and from Eton you must 
 go through one of the universities. After that you can wander 
 about for a bit and see the world, and you will see as much of 
 it in six months that way as in twice as many years were you 
 in the navy in these times of peace." 
 
 Horace looked a little downcast. 
 
 "There is another thing, Horace," his aunt said; " it would 
 not be fair for you to go into the navy, even if there was 
 nothing else against it." 
 
 "How is that, aunt?" 
 
 "Well, Horace, when there are hundreds of officers on 
 half-pay, who can scarcely keep life together on the few 
 pounds a year they get, it would be hard indeed for young 
 fellows with money and influence to step into the places and 
 keep them out." 
 
 "Yes, aunt, I did net think of that," Horace said, brighten- 
 ing up. " It certainly would be a beastly shame for a fellow 
 who can do anything with himself to take the place of a man 
 who can do nothing else." 
 
 "Besides, Horace," his aunt went on, "if you like the sea 
 so much as you do now when you have done with college, there 
 is no reason why you should not get your father to let you 
 either hire or buy a yacht and go where you like in her, in- 
 stead of travelling about by land." 
 
 "That would be very jolly!" Horace exclaimed. "Yes, 
 that would be really better than going to sea, because one 
 could 2:0 where one liked." 
 
A GREEK STUDENT 19 
 
 And so at the end of the holidays Horace went up to Eton. 
 On his return home in the summer his father said : "Your aunt 
 was over here the other day, Horace, and she was telling me 
 about that foolish idea you have of going to sea. I was glad 
 to hear that you gave it up at once when she pointed out to 
 you the absurdity of it. Her opinion is that as you are so 
 fond of the water, and as Marco can manage a boat well, it 
 would be a good thing for you to have one of your own, in- 
 stead of going out always with the fishermen; the idea seemed 
 to me a good one, so I got her to write to some one she knows 
 at Exmouth, and he has spoken to the revenue officer there. 
 They have been bothering me about what size it should be, 
 and as I could not tell them whether it should be ten feet 
 long or fifty, I said the matter must remain till you came home, 
 and then Marco could go over with you to Exmouth and see 
 the officer." 
 
 " Oh, thank you very much, father ! " 
 
 " It is only right that you should be indulged in a matter 
 like this, Horace. I know that you don't care about riding 
 alone, and I am sorry I can't be more of a companion to you, 
 but I have always my hands full of important work, and I 
 know that for a boy of your age it must be very dull here. 
 Choose any boat you like. I have been talking to Marco, 
 and he says that she can be hauled up on the beach and lie 
 there perfectly safe when you are away. Of course if neces- 
 sary he can have a young fellow or two from the village to 
 help while you are at home. He seems to think that in that 
 way you could have a boat of more comfortable size. I don't 
 know anything about it, so I have left the matter entirely to 
 him and you. The difference of cost between a small boat 
 and a large one is of no consequence one way or the other." 
 
 Accordingly, the next morning Marco and Horace started 
 directly after breakfast in the carriage to catch the coach, 
 which passed along the main road four miles from Seaport, 
 and arrived at Exmouth at two. They had no difficulty in 
 finding the house of Captain Martyn, whose title was an honor- 
 ary one, he being a lieutenant of many years' sen-ice. 
 
20 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 " Is Captain Martyn in?" Horace asked the servant who 
 opened the door. 
 
 "No, sir; he is away in the cutter." Horace stood aghast. 
 It had never struck him that the officer might not be at home. 
 
 "His son is in, Mr. William Martyn, if that will do," the 
 servant said, seeing the boy's look of dismay. 
 
 "I don't know," he said; "but at any rate I should like to 
 see him." 
 
 "I will tell him, sir, if you will stay here." 
 
 A minute later a tall powerfully-built young fellow of two 
 or three-and-twenty came to the door. 
 
 "Well, youngster, what is it?" he asked. 
 
 " I have come about buying a boat, sir. My name is Bever- 
 idge. I believe Captain Martyn was kind enough to say that 
 he would look out for a boat for us." 
 
 " Oh, yes, I have heard about it; but whether it was a dinghy 
 or a man-of-war that was wanted we couldn't find out. Do 
 you intend to manage her single-handed?" 
 
 " Oh, no, sir ! I have done a lot of sailing with the fisher- 
 men at Seaport, but I could not manage a boat by myself, not 
 if there was any wind. But Marco was a sailor among the 
 Greek isles before he entered my father's service." 
 
 "Want a comfortable craft," the Greek, who had learned to 
 speak a certain amount of English, said. "Can have two or 
 three hands." 
 
 " Oh, you want a regular cruiser ! Well, you are a lucky 
 young chap, I must say. The idea of a young cub like you 
 having a boat with two or three hands to knock about in ! Do 
 you want a captain, because I am to let? " 
 
 "No, sir, we don't want a captain, and we don't want a 
 great big craft. Something about the size of a fishing-boat, I 
 should say. Are you a sailor? " 
 
 "Yes, worse luck, I am a master's mate, if you know what 
 that is. It means a passed midshipman. I have been a 
 master's mate for four years, and am likely to be one all my 
 life, for I have no more chance of getting a berth than I have 
 
" WKI.l., VOUNGSTER, WHAT IS 1T? J 
 
A GREEK STUDENT 21 
 
 of being appointed a post-captain to-morrow. Well, I will put 
 on my cap and go with you. I have been looking about since 
 my father heard about a boat being wanted. The letter said 
 nothing about your age, or what size of boat was wanted; it 
 gave in fact no useful information whatever. It was about as 
 much to the point as if they had said you wanted to have a 
 house and did not say whether it was a two-roomed cottage or 
 a country mansion. But I think I know of a little craft that 
 would about suit you. Does your father sail himself? " 
 
 Horace could not help smiling at the idea. " No," he said. 
 "My father cares for nothing but studying Greek. I am at 
 Eton, but it is very slow in the holidays, and as I generally 
 go out with the fishermen the best part of the time I am at 
 home, he thought it would be a good thing for me to have a 
 boat of my own." 
 
 William Martyn looked quietly down at the lad, then went 
 in and got his cap, rejoined them, and sauntered down tow- 
 ards the river. He led the way along the wharfs, passed 
 above the town, and then pointed to a boat lying on the mud. 
 
 "That is the craft I should choose if I were in your place," 
 he said. "She is as sound as a bell, and I wouldn't mind 
 crossing the Bay of Biscay in her." 
 
 "But she is very large," Horace said, looking at her with 
 some doubt in his face. 
 
 "She is about fifteen tons burthen," he said, "built of oak, 
 and is only eight years old, though she looks battered about 
 and rusty as she lies there. She was built from his own de- 
 signs by Captain Burrows, as good a sailor as ever stepped. 
 She is forty feet long and fifteen feet beam. She is fast, 
 and a splendid sea-boat, with four foot draft of water. He 
 died three years after he built her, and she has been lying 
 there ever since. Her gear has been all stowed away in a dry 
 place, and the old sailor in charge of it says it is in perfect 
 order. The old captain used to knock about on board of her 
 with only a man and a boy, and she is as easy to handle as a 
 cock-boat. I was out in her more than once when I was at 
 
22 IX GREEK WATERS 
 
 home on leave, and she is a beauty. Of course you can't 
 judge of her as she lies there; but she has wonderfully easy 
 lines, and sits the water like a duck. She is a dandy, you see; 
 that is, she carries a small mizzen mast. She was rigged so 
 because a craft like that is a good deal easier to work short- 
 handed than a cutter." 
 
 She seemed as she lay there so much larger than anything 
 Horace had had the idea of possessing that he looked doubt- 
 fully at Marco. 
 
 "I think she will do," the Greek said; "just the sort of 
 boat for us. See her when tide comes up, and can go on 
 board. How much cost? " 
 
 "They only want eighty pounds for her," William Martyn 
 said. "They asked a hundred and fifty at first; but every- 
 thing is so dull, and there have been such a lot of small craft 
 sold off from the dockyards, that she has not found a pur- 
 chaser. If I had two or three hundred a year of my own there 
 is nothing I should like better than to own that craft and knock 
 about in her. Her only fault is she wants head-room. There 
 is only five foot under her beams, for she has a low freeboard. 
 That prevents her from being sold as a yacht. But as one 
 does not want to walk about much below I don't see that that 
 matters. She has got a roomy cabin and a nice little state- 
 room for the owner, and a fo'castle big enough for six hands." 
 
 "It would be splendid," Horace said. "But do you think, 
 Marco, my father meant me to have such a large boat as this? " 
 
 The Greek nodded. "Master said buy a good big safe 
 boat. No use getting a little thing Mr. Horace tire of in a 
 year or two. Can always get a man or two in the holidays. I 
 think that is just the boat." 
 
 "Tide has nearly reached her," William Martyn said. 
 "We shall be able to get off to her in an hour. We will go 
 and overhaul the gear now. I will get the key of the cabins." 
 
 It took them a good hour to get out the sails and inspect 
 them, and examine the ropes and gear. All were pronounced 
 in good order. 
 
A GREEK STUDENT 23 
 
 "The sails are as good for all practical purposes as the day 
 they were turned out," Martyn said. "They may not be quite 
 as white as the fresh-water sailors about here think necessary 
 for their pleasure craft, but they are sound and strong, and 
 were well scrubbed before they were put away. And you may 
 be sure Burrows used none but the best rope money could buy. 
 Now we will go on board. She will look a different craft 
 when her decks are holy-stoned, and she gets two or three 
 coats of paint," the young officer went on as they stepped on 
 board. "A landsman can never judge of a boat when she is 
 dismantled, and he can't judge much at any time. He thinks 
 more of paint and polish than he does of a ship's lines." 
 
 But Horace had seen enough of boats to be able to appre- 
 ciate to some extent the easy lines of her bow and her fine 
 run, and the Greek was delighted with her. Below she was in 
 good order, except that she wanted a coat of paint. The 
 cabins were of course entirely dismantled, but Horace was 
 surprised at their roominess, accustomed as he was to the close 
 little fo'castles of the fishing-boats. 
 
 "She was fitted up in a regular man-of-war fashion," Mar- 
 tyn said. "This was just a captain's cabin on board a frigate, 
 but on a small scale, and so was the state-room. We did not 
 see the furniture, but it is all upstairs in an attic of the cot- 
 tage we went to." 
 
 " How long would it take to get her ready? " Horace asked. 
 
 "About ten days. Most of her ballast is out of her, but 
 the rest ought to come out so as to give her a regular clean 
 down, and a coat of whitewash below, before it is all put in 
 again. If you like, young 'un, I will look after that. I have 
 got nothing to do, and it will be an amusement to me. I am 
 looking for a berth at present in a merchantman, but there are 
 such a number of men out of harness that it isn't easy to get 
 a job. Look here, if you really want to learn some day to be 
 fit to take charge of this craft yourself, you could not do better 
 than persuade your father to let you come over here and see 
 her fitted up, then you will know where every rope goes, and 
 
24 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 learn mere than you would sitting about on deck in the course 
 of a year. There will be no difficulty in getting a couple of 
 rooms ready for you and your man in the town." 
 
 "Can we get home to-night, sir? " 
 
 "Yes, the coach goes through here at six o'clock." 
 
 "My father will write to-morrow, at least I expect he will," 
 Horace said. "It isn't very easy to get him to do things, but 
 I expect I shall manage." 
 
 " He will write," Marco said confidently; and as the boy 
 knew that the Greek had far more opportunities of getting at 
 his father than he had, he felt sure that he would manage it. 
 
 "We are very much obliged to you, Mr. Martyn," he said. 
 
 "All right, young sir. If your father decides to take the 
 boat get him to write to me; or if he is bad at writing, write 
 to me yourself after settling it with him, and I will put on 
 men and see that she is ready for sea in a fortnight." 
 
 " Do you feel sure father will let me have the boat, Marco? " 
 Horace said as soon as they were alone. 
 
 "It is done," the Greek said with a wave of his hand. 
 "He said to me, 'Go and buy a proper boat, see that every- 
 thing is right about it, but don't worry me.' So when I say, 
 'I have bought the boat; it is just the thing we want; it will 
 cost a hundred pounds by the time it is ready for sea,' he will 
 say he is glad to hear it, and there will be an end of it. Mr. 
 Beveridge never troubles." 
 
 " And will you tell him that it would be a good thing for 
 me to go over and see her fitted up? " 
 
 " I will tell him. He will be glad to know that you have 
 got something to do." 
 
 It was half -past ten o'clock when they got home. The 
 other Greek opened the door. 
 
 " Is the master in bed yet, Zaimes? " 
 
 " He went upstairs ten minutes ago. I think he had for- 
 gotten all about Horace not being at home. He did not men- 
 tion his name to me." 
 
 "What a nuisance!" Horace said. "Now I shall have to 
 
A GREEK STUDENT -'O 
 
 wait till morning before I know about it, and I am so anxious 
 to hear what he says." 
 
 "It will be all the pleasanter when you hear," Zaimes said 
 quietly. 
 
 The two men were brothers, Zaimes being ten years senior. 
 He was Mr. Beveridge's Valet, his brother being a sort of 
 general assistant, waiting at meals except when Horace was at 
 home, when he was considered specially told off to him. 
 They lived apart from the other servants, having a room of 
 their own where they cooked their meals in their own fashion. 
 Both were extremely attached to their master, and would have 
 given their lives for him. 
 
 "Marco will tell me all about it, and I will talk to the 
 master while I am dressing him. You are making Marco 
 again a boy like yourself, Horace. He is as eager about this 
 boat as you are "; and he smiled indulgently at his brother, 
 whom he still regarded as a boy, although he was now nearly 
 forty. 
 
 " That will be the best plan, Zaimes. I shall be glad for 
 him to know all about it before breakfast time, for I am sure 
 I should not like to tell him that we had fixed on a boat like 
 that." 
 
 Horace was a long time before he got to sleep. He had 
 never dreamt of anything bigger than an open boat, and the 
 thought of having a craft that he could sail anywhere along 
 the coast, and even sleep on board, seemed almost too good 
 to be true. He woke an hour before his time, dressed hastily, 
 went out into the garden, and stood there looking over the 
 sea. The fishing-boats were going out, and he pictured to 
 himself the boat he had seen, gliding along among them, 
 bigger and ever so much handsomer than any of them ; and 
 how he would be able to take out his cousins, and perhaps 
 some day have a school friend to spend the holidays with him 
 and cruise about. So deep was he in his thoughts that he was 
 surprised when he heard the bell ring for breakfast. 
 
 "Now, then," he said to himself as he walked back to the 
 
26' IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 house, " I shall know. Of course it will be a horrible disap- 
 pointment if he says no, but I sha'n't show it, because it is 
 too much to expect him to do this. I should never have 
 dreamt of such a thing if it had not been for Marco. Well, 
 here goes"; and he walked into the parlour. 
 
 "Good morning, father!" 
 
 " Good morning, Horace. I am glad to hear that Marco 
 has found just the boat that he thinks will suit the place. He 
 tells me you want to go over and see her fitted out. I think 
 that that will be a very good plan. When you do a thing, 
 Horace, do it well if it is worth doing at all. Marco will go 
 back with you by the coach this morning." 
 
 "Oh, thank you, father; it is awfully kind of you! " 
 
 "I wish you to enjoy yourself," his father said; "it is no 
 more than the price of another horse. It is a fine sport and a 
 healthy one, and I don't know that it is more dangerous than 
 galloping about the country on horseback. I have told Marco 
 to make all arrangements, and not to worry me about things. 
 At the beginning of each holiday he will say how much he will 
 require for provisions on board, and the payment of the wages 
 of a man and a boy. I shall give him a cheque, and there 
 will be an end of it as far as I am concerned. I shall be 
 much more at my ease knowing that you are enjoying yourself 
 on board than wondering what you will do to amuse yourself 
 from day to day." 
 
 Thinking that all that was necessary had been said, Mr. 
 Beveridge then opened a Greek book that lay as usual beside 
 his plate, and speedily became absorbed in it. When he 
 himself had finished, Horace slipped away. He knew that 
 his father would be at least two hours over the meal, which he 
 only turned to when Zaimes made a movement to attract his 
 attention, everything being kept down by the fire, which was 
 lit specially for that purpose, even in summer. 
 
 "It is all settled, Marco; think of that! Won't it be 
 glorious? " 
 
 " It will be very good, Horace. I shall like it almost as 
 
A GREEK STUDENT _'( 
 
 much as you will. I love the sea, even this gray ugly sea of 
 yours, which is so different from the blue of the y£gean. I too 
 mope a little sometimes when you are not at home, for though 
 I have the kindest and best of masters, one longs sometimes 
 for change. I told you your father would agree. It is just 
 what I told him we should want. An open boat is no use 
 except when the weather is fine, and then one must always 
 keep close to port in case the wind should drop, and when it 
 comes calm you have to break your back with rowing. Oh, 
 we will have fine sails together, and as you grow older we can 
 go farther away, for she should be safe anywhere. When you 
 become a man I daresay he will get for you something bigger, 
 and then perhaps we can sail together to Greece, and perhaps 
 the master will go with you, for he loves Greece as much as 
 we do." 
 
 There was a fortnight of hard work. William Martyn was 
 in command, and kept Horace at work as if he had been a 
 young midshipman under his orders; while Marco turned his 
 hand to everything, singing snatches of sailor songs he had 
 sung as he fished when a boy, chattering in Greek to Horace, 
 and in broken English to the two men. 
 
 "You are going to be skipper, I hear," William Martyn said 
 to him one day. 
 
 " Going to skip ! " Marco repeated vaguely. " I know not 
 what you mean." 
 
 "Going to be captain — padrone." 
 
 Marco shook his head. " No, sir. Can sail open boat 
 good, but not fit to take charge of boat like this. Going to 
 have man at Seaport, a good fisherman. He sailed a long 
 time in big ships. Man-of-war's man. When war over, came 
 back to fish. I shall look after young master, cook food for 
 him, pull at rope, steer sometimes; but other man be captain 
 and sail boat." 
 
 William Martyn nodded. "Quite right, Marco; these 
 fishermen know the coast, and the weather, and the ports and 
 creeks to run into. It is all very well in fine weather, but 
 
28 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 when you get a blow, a craft like this wants a man who can 
 handle her well." 
 
 Horace's pride in the craft increased every day. As she lay 
 weather-beaten and dismantled on the mud she had seemed to 
 him larger but not superior in appearance to the fishing craft 
 of Seaport, which were most of them boats of ten or twelve 
 tons; but each day her appearance changed, and at the end 
 of ten days — with all her rigging in place, her masts and spars 
 scraped, her deck fairly white, and her sides glossy with black 
 paint — she seemed to him a thing of perfect beauty. It was 
 just the fortnight when the paint and varnish of the cabins 
 were dry, the furniture in its place, and everything ready for 
 sea. Horace's delight culminated when the anchor was got 
 up, sail set on her, and William Martyn took the helm, as 
 with a light wind she ran down through the craft in the har- 
 bour for a trial trip. 
 
 "She is a wonderfully handy little craft," the mate said 
 approvingly, as she began to rise and fall on the swell outside; 
 " the old captain knew what he was doing when he laid down 
 her lines. She is like a duck on the water. I have been out 
 in her when big ships were putting their noses into it, and 
 she never shipped a pailful of water. I can tell you you are 
 in luck, youngster. How are you going to take her round? " 
 
 " I was going to write to-night for Tom Burdett — that is the 
 man Marco spoke about — to come over by coach." 
 
 "I will tell you what I will do, youngster; I will take her 
 over for you. I shall enjoy the trip. If you like we will start 
 to-morrow morning." 
 
 "I should like that immensely," Horace said; "we shall 
 astonish them when we sail into the port." 
 
 "Very well, then, that is agreed; you had better get some 
 stores on board; I mean provisions. Of course if the weather 
 holds like this we should be there in the evening; but it is a 
 good rule at sea never to trust the weather. Always have 
 enough grub and water for a week on board; then, if you 
 happen to be blown off shore, or anything of that sort, it is of 
 no consequence." 
 
A YACHT 29 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 A YACHT 
 
 MARCO, who acted as banker and appeared to Horace to 
 be provided with an unlimited amount of money, was 
 busy all the evening getting crockery, cooking-utensils, knives 
 and forks, table-cloths, towels, and other necessaries. 
 
 "Why, it is like fitting out a house, Marco." 
 
 "Well, it is a little floating house," the Greek said: "it is 
 much better to have your own things, and not to have to bor- 
 row from the house every time. Now we will get some pro- 
 visions, two or three bottles of rum for bad weather, or when 
 we have visitors on board, and then we shall be complete. 
 Mr. Martyn said he would see to the water. Now, we will go 
 to bed soon, for we are to be down at the wharf at six o'clock; 
 and if we are not there in time you may be sure that you will 
 get a rating." 
 
 "There is no fear of my being late, Marco. I don't think 
 I shall sleep all night." 
 
 " Ah ! we shall see. You have been on your feet since 
 seven this morning. I shall have to pull you by your ear to 
 wake you in the morning." 
 
 This, however, was not necessary. The boy was fast asleep 
 in five minutes after he had laid his head on the pillow; he 
 woke soon after daylight, dropped off to sleep several times, 
 but turned out at five, opened the door of the Greek's room, 
 and shouted : 
 
 "Now, then, Marco, time to get up; if you do not, it is I 
 who will do the ear-pulling." 
 
 They were down at the wharf at a quarter to six. As the 
 clock struck the hour William Martyn came down. 
 
 "Good-morning, youngster! you are before your time, I 
 see. You wouldn't be so ready to turn out after you had had 
 a year or two on board ship. Well, it looks as if we are 
 
30 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 going to have a grand day. There is a nice little breeze, and 
 I fancy it will freshen a good bit later on. Now, then, tumble 
 into the dinghy, I will take the sculls; the tide is running out 
 strong, and you might run her into the yacht and damage the 
 paint; that would be a nice beginning." 
 
 As soon as they were on board, the mate said : 
 
 " Now, off with those shoes, youngster. You can go bare- 
 foot if you like, or you can put on those slippers you bought; 
 we have got the deck fairly white, and we must not spoil it. 
 You should make that a rule : everyone who comes on board 
 takes off his boots at once." 
 
 The Greek made the dinghy fast, and then took off his 
 shoes and stockings. Horace put on the slippers, and the 
 mate a pair of light shoes he had brought on board with him. 
 
 "Now, then, off with the sail-covers; fold them up and put 
 them down under the seat of the cockpit. Knot up the tyers 
 loosely together, and put them there also. Never begin to 
 hoist your sails till you have got the covers and tyers snugly 
 packed away. Now, Marco, get number two jib out of the 
 sail-locker. I don't think we shall want number one to-day. 
 Now, hook on the halliards. No; don't hoist yet, run it out 
 first by the outhaul to the end of the bowsprit. We won't 
 hoist it till we have got the mainmast and mizzen up. Now, 
 Marco, you take the peak halliards, and I will take the main. 
 Now, then, up she goes; ease off the sheet a bit. Horace, 
 we must top the boom a bit; that is high enough. Marco, 
 make fast; now up with the mizzen; that is right. Now, 
 Horace, before you do anything else always look round, see 
 that everything is right, the halliards properly coiled up and 
 turned over so as to run freely, in case you want to lower or 
 reef sail, the sheets ready to slacken out, the foresail and jib 
 sheets brought aft on their proper sides. There is nothing in 
 our way now; but when there are craft in the way, you want 
 to have everything in perfect order, and ready to draw the 
 moment the anchor is off the ground. Otherwise you might 
 run foul of something before you got fairly off, and nothing 
 
A YACHT 31 
 
 can look more lubberly than that. Now you take the helm, 
 and Marco and I will get up the anchor. The wind is nearly 
 dead down the river: don't touch the tiller till I tell you." 
 
 Horace stood by the helm till the mate said : 
 
 "The chain is nearly up and down; now put the tiller 
 gently to starboard." 
 
 As he spoke he ran up the jib, and as the boat's head payed 
 off, fastened the sheet to windward. 
 
 "Now, Marco, round with the windlass; that is right, the 
 anchor is clear now; up with it." 
 
 As he spoke he ran up the foresail. " Slack off the main 
 sheets, lad, handsomely; that is right, let them go free; slack 
 off the mizzen sheets." 
 
 The wind had caught the jib now, and, aided by the tide, 
 brought the boat's head sharply round. The jib and foresheets 
 were hauled to leeward, and in less than a minute from the 
 time the anchor had left the ground the boat was running 
 down the river with her sheets well off before the wind. 
 
 "Helm a-port a little, Horace, so as to give us plenty of 
 room in passing that brig at anchor. That is enough. Steady ! 
 Now keep as you are. Marco, I will help you get the anchor 
 on board, and then we will get up the topsail and set it." 
 
 In ten minutes the anchor was stowed, topsail set, and the 
 ropes coiled down. Then a small triangular blue flag with the 
 word "Surf " was run up to the masthead. 
 
 " Properly speaking, Horace, flags are not shown till eight 
 o'clock in the morning; but we will make an exception this 
 time. Gently with the tiller, lad; you are not steering a fish- 
 ing-boat now; a touch is sufficient for this craft. Keep your 
 eye on the flag, and see that it flies out straight ahead. That 
 is the easiest thing to steer by when you are dead before the 
 wind. There is more care required for that than for steering 
 close-hauled, for a moment's carelessness might bring the sail 
 across with a jerk that would pretty well take the mast out of 
 her. It is easy enough now in smooth water; but with a fol- 
 lowing sea it needs a careful helmsman to keep a craft from 
 yawing about." 
 
32 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 Marco had disappeared down the forecastle hatch as soon 
 as he had finished coiling down the topsail halliard, and a 
 wreath of smoke now came up through the stove-pipe. 
 
 "That is good," the mate said. "We shall have breakfast 
 before long." 
 
 They ran three miles straight out, so as to get well clear of 
 the land; then the sheets were hauled in, and the Surf's head 
 pointed east, and lying down to her gunwale she sped along 
 parallel with the shore. 
 
 "We are going along a good seven knots through the 
 water," the mate said. "She has got just as much sail as 
 she wants, though she would stand a good deal more wind, 
 if there were any occasion to press her; but as a rule, Horace, 
 always err on the right side; there is never any good in 
 carrying too much sail. You can always make more sail if 
 the wind drops, while if it rises it is not always easy to get it 
 in. Give me the helm. Now go down to Marco and tell him 
 to come up a few minutes before breakfast is ready. We will 
 get the topsail off her before we sit down, and eat our break- 
 fast comfortably. There is no fun in having your plate in your 
 lap." 
 
 By half-past seven the topsail was stowed and breakfast on 
 the table. Marco took the helm, while the mate and Horace 
 went down to breakfast. Horace thought that it was the most 
 delightful meal he had ever taken; and the mate said: 
 
 "That Greek of yours is a first-rate cook, Horace. An 
 admiral could not want to sit down to a better breakfast than 
 this. There is not much here to remind me of a midship- 
 man's mess. You would have had very different food from 
 this, youngster, if you had had your wish and gone to sea. 
 That father of yours must be a trump; I drink his health in 
 coffee. If he ever gets a bigger craft, and wants a captain, I 
 am his man if he will send your Greek on board as cook. 
 Does he care for the sea himself? " 
 
 "I think he used to like it. I have heard him talk about 
 sailing among the Greek islands; but as long as I have known 
 
A YACHT 66 
 
 him he has never been away from home except for short runs 
 up to London. He is always in his library." 
 
 " Fancy a man who could afford to keep a big craft and sail 
 about as he likes wasting his life over musty old books. It is 
 a rum taste, youngster. I think I would rather row in a 
 galley." 
 
 "There are no such things as galleys now, are there? " 
 
 "Oh, yes, there are in Italy; they have them still rowed by 
 convicts, and I fancy the Spanish gun-boats are rowed by 
 prisoners too. It is worse than a dog's life, but for all that 
 I would rather do it than be shut up all my life in a library. 
 You seem to talk Greek well, youngster." 
 
 "Yes; Marco has always been with me since I was a child, 
 and we have another Greek servant, his brother; and father 
 generally talks Greek to me. His mother was a Greek lady, 
 and that is what made him so fond of it at first. They say he 
 is the best Greek scholar in England." 
 
 "I suppose it differs a lot from the Greek you learn at 
 school? " 
 
 "Yes, a lot. Still, of course, my knowing it helps me 
 tremendously with my old Greek. I get on first-rate at that, 
 but I am very bad at everything else." 
 
 "Well, now we will go up and give Marco a spell," the 
 mate said. Marco was relieved and went below. Horace 
 took the helm; the mate lit a pipe and seated himself on the 
 weather bulwark. " We shall be at Seaport before eleven if 
 we go on like this," he said. 
 
 "Oh, do let us take a run out to sea, Mr. Martyn; it is no 
 use our going in until four or five o'clock." 
 
 "Just as you like, lad; I am in no hurry, and it is really a 
 glorious day for a sail. Put up the helm, I will see to the 
 sheets." 
 
 As they got farther from the protection of the land the sea 
 got up a bit, but the Surf went over it lightly, and except that 
 an occasional splash of spray flew over her bow, her decks 
 were perfectly dry. 
 
34 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Have you heard of a ship yet, Mr. Martyn? " 
 
 "Yes, I heard only yesterday of a berth as first-mate in a 
 craft at Plymouth. The first-mate got hurt coming down 
 channel, and a friend of my father's, learning there was a 
 vacancy, spoke to the owners. She belongs there, and I am 
 to join the day after to-morrow. She is bound up the Medi- 
 terranean. I shall be very glad to be off; I have had a dull 
 time of it for the last four months except for this little job." 
 
 "I am afraid you won't get any vehicle to take you back 
 to-night," Horace said. 
 
 "No, I didn't expect that; the coach in the morning will 
 do very well. I have nothing to do but just to pack my kit, 
 and shall go on by coach next morning. I was thinking of 
 sleeping on board here, if you have no objection." 
 
 " I am sure my father will be very glad to see you up at the 
 house," Horace said eagerly. 
 
 "Thank you, lad, but I shall be much more comfortable on 
 board. Marco said he would get dinner at two, and there is 
 sure to be plenty for me to make a cold supper of, and as 
 there is rum in the locker I shall be as happy as a king. I 
 can smoke my pipe as I like. If I were to go up with you I 
 should be uncomfortable, for I have nothing but my sea-going 
 togs. I should put your father out of his way, and he would 
 put me out of mine. So I think, on all accounts, I had much 
 better remain in good quarters now I have got them. How 
 far is it to the place where I catch the coach?" 
 
 "About four miles. We will send the carriage to take you 
 there." 
 
 "Thank you, I would much rather walk. I have nothing 
 to carry but myself, and a four miles' walk across the hills will 
 be just the thing for me." 
 
 At four o'clock the Surf entered the little harbour of Sea- 
 port; Horace was delighted with the surprise of the fishermen 
 at the arrival of the pretty craft. 
 
 "You are sure you won't change your mind and come up 
 with me to the house? " 
 
A YACHT 35 
 
 "Quite certain, thank you, lad. Marco has put out every- 
 thing I can possibly require. He offered to come down to 
 get breakfast for me, but I prefer to manage that for myself, 
 then I can have it at any time I fancy. I will lock up the 
 cabin before I land. He will be there to take the key." 
 
 " I shall come down with him, of course, Mr. Martyn. I 
 can't tell you how much I am obliged to you for what you 
 have done for me, and I hope that some day we may have 
 another sail together." 
 
 " If I am at home any time when you may happen to put in 
 at Exmouth I shall be glad to take a cruise with you, Horace." 
 
 As the lad and Marco went up the hill to the house, Horace, 
 to his surprise, met his father coming down with Zaimes. 
 
 " Well, Horace, so you have brought your yacht home. 
 Zaimes routed me out from my work to come and look at her, 
 and she really looks a very pretty little vessel." 
 
 "She is not little at all, father." 
 
 "Perhaps not in comparison, Horace; but did you and 
 Marco bring her back by yourselves?" 
 
 "No, father; William Martyn, the officer who has seen to 
 her fitting up, and who recommended her, you know, said he 
 would come with us. So, of course, he has been in command, 
 and Marco and I have been the crew. He has been teaching 
 me lots of things, just the same, he says, as if I had been a 
 newly joined midshipman." 
 
 "But where is he now, Horace?" 
 
 " He is on board. He is going home by the coach to-mor- 
 row. I said that I was sure you would be glad if he would 
 come up to the house; but he said he should feel more com- 
 fortable on board. Were you coming down to look at her, 
 father? " 
 
 " Yes, Horace, I was. It is quite a wonderful event my 
 being outside the grounds, isn't it? " 
 
 " It is indeed, father. I am so glad you are coming down. 
 I am sure you will like her, and then, perhaps, you will come 
 sailing sometimes; I do think, father, that you would enjoy 
 such a sail as we had to-day, it was splendid." 
 
36 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Well, we will see about it, Horace. Now I have once 
 come out I may do so again; I am not sure that a good blow 
 might not clear my brain sometimes." 
 
 There was quite an excitement in the village when Mr. 
 Beveridge was seen coming down. Occasionally during his 
 wife's lifetime he had come down with her to look into ques- 
 tions of repairs or erection of new cottages in lieu of old ones, 
 but since that time he had never entered the village. Per- 
 sonally his tenants did not suffer from the cessation of his 
 visits, for his steward had the strictest injunctions to deal in 
 all respects liberally with them, to execute all necessary re- 
 pairs, to accede to any reasonable request: while in case of 
 illness or misfortune, such as the loss of a boat or nets, the 
 rent was always remitted. That Mr. Beveridge was to a cer- 
 tain extent mad to shut himself up as he did the villagers 
 firmly believed, but they admitted that no better landlord was 
 to be found in all that part of the country. 
 
 Mrs. Beveridge had been greatly liked, and the people were 
 pleased at Horace being down so much among them; but it 
 was rather a sore subject that their landlord himself held so 
 entirely aloof from them. Men touched their hats, the women 
 curtsied as he came down the street, looking almost with pity 
 at the man who, in their opinion, so terribly wasted his life 
 and cut himself off from the enjoyments of his position. 
 
 Mr. Beveridge returned their salutes kindly. He was scarce 
 conscious of the time that had passed since he was last in the 
 village; the years had gone by altogether unmarked save by 
 the growth of Horace, and by the completion of so many 
 works. 
 
 " I suppose you know most of their names, Horace? " 
 
 "All of them, I think, father." 
 
 "That is right, boy. A landlord ought to know all his 
 tenants. I wish I could find time to go about among them a 
 little more, but I think they have everything they want as far 
 as I can do for them; still, I ought to come. In your mother's 
 time I did come sometimes. I must try to do it in future. 
 
A YACHT 37 
 
 Zaimes, you must see that I do this once a fortnight. I 
 authorize you to bring me my hat and coat after lunch and 
 say to me firmly, ' This is your afternoon for going out.' " 
 
 "Very well, sir," the Greek said. "I will tell you; and I 
 hope you will not say, as you always do to me when I beg you 
 to go out: 'I must put it off for another day, Zaimes, I have 
 some work that must be done.' " 
 
 " I will try not to, Zaimes, I will indeed. I think this is a 
 duty. You remind me of that, will you? " 
 
 By this time they had reached the little port, where a num- 
 ber of the fishermen were still lounging discussing the Surf, 
 which was lying the picture of neatness and good order among 
 the fishing-boats, with every rope in its place, the sails in 
 their snow-white covers, and presenting the strongest contrast 
 to the craft around her. 
 
 "She is really a very pretty little yacht," Mr. Beveridge 
 said with more animation than Horace ever remembered to 
 have heard him speak with. " She does great credit to your 
 choice, Marco, and I should think she is a good sea-boat. 
 Why, Zaimes, this almost seems to take one back to the old 
 time. She is about the size of the felucca we used to cruise 
 about in; it is a long time back, nearly eighteen years, and 
 yet it seems but yesterday." 
 
 "There is no reason why you should not sail again, master; 
 even I long to have my foot on the planks. One never loses 
 one's love of the sea." 
 
 " I am getting to be an old man now, Zaimes." 
 
 "No one would say so but yourself, master; you are but 
 forty-three. Sometime's, after being shut up for days, you look 
 old — who would not when the sun never shines on them 
 — but now you look young, much younger than you are." 
 
 A stranger indeed would have had difficulty in guessing Mr. 
 Beveridge' s age. His forehead was broad, his skin delicate 
 and almost colourless, his light-brown hair was already of a 
 silvery shade, his face clean shaven, his hands white and 
 thin. His eyes were generally soft and dreamy, but at the 
 
3S IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 present moment they were bright and alert. His figure was 
 scarcely that of a student, for the frame was large, and there 
 was at present none of the stoop habitual to those who spend 
 their lives over books; and now that he was roused, he carried 
 himself exceptionally upright, and a close observer might have 
 taken him for a vigorous man who had but lately recovered 
 from an attack of severe illness. 
 
 "We shall see, Zaimes, we shall see," he said; "let us go 
 on board. You had better hail her, Horace." 
 
 " 67/// ahoy ! " Horace shouted, imitating as well as he could 
 William Martyn's usual hail. A minute later the mate's head 
 appeared above the companion. " My father is coming on 
 board, Mr. Martyn. Will you please bring the dinghy ashore." 
 The mate hauled up the dinghy, got into it, and in a few 
 strokes was alongside the quay. 
 
 Mr. Beveridge descended the steps first. " I am glad to 
 meet you, Mr. Martyn, and to thank you for the kindness you 
 have shown my son in finding this craft for him and seeing to 
 its being fitted out." 
 
 " It has been an amusement, sir," the mate said. "I was 
 knocking about Exmouth with nothing to do, and it was 
 pleasant to be at work on something." 
 
 "Get in, Horace," Mr. Beveridge said, "the dinghy won't 
 carry us all. You can bring it back again for the others." 
 
 The party stayed for half an hour on board. Mr. Bever- 
 idge was warm in his approval of the arrangements. 
 
 "This is a snug cabin indeed," he said. "I had no idea 
 that such a small craft could have had such good accommoda- 
 tion. One could wish for nothing better except for a little 
 more head-room, but after all that is of no great consequence, 
 one does not want to walk about below. It is a place to eat 
 and to sleep in, or, if it is wet, to read in. I really wonder 
 I never thought of having a sailing-boat before. I shall cer- 
 tainly take a sail with you sometimes, Horace." 
 
 "I am very glad of that, father, it would be very jolly hav- 
 ing you out. I don't see much of you, you know, and I do 
 think it would do you good." 
 
A YACHT 39 
 
 William Martyn was not allowed to earn 7 out his intention 
 of staying on board, nor did he resist very earnestly Mr. 
 Beveridge's pressing invitation. His host differed widely 
 from his preconceived notions of him, and he saw that he 
 need not be afraid of ceremony. 
 
 "You can smoke your pipe, you know, in the library after 
 dinner, Mr. Martyn. I have no objection whatever to smoke: 
 indeed, I used to smoke myself when I was in Greece as a 
 young man — everyone did so there, and I got to like it, 
 though I gave it up afterwards. Why did I give it up, Zaimes? " 
 
 " I think you gave it up, master, because you always let 
 your cigar out after smoking two or three whiffs, and never 
 thought of it again for the rest of the day." 
 
 "Perhaps that was it; at any rate your smoking will in no 
 way incommode me, so I will take no denial." 
 
 Accordingly the cabins were locked up, and William Martyn 
 went up with the others to the house and there spent a very 
 pleasant evening. He had in the course of his service sailed 
 for some time in Greek waters, and there was consequently 
 much to talk about which interested both himself and his host. 
 
 "I love Greece," Mr. Beveridge said. "Had it not been 
 that she lies dead under the tyranny of the Turks I doubt if I 
 should not have settled there altogether." 
 
 " I think you would have got tired of it, sir," the mate said. 
 "There is nothing to be said against the country or the 
 islands, except that there are precious few good harbours 
 among them: but I can't say I took to the people." 
 
 "They have their faults," Mr. Beveridge admitted, "but I 
 think they are the faults of their position more than of their 
 natural character. Slaves are seldom trustworthy, and I own 
 that they are not as a rule to be relied upon. Having no 
 honourable career open to them, the upper classes think of 
 nothing but money; they are selfish, greedy, and corrupt; but 
 I believe in the bulk of the people." 
 
 As William Martyn had no belief whatever in any section 
 of the Greeks he held his tongue. 
 
40 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Greece will rise one of these days," Mr. Beveridge went 
 on, "and when she does she will astonish Europe. The old 
 spirit still lives among the descendants of Leonidas and Mil- 
 tiades." 
 
 " I should be sorry to be one of the Turks who fell into 
 their hands," William Martyn said gravely as he thought of 
 the many instances in his own experiences of the murders cf 
 sailors on leave ashore. 
 
 "It is probable that there will be sad scenes of bloodshed," 
 Mr. Beveridge agreed; "that is only to be expected when you 
 have a race of men of a naturally impetuous and passionate 
 character enslaved by a people alien in race and in religion. 
 Yes, I fear it will be so at the commencement, but that will 
 be all altered when they become disciplined soldiers. Do 
 you not think so?" he asked, as the sailor remained silent. 
 
 "I have great doubts whether they will ever submit to dis- 
 cipline," he said bluntly. "Their idea of fighting for cen- 
 turies has been simply to shoot down an enemy from behind 
 the shelter of rocks. I would as lief undertake to discipline 
 an army of Malays, who, in a good many respects, especially 
 in the handiness with which they use their knives, are a good 
 deal like the Greeks." 
 
 "There is one broad distinction," Mr. Beveridge said : " the 
 Malays have no past, the Greeks have never lost the remem- 
 brance of their ancient glory. They have a high standard to 
 act up to; they reverence the names of the great men of old 
 as if they had died but yesterday. With them it would be a 
 resurrection, accomplished, no doubt, after vast pains and 
 many troubles, the more so since the Greeks are a composite 
 people among whom the descendants of the veritable Greek 
 of old are in a great minority. The majority are of Albanian 
 and Suliot blood, races which even the Romans found untam- 
 able. When the struggle begins I fear that this section of the 
 race will display the savagery of their nature; but the fighting 
 over, the intellectual portion will, I doubt not, regain their 
 proper ascendency, and Greece will become the Greece of 
 old " 
 
A YACHT 41 
 
 William Martyn was wise enough not to pursue the subject. 
 He had a deep scar from the shoulder to the elbow of his right 
 arm, and another on the left shoulder, both reminiscences of 
 an attack that had been made upon him by half a dozen ruf- 
 fians one night in the streets of Athens, and in his private 
 opinion the entire extirpation of the Greek race would be no 
 loss to the world in general. 
 
 "I am very sorry you have to leave to-morrow morning, " 
 Mr. Beveridge said presently. " I should have been very glad 
 if you could have stayed with us for a few days. It is some 
 years since I had a visitor here, and I can assure you that I am 
 surprised at the pleasure it gives me. However, I hope that 
 whenever you happen to be at Exmouth you will run over and 
 see us, and if at any time I can be of the slightest service to 
 you I shall be really pleased." 
 
 The next morning William Martyn, still refusing the offer 
 of a conveyance, walked across the hills to meet the coach, 
 and as soon as he had started Horace went down to the yacht. 
 Marco had gone down into the village early, had seen Tom 
 Burdett, and in his master's name arranged for him to take 
 charge of the Surf, and to engage a lad to sail with him. 
 When Horace reached the wharf Tom was already on board 
 with his nephew, Dick, a lad of seventeen or eighteen, who 
 at once brought the dinghy ashore at Horace's hail. 
 
 "Well, Dick, so you are going with us?" 
 
 "Ay, Master Horace, I am shipped as crew. She be a 
 beauty. That cabin is a wonderful lot better than the fo'castle 
 of a fishing-lugger. She is something like a craft to go a 
 sailing in." 
 
 "Good morning, Tom Burdett," Horace said as the boat 
 came alongside the yacht; "or I ought to say Captain Bur- 
 dett." 
 
 "No, no," the sailor laughed; "I have been too long 
 aboard big craft to go a captaining. I don't so much mind 
 being called a skipper, cos a master of any sort of craft may 
 be called skipper; but 1 ain't going to be called captain. 
 
42 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 Now, Dick, run that flag up to the mast-head. That is yacht- 
 ing fashion, you know, Master Horace, to run the burgee up 
 when the owner comes on board. We ain't got a burgee, 
 seeing as we don't belong to a yacht-club; but the flag with 
 the name does service for it at present." 
 
 "But I am not the owner, Tom, that is nonsense. My 
 father got it to please me, and very good of him it was; but 
 it is nonsense to call the boat mine." 
 
 "Them's the orders I got from your Greek chap down 
 below, Mr. Horace. Says he, 'Master says as how Mr! Hor- 
 ace is to be regarded as owner of this 'ere craft whenever he 
 is aboard; ' so there you are, you see. There ain't nothing to 
 be said against that." 
 
 "Well, it is very jolly, isn't it, Tom?" 
 
 " It suits me first-rate, sir. I feel for all the world as if we 
 had just captured a little prize, and they had put a young 
 midshipmite in command and sent me along with him just to 
 keep him straight; that is how I feel about it." 
 
 "What sort of weather do you think we are going to have 
 to-day, Tom? " 
 
 " I think the wind is going to shift, sir, and perhaps there 
 will be more of it. It has gone round four points to the east 
 since I turned out before sunrise." 
 
 "And where do you think we had better go to-day, Tom? " 
 
 "Well, as the wind is now it would be first-rate for a run to 
 Dartmouth." 
 
 "Yes, but we should have a dead-beat back, Tom; we 
 should never get back before dark." 
 
 " No sir, but that Greek chap tells me as your father said 
 as how there were no occasion to be back to-night, if so be as 
 you liked to make a cruise of it." 
 
 "Did he say that? That is capital. Then let us go to 
 Dartmouth; to-morrow we can start as early as we like so as 
 to get back here." 
 
 "I don't reckon we shall have to beat back. According to 
 my notion the wind will be somewhere round to the south by 
 
A YACHT 43 
 
 to-morrow morning; that will suit us nicely. Now then, sir, 
 we will see about getting sail on her." 
 
 As soon as they began to throw the sail-covers off, Marco 
 came on deck and lent a hand, and in the course of three 
 minutes the sails were up, the mooring slipped, and the Surf 
 was gliding past the end of the jetty. 
 
 "That was done in pretty good style, sir," Tom Burdett 
 said as he took up his station by the side of Horace, who was 
 at the tiller. " I reckon when we have had a week's practice 
 together we shall get up sail as smartly as a man-of-war cap- 
 tain would want to see. I do like to see things done smart if 
 it is only on a little craft like this, and with three of us we 
 ought to get all her lower sail on her in no time. That Greek 
 chap knows what he is about. Of course he has often been 
 out with you in the fishing-boats, but there has never been any 
 call for him to lend a hand there, and I was quite surprised 
 just now when he turned to at it. I only reckoned on Dick 
 and myself, and put the Greek down as steward and cook." 
 
 " He used to work in a fishing-boat when he was a boy, 
 Tom." 
 
 "Ah, that accounts for it! They are smart sailors, some of 
 them Greeks, in their own craft, though I never reckoned they 
 were any good in a square-rigged ship; but in those feluccas 
 of theirs they ain't easy to be beaten in anything like fine 
 weather. But they ain't dependable, none of those Medi- 
 terranean chaps are, whether they are Greeks or Italians or 
 Spaniards, when it comes on to blow really hard, and there 
 is land under your lee, and no port to run to. ^Yhen it comes 
 to a squeak like that they lose their nerve and begin to pray 
 to the saints, and wring their hands, and jabber like a lot of 
 children. They don't seem to have no sort of backbone about 
 them. But in fine weather I allow they handle their craft as 
 well as they could be handled. Mind your helm, sir; you 
 must always keep your attention to that, no matter what is 
 being said." 
 
 "Are you going to get up the topsail, Tom? " 
 
44 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Not at present, sir; with this wind there will be more sea 
 on as we get further out, and I don't know the craft yet; I 
 want to see what her ways are afore we try her. She looks to 
 me as if she would be stiff under canvas; but running as we 
 are we can't judge much about that, and you have always got 
 to be careful with these light-draft craft. When we get to 
 know her we shall be able to calculate what she will carry in 
 all weathers: but there is no hurry about that. I have seen 
 spars carried away afore now, from young commanders crack- 
 ing on sail on craft they knew nothing about. This boat can 
 run, there is no mistake about that. Look at that fishing-boat 
 ahead of us; that is Jasper Hill's Kitty ; she went out ten 
 minutes afore you came down. We are overhauling her hand 
 over hand, and she is reckoned one of the fastest craft in Sea- 
 port. But then, this craft is bound to run fast with her fine 
 lines and shallow draft; we must wait to see how she will do 
 when there is lots of wind." 
 
 In a couple of hours Horace was glad to hand over the tiller 
 to the skipper as the sea had got up a good deal, and the 
 Surf yawed so much before the following waves that it needed 
 more skill than he possessed to keep her straight. 
 
 "Fetch the compass up, Dick," the skipper said; "we are 
 dropping the land fast. Now get the mizzen off her, she will 
 steer easier without it, and it isn't doing her much good. Do 
 you begin to feel queer at all, Mr. Horace?" 
 
 "Not a bit," the boy laughed. "Why, you don't suppose, 
 after rolling about in those fishing-boats when they are hang- 
 ing to their nets, that one would feel this easy motion." 
 
 "No; you would think not, but it don't always follow. I 
 have seen a man, who had been accustomed to knock about 
 all his life in small craft, as sick as a dog on board a frigate, 
 and I have seen the first lieutenant of a man-of-war knocked 
 right over while lying off a bar on boat service. One gets 
 accustomed to one sort of motion, and when you get another 
 quite different it seems to take your innards all aback." 
 
 The run to Dartmouth was quickly made, and to Horace's 
 delight they passed several large ships on their way. 
 
A YACHT 45 
 
 "Yes, she is going well," Tom Burdett said when he 
 expressed his satisfaction; "but if the wind was to get up a 
 bit more it would be just the other way. We have got quite 
 as much as we want, while they could stand a good bit more. 
 A small craft will generally hold her own in a light wind, 
 because why, she carries more sail in proportion to her ton- 
 nage. When the big ship has got as much as she can do with, 
 the little one has to reef down and half her sails are taken off 
 her. Another thing is, the waves knock the way out of a small 
 craft, while the weight of a big one takes her through them 
 without feeling it. Still I don't say the boat ain't doing well, 
 for she is first-rate, and we shall make a very quick passage to 
 port." 
 
 Running up the pretty river, they rounded to, head to wind, 
 dropped the anchor a short distance from a ship of war, and 
 lowered and stowed their sails smartly. Then Horace went 
 below to dinner. It had been ready for some little time, but 
 he had not liked leaving the deck, for rolling, as she some- 
 times did, it would have been impossible to eat comfortably. 
 As soon as he dined, the others took their meal in the fo'- 
 castle, Marco having insisted on waiting on him while at his 
 dinner. When they had finished, Marco and Dick rowed 
 Horace ashore. The lad took the boat back to the yacht, 
 while the other two strolled about the town for a couple of 
 hours, and then went off again. 
 
 The next day the Surf fully satisfied her skipper as to her 
 weatherly qualities. The wind was, as he had predicted, 
 nearly south-east, and there was a good deal of sea on. 
 Before getting up anchor, the topmast was lowered, two reefs 
 put in the main-sail and one in the mizzen, and a small jib 
 substituted for that carried on the previous day. Showers of 
 spray fell on the deck as they put out from the mouth of the 
 river; but once fairly away she took the waves easily, and 
 though sometimes a few buckets of water tumbled over her 
 bows and swashed along the lee channels, nothing like a green 
 sea came on board. Tom Burdett was delighted with her. 
 
46 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "She is a beauty and no mistake," he said enthusiastically. 
 "There is many a big ship will be making bad weather of it 
 to-day; she goes over it like a duck. After this, Mr. Horace, 
 I sha'n't mind what weather I am out in her. I would not 
 have believed a craft her size would have behaved so well in a 
 tumble like this. You see this is more trying for her than a 
 big sea would be. She would take it easier if the waves were 
 longer, and she had more time to take them one after the 
 other. That is why you hear of boats living in a sea that has 
 beaten the life out of a ship. A long craft does not feel a 
 short choppy sea that a small one would be putting her head 
 into every wave; but in a long sea the little one has the advan- 
 tage. What do you think of her, sir? " 
 
 "She seems to me to heel over a long way, Tom." 
 
 "Yes, she is well over; but you see, even in the puffs she 
 doesn't go any further. Every vessel has got what you may 
 call her bearing. It mayn't take much to get her over to that; 
 but when she is there it takes a wonderful lot to bring her any 
 further. You see there is a lot of sail we could take off her 
 yet, if the wind were to freshen. We could get in another 
 reef in the main-sail, and stow her mizzen and foresail alto- 
 gether. She would stand pretty nigh a hurricane with that 
 canvas." 
 
 It was four o'clock in the afternoon before the 67/// entered 
 the harbour. Horace was drenched with spray, and felt almost 
 worn out after the struggle with the wind and waves; when he 
 landed his knees were strangely weak, but he felt an immense 
 satisfaction with the trip, and believed implicitly Tom Bur- 
 dett's assertion that the yacht could stand any weather. 
 
THE WRECK 47 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 THE WRECK 
 
 THOSE were glorious holidays for Horace Beveridge. He 
 was seldom at home; sometimes two of his cousins, the 
 Hendons, accompanied him in his trips, and they were away 
 for three or four days at a time. Three times Mr. Beveridge 
 with Zaimes went out for a day's sail, and Horace was pleased 
 to see that his father really enjoyed it, talking but little, but 
 sitting among some cushions Zaimes arranged for him astern, 
 and basking in the bright sun and fresh air. That he did 
 enjoy it was evident from the fact that, instead of having the 
 yacht laid up at the end of the holidays, Mr. Beveridge de- 
 cided to keep her afloat, and retained Tom Burdett's services 
 permanently. 
 
 "Do you think, Tom, we shall get any sailing in the winter 
 holidays? " 
 
 " We are sure to, sir, if your father has not laid her up by 
 that time. There are plenty of days on this coast when the 
 sailing is as pleasant in winter as it is in summer. The har- 
 bour is a safe one though it is so small, and I don't see any 
 reason why she shouldn't be kept afloat. Of course we shall 
 have to put a stove in the cabin to make it snug: but with 
 that, a good thick pea-jacket, warm gloves, and high boots, 
 you would be as right as a nail." 
 
 And so at Christmas and through the next summer holidavs 
 Horace enjoyed almost constant sailing. He was now thor- 
 oughly at home in the boat, could steer without the super- 
 vision of the skipper, and was as handy with the ropes as Dick 
 himself. 
 
 "This is the best job I ever fell into, Mr. Horace," Tom 
 liurdett said at the end of the second summer. "Your father 
 pays liberal, and as fur grub, when that Greek is on board a 
 post-captain could not want better. It is wonderful how that 
 
48 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 chap does cook, and he seems downright to like it. Then you 
 see I have got a first-rate crew. Dick is as good as a man 
 now; I will say for the Greek, he is a good sailor as well as a 
 good cook; and then you see you have got a deal bigger and 
 stronger than you were a year ago, and are just as handy either 
 at the tiller or the sheets as a man would be, so we are regular 
 strong-handed, and that makes a wonderful difference in the 
 comfort on a craft." 
 
 That summer they sailed up to Portsmouth, and cruised for 
 a week inside the Isle of Wight, and as Horace had one of 
 his school-fellows spending the holidays with him, he enjoyed 
 himself to the fullest of his capacity. During the holidays 
 Horace did not see much of his father, who, quite content that 
 the boy was enjoying himself, and gaining health and strength, 
 went on in his own way, and only once went out with him 
 during his stay at home, although, as Marco told him, he 
 generally went out once a week at other times. 
 
 The first morning after his return, at the following Christ- 
 mas, Horace did not as usual get up as soon as it was light. 
 The rattle of the window and the howl of the wind outside 
 sufficed to tell him that there would be no sailing that day. 
 Eeing in no hurry to move, he sat over breakfast longer than 
 usual, talking to Zaimes of what had happened at home and 
 in the village since he last went away. His father was absent, 
 having gone up to town a week before, and Horace had, on 
 his arrival, found a letter from him, saying that he was sorry 
 not to be there for his return, but that he found he could not 
 get through the work on which he was engaged for another two 
 days; he should, however, be down at any rate by Christmas- 
 eve. 
 
 After breakfast Horace went out and looked over the sea. 
 The wind was almost dead on shore, blowing in such violent 
 gusts that he could scarce keep his feet. The sky was a dull 
 lead colour, the low clouds hurrying past overhead. The sea 
 was covered with white breakers, and the roar of the surf, as 
 it broke on the shore, could be heard even above the noise of 
 
THE WRECK 4C 
 
 the wind. Putting on his pea-jacket and high boots, he went 
 down to the port. As it had been specially constructed as a 
 shelter against south-westerly winds, with the western pier 
 overlapping the other, the sea did not make a direct sweep 
 into it; but the craft inside were all rolling heavily in the swell. 
 
 " How are you, Tom? It is a wild day, isn't it? " 
 
 " Don't want to see a worse, sir. Glad to see you back 
 again, Mr. Horace. Quite well, I hope?" 
 
 " First-rate, Tom. It is a nuisance this gale the first day of 
 coming home. I have been looking forward to a sail. I am 
 afraid there is no chance of one to-day?" 
 
 " Well, sir, I should say they would take us and send us all 
 to the loonatic asylum at Exeter if they saw us getting ready 
 to go out. Just look at the sea coming over the west pier. It 
 has carried away a bit of that stone wall at the end." 
 
 "Yes. I didn't really think of going out, Tom, though I 
 suppose if we had been caught out in it we should have man- 
 aged somehow." 
 
 "We should have done our best, in course," the sailor 
 said, " and I have that belief in the boat that I think she 
 might weather it; but I would not take six months' pay to be 
 out a quarter of an hour." 
 
 " What would you do, Tom, if you were caught in a gale like 
 this?" 
 
 " If there weren't land under our lee I should lay to, sir, 
 under the storm- jib and a try-sail. Maybe I would unship the 
 main-sail with the boom and gaff, get the top-mast on deck 
 an<i lash that to them ; then make a bridle with a strong rope, 
 launch it overboard, lower all sail, and ride to that; that 
 would keep us nearer head on to the sea than we could lie 
 under any sail. That is what they call a floating anchor. I 
 never heard of a ship being hove-to that way; but I was out 
 on boat service in the Indian Ocean when we were caught in 
 a heavy blow, and the lieutenant who was in charge made us 
 lash the mast and sails and oars together and heave them 
 overboard, and we rode to them right through the gale. We 
 
50 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 had to bale a bit occasionally, but there was never any danger, 
 and I don't think we should have lived through it any other 
 way. I made a note of it at the time, and if ever I am caught 
 in the same way again that is what I shall do, and what would 
 be good for a boat would be good for a craft like the Su?f." 
 
 This conversation was carried on with some difficulty, al- 
 though they were standing under the lee of the wall of a cottage. 
 
 "She rolls about heavily, Tom." 
 
 " She does that, sir. It is lucky we have got our moorings 
 in the middle of the harbour, and none of the fishing-boats 
 are near enough to interfere with her. You see most of them 
 have got their sails and nets rolled up as fenders, but in spite 
 of that they have been ripping and tearing each other shock- 
 ing. There will be jobs for the carpenter for some time to 
 come. Five or six of them have torn away their bulwarks 
 already." 
 
 After waiting down by the port for an hour Horace returned 
 to the house. When luncheon was over he was just about to 
 start again for the port, when Marco said to him : 
 
 "Dick has just been in, sir. There is going to be a wreck. 
 There are a lot of fishermen gathered on the cliff half a mile 
 away to the right. They say there is a ship that will come 
 ashore somewhere along there." 
 
 " Come on, then, Marco. Did you hear whether they 
 thought that anything could be done? " 
 
 " I did not hear anything about it. I don't think they know 
 where she will go ashore yet." 
 
 In a few minutes they reached the group of fishermen stand- 
 ing on the cliff. It was a headland beyond which the land 
 fell away, forming a bay some three miles across. A large 
 barque was to be seen some two miles off shore. She was 
 wallowing heavily in the seas, and each wave seemed to smother 
 her in spray. Tom Burdettwas among the group, and Horace 
 went up to him at once. 
 
 "What's to prevent her from beating off, Tom? She ought 
 to be able to work out without difficulty." 
 
THE WRECK Ol 
 
 "So she would at ordinary times," the skipper said; "but 
 she is evidently a heavy sailer and deep laden. She could do 
 it now if they could put more sail on her, but I expect her 
 canvas is all old. You see her topsails are all in ribbons. 
 Each of them seas heaves her bodily to leeward. She is a 
 doomed ship, sir, there ain't no sort of doubt about that; the 
 question is, Where is she coming ashore?" 
 
 "Will it make much difference, Tom? " 
 
 "Well, it might make a difference if her master knew the 
 coast. The best thing he could do would be to get her round 
 and run straight in for this point. The water is deeper here 
 than it is in the bay, and she would get nearer ashore before 
 she struck, and we might save a few of them if they lashed 
 themselves to spars and her coops and such like. Deep as 
 she is she would strike half a mile out if she went straight up 
 the bay. The tide is nearly dead low, and in that case not a 
 man will get ashore through that line of breakers. Then, 
 again, she might strike near Ram's Head over there, which is 
 like enough if she holds on as she is doing at present. The 
 Head runs a long way out under water, and it is shallower 
 half a mile out than it is nearer the point. There is a clump 
 of rocks there." 
 
 "I don't remember anything about them, Tom, and we 
 have sailed along there a score of times." 
 
 "No, sir, we don't take no account of them in small craft, 
 and there is a fathom and a half of water over them even in 
 spring-tides. Springs are on now, and there ain't much above 
 nine foot just now; and that craft draws two fathom and a 
 half or thereabouts, over twelve foot anyhow. But it don't 
 make much difference; wherever she strikes she will go to 
 pieces in this sea in a few minutes." 
 
 "Surely there is something to be done, Tom? " 
 
 "Some of us are just going down to get ropes and go along 
 the shore, Mr. Horace; but Lor' bless you, one just does it for 
 the sake of doing something. One knows well enough that it 
 ain't likely we shall get a chance of saving a soul." 
 
52 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 " But couldn't some of the boats go out, Tom? There would 
 be plenty of water for them where she strikes." 
 
 "The fishermen have been talking about it, sir; but they 
 are all of one opinion; the sea is altogether too heavy for 
 them." 
 
 "But the Surf could go, couldn't she, Tom? You have 
 always said she could stand any sea." 
 
 " Any reasonable sort of sea, Mr. Horace, but this is a down- 
 right onreasonable sort of sea for a craft of her size, and it is 
 a deal worse near shore where the water begins to shallow than 
 it would be out in the channel." 
 
 But though Tom Burdett spoke strongly, Horace noticed 
 that his tone was not so decided as when he said that the fish- 
 ing-boats could not go out. 
 
 " Look here, Tom," he said, " I suppose there must be thirty 
 hands on board that ship. We can't see them drowned 
 without making a try to save them. We have got the best 
 boat here on the coast. We have been out in some bad 
 weather in her, and she has always behaved splendidly. I 
 vote we try. She can fetch out between the piers all right 
 from where she is moored; and if, when we get fairly out, we 
 find it is altogether too much for her, we could put back 
 again." 
 
 Tom made no answer. He was standing looking at the ship. 
 He had been already turning it over in his mind whether it 
 would not be possible for the Surf to put out. He had him- 
 self an immense faith in her sea-going qualities, and believed 
 that she might be able to stand even this sea. 
 
 "But you wouldn't be thinking of going in her, Mr. 
 Horace?" he said doubtfully at last. 
 
 "Of course I should," the lad said indignantly. "You 
 don't suppose that I would let the Surf go out if I were afraid 
 to go in her myself." 
 
 " Your father would never agree to that if he were at home, 
 sir." 
 
 "Yes, he would," Horace said. "I am sure my father 
 

 HORACE SUGGESTS A RESCUE 
 
THE WRECK DO 
 
 would say that if the Surf went out I ought to go in her, and 
 that it would be cowardly to let other people do what one is 
 afraid to do one's self. Besides, I can swim better than either 
 you or Dick, and should have more chance of getting ashore 
 if she went down; but I don't think she would go down. I 
 am nearly sixteen now; and as my father isn't here I shall 
 have my own way. If you say that you think there is no 
 chance of the Surf getting out to her there is an end of it; 
 but if you say that you think she could live through it, we 
 will go." 
 
 "I think she might do it, Mr. Horace; I have been a say- 
 ing so to the others. They all say that it would be just mad- 
 ness, but then they don't know the craft as I do." 
 
 "Well, look here, Tom, I will put it this way: if the storm 
 had been yesterday, and my father and I had both been away, 
 wouldn't you have taken her out? " 
 
 " Well, sir, I should; I can't say the contrary. I have always 
 said that the boat could go anywhere, and I believe she could, 
 and I ain't going to back down now from my opinion; but I 
 say as it ain't right for you to go." 
 
 "That is my business," Horace said. "Marco, I am going 
 out in the Surf to try to save some of the men on board that 
 ship. Are you disposed to come too? " 
 
 "I will go if you go," the Greek said slowly; "but I don't 
 know what your father would say." 
 
 " He would say, if there was a chance of saving life it ought 
 to be tried, Marco. Of course there is some danger in it, 
 but Tom thinks she can do it, and so do I. We can't stand 
 here and see thirty men drowned without making an effort 
 to save them. I have quite made up my mind to go." 
 
 "Very well, sir, then I will go." 
 
 Horace went back to Tom Burdett, who was talking with 
 Dick apart from the rest. 
 
 "We will take a couple of extra hands if we can get them," 
 the skipper said. "We shall want to be strong-handed." 
 
 He went to the group of fishermen and said : 
 
54 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "We are going out in the Surf to see if we can lend a hand 
 to bring some of those poor fellows ashore. Young Mr. 
 Beveridge is coming, but we want a couple more hands. Who 
 will go with us? " 
 
 There was silence for a minute, and then a young fisherman 
 said: 
 
 " I will go, Tom. My brother Nat is big enough to take 
 my place in the boat if I don't come back again. I am will- 
 ing to try it with you, though I doubt if the yacht will get 
 twice her own length beyond the pier." 
 
 "And I will go with you, Tom," an older man said. "If 
 my son Dick is going, I don't see why I should hang back." 
 
 "That will do, then, that makes up our crew. Now we had 
 best be starting at once. That barque will be ashore in another 
 hour, and she will go to pieces pretty near as soon as she 
 strikes. So if we are going to do anything, there ain't no 
 time to be lost. The rest of you had better go along with 
 stout ropes as you was talking of just now; that will give us a 
 bit of a chance if things go wrong." 
 
 The six hurried along the cliff and then down to the port, 
 followed by the whole of the fishermen. A couple of trips 
 with the dinghy took them on board. 
 
 "Now, then," Tom Burdett said to Dick's father, "we will 
 get the fore-sail out and rig it as a try-sail. Dick, you cut the 
 lashings and get the main-sail off the hoops. We will leave it 
 and the spars here; do you lend him a hand, Jack Thomp- 
 son." 
 
 In five minutes the main-sail with its boom and gaff was 
 taken off the mast and tied together. A rope was attached to 
 them and the end flung ashore, where they were at once hauled 
 in by the fishermen, who crowded the wharf, every soul in the 
 village having come down at the news that the Surf was going 
 out. By this time holes had been made along the leach of 
 the sail, and by these it was lashed to the mast-hoops. The 
 top-mast was sent down to the deck, launched overboard, and 
 hauled ashore; the mizzen was closely reefed, but not hoisted. 
 
THE WRECK 55 
 
 "We will see how she does without it," Tom said; "she 
 may like it and she may not. Now, up with the try-sail and 
 jib, and stand by to cast off the moorings as she gets weigh 
 on her; I will take the tiller. Marco, do you and Mr. Hor- 
 ace stand by the mizzen-halliards ready to hoist if I tell you." 
 
 As the Surf began to move through the water a loud cheer 
 broke from the crowd on shore, followed by a dead silence. 
 She moved but slowly as she was under the lee of the west 
 pier. 
 
 " Ben, do you and the other two kick out the lower plank of 
 the bulwark," Tom Burdett said; "we shall want to get rid of 
 the water as fast as it comes on board." 
 
 The three men with their heavy sea-boots knocked out the 
 piank with a few kicks. 
 
 "Now, the one on the other side," Tom said; and this was 
 done just as they reached the entrance between the piers. 
 She was gathering way fast now. 
 
 "Ease off that jib-sheet, Dick," the skipper cried. "Stand 
 by to haul it in as soon as the wind catches the try-sail." 
 
 Tom put down the helm as he reached the end of the pier, 
 but a great wave caught her head and swept her half round. 
 A moment later the wind in its full force struck the try-sail 
 and she heeled far over with the blow. 
 
 "Up with the mizzen!" Tom shouted. "Give her more 
 sheet, Dick ! " As the mizzen drew, its action and that of the 
 helm told, and the Surf swept up into the wind. " Haul in 
 the jib-sheet, Dick. That is enough; make it fast. Ease off 
 the mizzen-sheet a little, Marco! That will do. Now lash 
 yourselves with lines to the bulwark." 
 
 For the first minute or two it seemed to Horace that the 
 Surf, good boat as she was, could not live through those tre- 
 mendous waves, each of which seemed as if it must overwhelm 
 her; but although the water poured in torrents across her deck 
 it went off as quickly through the hole in the lee bulwark, and 
 but little came over her bow. 
 
 "She will do, sir!" Tom, close to whom he harl lashed 
 
56 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 himself, shouted. " It will be better when we get a bit farther 
 out. She is a beauty, she is, and she answers to her helm 
 well." 
 
 Gradually the Surf drew out from the shore. 
 
 " Are you going to come about, Tom? " 
 
 "Not yet, sir; we must get more sea-room before we try. 
 Like enough she may miss stays in this sea. If she does we 
 must wear her round." 
 
 "Now we will try," he said five minutes later. "Get those 
 lashings off. Mr. Horace, you will have to go up to the other 
 side when she is round. Get ready to go about! " he shouted. 
 " I will put the helm down at the first lull. Now ! " 
 
 The Surf came round like a top, and had gathered way on 
 the other tack before the next big wave struck her. 
 
 "Well done!" Tom Burdett shouted joyously, and the 
 others echoed the shout. In ten minutes they were far enough 
 out to get a sight of the ship as they rose on the waves. 
 
 "Just as I thought," Ben muttered; "he thinks he will 
 weather Ram's Head, and he will go ashore somewhere on 
 that reef of rocks to a certainty." 
 
 In another five minutes the course was again changed, and 
 the Suff bore directly for the barque. In spite of the small 
 sail she carried the water was two feet up the lee planks of 
 her deck, and she was deluged every time by the seas, which 
 struck her now almost abeam. But everything was battened 
 down, and they heeded the water but little. 
 
 "What do you think of her now?" Tom shouted to his 
 brother-in-law. " Didn't I tell you she would stand a sea 
 when your fishing-boats dare not show their noses out of the 
 port? " 
 
 "She is a good 'un and no mistake, Tom. I did not think 
 a craft her size could have lived in such a sea as this. You 
 may brag about her as you like in future, and there ain't a 
 man in Seaport as will contradict you." 
 
 They were going through the water four feet to the barque's 
 one, and they were but a quarter of a mile astern of her when 
 
THE WRECK oT 
 
 Horace exclaimed, "She has struck!" and at the same mo- 
 ment her main and foremast went over the side. 
 
 "She is just about on the shallowest point of the reef," Ben 
 Harper said. "Now, how are you going to manage this job, 
 Tom? " 
 
 "There is only one way to do it," the skipper said. "There 
 is water enough for us Tide has flowed an hour and a half, 
 and there must be two fathoms where she is lying. We must 
 run up under her lee close enough to chuck a rope on board. 
 Get a light rope bent on to the hawser. They must pull that 
 on board, and we will hang to it as near as we dare." 
 
 " You must go near her stern, Tom, or we shall get stove in 
 with the masts and spars." 
 
 "Yes, it is lucky the mizzen is standing, else we could not 
 have gone alongside till they got rid of them all, and they 
 would never do that afore she broke up." 
 
 Horace, as he watched the ship, expected to see her go to 
 pieces every moment. Each wave struck her with tremendous 
 force, sending cataracts of water over her weather gunwale 
 and across her deck. Many of the seas broke before they 
 reached her, and the line of the reef could be traced far 
 beyond her by the white and broken water. 
 
 "Now, then," the skipper shouted, "I shall keep the Surf 
 about twice her own length from the wreck, and then put the 
 helm hard down and shoot right up to her." 
 
 "That will be the safest plan, Tom. There are two men 
 with ropes standing ready in the mizzen-shrouds." 
 
 "I shall bring her in a little beyond that, Ben, if the wreck 
 of the mainmast isn't in the way; the mizzen may come out 
 of her any moment, and if it fell on our decks it would be 
 good-bye to us all." 
 
 A cheer broke from the men huddled up under shelter of 
 the weather bulwark as the little craft swept past her stern. 
 
 " Mind the wreck \ " a voice shouted. 
 
 Tom held up his hand, and a moment later put the helm 
 down hard. The Surf swept round towards the ship, and her 
 
58 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 way carried her on until the end of the bowsprit was but five 
 or six yards distant. Then Tom shouted: 
 
 "Now is your time, Dick; " and the rope was thrown right 
 across the barque, where it was grasped by half a dozen hands. 
 
 "Haul in till you get the hawser," Dick shouted; "then 
 make it fast." At the same moment two ropes from the ship 
 were thrown, and caught by Marco and Ben. Tom left the 
 tiller now and lowered the try-sail. By the time the hawser 
 was fast on board, the Surf had drifted twice her own length 
 from the ship. "That will do, Ben; make the hawser fast 
 there." Two strong hawsers were hauled in from the ship 
 and also made fast. 
 
 "Now you can come as soon as you like," Tom shouted. 
 As the hawsers were fastened to the weather-side of the vessel, 
 which was now heeled far over, it was a sharp incline down to 
 the deck of the Surf, and the crew, throwing their arms and 
 legs round the hawsers, slid down without difficulty, the press- 
 ure of the wind on the yacht keeping the ropes perfectly taut. 
 As the men came within reach, Tom Burdett and Ben seized 
 them by the collars and hauled them on board. 
 
 "Any woman on board? " he asked the first. 
 
 "No, we have no passengers." 
 
 "That is a comfort. How many of a crew? " 
 
 "There were thirty-three all told, but four were killed by 
 the falling mast, and three were washed overboard before we 
 struck, so there are twenty-six now." 
 
 In five minutes from the ropes being thrown the captain, 
 who was last man, was on board the yacht. The Surfs own 
 hawser had been thrown off by him before he left, drawn in, 
 and coiled down, and as soon as he was safe on board the 
 other two hawsers were thrown off. 
 
 " Haul the jib a-weather, Dick," Tom Burdett shouted as he 
 took the helm again. "Slack the mizzen-sheet off altogether, 
 Marco; up with the try-sail again." 
 
 For a short distance the yacht drifted astern, and then, as 
 the pressure of the jib began to make itself felt, her head 
 
THE WRECK 59 
 
 gradually payed off. "Haul in the try-sail and jib-sheets. 
 Let go the weather-sheet, Dick, and haul in the other. That 
 is it, now she begins to move again." 
 
 "You are only just in time," the captain said to Tom; 
 "she was just beginning to part in the middle when I left. 
 You have saved all our lives, and I thank you heartily." 
 
 "This is the owner of the yacht, sir," Tom said, motion- 
 ing to Horace. "It is his doing that we came out." 
 
 " Oh, that is all nonsense, Tom ! You would have come 
 just the same if I hadn't been there." 
 
 "Well, sir, it has been a gallant rescue," the captain said. 
 " I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw your sail com- 
 ing after us, and I expected every moment to see it disappear." 
 
 "Now, captain," Tom said, "make all your men sit down 
 as close as they can pack under the weather bulwark; we ain't 
 in yet." 
 
 It was an anxious time as they struggled through the heavy 
 sea on the way back, but the Surf stood it bravely, and the 
 weight to windward enabled her to stand up more stiffly to 
 her canvas. When they were abreast of the port half the men 
 went over to the other side, the helm was put up, and she 
 rushed towards the shore dead before the wind. The extra 
 weight on deck told on her now, and it needed the most care- 
 ful steering on Tom's part to keep her straight before the 
 waves, several of which broke over her taffrail and swept along 
 the deck, one of them bursting out her bulwarks at the bow. 
 
 "Get ready to haul in the sheets smartly," Tom shouted as 
 they neared the pier. 
 
 He kept her course close to the pier-head, and as the Surf 
 came abreast of it jammed down the tiller, while Ben and 
 Dick hauled in the mizzen-sheet. A moment later she was 
 shooting along under the shelter of the wall, while a loud 
 shout of welcome rose above the howling of the wind from 
 those on shore. 
 
 " Now, sir, I will see about getting her moored," Tom said, 
 "if you will run down and get some rum bottles out of the 
 
60 IX GREEK WATERS 
 
 locker; I am pretty well frozen and these poor fellows must 
 be nigh perished, but it would never have done to open the 
 hatchway in that sea." 
 
 "Come down, men," Horace cried, as he dived below. 
 "We had no time to light the fire before starting, but a glass 
 of spirits will do you good all round." 
 
 Two or three of the fishermen rowed out as soon as the 
 yacht was moored, and in a few minutes all were ashore. 
 
 "Now you had better run up to the house and change, Mr. 
 Horace," Tom Burdett said. "We will look after the men 
 here and get them some dry things, and put them up amongst 
 us. We have done a big thing, sir, and the Surf has been 
 tried as I hope she will never be tried again as long as we 
 have anything to do with her." 
 
 "All right, Tom! Will you come up with me, captain? 
 There is no one at home but myself, and we will manage to 
 rig you up somehow." 
 
 The captain, however, declined the invitation, saying that 
 he would rather see after his men and put up himself at the 
 public-house on the beach. 
 
 " I will come up later, sir. when I have seen everything al] 
 snug here." 
 
 Horace had some difficulty in making his way up through 
 the crowd, for both men and women wished to shake hands 
 with him. At last he got through, and, followed by Marco, 
 ran up through the village to the house. Zaimes had been 
 among the crowd assembled to see the Surf re-enter the port; 
 and when Horace changed his things and came down stairs 
 he found a bowl of hot soup ready for him. 
 
 " You have given me a nice fright, Mr. Horace," the Greek 
 said as he entered the room. " I have been scolding Marco, 
 I can tell you." 
 
 "It was not his fault, Zaimes. I made up my mind to go, 
 and told him so, and he had the choice whether he would go 
 or stay behind, and he went." 
 
 "Of course he went," Zaimes said; "but he ought to have 
 
THE WRECK 61 
 
 come and told me. Then I should have gone too. How 
 could I have met your father, do you think, if you had been 
 drowned? " 
 
 " Well, you would not have been to blame, Zaimes, as you 
 knew nothing about it until after we had started." 
 
 " No, you had been gone half an hour before someone from 
 the village came up and told them in the kitchen. Then one 
 of the servants brought me the news, and I ran down like a 
 madman, without even stopping to get a hat. Then I found 
 that most of the men had gone up to the cliff to keep you in 
 sight, and I went up there and waited with them until you 
 were nearly back again. Once or twice, as you were running 
 in to the pier, I thought the yacht was gone." 
 
 "That was the worst bit, Zaimes. The sea came tumbling 
 over her stern, and I was washed off my feet two or three 
 times. I almost thought that she was going down head- 
 foremost. Well, I am glad I was at home this morning. I 
 would not have missed it for anything." 
 
 " No, it is a good thing, now it is done, and something to 
 be proud of. I am told very few of the fishermen thought 
 that you would ever come back again." 
 
 "They didn't know the boat as we did, Zaimes. I felt sure 
 she would go through anything; and, besides, Tom kicked 
 out the lower plank of the bulwarks on each side, so as to help 
 her to free herself from water as it came on board, and flush- 
 decked as she is, there was nothing to carry away; but she 
 hasn't taken a cupful of water down below." 
 
 In the evening the captain of the barque came up, and 
 Horace learned from him that she was on her way from New 
 Orleans laden with cotton. 
 
 "The ship and cargo are insured," the captain said; "and, 
 as far as that goes, it is a good thing she is knocked into 
 match-wood. She was a dull sailer at the best of times, and 
 when laden you could not get her to lay anywhere near the 
 wind. She would have done better than she did, though, 
 hadn't her rudder got damaged somehow in the night. She 
 
62 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 ought to have clawed off the shore easy enough; but, as you 
 saw, she sagged to leeward a foot for every foot she went for- 
 'ard. I was part-owner in her, and I am not sorry she has 
 gone. We tried to sell her last year, but they have been sell- 
 ing so many ships out of the navy that we could not get any- 
 thing of a price for her; but as she was well insured, I shall 
 get a handier craft next time. I was well off shore when the 
 storm began to get heavy last night, and felt no anxiety about 
 our position till the rudder went wrong. But when I saw the 
 coast this morning, I felt sure that unless there was a change 
 in the weather nothing could save her. Well, if it hadn't 
 been for the loss of those seven hands, I should, thanks to 
 you, have nothing to complain of." 
 
 Fires had been lit on the shore as night came on; but ex- 
 cept fragments of the wreck and a number of bales of cotton 
 nothing was recovered. In the morning the captain and crew 
 left Seaport, two hands remaining behind to look after the 
 cotton and recover as much as they could. Two days later 
 Mr. Beveridge returned home. 
 
 " I saw in the paper before I left town, Horace, an account 
 of your going out to the wreck and saving the lives of those 
 on board. I am very glad I was not here, my lad. I don't 
 think I should have let you go; but as I knew nothing about 
 it until it was all over, I had no anxiety about it, and felt 
 quite proud of you when I read the account. The money was 
 well laid out on that yacht, my boy. I don't say that I didn't 
 think so before, but I certainly think so now. However, 
 directly I read it I wrote to the Lifeboat Society and told 
 them that I would pay for a boat to be placed here. Then 
 there will be no occasion to tempt Providence the next time 
 a vessel comes ashore on this part of the coast. You suc- 
 ceeded once, Horace, but you might not succeed another 
 time; and knowing what a sea sets in here in a south-westerly 
 gale, I quite tremble now at the thought of your being out in 
 it in that little craft." 
 
 The news that Mr. Beveridsre had ordered a lifeboat for the 
 
THE WRECK (53 
 
 port gave great satisfaction among the fishermen, not so much 
 perhaps because it would enable them to go out to wrecks, as 
 because any of their own craft approaching the harbour in bad 
 weather, and needing assistance, could then receive it. 
 
 Horace became very popular in Seaport after the rescue, and 
 was spoken of affectionately as the young squire, although they 
 were unable to associate the term with his father; but the 
 latter's interest in the sea, and his occasionally going out in 
 the yacht, seemed to have brought him nearer to the fishing 
 people. There had before been absolutely nothing in common 
 between them and the studious recluse, and even the Greeks, 
 who had before been held in marked disfavour in the village 
 as outlandish followers, were now regarded with different eyes 
 when it was learned that Marco had been a fisherman too in 
 his time, and his share in the adventure of the Surf dissipated 
 the last shadow of prejudice against them. 
 
 The weather continued more or less broken through the 
 whole of the holidays, and Horace had but little sailing. He 
 spent a good deal of his time over at his cousins', rode occa- 
 sionally after the hounds with them, and did some shooting. 
 A week after coming home his father had again gone up to 
 town, and remained there until after Horace had returned to 
 Eton. He was, the lad observed, more abstracted even than 
 usual, but was at the same time restless and unsettled. He 
 looked eagerly for the post, and received and despatched a 
 large number of letters. Horace supposed that he must be 
 engaged in some very sharp and interesting controversy as to 
 a disputed reading, or the meaning of some obscure passage, 
 until the evening before he went away his father said: 
 
 " I suppose, Horace, you are following with interest the 
 course of events in Thessaly? " 
 
 "Well, father, we see the papers of course. There seems 
 to be a row going on there; they are always fighting about 
 something. From what I could understand of it, Ali Pasha 
 of Janina has revolted against the Sultan, and the Turks are 
 _ r ing him. What sort of a chap is he? He is an Alba- 
 nian, isn't he? " 
 
64 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Yes, with all the virtues and vices of his race — ambitious, 
 avaricious, revengeful, and cruel, but brave and astute. He 
 has been the instrument of the Porte in breaking down the last 
 remnants of independence in the wide districts he rules. As 
 you know, very many of the Christian and Mussulman villages 
 possessed armed guards called armatoli, who are responsible 
 not only for the safety of the village, but for the security of 
 the roads; the defence of the passes was committed to them, 
 and they were able to keep the numerous bands of brigands 
 within moderate bounds. This organization Ali Pasha set 
 himself to work to weaken as soon as he came into power. 
 He played off one party against the other — the Mussulmans 
 against the Christians, the brigands against the armatoli, one 
 powerful chief against another. He crushed the Suliots, who 
 possessed a greater amount of independence, perhaps, than 
 any of the other tribes, and who, it must be owned, were a 
 scourge to all their neighbours. He took away all real power 
 from the armatoli, crippled the Mussulman communities as 
 well as weakened the Christian villages; inspired terror in 
 the whole population by the massacre of such as resisted his 
 will, and those whom he could not crush by force he removed 
 by poison; finally, he became so strong that it was evident 
 his design was to become altogether independent of the Sul- 
 tan. But he miscalculated his power, his armies fled almost 
 without striking a blow; his sons, who commanded them, are 
 either fugitives or prisoners; and now we hear that he is be- 
 sieged in his fortress, which is capable of withstanding a very 
 long siege." 
 
 " He must be a thorough old scoundrel, I should say, 
 father." 
 
 " Yes," Mr. Beveridge assented somewhat unwillingly. " No 
 doubt he is a bad man, Horace; but he might have been — he 
 may even yet be, useful to Greece. When it first became evi- 
 dent that matters would come to a struggle between him and 
 the Porte he issued proclamations calling upon the Christians 
 to assist him and make common cause against the Turks, and 
 
THE WRECK 65 
 
 specially invited Greece to declare her independence of 
 Turkey, and to join him." 
 
 " But I should say, father, the Albanians would be even 
 worse masters than the Turks." 
 
 " No doubt, Horace, no doubt. The Turks, I may own, 
 have not on the whole been hard masters to the Christians. 
 They are much harder upon the Mussulman population than 
 upon the Christian, as the latter can complain to the Russians, 
 who, as their co-religionists, claim to exercise a special protec- 
 tion over them. But, indeed, all the Christian powers give pro- 
 tection, more or less, to the Christian Greeks, who, especially 
 in the Morea, have something approaching municipal institu- 
 tions, and are governed largely by men chosen by themselves. 
 Therefore the pashas take good care not to bring trouble on 
 themselves or the Porte by interfering with them so long as 
 they pay their taxes, which are by no means excessive; while 
 the Mussulman part of the population, having no protectors, 
 are exposed to all sorts of exactions, which are limited only 
 by the fear of driving them into insurrection. Still this rebel- 
 lion of Ali Pasha has naturally excited hopes in the minds of 
 the Greeks and their friends that some results may arise from 
 it, and no better opportunity is likely to occur for them to 
 make an effort to shake off the yoke of the Turks. You may 
 imagine, Horace, how exciting all this is to one who, like 
 myself, is the son of a Greek mother, and to whom, therefore, 
 the glorious traditions of Greece are the story of his own peo- 
 ple. As yet my hopes are faint, but there is a greater prospect 
 now than there has been for the last two hundred years, and I 
 would give all I am worth in the world to live to see Greece 
 recover her independence." 
 
66 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 A STARTLING PROPOSAL 
 
 AFTER Horace returned to Eton, remembering the intense 
 interest of his father in the affairs of Greece, he read up 
 as far as he could everything relating to late events there. 
 That he should obtain a really fair view of the situation was 
 impossible. The Greeks had countrymen in every commercial 
 city in the world; they were active and intelligent, and passion- 
 ately desirous of interesting Europe in their cause. Upon 
 the other hand the Turks were voiceless. Hence Europe only 
 heard the Greek version of the state of affairs; their wrongs 
 were exaggerated and events distorted with an utter disregard 
 for truth, while no whisper of the other side of the question 
 was ever heard. 
 
 At that time the term Greek was applied to persons of Greek 
 religion rather than of Greek nationality. The population of 
 European Turkey, of pure Greek blood, was extremely small, 
 while those who held the Greek form of religion were very 
 numerous, and the influence possessed by them was even 
 greater. The Christians were in point of intelligence, activ- 
 ity, and wealth superior to the Turks. They were subservient 
 and cringing when it suited their purpose, and were as a rule 
 utterly unscrupulous. The consequence was that they worked 
 their way into posts of responsibility and emolument in great 
 numbers, being selected by the Porte in preference to the 
 duller and less pushing Turks. In some portions of European 
 Turkey they were all-powerful ; in the Transylvanian provinces 
 of Moldavia and Wallachia every post was held by Greeks, and 
 there were but a few small and scattered Turkish garrisons. 
 Yet here the population were incomparably more cruelly fleeced 
 and ground down by their Greek masters than were the Chris- 
 tians in the more Turkish provinces. 
 
 In Servia and parts of Bulgaria the numbers were more 
 
A STARTLING PROPOSAL 67 
 
 even, but here also the Greeks held most of the responsible 
 posts. In Greece proper the Christians vastly predominated, 
 while in Northern Thessaly the numbers of the Christians and 
 Mussulmans were about the same. 
 
 The Greek metropolitan of Constantinople and his council 
 exercised a large authority by means of the bishops and priests 
 over the whole Christian population, while for some time a 
 secret society named the Philike Hetaireia had been at work 
 preparing them for a rising. It was started originally among 
 the Greeks at Odessa, and was secretly patronized by Russia, 
 which then, as since, had designs upon Constantinople. 
 
 The first outbreak had occurred in March, 1S21, when Prince 
 Alexander Hypsilantes, who had been an officer in the Rus- 
 sian service, crossed the Pruth, and was joined by the Greek 
 officials and tax-gatherers of the Transylvanian provinces. 
 He was a vain, empty-headed, and utterly incompetent ad- 
 venturer. A small band of youths belonging to good families 
 enrolled themselves under the title of the Sacred Band, and 
 the army also joined him, but beyond the cold-blooded mas- 
 sacre of a considerable number of Turks and their families he 
 did absolutely nothing. The main body of the population, 
 who bitterly hated their Greek oppressors, remained quiescent. 
 Russia, seeing his utter incapacity, repudiated him, and after 
 keeping alive the hopes of his followers by lying proclama- 
 tions Hypsilantes secured his own safety by flight across the 
 Austrian frontier when the Turkish army approached. The 
 five hundred young men of the Sacred Battalion fought nobly 
 and were killed almost to a man; but with the exception of a 
 band of officers who refused to surrender, and shut themselves 
 up in Skulani and in the monastery of Seko and there de- 
 fended themselves bravely until the last, no resistance was 
 offered to the Turks, and the insurrection was stamped out by 
 the beginning of June. But in the meantime Greece proper 
 was rising, and though the news came but slowly Horace saw 
 that his father's hopes were likely to be gratified, and that the 
 Greeks would probably strike a blow at least for national in- 
 
68 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 dependence, and he more than shared the general excitement 
 that the news caused among educated men throughout Europe. 
 
 The summer holidays passed uneventfully. Horace took 
 long cruises in the Surf. He saw but little of his father, 
 who was constantly absent in London. August came, and 
 Horace returned from his last trip and was feeling rather 
 depressed at the thought of going back to school in two days' 
 time. He met Zaimes as he entered the house. 
 
 "Is my father back from town, Zaimes?" 
 
 " Yes, Mr. Horace, and he told me to tell you as soon as you 
 returned that he wished you to go to him at once in the 
 library." 
 
 It was so unlike his father to want to see him particularly 
 about anything, that Horace went in in some wonder as to 
 what could be the matter. Mr. Beveridge was walking up and 
 down the room. 
 
 " Is your mind very much set on going back to Eton, 
 Horace?" he asked abruptly. 
 
 " I don't know, father," Horace said, taken somewhat aback 
 at the question. " Well, I would very much rather go back, 
 father, than be doing nothing here. I am very fond of sail- 
 ing as an amusement, but one would not want to be at it always. 
 Of course if there is anything really to do it would be differ- 
 ent." 
 
 "Well, I think there is something else to do, Horace. You 
 know my feeling with regard to this insurrection in Greece." 
 
 "Yes, father," Horace, who was indeed rather tired of the 
 subject, replied. 
 
 " Well, you see, my boy, they have now resisted the Turks 
 for some five months and have gained rather than lost ground. 
 That seems to show decisively that this is no mere hasty ris- 
 ing, but that the people are in earnest in the determination 
 to win their liberty. Now that I am thoroughly convinced of 
 this my course is clear, and I have determined upon going 
 out to give such assistance as I can." 
 
 Horace was astounded. "Going out to fight, father?" 
 
A STARTLING PROPOSAL 69 
 
 "Yes, if necessary to fight, but I can be of more use than in 
 merely fighting. I have never, since I came into the property 
 some twenty-four years ago, spent anything like a third of my 
 income. Indeed, since my return from Greece my expenses 
 here have been but a few hundreds a year. I have always 
 hoped that I should have the opportunity of devoting the 
 savings to help Greece to regain her independence. That 
 moment has come. At first I feared that the movement would 
 speedily die out; but the letters that I receive show that it is 
 increasing daily, and indeed that the Greeks have placed 
 themselves beyond the hope of forgiveness by, I am sorry to 
 say, the massacre of large numbers of Turks. It is, of course, 
 to be regretted that so glorious a cause should have been sul- 
 lied by such conduct ; but one cannot be surprised. Slaves 
 are always cruel, and after the wrongs they have suffered, it 
 could hardly be expected that they would forego their revenge 
 when the opportunity at last came. However, the important 
 point of the matter is, that there can be no drawing back 
 now. 
 
 " For better or for worse the revolution has begun. Now, 
 Horace, you are but sixteen, but you are a sensible lad, and 
 I have stood so much apart from other men from my boyhood 
 that I am what you might call unpractical; while I take it that 
 you from your temperament, and from being at a great public 
 school, are eminently practical, therefore, I shall be glad to 
 hear your opinion as to how this thing had best be set about. 
 I take it, of course, that you are as interested in the struggle 
 as I am." 
 
 "Well, not so interested perhaps, father. I feel, of course, 
 that it is a horrible thing that a people like the Greeks, to 
 whom we all owe so much, should be kept in slavery by the 
 Turks, who have never done any good to mankind that I know 
 of, and I should certainly be glad to do everything in my power 
 to help; but of course it all comes so suddenly upon me that 
 just at present I don't see what had best be done." 
 
 " I heard from my friends in London that many young men 
 
70 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 are already starting to assist the Greeks. What they will need 
 most is not men, but arms and money, so at least my Greek 
 friends write me." 
 
 "Well, father," Horace said bluntly; "I should say you 
 had much better give them arms than money. I have been 
 reading the thing up as much as I could since it began, and 
 as far as I can see the upper class Greeks, the men who, I 
 suppose, will be the leaders, are a pretty bad lot — quite as 
 bad, I should say, as the Turkish pashas." 
 
 " Yes, I quite agree with you there, Horace. You see in a 
 country that is enslaved political and other careers are closed, 
 and the young men devote themselves to making money. You 
 see that in the history of the Jews. All through the middle 
 ages they were everywhere persecuted, every avenue to hon- 
 ourable employment was closed to them, consequently they 
 devoted themselves to making money, and have been the 
 bankers of kings for hundreds of years. No doubt it is the 
 same thing with the Greeks; but the mass of the people are 
 uncorrupted, and with the deeds of their great forefathers 
 always before them they will, I am sure, show themselves 
 worthy of their name." 
 
 "No doubt, father; I think so too." 
 
 "You don't mind my spending this money on the Cause, 
 Horace," his father asked anxiously, "because, though it is 
 my savings, it would in the natural course of things come to 
 you some day." 
 
 "Not at all, father; it is, as you say, your savings, and 
 having at heart, as you have, the independence of Greece, I 
 think it cannot be better laid out than assisting it. But I 
 should certainly like it to be laid out for that, and not to go 
 into the pockets of a lot of fellows who think more of feather- 
 ing their own nests than of the freedom of Greece. So I should 
 say the best thing would be to send out a cargo of arms and 
 ammunition, as a beginning; other cargoes can go out as they 
 are required. And you might, of course, take a certain amount 
 of money to distribute yourself as you see it is required. I 
 hope you mean to take me with you." 
 
A STARTLING PROPOSAL 71 
 
 " I think so, Horace. You are young to do any fighting at 
 present, but you will be a great support and comfort to me." 
 
 Horace could scarcely resist a smile, for he thought that if 
 there was any fighting to be done he would be of considerably 
 more use than his father. 
 
 "Well, I suppose the next thing, Horace, will be to go up 
 to town to inquire about arms. My Greek friends there will 
 advise me as to their purchase, and so on." 
 
 "Yes, father," Horace said a little doubtfully; "but as it is 
 late now I think, if you don't mind, I will get some supper 
 and turn in. I will think it over. I think we had better talk 
 it over quietly and quite make up our minds what is best to 
 be done before we set about anything ; a few hours won't make 
 any difference." 
 
 "Quite so, Horace; it is no use our beginning by making 
 mistakes. It is a great comfort to me, my boy, to have you 
 with me. At any rate I will write to-night to your head- 
 master and say that circumstances will prevent your return to 
 Eton this term." 
 
 Horace went into the next room, had some supper, and then 
 went thoughtfully up to bed. The idea of going out to fight 
 for the independence of Greece was one which at any other 
 time he would have regarded with enthusiasm, but under the 
 present circumstances he felt depressed rather than excited. 
 He admired his father for his great learning, and loved him 
 for the kindness of his intentions towards him ; but he had 
 during the last two or three years been more and more im- 
 pressed with the fact that in everything unconnected with his 
 favourite subject his father was, as he said himself, utterly 
 unpractical. He left the management of his estate to the 
 steward, the management of the house to Zaimes, both happily, 
 as it chanced, honest and capable men; but had they been 
 rogues they could have victimized him to any extent. That 
 his father, who lived in his library and who was absorbed in 
 the past, should plunge into the turmoil of an insurrection was 
 an almost bewildering idea. He would be plundered right 
 
72 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 and left, and would believe every story told him ; while as for 
 his fighting, the thing seemed absolutely absurd. Horace felt 
 that the whole responsibility would be on his shoulders, and 
 this seemed altogether too much for him. Then the admission 
 of his father that abominable massacres had been perpetrated 
 by the Greeks shook his enthusiasm in the Cause. 
 
 " I should be glad to see them free and independent, and 
 all that," he said, "but I don't want to be fighting side by 
 side with murderers. Among such fellows as these, my father, 
 who is a great deal more Greek than any Greek of the present 
 day, I should say, would be made utterly miserable. He 
 admits that the upper class are untrustworthy and avaricious. 
 Now he says that the lower class have massacred people in 
 cold blood. It does not affect him much in the distance, but 
 if he were in the middle of it all it would be such a shock to 
 him that I believe it would kill him. Besides, fancy his going 
 long marches in the mountains, sleeping in the wet, and all 
 that sort of thing, when he has never walked half a mile as 
 far back as I can remember." 
 
 He lay tossing about for a couple of hours, and then sat 
 suddenly up in bed. "That's it," he exclaimed, "that is a 
 splendid idea. What a fool I was not to think of it before ! 
 If William Martyn is but at home that would be the thing 
 above all." 
 
 Then he lay down, thought the matter over for another half- 
 hour, and then went quietly off to sleep. 
 
 "Well, Horace, have you been turning the matter over in 
 your mind?" his father asked as soon as they sat down to 
 breakfast. 
 
 " I have, father, and I have hit upon a plan that seems to 
 me the very best thing possible in all ways." 
 
 "What is it, Horace?" 
 
 " Well, father, it seems to me that if we take out war mate- 
 rial to Athens it will very likely get into wrong hands alto- 
 gether, and when arms are really wanted by the people of the 
 mountains, and I expect that it is they who will do the fight- 
 
A STARTLING PROPOSAL 73 
 
 ing and not the people of the towns, there won't be any to 
 give them. The next thing is, if we go to Athens, and people 
 know that you are a rich Englishman, you will get surrounded 
 by sharks, and before you have time to know who is to be 
 trusted, or anything about it, all your money will be gone. 
 Then I am sure that you could not in that way take any active 
 part in helping to free Greece, you never could stand marches 
 in the mountains and sleeping in the open air, bad food, and 
 all that sort of thing, after living the quiet indoor life you 
 have for so many years. I know you would stick to it, father, 
 as long as you could, but it seems to me you would be sure to 
 get knocked up." 
 
 "Yes, I ought to have prepared for this, Horace. It would 
 have been better for me to have taken regular exercise every 
 day, even if I did get through a little less work. Still I am 
 stronger than you think. I am only forty-four, and a man at 
 forty- four ought to be able to do nearly as much as he ever 
 could do." 
 
 "Yes, father, if he had lived an active life and exercised 
 his muscles. I have no doubt you are just as strong in many 
 things as other men; I never remember your being ill for a 
 day; but I am sure you are not fit for knocking about among 
 the mountains. What I have been thinking of is this. If 
 you approve of it I will go over to Exmouth this morning and 
 see if William Martyn is there. He is likely to be at home 
 if his vessel is in port. If he is not, I will get his father to 
 recommend some one. There must be lots of young lieuten- 
 ants on half-pay who would jump at the idea. First I should 
 engage with Martyn if he is there, or go to the man whom his 
 father recommended to me at Plymouth, and get him to buy 
 for you a fast schooner or brig — one that had either been an 
 English privateer or a captured Frenchman would be about 
 the thing — arrange with him to be the captain and engage 
 officers and crew, and get him to arm her with as many guns 
 as she will carry. He would be able probably to put us into 
 the best way of buying muskets. As such immense numbers 
 
74 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 of soldiers have been paid off, no doubt there have been great 
 sales of muskets by government, and we might get them at a 
 quarter the price we should have to pay for new ones. .Of 
 course we should take in ammunition in large quantities. All 
 these mountaineers have no doubt got guns, and ammunition 
 will be the thing most wanted of all. We could also pick up 
 some cannon. No doubt they are to be bought for scrap iron. 
 The Greeks will want them to arm their ships and batteries. 
 In that way you see, father, you would have everything under 
 your own hands. Nobody would know how many muskets you 
 have got on board, and you could serve them out when or how 
 they were required. 
 
 "The same with money. We could cruise about and pop 
 into quiet places, and send arms and ammunition up into the 
 hills. Of course directly you got out there you would put the 
 ship under the Greek flag, and by harassing the Turks at sea 
 we might do a hundred times more good than we could by 
 land. There would be no fatigue and no discomfort. You 
 would always be comfortable on board, and could take Zaimes 
 and Marco with you. We would take Tom Burdett as boat- 
 swain. He was boatswain in the navy, you know. If he 
 goes I daresay Dick will also go with us." 
 
 "That is an excellent plan, Horace. It seems to meet all 
 the difficulties, and I was really feeling uncomfortable at the 
 thought of being mixed up in all the confusion and excite- 
 ment there will, no doubt, be at Athens. It is a most happy 
 idea. We will not lose a moment about it. I like that young 
 fellow Martyn, and I hope you will be able to get hold of 
 him. Let him name his own terms. I have not the least idea 
 whether the captain of a vessel of that sort is paid five pounds 
 a week or twenty-five. Of course it will be dangerous service, 
 and should be liberally paid for. Well, you had better pack 
 up your bag directly we have finished breakfast. You may be 
 away for a week or ten days." 
 
 "I can't start to-day, father, surely." 
 
 " No ! why not, Horace ? " 
 
A STARTLING PROPOSAL 75 
 
 " Because, you know, you arranged we should both go over 
 to dine at aunt's." 
 
 "Of course, Horace; I quite forgot that. It is very annoy- 
 ing, but I suppose it can't be helped." 
 
 Horace laughed. "A day won't make much difference, 
 father. I am sure aunt would be very vexed if we did not 
 turn up. Do you mean to tell her anything about it? " 
 
 Mr. Beveridge was silent for a minute. "I don't think 
 there is any occasion; do you, Horace?" he said doubtfully. 
 " She might raise objections, you know; though that, of course, 
 would make no difference; arguments are always to be avoided, 
 and your aunt was always a very positive woman." 
 
 " I think it is just as well to say nothing about it," Horace 
 said with a slight smile, for he felt sure that his aunt would 
 oppose the project tooth and nail if she were aware of it, and 
 that she would be backed by the whole strength of his mother's 
 family. He did not say this, but went on, " It is a nuisance 
 being asked a tremendous lot of questions about things, espe- 
 cially when you don't know much about them yourself. No, 
 I think, father, we had better keep it quite quiet. It will be 
 time enough to write a line to aunt and tell her that we are 
 off, the last thing before we get up anchor." 
 
 "I agree with you, Horace, so we will say nothing about 
 this trip of ours. Well, as it seems you can't go to-day, you 
 had better make your arrangements to catch the coach to-mor- 
 row morning. I will sign a dozen blank cheques, which you 
 can fill up as required. Of course whoever accepts the post 
 of captain will know all that will be wanted for the ship, and 
 if he doesn't know himself about the arms and ammunition 
 he may be able to introduce you to some officer who does. 
 "Will you take Marco with you? " 
 
 "No, I don't think so, father. I don't see that he would 
 be any use, and having a man going about with you looks as 
 if one was being taken care of." 
 
 Horace caught the coach and alighted at Exmouth, and 
 hurried to the revenue officer's house. 
 
76 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Is Mr. William Martyn in?" he asked the servant who 
 opened the door. 
 
 " He is not in just at present, sir; I think he went down to 
 the river." 
 
 "How long has he been home? " Horace asked, delighted 
 at the news. 
 
 "He only got in last week, sir; his ship got wrecked, and 
 Mr. William turned up without any clothes, or anything except 
 just what he stood up in." 
 
 "Hurrah!" Horace exclaimed, to the astonishment of the 
 woman, and then without another word ran down to the 
 wharfs. He soon saw the figure he was in search of talking 
 to two or three old sailors. 
 
 "Hullo, youngster!" Martyn said in surprise, as Horace 
 came up, "where have you sprung from?" 
 
 "Off the top of the coach." 
 
 " I suppose so. I have been having a bit of bad luck and 
 lost my ship. We were wrecked off St. Catharine's Point, at 
 the back of the Isle of Wight, and there were only seven of 
 us saved among a crew of thirty-five all told." 
 
 "Yes, I heard from your servant you had been wrecked," 
 Horace said. "She didn't say that any lives had been lost; 
 but I must have astonished her, now I think of it, for I said 
 'Hurrah ! ' when she told me." 
 
 "What did you say hurrah for? " the mate asked gruffly. 
 
 " Because I wanted to find you here, and was so pleased that 
 you were not going to sail away again directly." 
 
 "No," Will Martyn said gloomily, "it is bad enough to 
 have lost one's kit and everything, and now I shall have to 
 look about for another berth, for I think the vessel was only 
 partly insured, and as the owners only have one or two ships I 
 expect it will hit them rather hard, and that they won't have 
 another craft ready for some time, so it will be no use my 
 waiting for that." 
 
 The sailors had moved away when Horace came up, so that he 
 was able at once to open the subject of his visit to the mate. 
 
A STARTLING PROPOSAL 77 
 
 " Well, that was just what I was hoping when I heard that 
 you were wrecked, Will, for I had come over on purpose to 
 see if you were disengaged and disposed to take a new berth." 
 
 "What! is your father going in for a big yacht instead of 
 the Surf, Horace?" 
 
 "Well, not exactly, but something of that sort. You know 
 I told you how enthusiastic he was about Greece and every- 
 thing connected with it. Of course he is tremendously excited 
 about this rising out there, and he is going to send out a lot 
 of arms and ammunition. So we have talked it over and 
 agreed that the best thing to do would be to buy a fast schooner 
 or brig, fit her up as a privateer, fill her with arms and ammu- 
 nition, and go out, hoist the Greek flag, and do what we can 
 to help them against the Turks. Of course we thought at 
 once of you to carry out the thing, and to act as captain. 
 What do you say to it? " 
 
 "The very thing I should like, Horace; nothing could suit 
 me better. Mind I am not giving any opinion as to whether 
 it is a wise thing on the part of your father; that is his busi- 
 ness. But as far as I am concerned I am your man." 
 
 " My father said you were to name your own terms. He 
 didn't know anything about what the pay should be, but he 
 particularly said that as it would be a service of danger it 
 ought to be paid for liberally." 
 
 "Of course there will be danger," the mate said, "but that 
 adds to the pleasure of it. If I were a married man of course 
 I should have to look at it in a different light; but as I ain't, 
 and have no idea of getting spliced, the danger does not 
 trouble me. I have been getting eight pounds a month as 
 third mate, and I should have got ten next voyage, as I was 
 going second. As I shall be skipper on board this craft of 
 yours, suppose we say twelve pounds a month." 
 
 "My father expected to pay more than that a good deal," 
 Horace said; "and as everything will depend upon you it 
 would not be at all fair to pay the same sort of pay as if you 
 were merely sailing in a merchant's ship. However, he will 
 
78 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 write to you about it. There will be a tremendous lot to do 
 before we start, and we want to be off as soon as possible. 
 There is a ship to buy and fit out, and officers to get, and a 
 crew. Then we want to find out where we can buy muskets. 
 It seemed to me that as government must have been selling 
 great quantities, we should be able to get them pretty cheap." 
 
 " I could find out all about that at the port where we fit 
 out," Will Martyn said. "As for cannon, they can be had 
 almost for taking away. There are thousands and thousands 
 of them to be had at every port. Five years ago every vessel 
 went to sea armed. Now even the biggest craft only carry a 
 gun or two for firing signals with, unless, of course, they are 
 going to sail in Eastern waters. Well, this is a big job — a 
 different sort of order altogether to buying the Su?-f for you. 
 I hope it will turn out as well." 
 
 "Of course Plymouth will be the best port to go to." 
 
 "I don't know. During the war certainly either that or 
 Portsmouth would have been the best. Vessels were constantly 
 coming in with prizes; but now, I should say either London 
 or Liverpool would be the best for picking up the sort of craft 
 we want. Still, as Plymouth is so much the nearest here, I 
 should say we had best try there first. Then if we can't find 
 what we want we will take a passage by coaster to Portsmouth, 
 if the wind is favourable; if not, go by coach. But how are 
 you off for money, because I am at dead low-water? I have 
 got a few pounds owing to me, but I can't handle that till I 
 get to London." 
 
 "I have twenty pounds," Horace said. "W T e didn't think, 
 when I started, of going farther than Plymouth; but I have 
 some blank cheques for paying for things." 
 
 "Twenty pounds ought to be ample; but if we find at Plym- 
 outh we want more I can easily get one cashed for you. I 
 know plenty of people there." 
 
 "Well, when can you start, Will? My father is anxious not 
 to lose a moment." 
 
 " I can start in ten minutes if my father is at home. I should 
 
A STARTLING PROPOSAL 79 
 
 want to have just a short chat with him; but I can do that 
 while they are getting the chaise ready. Our best plan would 
 be to drive to Exeter and take the evening coach going through 
 there. There is one comes through about six o'clock. I have 
 come down by it several times. It will take us into Plymouth 
 by twelve o'clock; so we should gain nothing if we started 
 earlier." 
 
 "Well, I will go to the inn," Horace said. 
 
 "No; that you won't, Horace. You come round with me. 
 I expect dinner is ready by this time. We generally dine at 
 one. My father went out in the cutter to look after a wreck 
 four or five miles along the coast, and he said he did not ex- 
 pect to be back till between two and three; so we settled to 
 dine at three. There is the cutter coming up the river now." 
 
 "But you would rather be with your father alone," Horace 
 said. 
 
 " Not a bit of it. 1 have got nothing private to say to him, 
 except to get him to let me draw twenty pounds from his agent 
 to get a fresh rig-out with. He would like to see you again, 
 especially as I am going to sail with you, and he may be able to 
 put us up to a few wrinkles as to getting our powder on board, 
 and so on. Of course I have been accustomed to seeing it got 
 in from government powder hulks. We will just walk up to 
 the house now if you don't mind, to tell the girl to put an 
 extra knife and fork on the table, then we will go down and 
 meet my father when he lands." 
 
 The servant looked with such strong disapprobation upon 
 Horace when she opened the door that he burst into a fit of 
 laughter. "You are thinking about my saying hurrah when I 
 heard Mr. Martyn was wrecked?" he said. "Well, I did not 
 exactly mean that, only I was very glad, because I thought if 
 he had not been wrecked he could not have shipped just at 
 present, and 1 wanted him very badly." 
 
 "Yes, I am off again, Hesba," the mate said. "Going right 
 away this afternoon. That is a bit of luck, isn't it? 1 have 
 just come back to tell you to put another knife and fork upon 
 
80 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 the table, as Mr. Beveridge is going to dine with us; and ii you 
 have time to kill a fatted calf, or anything of that sort, do so.." 
 
 "Lor', Mr. William, you know very well there ain't no 
 fatted calf, and if there was it would take ever so long to kill 
 it and get some meat cooked, if it was only cutlets." 
 
 "Well," Martyn laughed, "never mind the calf, Hesba; 
 but if dinner is short run straight down to the butcher's and 
 get a good big tender steak, and look sharp about it, for my 
 father will be here in a quarter of an hour." 
 
 As Horace had seen Captain Martyn (as he was by courtesy 
 called, being in command of a revenue cutter, although only in 
 fact a lieutenant) several times while fitting out the Surf the 
 officer knew him as he saw him standing at the top of the stairs 
 with his son. 
 
 "Well, Master Beveridge," he said as he climbed up the 
 stairs, "I haven't seen you since you sailed away in that little 
 craft. I hear you did a brave deed in her, going out in that 
 gale to rescue the crew of the Caledon. It is lucky you caught 
 Will in." He was by this time ashore and shaking hands 
 heartily with Horace. 
 
 "He has come to take me away, father," Will said. "Mr. 
 Beveridge is going to get a fast craft to carry out arms and 
 ammunition to the Greeks, and he has offered me the com- 
 mand." 
 
 " I should not mind going myself, Will. I am sorry you are 
 off so soon; but you are likely to see some stirring scenes over 
 there. When are you going? " 
 
 " We are going to start directly we have had some dinner, 
 father. We will order a chaise as we go along. We intend 
 to catch the six-o'clock coach at Exeter, so as to get to Plym- 
 outh to-night. I am going to see if we can pick up a likely 
 craft there. If not, I shall try Portsmouth and Southampton, 
 and if they won't do, London." 
 
 " Well, that is sharp work, Will. But you have no kit to 
 pack, so there is no difficulty about it. However, there is 
 no time to be lost." 
 
A STARTLING PROPOSAL 81 
 
 At a quarter to four the post-chaise was at the door, and 
 Will Martyn and Horace started. The horses were good, and 
 they were in plenty of time for the coach, and arrived duly 
 in Plymouth. As soon as they had breakfasted next morning 
 they started out and went first to the shipping office of a firm 
 known to Will Martyn, and there got a list of ships lying for 
 sale in the port. 
 
 "What sort of craft are you looking for, Martyn?" the 
 shipping agent said. "We have a dozen at least on our own 
 books, and you may as well give us a turn before you look at 
 any others." 
 
 "I want a schooner or a brig — I don't much care which it 
 is — of about a couple of hundred tons. She must be very fast 
 and weatherly ; the sort of craft that was used as a privateer 
 in the war; or as a slaver ; or something of that kind." 
 
 " I have only one craft that answers to that description," the 
 agent said; "but I should say that she was what you want. 
 She was sent home from the west coast of Africa six months 
 ago, as a prize. Of course she was sold, and was bought by 
 a man I know. After he had got her he found she had not 
 enough carrying power for his business. She never was built 
 for cargo, and would be an expensive vessel to work, for she 
 has a large sail spread, and would want so strong a crew to 
 work her that she would never pay. He bought her cheap for 
 that reason, and will be glad to get the price he gave for her, 
 or if the point were pressed even to make some loss to get her 
 off his hands. They call her a hundred and fifty, and she 
 looks a big vessel for that size. But if she had eighty tons 
 in her hold it would be as much as she could carry with com- 
 fort." 
 
 "That sounds promising," Martyn said. "At any rate we 
 will begin by having a look at her. Where is she lying? " 
 
 "About three miles up the river. Tide is making; so we 
 could run up there in a sailing boat in half an hour. I will 
 go with you myself. There is a care-taker on board. Are 
 you buying her for yourself, Martyn? " 
 
82 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 The mate laughed. 
 
 " As I have not captured an heiress I am not likely to be- 
 come a ship owner. No; Mr. Beveridge's father is fond of 
 the sea, and has commissioned me to buy a comfortable craft 
 that shall be at once fast and seaworthy, and I am going to 
 command her." 
 
 "Well, I don't think you would find anything that would 
 suit your purpose better than the Creole. She would make a 
 splendid yacht for a gentleman who had a fancy for long 
 cruises." 
 
 "What is her age? " the mate asked. 
 
 "Well, of course we can't tell exactly; but the dockyard 
 people thought she couldn't be above four or five years old. 
 That is what they put her down as when they sold her. At 
 any rate she is sound, and in as good condition as if she had 
 just come off the stocks. She had been hulled in two or three 
 places in the fight when she was captured, but she was made 
 all right in the dockyard before she was put up for sale. All 
 her gear, sails, and so on are in excellent condition." 
 
 "Where are they? " 
 
 " They are on board. As we had a care-taker it was cheaper 
 to leave them there and have good fires going occasionally to 
 keep them dry than it would have been to stow them away on 
 shore." 
 
 There was a brisk breeze blowing, and in less than the half 
 hour mentioned by the agent he said: "That's her lying over 
 on the farther side." 
 
 "She looks like a slaver all over," Martyn said as he stood 
 up to examine the long low craft. " I suppose they caught 
 her coming out of a river, for she would show her heels, I 
 should guess, to any cruiser that was ever built, at any rate in 
 light winds. If she is as good as she looks she is just the 
 thing for us." 
 
 When they reached the vessel they rowed round her before 
 going on board. 
 
 "She is like a big Surf ," Will said to Horace; "finer in 
 
A STARTLING PROPOSAL S3 
 
 her lines, and lighter. She ought to sail like a witch. I see 
 she carried four guns on each side." 
 
 "Yes, and a long pivot-gun. They are down in the hold 
 now. She was sold just as she stood; but I suppose they will 
 be of no use to you." 
 
 "Some of them may be," Martyn said carelessly. "If we 
 go cruising up the Mediterranean it is just as well to have a 
 gun or two on board. Now let us look at her accommoda- 
 tion. 
 
 "Yes, she is a very roomy craft on deck," he went on as he 
 stepped on board. " She has a wonderful lot of beam, much 
 more than she looks to have when you see her on the water, 
 owing to her lines being so fine." 
 
 "She has lots of head-room here," Horace said as they went 
 below. "I thought that slavers had very low decks." 
 
 "So they have," the mate said. "I expect when she took 
 a cargo on board they rigged up a deck of planks here so as 
 to have two tiers for the slaves; that would give them about 
 three foot three to each tier." 
 
 They spent over two hours on board. Will Martyn ex- 
 amined everything most carefully, prodding the planks and 
 timbers with his knife, going down into the hold and prying 
 into the state of the timbers there, getting into the boat, to 
 examine the stern-post and rudder, and afterwards overhauling 
 a good deal of the gear. The inspection was in all respects 
 satisfactory. 
 
 "She will do if the price will do," he said. "How much 
 do they want for her? " 
 
 "He paid fifteen hundred at the dockyard sale," the agent 
 said; "that is ten pound a ton, with all her gear, fittings, and 
 so on, thrown in. As you see, there is the cabin furniture, 
 and so on, all complete, except the paint. There needn't be 
 a penny laid out on her." 
 
 " Well, how much will he take off? " Martyn said. " Fifteen 
 hundred was anyone's price, and as she don't suit him, she 
 won't suit many people. If he is likely to have her on his 
 
84 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 hands any time, eating her head off and losing value, he ought 
 to be glad to take anything near what he gave for her. Well, 
 frankly, how much will he take off? Business is business. I 
 have admitted the boat will suit me; now what is the limit 
 you are authorized to take?" 
 
 " He will take two hundred less. It is a ridiculously low 
 price." 
 
 "Of course it is," Will agreed. "But shipping at present 
 is a drug in the market, and this ship is practically fit for 
 nothing but a yacht or the Levant trade. I expect I could get 
 her a couple of hundred pounds cheaper if I held off. What 
 do you think, Horace? " 
 
 "I don't think it would be fair to knock down the price 
 lower than that," Horace said. 
 
 "It is fair to get a thing as cheap as you can. If you try 
 to get it for less than he will sell it for you don't get it, that 
 is all. He is not obliged to sell, and you are not obliged to 
 buy. Still, the price is a very reasonable one, and we will 
 take her at that. You have full authority to sell, I suppose, 
 without reference to your principal? " 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Very well, then, we will go to your office. Mr. Beveridge 
 will give you a cheque for thirteen hundred pounds, and you 
 shall hand over possession." 
 
 "Good. It is eleven o'clock now, Johnson," he said to the 
 care-taker. " Here is your money up to to-night, but from 
 twelve o'clock to-day Mr. Martyn takes possession as agent for 
 the owners, so you will take your orders from him." 
 
 "You can go on as usual," Will said. "We will pay you 
 from twelve o'clock, so you will make a half-day's pay by the 
 change." 
 
FITTING OUT 85 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 FITTING OUT 
 
 THE cheque for the payment of the Creole was filled up and 
 handed over, the agent giving a formal receipt and pos- 
 session of the vessel, and undertaking to sign the necessary 
 papers as soon as they could be drawn out. 
 
 "You are evidently lucky about ships," William Martyn 
 said as he left the agent's office with Horace. "You have got 
 a little wonder in the Surf, and there is no doubt about the 
 Creole being a bargain. When the war was going on she 
 would have been snapped up at double the price, and would 
 have been cheap at that. Now the first thing to do is to get 
 first and second mates. Directly I have got them I can put 
 a gang of riggers on board. I will go to the Naval Club, and 
 see the list of the officers on board the ships here. I am 
 pretty sure to know some of them, and shall find out from 
 them whether there are any of my old messmates down here. 
 If they don't know of any, we might hear of men to suit at the 
 Club. There are always plenty of men here and at Ports- 
 mouth waiting about on the chance of meeting some officer 
 they have served under and getting him to put in a word for 
 them at the Admiralty." 
 
 "I will walk down with you to the Club, but I won't go in 
 with you; one is only in the way when people who know each 
 other are talking. And besides, Martyn, don't you think 
 before you do anything you ought to see about your clothes? " 
 
 " Of course I ought ; I never gave the matter a thought 
 before. But I certainly could not put my foot on the quarter- 
 deck of one of His Majesty's ships in this turn-out. No. 
 The first thing to do is to drop into my father's agent to draw 
 some money. Then I will go into a slop-shop and get a suit. 
 I know a place where they keep really decent togs. A man 
 often has to join in a hurry, and wants a fit-out at half an 
 
86 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 hour's notice. Then I can order the rest of the things at the 
 tailor's I used to get my clothes from. 'Pon my word, now 
 you speak of it, I am ashamed to be going out in these things. 
 They were an old suit that I put on when bad weather set in, 
 and they have shrunk so that the sleeves don't come half-way 
 down to the wrists, and the trousers are up to the ankles. As 
 a master's mate it didn't matter so very much, for masters' 
 mates are very often out at elbows, but as commander of the 
 Creole it is a different thing altogether." 
 
 Martyn was lucky in picking up the undress uniform of a 
 lieutenant that just fitted him. 
 
 " I can let you have it at that price, because I got it a 
 bargain," the man said. "The owner came in here a few 
 weeks ago with a man beside him. He had just come down 
 to join his ship, which was to sail in a few hours, and as he 
 stepped off the coach was served with a writ by a Jew he had 
 borrowed money of two or three years before. It was only a 
 few pounds, but to make up the sum he had to sell some of 
 his things, and this suit was among them." 
 
 " And nicely you ground him down in the price, I have no 
 doubt," Martyn growled. "However, I have got the benefit 
 of it. Now, Horace, I can show at the Club. Just take your 
 knife out and cut this strap off the shoulder. I can't go about 
 as a full-fledged lieutenant, though I have passed." 
 
 They were walking up the main street when a voice ex- 
 claimed: 
 
 "Hullo, Martyn! is that you?" and a young officer shook 
 him warmly by the hand. 
 
 " Why, Dacent, this is luck. I am glad to see you indeed. 
 It is three years since we ran against each other last; five 
 since we served together in the Nonpareil. What are you 
 doing? " 
 
 " I am third in the flagship here. What are you doing? I 
 met O'Connor the other day; he told me he had run across 
 you at Malta, and that you had gone into the merchant ser- 
 vice like so many other of our old friends." 
 
FITTING OUT 87 
 
 " That was so, Dacent. It was of no use kicking my heels 
 on shore when I hadn't the ghost of a chance of getting 
 appointed to a ship. So I had to swallow my pride and ship 
 in a merchantman. We were wrecked at the back of the 
 Wight in the storm last week, and I have had the luck to get 
 a fresh appointment, and that is what I am here for. I was 
 just on my way to the Club to see if I could find any of my old 
 chums. You are just the fellow to help me. But first let me 
 introduce Mr. Beveridge. He is the son of my owner. Hah 
 an hour ago he completed the purchase of the craft that I am 
 to command. She is a beauty. I don't know whether you 
 know her. She is called the Creole, a schooner of a hundred 
 and fifty tons. She is lying up the river." 
 
 "I know her well enough," Dacent said, as he shook hands 
 with Horace. "She was brought in here the week after I 
 joined. I thought she was as pretty a looking craft as I ever 
 set eyes on. I congratulate you, old fellow. There are not 
 many things that you won't be able to show your heels to. 
 But what line is she going to be in? She would make a fine 
 craft for the Levant trade." 
 
 "That is just where we are going, Dacent, but not to trade. 
 I will tell you what we are going to do, but it must be kept 
 dark. I don't know whether they might not look upon it as 
 a breach of the neutrality laws. Mr. Beveridge is an enthu- 
 siast for the cause of Greece, and we are going to take out a 
 cargo of guns and ammunition, and then we shall hoist the 
 Greek flag, and do a little fighting on our own account with 
 the Turks as a Greek privateer." 
 
 " By Jove, I envy you, Martyn. That is a thousand times 
 better than sticking in Plymouth Sound with nothing to do but 
 to see the men holy-stone the deck, and fetching and carrying 
 messages. Now, what is it I can do for you? " 
 
 "Well, in the first place, I want a couple of officeis; for 
 choice, I would have one who has passed, and could take the 
 command in case anything happened to me. I don't care 
 whether the second is a mate or a midshipman who has pretty 
 nearly served his time." 
 
88 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 " I know just the man for you, for your first. There is 
 Miller — you remember him?" 
 
 "Of course; I was with him in the Minerva frigate in the 
 West Indies. He was a capital fellow. Is he to be had? " 
 
 "Yes; I saw him only yesterday. He has been two years 
 out of a berth, and no chance of getting a ship, and he was 
 looking out for a berth on board a merchantman, but he had 
 not heard of one when I saw him. He gave me his address; 
 here it is — the Anchor Inn; it is a little place not far from 
 the dock gates. I expect Jim has no money to spare. His 
 father is a clergyman near Falmouth. I asked him why he 
 didn't look for a ship there. He laughed, and said he didn't 
 mind shipping into the merchant service anywhere else; but 
 he shouldn't like to do it so near home, after swaggering 
 about there in the king's uniform." 
 
 " I will go down at once. It is just one o'clock, and we are 
 likely to catch him in." 
 
 "Well, will you and your friend dine with me at the Club 
 at six o'clock, Martyn? We can chat there better than we 
 can on board, and we have lots to tell each other since we 
 last parted." 
 
 The invitation was accepted, and then Martyn and Horace 
 set off to find the Anchor. 
 
 "There is one thing I have not asked you," the former 
 said, as they went along. " How about prize-money, because 
 you know that makes a good deal of difference. I don't sup- 
 pose there will be much to be got, because there are not many 
 craft flying the Turkish flag, and the seas will be swarming 
 with Greek craft who are half-pirates even in time of peace. 
 Still we may capture a Turkish man-of-war brig or something 
 of that sort, and she may have treasure on board such as pay 
 for the troops. I suppose we should share according to the 
 ordinary privateer scale." 
 
 "Certainly," Horace said. "My father has no idea of 
 making money by the thing, and I can certainly promise that 
 he will agree to the usual scale whatever it is." 
 
FITTING OUT 89 
 
 "That is right. I thought that it would be so, and, indeed, 
 although officers might go without, you would hardly get men 
 to risk their lives unless there was a chance of prize-money." 
 
 "It would not be fair to ask them to do so," Horace said. 
 "Of course that would be understood. All these sort of 
 arrangements are in your hands. My father particularly said 
 so; he really knows nothing about these matters. You must 
 make all these arrangements just as if you were the owner, 
 and please arrange what you consider liberal terms to every- 
 one. My father has made up his mind to spend a certain sum 
 of money which he has long laid by for the purpose, and I am 
 sure we are more likely to succeed in helping the Greeks if 
 everyone on board is quite contented and happy. Oh, there 
 is the Inn; I won't go in with you. You had much better 
 talk it over with him by yourself." 
 
 Ten minutes later Martyn came out with a short square- 
 built young fellow of about his own age, with a good-humoured 
 merry face, which was at present beaming with satisfaction. 
 
 "That is all settled," Martyn said. "Mr. Beveridge, let me 
 introduce to you Mr. James Miller, first lieutenant of your 
 father's schooner, the Creole." 
 
 "It is a perfect godsend," Miller said, as he shook hands 
 with Horace. " I began to despair of getting a ship here, 
 and I am precious glad now I didn't, for I should have been 
 mad if I had met Martyn, and found I had missed this chance. 
 It will be glorious fun, and it looked as if one were never 
 going to have a chance of that sort of thing again." 
 
 "And he knows of a young fellow who will suit us for our 
 second," Martyn said, "Jack Tarleton. He was with us in 
 the Minerva. I remember him only as a jolly little mid. I 
 had just passed then, and he was the youngest; but he lives 
 close to Miller, and he says he has grown up into a fine young 
 fellow. He is about nineteen now. He has not passed yet, 
 for he was laid on the shelf four months before his time was 
 up, and not having passed, of course he is even worse off than 
 either of us. Not that it matters so much to him, for his father 
 
90 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 has an estate ; but as Jack is the second son, and loves his 
 profession, he is so anxious to be afloat again that he told 
 Miller the other day he would ship before the mast if he could 
 not get a berth before long. Miller will write to him this 
 afternoon, and he will be here to-morrow night or next morn- 
 ing. I have asked him to come round and have lunch with us 
 at the Falcon. Mr. Beveridge and his father sail with us, 
 Miller, in the double capacity, as I understand, of owners and 
 fighting men." 
 
 Horace laughed. " In the first place, I am not going to be 
 called Mr. Beveridge or Mr. Anything," he said. " I shall be 
 regarded as a sort of third officer, and do my work regularly 
 while we are at sea. I know a little about sailing already," 
 he said to Miller, "so I sha'n't be quite a green hand." 
 
 "No, indeed," Martyn said. "Horace, if I am to call him 
 so, has got a fifteen-ton yacht I picked up for him, and a 
 first-rate little craft she is. He went out in a big gale last 
 winter, and rescued the crew of a wreck, the Celadon." 
 
 "I saw it in the paper," Miller said warmly, "and thought 
 what a plucky thing it was. That is capital. Then you will 
 be like one of ourselves. Well, what are you going to do 
 first, Martyn? " 
 
 " First we are going to lunch. Then you will write your 
 letter to Tarleton and post it. After that we will charter a 
 boat and go up and look at the Creole again. You haven't 
 seen her yet, and we haven't seen her since the purchase was 
 concluded, and a craft always looks different when you know 
 she is yours. After making an overhaul we will go ashore to 
 the nearest yard and arrange for her to be docked, and her 
 bottom cleaned and scrubbed; I expect it wants it pretty 
 badly. That will be enough for to-day. As soon as she is 
 in the water again we will set a gang of riggers at work. I 
 shall take charge of that part of the business, and I will leave 
 it to you to hunt up a crew. We have got a boatswain. At 
 least I have no doubt we have." 
 
 "How many men are you going to take, Martyn?" 
 
FITTING OUT 91 
 
 "She mounts four guns each side and a long Tom — I don't 
 know what the metal is yet — and she is heavily sparred. Of 
 course she hasn't got her topmasts in place, but her masts 
 are very long, and I have no doubt she shows a good spread 
 of sail; those craft always do. We shall want a strong crew, 
 for, if we fight at all, it will be against craft a good deal bigger 
 than ourselves. There is any amount of room on the main 
 deck, where they carried the slaves. Of course we needn't 
 settle at present, but I should say we ought to carry from forty 
 to fifty men." 
 
 " I think we ought certainly to have a strong crew," Horace 
 said, "so as to be able to land a strong party if we wanted to; 
 the extra expense would be of no consequence." 
 
 "We must pick our men, Miller — smart active fellows, and, 
 of course, men-of-war's for choice. If we can't get enough 
 here, we will sail her round to Portsmouth and fill up there. 
 There ought to be plenty of prime seamen to be had. They 
 would jump at the chance of sailing in such a craft as ours." 
 
 Miller was delighted with the ship, and they now especially 
 examined the cabin arrangements. The saloon ran across the 
 stern of the ship. It was handsomely fitted up in mahogany. 
 Leading off this, on the port side, was a large cabin that had 
 evidently been the captain's. This, of course, would be Mr. 
 Beveridge's. On the starboard side were three cabins. Next 
 to these was the steward's pantry and cabin; and facing this, 
 on the port side, two other state-rooms. 
 
 " It could not have been better if it had been built for us," 
 Miller said. "There are three cabins on the starboard side. 
 Horace will take one of the three, I suppose, and that will 
 leave a spare cabin in case we take a passenger we are likely 
 to want." 
 
 "What are you thinking of, Miller? " 
 
 " I was thinking that as we are going to fight, it is not by 
 any means impossible that some of us or the men may be 
 wounded." 
 
 "I should certainly say it was quite possible," Martyn 
 laughed. 
 
92 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Well, you see as long as it is only a clip from a cutlass or 
 a flesh, wound through the arm, I fancy we might patch it up 
 between us with a bit of plaster and a bandage; but if it comes 
 to an amputation or getting a bullet out of the body, or any- 
 thing of that sort, who is going to do it? " 
 
 " By Jove ! you are right, Miller. I had not thought of that. 
 I am afraid we shall have to take a surgeon with us. It would 
 never do to go into action in the Levant, where there is no 
 chance of finding an English doctor, without having at least 
 a surgeon' s-mate on board." 
 
 "Of course not," Horace agreed; "that is an absolute 
 necessity. Will you see about it at once, please." 
 
 "There is no difficulty in getting surgeons," Martyn said. 
 "Of course young fellows who have just done walking hospi- 
 tals are as plentiful as peas; but we had better get hold of a 
 man who has been knocking about for a few years in the navy, 
 and who has had some experience in gunshot wounds. There 
 must be plenty of good men about, for they have suffered just 
 as we have by the reduction. I will speak to Dacent about 
 it this evening, and get him to ask one of the naval surgeons 
 here if he knows a man. One or other of them is almost sure 
 to do so. Well, the spare cabin will be for him. So now we 
 are fixed completely." 
 
 " We shall have to take off a little bit from the main deck, 
 because my father's two Greeks will certainly come with us. 
 Only one can sleep in the steward's cabin, so we shall want a 
 small cabin for the other and a place for cooking. They are 
 first-rate cooks, both of them; and I expect they will under- 
 take the cooking altogether for us." 
 
 "That can very easily be managed," Martyn said. "We 
 can knock a door through this bulkhead, and run another bulk- 
 head up across the deck, seven or eight feet farther forward. 
 I have not forgotten that Greek's cooking; and if we live on 
 board this craft as you did on the Surf, I can tell you, Miller, 
 we needn't envy an admiral." 
 
 "Well, I like a good dinner, I must own, Martyn, though I 
 can do with salt-horse if necessary." 
 
FITTING OUT 93 
 
 "But are you sure, Horace," Martyn said, "that your father 
 wouldn't prefer having the cabin astern all to yourselves? 
 When we are about it we could put the bulkhead farther for- 
 ward, and make a ward-room for us." 
 
 "No, I am sure he would not wish that," Horace said. "I 
 will write to him when we get ashore and ask him; but I am 
 sure he would find it more pleasant our being all together, 
 and it would be much better for him than being by himself. 
 My father is a great scholar," he explained to Miller, "and 
 is always poring over books. I am sure it will do him a lot 
 of good getting away from them altogether and being with 
 people. Besides, that private cabin of his is a good size, 
 and there will be plenty of room for him to have a table and 
 an easy-chair in it whenever he is disposed to shut himself up. 
 However, I will hear what he says." 
 
 After leaving the ship a visit was paid to one of the ship- 
 building yards, and arrangements made for the Creole to 
 be brought into dock at high-tide. On getting back to the 
 inn Horace wrote to his father on the various questions that 
 had arisen, and then to Marco, telling him to come over by 
 coach, and to bring Tom Burdett with him. They then went 
 to dine at the club with Dacent, who entered with great zest 
 into their arrangements. 
 
 "I can't tell you what is your best way of setting about 
 gettiag the arms; but I should say go to Durncombe's. They 
 are by far the largest ship-chandlers here, and I should say 
 that they could supply anything from an anchor to a tallow- 
 dip. They must have fitted out innumerable privateers, and 
 bought up the stores of as many prizes. They may not be 
 able to supply you with as many small-arms as you want; but 
 if you give them an order for a thousand cannon, I have not 
 a doubt they could execute it in twenty- four hours, and that 
 at the price of old iron. As to the muskets, they could no 
 doubt collect a big lot here, and get more still from Ports- 
 mouth. Those of course would be principally ship's muskets, 
 no longer wanted or taken from prizes. I don't suppose they 
 
94 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 would get enough, and of course you would want them in fair 
 condition; but they would put advertisements for them in the 
 Birmingham papers, or, likely enough, would know firms in 
 Birmingham who had bought up muskets sold out of the army." 
 
 "What do they buy them for? " Horace asked. 
 
 " Oh, they contract for the supply of those South American 
 States, for trade in Africa and the East, or for the supply of 
 the armies of native princes in India. I think, if I were you, 
 I would not go to him direct, but would get the agent you got 
 the Creole from to undertake it, and get the terms settled. He 
 would get them a good bit cheaper than you could." 
 
 "No doubt he would," Martyn agreed, " especially if we 
 agreed to pay him so much for getting it, instead of so much 
 commission. When a man gets a commission he has no in- 
 terest in keeping the price down; just the contrary. I will 
 ask him casually, to begin with, what is the cost of muskets 
 in fair condition, and at what price we could pick up guns — 
 say six, eight, and twelve pounders — complete, with car- 
 riages." 
 
 "I don't know about the carriages, Martyn; but I know the 
 guns fetch less by a good bit than their weight of old iron. 
 They cost more to break up, in fact, than they are worth; and 
 they are using them for posts, and things of that sort, for the 
 sake of getting rid of them. I should say that you could get 
 a couple of hundred guns of those sizes to-morrow for a pound 
 apiece, and I believe that you might almost get them for the 
 trouble of carting away, for they are simply so much lumber. 
 Powder is a glut in the market too. I should say hundreds of 
 tons have been emptied into the sea in this port alone, for 
 when the merchant skippers found they no longer required to 
 carry it, it was cheaper for them to throw it overboard than 
 to get rid of it in any other way." 
 
 When they returned to the Falcon that evening they found 
 Miller had shifted his quarters there from the little inn in 
 which he had been staying, and two days later Jack Tarleton 
 also arrived there. He was a good-looking young fellow, 
 
FITTING OUT 95 
 
 nearly six feet in height, slight at present, but likely to fill 
 out, with a somewhat quiet manner, but, as Horace soon 
 found, a quick appreciation of the humorous side of things 
 and a good deal of quiet fun. On the same day Marco ar- 
 rived with Tom Burdett, who was delighted when Horace 
 disclosed the project to him. 
 
 "I should think I would like to go, Mr. Horace. Why, 
 bless you, I have been feeling almost as if I was rusting out 
 at Seaport, except when you were at home. Why, it will be 
 like giving one a fresh lease of life to get at one's own work 
 again." 
 
 He was at once installed on board the Creole, which on 
 that day had been let out of the dock again with her copper 
 scrubbed until it shone like gold. Miller had as yet had 
 no time to see about the men, and Tom at once undertook this 
 part of the business. 
 
 " I know every tavern down by the waterside and the places 
 where men are likely to be found. I will soon pick you up 
 some prime hands. If I can't get enough of them here, I will 
 take a run to Bristol. There is a big trade there, and there 
 will be plenty of men-of-war's-men to be had for the asking 
 for such a job as this." 
 
 "How about Seaport, Tom? " Horace asked. 
 
 "Well, we will take Dick; but there are not many I would 
 care about having from there. They are good enough in their 
 fishing-boats, but I would rather have men who are accustomed 
 to bigger craft. Besides, though fishermen are good sailors 
 in some ways, they are not accustomed to discipline, and are 
 always slovenly in their way of doing things. Besides, if I 
 persuaded young fellows to come from there, and any of them 
 got killed, their fathers and mothers would look black at me 
 when I got back. No, I don't think I will have anyone but 
 Dick." 
 
 By this time a letter had come from Mr. Beveridge in answer 
 to Horace's letter. 
 
 "I quite agree with you," he said, "that the officers should 
 
96 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 be paid fairly. I see that, as you say, it is not a thing that 
 you could very well arrange with them. Will you tell Mr. 
 Martyn, from me, that the terms I propose are twenty guineas 
 a month for him, eighteen for the second officer, and fifteen 
 for the third; and that, in case of any of them losing a limb 
 or being disabled, I shall settle upon them a pension the same 
 as that to which they would have been entitled at their rank 
 in the navy in the same case. The ship appears to me to be 
 wonderfully cheap. I knew nothing about it, but quite ex- 
 pected that it would cost three times as much. Certainly I 
 should not wish for them to have a separate cabin. It will be 
 much more pleasant for me, if not disagreeable to them, for 
 us to live together. As for what you say about prize-money, 
 tell Mr. Martyn to arrange as he proposes, according to the 
 ordinary usage in privateers. It is a matter to which I have 
 given no thought, but he shall give me the particulars when 
 we meet. As you know, I have no intention of making profit 
 out of the enterprise." 
 
 Two days later Martyn told Horace that Dacent had intro- 
 duced him to one of the surgeons, who knew a young doctor 
 who would, he thought, suit. "His name is Macfarlane; he 
 is, of course, a Scotchman — most of the naval doctors are 
 either Irish or Scotch. He sailed with him as surgeon 's-mate 
 in a large frigate, where they had a good deal of experience 
 in wounds, and he has a high idea of his skill. He is a very 
 quiet sort of fellow, but a pleasant messmate. He has been 
 full surgeon for some time now. His ship was paid off a fort- 
 night ago, and the man who told me of him had a letter from 
 him a few days since, saying that, as he had no interest he 
 thought that he had but little chance of getting afloat again, 
 and asking him to let him know if he heard of any opening, 
 either ashore or in an Indiaman. He thought he would suit 
 us very well, so I said that I would speak to you about it." 
 "I should think that will be just the thing, Martyn." 
 "Very well, then, I will see the surgeon to-morrow, and get 
 him to write and offer him the berth at the regular naval rate 
 
FITTING OUT 97 
 
 of pay. Of course we sha'n't want him to join till we are 
 ready to sail." 
 
 Some days later a reply was received, accepting the berth. 
 
 For the next fortnight work proceeded rapidly. Stores of 
 all kinds for the voyage were brought on board and stowed 
 away. Sixty cannon were stowed down in the hold, with thirty 
 carriages for them, the latter taking up too much room to be 
 carried for the whole of the guns. Eight twelve-pounders, in 
 place of the eight-pounders before carried by her, and a long 
 eighteen-pounder were placed in the hold in readiness to 
 mount on deck when they reached the Levant. The riggers 
 and painters had finished their work, the decks had been 
 planed and holy-stoned until they were spotlessly white, and 
 the tall spars and gear were all in their place. The guns had 
 cost only about as much as Miller had said, and they could 
 have obtained any number at the same price. The agent had 
 made a contract with the ship's chandlers for five thousand 
 muskets complete with bayonets, in good order, and delivered 
 on board, at ten shillings each. Some five hundred of these 
 had been collected, and — after passing muster, by an armourer 
 sergeant Martyn engaged for the purpose — put on board. The 
 rest were to be sent by canal from Birmingham to Liverpool, 
 and thence shipped round to Plymouth. Five tons of gun- 
 powder in barrels, twenty tons of shot for the cannon, and two 
 hundred thousand rounds of ammunition for the muskets were 
 also arranged for. These were to be shipped at the last 
 moment from magazines at the mouth of the Sound. 
 
 Below, everything had been done to make the cabins as 
 comfortable as possible, and Dacent declared that she was 
 altogether too neat and comfortable for anything but an ad- 
 miral's yacht. Tom Burdett had picked up at Plymouth 
 twenty-five smart sailors, all of whom had served in king's 
 ships; and then, going to Bristol, had brought as many more 
 from there. Uniforms, closely resembling those of men-of- 
 
 l of the 
 straw hat they wore red woollen caps. The officers had only 
 
98 JN GREEK WATERS 
 
 to exchange their navy buttons for others with an anchor to 
 be complete; Horace had donned similar attire. 
 
 It was just three weeks after Horace left home that he wrote 
 to his father saying that all was now in readiness, and that 
 they could sail within an hour of his arrival. They were at 
 once going out to take their powder on board, and would re- 
 main at anchor off the magazines, and that he himself should 
 be at the Falcon when it was time for the first coach to arrive 
 after the receipt of his letter, and should remain there until 
 his father came. Mr. Macfarlane, the surgeon, arrived by the 
 coach that evening, and was put down at the Falcon. Martyn 
 and Horace went out when they heard the coach stop. 
 
 "That is the doctor, for a guinea," Martyn said, as a tall 
 bony man climbed down from the roof, and began very care- 
 fully to look after his luggage. 
 
 "I think you must be Doctor Macfarlane?" he said, going 
 up to him. "My name is Martyn." 
 
 "I am very glad to see you, Captain Martyn," the doctor 
 said; "I take it as a sign that I shall have a pleasant time 
 that my commander should meet me as I get off the coach." 
 
 " I am captain only by courtesy, and shall hardly consider 
 that I have got my brevet rank till we hoist the flag to-morrow. 
 This is Mr. Beveridge, the owner's son, he will sail with us as 
 third officer. I have ordered a room for you, doctor. Boots 
 will carry your things up." 
 
 "Thank you; I will see to them myself, and join you in the 
 coffee-room. Tarn not fond of trusting to other folk;" and 
 he followed the servant upstairs with his baggage. 
 
 Martyn laughed as he went into the coffee-room with Horace. 
 "Cautious you see, Horace, and right enough to be so; I 
 think we shall like him. There is a pleasant tone in his 
 voice, and I have no doubt he will turn out a good fellow, 
 though, perhaps, rather a character." 
 
 The doctor soon came down. 
 
 " Eh, man," he said, "but it is weary work sitting with your 
 legs doubled up all those hours on a coach. Four-and-twenty 
 
FITTING OUT 99 
 
 hours it is since I got up at Salisbury. And so, Mr. Bever- 
 idge, we are going out to fight for the Greeks. I misdoubt. 
 sir, if they will do much fighting for themselves. I was three 
 years east of Malta. There is good in them, we may take it 
 that there is good in them, but it is very difficult to get at; at 
 least that v. as my experience." 
 
 "They have not had much chance, I think, doctor, so far." 
 
 "And how large is your ship, Captain Martyn? " the doctor 
 said, changing the subject suddenly. 
 
 "They call her a hundred and fifty, but she has a light 
 draft of water and would not carry that, yet she has excel- 
 lent accommodation below, as you will say when you see her 
 to-morrow." 
 
 The conversation then turned on naval matters, and the 
 stations and ships that both Martyn and the doctor knew; and 
 when they separated for the evening Martyn and Horace agreed 
 that the doctor was likely to be a pleasant acquisition to their 
 party. 
 
 Marco had been intrusted with the entire charge of laying 
 in stores for the cabin, and these had arrived in such profusion 
 that Will Martyn had demanded whether he was victualling the 
 ship with c\.bin stores for a voyage round the world. 
 
 It had been given out that the ship was bound for Lisbon, 
 but the news of her destination had gradually leaked out, 
 although pains had been taken to get the military stores on 
 board as quietly as possible. Sympathy with Greece was gen- 
 eral, however, and although the young officers were quietly 
 joked by their naval acquaintances as to their cargo for Por- 
 tugal, no official inquiries were made on the subject. 
 
 "I sha'n't be sorry, Horace," Will Martyn said, as they 
 were rowed off in the gig for the last time before getting up 
 anchor, "when we get some of our heavy stuff out of her. 
 One way or another she will have a hundred and twenty tons 
 of stuff on board when we have taken in our powder, and 
 though I don't at all say that she will be overladen she wiil be 
 a foot too low in the water to please me, and she wouldn't be 
 able to do her best if she were chased in her present trim." 
 
100 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "The little difference in speed won't matter much on our 
 way out," Horace said. 
 
 "No, not as to time, of course, a day more or less is no 
 matter; still, one always likes to get all one can out of one's 
 ship, Horace, and it is a triumph to slip past other craft. If 
 you have a slow craft you don't mind whether other things 
 leave you behind in an hour or two hours; you jog along and 
 you don't worry about it; you are like a man driving a heavy 
 cart. But when you are in a crack schooner you are like a 
 man on the road with a fast horse and a light gig, you expect 
 to go past other things, and you like to do it in good style." 
 
 "Well, nothing will beat her in looks, I think, Will." 
 
 "No, that is quite certain. She is a picture." 
 
 Everything was done on board the Creole in man-of-war 
 fashion. Tarleton stood at the top of the ladder to receive 
 the captain as he came on board. He touched his cap to 
 Martyn, who touched his in return. 
 
 "Everything ready for getting under weigh, Mr. Tarle- 
 ton?" 
 
 "Everything quite ready, sir." 
 
 "Then shorten the chain a bit; man the capstan." 
 
 Jack Tarleton gave the order. Tom Burdett's boatswain's 
 whistle rang out loudly; the capstan-bars were already fixed, 
 and a dozen men ran merrily round with it till the whistle 
 sounded again. 
 
 "The anchor is short, sir," Tarleton sang out to Martyn. 
 
 " Verv well, leave her so, Mr. Tarleton. Will you make sail, 
 Mr. Miller?" 
 
 The orders were given, the mainsail, foresail, and fore-stay- 
 sail hoisted, and the jibs run out on the bowsprit. As soon 
 as the halliards were belayed and coiled clown, the capstan- 
 bars were manned again, and the anchor weighed. The tide 
 had just turned to run out, there was a gentle breeze blowing, 
 and as the two jibs were run up the Creole began to steal 
 through the wa : r. 
 
 "Port your helm! " Martyn said to the man at the wheel j 
 
FITTING OUT 1C1 
 
 "let her come round easy. Slack off the main-sheet; that 
 will do now. Get her topsails on her, Mr. Miller." 
 
 Horace looked up with a feeling of pride and delight at the 
 cloud of white sail and at the smart active crew, all in duck 
 trousers, blue shirts, and red caps. Once out of the river the 
 sheets were hauled in, the yards of the fore-topsail were braced 
 as much fore and aft as they would stand, and the Creole 
 turned her head seaward, looking, as Martyn said, almost into 
 the wind's eye. The red ensign was flying from the peak of 
 the mainsail, and from the mast-head a long pennant bearing 
 her name. 
 
 "She is slipping through the water rarely, Miller," Will 
 Martyn said, as he looked over the side. 
 
 "Yes, she is going six knots through it, and that, consider- 
 ing how close-hauled she is and that the wind is light, is won- 
 derful." 
 
 " She would go a good knot faster," Martyn said, " if she had 
 fifty tons of that stuff out of her. Those slavers know how to 
 build, and no mistake, and I don't think they ever turned out 
 a better craft than this." 
 
 It was not until late in the afternoon that the Creole dropped 
 onchor off the magazine, where she was to take in her powder, 
 as Martyn ran her out twenty miles to sea and back again to 
 stretch her ropes and, as he said, let things shape down a bit. 
 When the trip was over there was not a man on board but was 
 in the state of the highest satisfaction with the craft. Both 
 close-hauled on the way out and free on her return they had 
 passed several vessels almost as if these had been standing 
 still, going three feet to their two; and although there was 
 but little sea on, there was enough to satisfy them that she 
 had no lack of buoyancy, even in her present trim. 
 
 As soon as the anchor was down and the sails stowed Marco 
 announced that dinner was ready, for all had been too much 
 interested in the behaviour of the schooner to think of going 
 down for lunch. It was the first meal that they had taken on 
 board beyond a crust of bread and cheese in the middle of the 
 
102 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 day, and as they sat down, Will Martyn taking the head of the 
 table, Horace, as his father's representative, facing him, and 
 the others at the sides, Miller said with a laugh, as he looked 
 at the appointments, all of which had been sent over from the 
 house two days before by Zaimes: "This is rather a contrast, 
 Martyn, to the cockpit of a man-of-war." 
 
 "Rather. I never did dine with an admiral, but this is the 
 sort of thing that I have always fancied it would be if it had 
 entered into the head of one to invite me. What do you 
 think, Tarleton?" 
 
 " I feel shy at present, sir, and as if I oughtn't to speak till 
 spoken to." 
 
 "You will be spoken to pretty sharply if you say 'sir ' down 
 below. On deck, as we agreed, we would have things in 
 man-of-war fashion; but we are not going to have anything of 
 that sort when we are below together." 
 
 The dinner was an excellent one, and though the expecta- 
 tions of Miller and Tarleton had been raised by Martyn' s 
 encomiums of the Greek's cooking they were far surpassed 
 by the reality. "It is a dinner fit for a king," Martyn said 
 when the cloth was cleared away and a decanter of port placed 
 on the table. 
 
 "There is one misfortune in it. If this sort of thing is 
 going to last we shall never be fit for service in an ordinary 
 craft again, we shall become Sybarites. Is this the sort of 
 dinner you always have at home, Horace? " 
 
 "About the same, I think," Horace laughed. "My father 
 takes no exercise and has not much appetite, and I think he 
 likes nice things; and it is one of the Greek's great aims in 
 life to tempt him to eat. We always have a very good cook, 
 but Zaimes insists on having a few little things of his own 
 cooking on the table, and as he is generally at war with the 
 cook, and they leave in consequence about every three or four 
 months, he often has the dinner altogether in his hands till a 
 fresh one arrives, and I am amused sometimes to see how 
 Zaimes fidgets when my father, which is often the case, is so 
 
FITTING OUT 103 
 
 occupied with his own thoughts that he eats mechanically 
 and does not notice what is before him. Zaimes stands it 
 for a minute or two and then asks some question or makes 
 some observation that calls my father's attention back to what 
 he is doing. They have both been with him for two-and- 
 twenty years and are devoted to him. They are hardly like 
 English servants, and talk to him in a way English servants 
 would not think of doing. They are always perfectly respect- 
 ful, you know, but they regard themselves, as he regards them, 
 as friends as well as servants." 
 
 "Well, gentlemen, we will drink the usual toast, 'The King, 
 God bless him; ' that is duty. Now fill up again, here is 
 'Success to the Creole.' " When the toast was drank Martyn 
 went on : 
 
 " How did your father pick them up, Horace? " 
 
 " It was just after he went out to Greece, which was directly 
 after he left college. He was at Samos, and got leave from 
 the Turkish governor to visit the prison. In one of the cells 
 were Zaimes and Marco, who was then a boy about sixteen. 
 They were condemned to death; they had been smuggling, 
 and a Turkish boat had overhauled them. They had resisted. 
 Four of the men with them had been killed in the fight, and 
 several of the Turks. These two had been both severely 
 wounded and made prisoners. My father was new to that sort 
 of thing then. After he had been a year or two in Greece he 
 knew that it would take a king's fortune to buy out all the 
 prisoners in the Turkish jails, but being only out there a month 
 or two he was touched at the sight of the two prisoners. They 
 were both very handsome, though, of course, pale and pulled 
 down by their wounds and imprisonment, and Zaimes, who 
 was the spokesman, had that courteous gentle manner that my 
 father says all the Greeks have when they are not excited." 
 
 "At any rate he was very much interested and went off to 
 the governor again, and the Turk was glad enough for a bribe 
 of a hundred pounds to give him an order for the release of 
 the two prisoners, on condition that they were to be let out 
 
104 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 after dark and at once put on board a craft that was sailing at 
 daybreak next morning. My father went with them, and after 
 that they absolutely refused to leave him, and travelled with 
 him in Greece for some time and fought very pluckily when 
 some Klepts once tried to carry him away into the mountains. 
 Then he bought a small craft and established his head-quarters 
 at Mitylene, and for a year lived there and cruised about 
 the islands. When he came home he offered the felucca to 
 them, but they refused to take it, and begged so hard for him to 
 take them home with him that he agreed to do so, and they 
 have proved invaluable to him ever since." 
 
 "Your father is lucky in having got hold of two such men," 
 Martyn said. " I believe the lower order of Greeks are fine 
 fellows in their way. They are quarrelsome and passionate, 
 no doubt, and apt to whip out their knives at the smallest 
 provocation, and there is no trade they take so kindly to as 
 that of a bandit; otherwise I believe they are honest hard- 
 working fellows. But as for the upper class of Greeks, the 
 less I have to do with them the better. When they get a 
 chance they grind down their countrymen a deal worse than 
 the Turks do. They are slippery customers and no mistake. 
 I would rather take a Turk's simple word than a solemn oath 
 from a Greek." 
 
 "No; veracity is hardly one of their conspicuous virtues," 
 the doctor put in quietly. " I take it that the ancients were 
 so accustomed to swear by their gods, even after they had 
 ceased to believe in them, that they came to consider that an 
 oath by them was not binding, and so got into the way of lying 
 generally, and their descendants have never amended their 
 ways in that particular since. On more than one occasion, 
 when there was trouble between our sailors and the Greeks, 
 I attended their courts, and for good downright hard swearing 
 I never heard them approached. I don't wonder that the 
 Turks refuse to allow Christians to give evidence in their 
 courts. We shall see when we get out, but I have grave 
 doubts whether there has been any revolution at all, and 
 
FITTING OUT 105 
 
 whether it is not a got-up thing altogether, just to see what 
 the rest of the world says to it." 
 
 The others laughed. 
 
 "There is one thing, doctor," Miller said; "we have heard 
 from Europeans who are out there of what has been done, it 
 does not come from the Greeks only." 
 
 "That is a confirmation, certainly, but it is well known 
 that travellers' tales must always be received with caution. It 
 has been so since the days of Herodotus. When a man gets 
 away from his own country he is apt to get a certain looseness 
 of the tongue. We will wait until we get out there before we 
 form any strong opinion about it." 
 
 By this time they had finished their coffee, and Martyn, 
 rising, said : " Mr. Tarleton, I shall be glad if you will go 
 along the main-deck and see that the men are making them- 
 selves comfortable; to-morrow we will divide them into watches 
 and tell them off to their stations and get things into working 
 order." 
 
 Accordingly, in the morning the crew were divided into 
 two watches, and the boat's crews told off, and then the work 
 of getting the powder and small ammunition on board began; 
 the latter did not take long, as it was already in a flat into 
 which it had been discharged three days before from the 
 coaster that had brought it from Liverpool. The flat had 
 therefore only to be towed alongside and the cases swung on 
 board and lowered into a portion of the hold that had been 
 divided off from the rest by thick bulkheads to form a mag- 
 azine. The ammunition and powder were all on board and 
 stowed away, the ship was washed down, and the men piped 
 to dinner by eight bells. The officers went down and divided 
 the men into messes, examined the food, and saw that every- 
 thing was comfortable. 
 
 " More room here than there was on board the Surf, Dick," 
 Horace said as he stopped a moment on his rounds to speak 
 to the young sailor. 
 
 "Yes, sir, one can stand upright here. But the Surf was a 
 good boat too." 
 
106 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 After dinner the men were told off to their various duties 
 and divided into crews for the guns, when these should be in 
 place. The first lieutenant (for it was agreed that they should 
 be called lieutenants and not mates) and Horace took the 
 starboard watch, Tarleton and the boatswain the port watch. 
 The men were formed up, inspected, and put through cutlass 
 drill for an hour, after which the watches by turns were exer- 
 cised in setting sail, reefing, lowering, and furling, so that 
 each man should know his place and duty. Then they were 
 dismissed. 
 
 "They will be a first-rate crew when they have worked 
 together for a few days," Martyn said. "I could not wish for 
 a smarter set of men. If we meet anything about our own 
 size I shall have no fear of giving a good account of her. I 
 have no opinion whatever of the Turks as sailors; they are 
 good soldiers, and have always proved themselves so, but more 
 lubberly sailors never went to sea." 
 
 "Well, we are not likely to meet anything else," Horace 
 said. 
 
 "I don't know, lad. The Greeks at the best of times are 
 pirates at heart, and just at present they are not at all likely 
 to be particular who they lay hands on. I saw in the paper 
 only yesterday, they had attacked and plundered an Austrian 
 craft, and it is probable that they may have done the same to 
 a dozen others, only as a rule they scuttle any ship they may 
 seize and nothing is ever known about her. Ships can't be 
 too careful when they are in Greek waters, and a vessel 
 wrecked on any of the islands is looked upon as a lawful prize. 
 There is no fear of our being taken by surprise by the Turks, 
 but I shall take precious good care that we are never caught 
 napping when we are anchored anywhere in the Greek Archi- 
 pelago. After dinner, Horace, I will go ashore with you in 
 the gig. I don't think it likely your father will be down by 
 the night coach, as he would only get your letter this morn- 
 ing, but he may come; at any rate you have got to wait now 
 at the Falcon till he turns up." 
 
UNDER WEIGH 101 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 UNDER WEIGH 
 
 AFTER seeing to a few matters that had been left till the 
 last moment, Will Martyn returned on board again. Hor- 
 ace dined at the club, of which he had been made an hon- 
 orary member, and then went back to the Falcon. To his 
 surprise Zaimes was standing at the door. 
 
 "Why, Zaimes, how on earth did you get here? Why, the 
 coach does not get in till twelve o'clock." 
 
 " No, Mr. Horace, but we had everything ready to start 
 this morning. Of course your letter did not come in time 
 for us to get over to the early coach, but we were expecting it 
 after what you wrote yesterday, and your father had concluded 
 that it would be much more comfortable to post. He does 
 not like being crowded, and it was doubtful whether there 
 would be room for the two of us; and there was the luggage, 
 so we had arranged for a post-chaise to come for us anyhow, 
 and we started half an hour after your letter came in, and 
 have posted comfortably. Your father is in the coffee-room. 
 He would not have a private room, as he did not know whether 
 you would be taking him on board this evening." 
 
 Mr. Beveridge was sitting at a table by himself, and had 
 just finished his dinner when Horace came in. He looked up 
 more briskly than usual. 
 
 "I am sorry I was not here to meet you, father," Horace 
 said; "but I did not think you could be here until the night 
 coach." 
 
 "No; I did not expect to find you here, Horace, so it was 
 no disappointment. Well, you look bronzed and well, my 
 boy, you and your friends seem to have done wonders in get- 
 ting everything done so soon. I am quite anxious to see the 
 ship. Are we to go on board this evening? " 
 
 " If you don't mind, father, I would much rather you didn't 
 
jOS IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 go off till morning. I said that if you came we would break- 
 fast early and be ready for the gig at half-past eight. They 
 won't be expecting us to-night, and I am sure Martyn and the 
 others will like to have everything in the best possible order 
 when you go on board. We have been expecting those boxes 
 of books you wrote about a week ago, but they haven't turned 
 up. It will be a horrible nuisance if, after the way we have 
 been pushing everything forward, we should be kept waiting 
 two or three days for them." 
 
 "Well, Horace, the fact is I changed my mind. The four 
 boxes were packed and in the hall. They really were very 
 large boxes, and Zaimes said : ' Well, master, what you are 
 going to do with all those books I can't imagine. Where are 
 you going to put them? Why, they would fill your cabin up 
 solid. If I were you, sir, I would not take one of them. 
 Just give yourself a holiday. Don't take a pen in your hand 
 while you are away. You will have plenty to see about and 
 to think about, and I am sure it would do you a deal of good 
 to give it up altogether for a time, and you will take it up 
 freshly afterwards. Besides, you will have people coming on 
 board, and your advice will be asked, and you will have to 
 decide all sorts of things, and you know you won't be able to 
 bring your mind out of your books if you have them on board.' 
 He said something like it when I first began to talk of pack- 
 ing, but it seemed to me impossible that I could give up 
 work altogether; but the sight of those four great boxes stag- 
 gered me. Then I said: ' Zaimes, this is not like that little 
 cabin on board the yacht. This is quite a large vessel in 
 comparison.' 'Yes, sir,' he replied, ' but your cabin won't 
 be larger than the main cabin in the Surf, not so large I should 
 fancy.' This surprised me altogether, but he assured me it 
 was so, and pressed me so much on the matter that I at last 
 agreed to leave them all behind." 
 
 "That is a capital thing, father. Zaimes was quite right. 
 Your state-room is a very nice cabin, but except that it is a 
 good deal more lofty, it is certainly not so large by a good 
 
UNDER WEIGH 109 
 
 deal as the main cabin in the Surf; besides, if you had your 
 books you would be always shut up there, and what I thought 
 of all along, from the time you first spoke about coming out, 
 was what a good thing it would be for you to have a thorough 
 holiday, and to put aside the old work altogether." 
 
 "You don't think it valuable, Horace?" Mr. Beveridge 
 asked wistfully. 
 
 " I do, father. I think it most valuable, and no one can be 
 prouder than I am of your reputation, and that all learned 
 men should acknowledge the immense value of your works to 
 Greek students. But, father, after all, the number of men who 
 go into all that is very small, and I can't see why your life 
 should be entirely given up to them. I think that at any rate 
 it will be a first-rate thing for you, and extremely pleasant for 
 me, that you should be like the rest of us while we are out on 
 this expedition. As Zaimes says, you will have a lot of things 
 to decide upon, and we are going to lead an active, stirring 
 life, and it is new Greece we shall have to think about, and 
 not the Greece of two thousand years ago. It is your aim to 
 raise, not the Greeks of the time of Miltiades, but a people 
 who in these two thousand years have become a race, not only 
 of slaves, but of ignorant savages, for these massacres of 
 unarmed people show that they are nothing better; and not 
 only to free them, but to make them worthy of being a nation 
 again. I think, father, there will be ample scope for all your 
 thoughts and attention in the present without giving a thought 
 to the niceties of the language spoken by Demosthenes, so I 
 am truly and heartily glad you decided to leave your books 
 behind you." 
 
 "I think you are right, Horace; I am sure you are right: 
 but it is a wrench to me to cut myself loose altogether from 
 the habits of a lifetime." 
 
 " And now, father, what are you going to do about clothes? " 
 Ho id, looking at him closely, 
 
 "Ab !" hi father ted vaguely. "1 have 
 
 brought two 1 e bo :es full v. ith mi ." 
 
110 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Yes, father, no doubt you have clothes, but I am sure that 
 on board ship — and you will be always living there, you know 
 — it will be much more comfortable for you to have clothes fit 
 for the sea. Frilled shirts, and ruffles, and tight breeches, 
 and high-heeled Hessian boots, and short-waisted tail-coats 
 are all very well on shore, but the first time you are out in a 
 good brisk gale, you would wish them anywhere. What you 
 want is a couple of suits, at least, of blue cloth like mine, with 
 brass buttons, and a low cloth cap like this that will keep on 
 your head whilst it is blowing, in fact the sort of suit that the 
 owner of a big yacht would naturally wear. Of course when 
 you go ashore to see any of the Greek leaders, you might like 
 to go in your ordinary dress; but really for sea you want com- 
 fortable clothes, and a good thick pea-jacket for rough 
 weather." 
 
 " Perhaps you are right, Horace, and I did remark that my 
 heels left marks upon the deck of the Surf.''' 
 
 "Certainly they did, father; and it would be agony to Will 
 Martyn to have the beautiful white deck of the Creole spoiled." 
 
 "But it is too late now, it is half-past eight o'clock." 
 
 " Oh, I can take you to a shop where they keep this sort of 
 thing. Besides, there are twelve hours before we start, and by 
 paying for it one can get pretty nearly anything made in twelve 
 hours." 
 
 Mr. Beveridge suffered himself to be persuaded. Fortu- 
 nately the outfitter had a couple of suits ordered by one of the 
 officers of a ship of war in harbour nearly completed. These 
 he agreed to alter to fit Mr. Beveridge by the morning, and to 
 put on extra hands to turn out fresh suits for the person for 
 whom they were intended. The gold lace, white facings, and 
 other distinguishing marks would be removed, and plain brass 
 buttons substituted for the royal buttons. Two or three pairs 
 of shoes with low heels were also obtained. The clothes came 
 home at seven in the morning, and Mr. Beveridge came down 
 to breakfast looking like the smart captain of a merchantman. 
 
 "I feel as if I were dressed for a masquerade, Horace," he 
 said with a smile. 
 
A DISCUSSION ABOUT CLOTHES 
 
UNDER -WEIGH 111 
 
 " You look first-rate, father, and a lot more comfortable than 
 usual, I can tell you." 
 
 It was at Martyn's suggestion that Horace had urged his 
 father to make a change in his attire. 
 
 "It would be a good thing if you could get him to put on 
 sea-going togs," the sailor had said. "He is the owner of as 
 smart a craft as ever sailed out of British waters, and he will 
 look a good deal more at home on the deck of his own ship 
 in regular yachtsman's dress than he would rigged up in his 
 ruffles and boots." 
 
 With this Horace had agreed heartily, for his father's ap- 
 pearance on occasions when he had gone out with him in the 
 Surf had struck him as being wholly incongruous with the 
 surroundings. 
 
 At half-past eight they went down to the steps, two porters 
 carrying the luggage under the watchful eye of Zaimes. As 
 they were seen, the smart gig with its six rowers, which was 
 lying a short distance off, rowed in to the steps. Tarleton was 
 steering. He stepped out to hand Mr. Beveridge into the 
 boat. 
 
 "This is Mr. Tarleton, father, our second lieutenant." 
 
 "I am glad to meet you, sir," Mr. Beveridge said, shaking 
 hands with the young officer. "I hope that we shall have a 
 pleasant cruise together." 
 
 "I feel sure we shall, sir. If one couldn't be comfortable 
 on board the Creole, one couldn't be comfortable anywhere." 
 
 Tarleton took his seat in the centre to steer, with Mr. 
 Beveridge and Horace on either side of him, Zaimes and the 
 luggage were placed in the bow. The bowman pushed the 
 boat off with the boat-hook. The oars, which had been tossed 
 in man-of-war fashion, fell with a splash into the water, and 
 then with a long steady stroke the gig darted away from the 
 steps. 
 
 "This is certainly very pleasant," Mr. Beveridge said as 
 they threaded through the anchored craft and made their way 
 seaward. " I begin to wish I had taken up yachting twenty 
 years back." 
 
112 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Well, it is not too late, father. When we have done with 
 Greece, you can go in for amusement if you like." 
 
 "I should never find time, Horace." 
 
 "Oh, you could make time, father. You could spare three 
 months in the year and be all the better for it. When you 
 have once had a break, you will find how pleasant it is." 
 
 Half an hour's row and Horace said: "That is the Creole, 
 father, lying in there near the farther point." 
 
 "She doesn't look as large as I expected, Horace, though 
 her masts seem a great height." 
 
 "She is heavily sparred for her length," Tarleton said, "but 
 she has great beam; besides she is rather low in the water 
 now, and of course that makes the spars look big in propor- 
 tion. She will be a bit higher by the time we get out. Fifty 
 men consume a considerable weight of stores and water every 
 week. You will be pleased with her, sir, when we get along- 
 side. We all think she is as handsome a craft as we ever set 
 eyes on. She will astonish the Turks, I warrant, when it 
 comes to sailing." 
 
 Another twenty minutes they were alongside. According 
 to naval etiquette Horace mounted the ladder first, then 
 Tarleton, and Mr. Beveridge followed. Martyn and Miller 
 received him at the gangway, the former introducing the first 
 officer and the surgeon to him. 
 
 "She is a fine-looking vessel," Mr. Beveridge said, "and 
 you have certainly done marvels with her, Captain Martyn, for 
 my son wrote me that she had nothing but her lower masts in 
 her when you took possession, and now she is wonderfully 
 bright and clean, and these decks look almost too white to 
 walk on." 
 
 " I hope that we shall always keep her in equal order, sir. 
 We have a capital crew, and no one could wish for a better 
 craft under his feet." 
 
 Mr. Beveridge was now conducted round the ship, and ex- 
 pressed : ighly gratified with everything. 
 
 "Is it your wish that we should m ' :1 at once, sir?" 
 
UNDER WEIGH 113 
 
 Martyn asked. "We have been expecting some heavy luggage 
 on board, but it has not arrived." 
 
 " I changed my mind about it, and there is nothing coming, 
 Captain Martyn. I am perfectly ready to start if you have 
 everything on board." 
 
 "There is nothing to wait for, sir; we are perfectly ready." 
 
 They returned to the quarter-deck, and as Martyn gave the 
 orders there was a general movement on the part of the crew. 
 Some of the men clustered round the capstan, while others 
 prepared to make sail, and Mr. Beveridge felt a keen sense of 
 pleasure as he watched the active fellows at their work. In 
 five minutes the sails were set, the anchor at the cat-head, and 
 the Creole moving through the water under the light breeze 
 off shore. 
 
 They had favourable winds across the Bay and down the 
 coast of Portugal. Everything from the start had gone as 
 smoothly as if the Creole had been six months in commission 
 — officers and men were alike pleased with the ship; the pro- 
 visions for the sailors were of the best quality; the duties were 
 very light, for the sails had not required altering from the 
 time they had been set, although each day the men practised 
 for an hour at lowering and setting them, in order to accus- 
 tom them to work smartly together. 
 
 There was half an hour's cutlass drill, and for the rest of 
 the day, beyond cleaning and polishing, there was nothing to 
 be done. Mr. Beveridge spent the greater part of his time in 
 a comfortable deck-chair on the quarter-deck, for there was 
 no poop, the deck being flush from end to end. Horace 
 attended to his duties as third officer regularly, and the nights 
 were so warm and pleasant that the watches did not appear 
 long to him. There was no stiffness in the cabin when thev 
 gathered to their meals, or in the evening, and Mr. Beveridge 
 proved in no way a wet blanket on their fun, as the three 
 officers had rather anticipated he would be. He talked but 
 little, but was thoroughly amused at their yarns and jests, all 
 of which were as strange to him as if he had lived in another 
 world. 
 
114 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "You will certainly have to cut off our rations a bit, Mr. 
 Beveridge," Will Martyn said one day as they finished dinner. 
 "We shall be getting as fat as porpoises if we go on like this. 
 I can feel my togs filling out daily; and as for Tarleton, he 
 will have to have all his things let out by the time we arrive 
 in the Levant. For the credit of the ship I shall have to give 
 orders for us to be supplied with the same rations as the men, 
 and go in for luxuries only on Sundays. We are not accus- 
 tomed to be tempted in this way at every meal. It is all very 
 well for you who do not eat much more than a sparrow to have 
 such nice things always put before you; but to us who have 
 been accustomed to a steady diet of salt junk, except when we 
 put into port and are able to get fresh meat for a change, these 
 things are beyond our power of resistance." 
 
 " I eat a great deal more than I did on shore," Mr. Bever- 
 idge said. " I find, indeed, a wonderful improvement in my 
 appetite. It was quite an infliction to Zaimes that I cared so 
 little for the good things he provided me with. I can assure 
 you I really begin to look for my meals now, and it is a 
 pleasure for me to see you all eat with good healthy appetites, 
 and I am sure that it must be a great gratification to the 
 Greeks to see their efforts appreciated at last." 
 
 "It is Tarleton I am thinking of principally, sir; as for 
 Miller, nature made him square, and it would be no disad- 
 vantage if he became round; while as to the doctor, food is 
 simply wasted on him, he will never do credit to your cooks. 
 But Tarleton, with those dark eyes of his and his gentle sort 
 of way, was what the ladies would consider an interesting 
 youth, and he would, I am sure, forfeit the good opinion of 
 the ladies altogether if he were to return looking like a mildly 
 animated sausage." 
 
 Tarleton joined in the laugh. " I do think I have gained 
 a lot in weight the last week," he said; "but we won't always 
 go on in this quiet sort of way. As for what Martyn says, I 
 believe it is only jealousy on his part at seeing that my angles 
 are filling out." 
 
UNDER WEIGH 115 
 
 On arriving at the Straits they put in at Ceuta and obtained 
 a supply of fresh meat and vegetables. In the Mediterranean 
 they fell in with dead calms and were a fortnight in getting to 
 Gozo, where they again replenished their stock. They ab- 
 stained from putting in either at Gibraltar or Malta in order 
 to avoid being questioned as to the cargo and destination of 
 the Creole. 
 
 "Now, sir," Will Martyn said when they were within two 
 days' sail of Greece, "it is quite time to decide what port we 
 shall make for, but we can't decide that until we know how 
 matters are going on. When we left England there were very 
 conflicting accounts of the progress of the revolution, and 
 whether Corinth, Patras, Nauplia, or Athens are in the hands 
 of the Greeks or Turks. Well, I should say, sir, that our best 
 plan would be to put in at Zante, where, as it is English, and 
 therefore neutral ground, we shall learn all about the state of 
 affairs, and may meet some of our own people or foreigners 
 who have been fighting by the side of the Greeks. Half an 
 hour's talk with one of them would give us a better idea how 
 everything stands than a week's talk with Greeks." 
 
 "I think that will be a very good plan," Mr. Beveridge 
 agreed. " Flying the English flag we might go in or out of 
 any of the harbours as neutrals; but if by any chance it leaked 
 out what our cargo is the Turks would probably consider 
 themselves justified in laying hands on us." 
 
 "At any rate it is well not to run the risk, Mr. Beveridge, 
 as there is no object to be served by it. I will take the 
 bearings of Zante and lay our course for it." 
 
 There was, indeed, no spot where they were more likely to 
 obtain accurate news of what was going on than Zante, lying 
 as the island does at a short distance from the mouth of the 
 Gulf of Corinth, upon which were three of the most important 
 towns in Greece — Patras, Corinth, and Missolonghi. Here, 
 too, the fugitives from the Morea, of either party, would 
 naturally make their way. 
 
 It was the 8th of October when the Creole, flying the Eng- 
 
11G IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 lish flag at her peak, dropped anchor in the port. As soon 
 as she did so a custom-house officer came on board. 
 
 "What ship is this? " he asked the first officer, who was on 
 deck. 
 
 "This is the Creole, a private yacht belonging to Mr. Bever- 
 idge. The owner is below if you wish to see him." 
 
 "You have no merchandise on board?" 
 
 "I tell you that it is a yacht," Miller said. "An English 
 gentleman doesn't bring out merchandise for sale in his yacht. 
 The captain will show you her papers." 
 
 Will Martyn came on deck. 
 
 "This is the captain," Miller said. "You had better ad- 
 dress him." 
 
 On hearing what was required Martyn took the officer below 
 and showed him the ship's papers. 
 
 " I see it is mentioned here that you were bound from Eng- 
 land to Lisbon," the officer observed. 
 
 "Yes. We did not put in there, as Mr. Beveridge was 
 anxious to get into a warmer climate." 
 
 "I see you are strongly armed," the officer said when he 
 came on to deck again, for after leaving Malta the eight 
 twelve-pounders and the pivot-gun had been got up from the 
 hold and mounted. 
 
 "Yes, we are armed, as you see. I imagine you would 
 hardly recommend anyone to be cruising about in these waters 
 without means of defence." 
 
 "No, indeed," the officer laughed. "The Greeks are pi- 
 rates to the core. You would be all right with the Turks, 
 although from your appearance I should not think they would 
 ever get near enough to trouble you." 
 
 Half an hour later Mr. Beveridge and Horace were rowed 
 ashore. As, except at Ceuta, Horace had never set foot 
 ashore out of England, he was much amused and interested 
 by the varied population. Mingled with the native popula- 
 tion of the island were Greeks from the mainland; Albanians 
 in their white pleated petticoats, bristling with arms mounted 
 
UNDER WEIGH 117 
 
 in gold and silver; a few English soldiers walking about as 
 unconcernedly as if in a garrison town at home; and sailors 
 of several nationalities from ships in harbour. 
 
 " I should think, father, the proper thing would be to call 
 upon the English officer in command here and invite him to 
 dinner. We shall get a general idea of the state of things from 
 him." 
 
 Asking a soldier, they found that the small detachment 
 there was under the command of Captain O' Grady, whose 
 house, at the entrance to the barrack, was pointed out to them. 
 The officer was in, and on Mr. Beveridge sending in his card 
 they were at once shown in. 
 
 " I am the owner of a schooner-yacht, the Creole, that 
 dropped anchor an hour ago," Mr. Beveridge said. "I know 
 very little about the etiquette of these things, but it seemed 
 to me the proper thing was to call at once upon His Majesty's 
 representative here." 
 
 "A very right and proper thing to do, Mr. Beveridge. I 
 have been wondering what that craft could be, and where she 
 had come from. If it hadn't been for the flag and the tidi- 
 ness of her I should have put her down as a Greek pirate, 
 though they don't often rig up their crafts as schooners." 
 
 "She has been something like a pirate in her time," Mr. 
 Beveridge said, " for she was a slaver, captured and sent home 
 as a prize. I bought her at Plymouth and fitted her out." 
 
 "And a mighty nice way of spending money too, Mr. Bever- 
 idge. She is the biggest thing in the way of yachts I ever 
 saw. I don't at all see why a gentleman shouldn't buy a big 
 ship and cruise about the world in her if he can afford it." 
 
 "Well, Captain O'Grady, I won't occupy your time now, 
 but shall be glad if you will come off and dine with me at six 
 o'clock to-day. I have come straight from England, and 
 have heard nothing as to how matters stand out here. If you 
 will bring any of your officers off with you I shall be very glad 
 to see them." 
 
 "I have only two here. Mr. Lester, my lieutenant, will be 
 
118 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 on duty, and I have no doubt that Plunket will be very glad 
 to come off with me if he has no special engagement, which 
 is not likely, for it is a mighty dull life here, I can tell you, 
 and it is glad I shall be when the order comes to rejoin the 
 regiment at Corfu." 
 
 Mr. Beveridge and Horace walked about for some time, 
 and then returned on board. They met their two Greeks in 
 the town shopping, and told them that there would be guests 
 at dinner. They met also Will Martyn and Tarleton, who had 
 come ashore a short time after them, Miller remaining on 
 board in charge; a good many of the men were also ashore. 
 
 "I have warned them solemnly," Martyn said, "against 
 drink and quarrels, but I am afraid that to-night and to- 
 morrow night we shall have a good many of them coming off 
 noisy. Wine is cheap, and as they haven't set foot ashore for 
 five weeks it is not in the nature of an English sailor to resist 
 temptation. I don't care much as long as they don't get into 
 rows with the Greeks. I have told them the boats will be 
 ashore at nine o'clock to fetch them, and that any who are 
 not down there by that hour will have their allowance of grog 
 stopped for a fortnight." 
 
 It had been arranged with Captain O'Grady that the boat 
 should be at the steps for him at a quarter to six. Horace 
 went in charge of it, and brought off the two officers. 
 
 "You have comfortable quarters here, indeed," Captain 
 O'Grady said when Mr. Beveridge had introduced his officers 
 to him and his companion. "Sure I would like nothing bet- 
 ter than to travel about in a craft like this. It is like taking 
 a floating palace about with you." But if the officers were 
 surprised at the fittings of the cabin they were still more so 
 at the excellence of the dinner. Up to the time the dessert 
 was placed on the table they chatted as to the incidents of the 
 voyage; but when the wine had gone round Mr. Beveridge 
 began questioning them. 
 
 " Of course you hear everything that goes on on the main- 
 land, Captain O'Grady." 
 
UNDER WEIGH 119 
 
 " Everything, do you say ? It is well content I would be if 
 that was all I heard; but the thundering lies that are told by 
 those Greek rapscallions are enough to take one's breath 
 away. To hear them talk you would not think that such 
 valiant men had ever lived since the days of Noah; and yet, 
 with the exception of a little skirmish, all that they have done 
 is to starve out those unfortunate heathens the Turks, and 
 then after they have surrendered on promise of good treat- 
 ment, to murder them in cold blood with their women and 
 children." 
 
 "I hope that there has not been much of that," Mr. Bever- 
 idge said gravely. 
 
 "It depends upon what you call much of it. At the very 
 lowest estimate there have been thirty thousand murdered in 
 cold blood since the troubles began; and some accounts put 
 it much higher. There has not been a single exception; 
 nowhere have they spared a Mussulman. The poor beggars 
 of farmers and villagers were killed; man, woman, and child, 
 in hundreds of villages the whole of them were destroyed 
 without resistance; and it has been the same in all the large 
 towns. The Greeks began the work at Kalamata, which sur- 
 rendered under a solemn promise of their lives to the Turks; 
 but every soul was slain. And so it has been all along. In 
 the district of Laconia there were fifteen thousand Mussul- 
 mans, and of these two-thirds at least were slain. At Misso- 
 longhi there are not twenty Turks alive. 
 
 "At Navarino every soul was murdered. Tripolitza sur- 
 rendered only a week ago, and I saw by a letter from Colonel 
 Raybonde, a French officer, who commanded the Greek 
 artillery during the siege, that forty-eight hours after they 
 entered the city they collected about two thousand persons, 
 principally women and children, and drove them up a ravine 
 and murdered them there; and altogether eight thousand 
 Mussulmans were killed during the sack. I have heard of 
 massacres till I am sick of listening to the stories; and though 
 at the beginning 1 hoped that the Greeks would drive the old 
 
V20 m GREEK WATERS 
 
 Turks out, faith I have come to think that if I were to hear 
 that the whole race were utterly exterminated I should feel 
 more comfortable in my mind than I have been for some time. 
 Not content with murdering the poor creatures, in many cases 
 the villains tortured them first. I have heard fellows who 
 came over here boast of it. One Albanian ruffian who told 
 me that he had done this, told me, sir, as if it were a thing to 
 be proud of. I had the satisfaction of taking him by the scruff 
 of his neck and the tail of his white petticoat and chucking 
 him off the pier into the sea. When he scrambled out I offered 
 him the satisfaction of a gentleman, seeing that he was a chief 
 who thought no small beer of himself. There was a deal of 
 difficulty in explaining to him how the thing was managed in 
 a civilized country, and I never felt more satisfaction in my 
 life than I did next morning when I put a bullet into the 
 scoundrel's body." 
 
 A wet blanket seemed suddenly to fall over the party in the 
 cabin as Captain O'Grady was speaking. Horace saw that 
 Miller, who was sitting opposite to him, was undergoing an 
 internal convulsion in restraining himself from bursting into 
 a laugh; and Will Martyn, who was facing Mr. Beveridge at 
 the bottom of the table, looked so preternaturally grave that 
 Horace felt that he too was struggling to repress a smile. 
 The doctor nodded, as if to signify that it was exactly what 
 he had expected. Mr. Beveridge looked deeply concerned. 
 
 " I have heard something of this in England, Captain 
 O'Grady, though of course the Greek agents there suppress 
 all news that would tell against their countrymen, but I did 
 not think it was as bad as this. Yet although I do not for a 
 moment attempt to defend such atrocities, you must remem- 
 ber how long the Greeks have been oppressed by the Turks. 
 A people who have been in slavery for hundreds of years to 
 strangers, aliens in blood and in religion, and themselves in 
 a very primitive state of civilization, except in the cities, 
 would be almost certain in the first rising against their 
 oppressors to commit horrible excesses. The same thing 
 
UNDER WEIGH 121 
 
 happened, although, happily, on a much smaller scale, in your 
 own country, Captain O' Grady, in '98, and that without a 
 hundredth part of the excuse that the Greeks had." 
 
 "True for you, Mr. Beveridge," Captain O'Grady admitted. 
 "There's no denying that you have turned the tables on me 
 there. It is mighty difficult, as you say, to hold a savage 
 peasantry in hand." 
 
 "It was the same thing in the French Revolution. That 
 again was practically a revolt of slaves, and they behaved like 
 fiends; and the number of persons murdered — men of their 
 own race and religion, remember — was at least as great as 
 that of those who have been massacred here. The revolt 
 called the Jacquerie, in the middle ages, was equally ferocious, 
 and the number of victims would probably have been as great 
 had not the revolt been nipped in the bud. I regret deeply 
 the conduct of the Greeks; but I think it was only what was 
 to be expected from a people naturally fierce and revengeful 
 under the circumstances." 
 
 " Maybe you are right, Mr. Beveridge, though I did not 
 look at it in that light before." 
 
 "And who are their leaders now?" 
 
 " Faith they are all leaders. One day one hears one man's 
 name mentioned, that is hard enough to crack one's jaw; the 
 next day he is upset and another has taken his place. Every 
 dirty little chief of brigands sets himself up as a leader, and 
 as they are about the only chaps who understand anything 
 about fighting they come to the front. If they only spent a 
 twentieth part of the time in preparing for war which they do 
 in quarrelling among themselves as to their share of the spoil, 
 it seems to me they would make a much better fight than they 
 are likely to do. There is a fellow called Odysseus, which is 
 their way of pronouncing Ulysses; he used to command the 
 Mohammedan Albanians under Ali Pasha. Now he has turned 
 round, and fights against his old master. He is one of the 
 chief of them. Then there are Kolokotronis and Mavro- 
 cordatos. I should say they are the two principal men just at 
 
122 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 present. Then there is a chap called Prince Demetrius 
 Hypsilantes. He is the brother of a fellow who got up the 
 rising up in the north of the Danube, and pretends to be the 
 head of all the Greeks. Demetrius says he is invested by his 
 bfbther with a sort of viceroyalty over Greece, and wants to 
 have it all his own way. Then there are the Greek bishops 
 and priests. They are pretty well against all the rest, and 
 want to keep the peasantry under their thumb. Then there 
 are the primates; they have got a big lot of power." 
 
 "Do you mean archbishops?" Captain Martyn asked. 
 
 " Not a bit of it. The primates are a sort of half-and-half 
 officers. They are supposed to be chosen by the people of 
 their own district, and of course they are always the big-wigs; 
 the chaps with most power and influence. Once chosen they 
 became Turkish officers, collected the taxes, and were each 
 accountable for the money and for the doings of their district. 
 Nicely they ground the people down and feathered their own 
 nests. Naturally, when the Turks went they became the local 
 leaders. The people had no one else to look to but them and 
 the priests. In the Morea these two classes have all the power 
 in their hands. North of that we don't hear much of the 
 primates. I don't think they had any of them there. It's 
 the Albanians, and the Klephts, that is the brigands, and 
 some of the fighting clans, such as the Suliots and the bands 
 of armatoli, which are a sort of village militia, who are the 
 backbone of the rising. 
 
 "All the chiefs are jealous of each other, and if one fellow 
 proposes a plan all the others differ from him; or if there is 
 one of the big leaders there, and his plan is adopted, the 
 others either march away to their homes or do what they can 
 to prevent it from succeeding. The great thing with all the 
 chiefs is to get spoil. The people are different; they really 
 want to fight the Turks and to win their freedom; and it is 
 because they see that not one of their leaders is honest, that 
 their jealousies keep them from any common actions, and that 
 they will not unite to form any central government, that the 
 
UNDER WEIGH 123 
 
 people have no confidence in them, but just follow one man 
 until they get disgusted with him, and then go off to join 
 another. 
 
 " Everything is wasted. The spoil they have taken has been 
 enormous; but the people are little the better for it; it is all 
 divided among the chiefs, and not a penny of it has gone 
 to form a fund for defence. They have captured enormous 
 quantities of ammunition, but they have fired it away like 
 children, just to please themselves with the noise. At one 
 place I was told by an Englishman who was there that the two 
 million cartridges they captured were all wasted in what they 
 called rejoicings in the course of three days. What they want 
 is a big man — a fellow who will begin by hanging a hundred 
 politicians, as many chiefs, bishops, and primates; who would 
 organize first a government and then an army; and would insist 
 that every halfpenny taken as spoil from the Turks should be 
 paid into the public treasury. Then, sir, I believe that the 
 Greeks would polish off these sleepy Turks in no time, with 
 the advantage they have in knowing every foot of the moun- 
 tains, in being as active as goats, and in possessing the idea 
 that they are fighting for freedom. Mind I don't say that the 
 Turks will beat them even as they are. The Turkish pashas 
 are as incapable as the Greek leaders. Their soldiers are 
 good, but as the Greeks have no regular army, and no idea of 
 standing up to fight fair, the Turks can't get at them, and the 
 Greeks can move about quickly and fall upon them at their 
 own time; and besides they will bring them to a standstill by 
 starvation. They don't care about attacking the Turkish 
 troops, but they are down like a pack of wolves on a baggage 
 train, and if the Turks venture any distance from the sea-coast 
 they will be harassed out of their lives." 
 
 "Have the Turks still the command of the sea? There the 
 Greeks ought to be their match anyhow." 
 
 "Yes, the Turks still send their store-ships escorted by their 
 men-of-war frigates and corvettes. The Greeks hover round 
 them and among them, but they take care to keep pretty well 
 
124 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 out of range of the Turkish guns, and their only idea of fight- 
 ing seems to be to launch fire-ships at them. A man-of-war 
 was burnt while at anchor a short time back by Knaris, who 
 is the best sailor the Greeks have got. Still, at present the 
 Turks are so far masters of the sea that they take their convoys 
 where they like and can revictual their fortresses whenever 
 they have the energy to do so. On the other hand, the 
 Greeks scour the seas in all directions, and not a single mer- 
 chant ship flying the Turkish flag dare show her nose outside 
 the Dardanelles." 
 
 "Is the cruelty all on one side?" Horace asked. 
 
 " Not a bit of it. Of course the Turks have not had much 
 chance yet, but when they have had they have naturally paid 
 the Greeks in their own coin. In Thessaly they have put 
 down the rising ruthlessly. But when the troops go into a 
 place and find that the whole of their people have been mur- 
 dered it is not to be wondered at that they set to to play the 
 same game on those who began the work of massacre. The 
 Greeks hate the Turks, and their object is to root them out 
 altogether. The Turks despise the Greeks, but they don't 
 want to root them out by any means, because if they did there 
 would be no longer any revenue to collect. The Turks seem 
 to strike more at the leaders. They have strung up a lot of 
 Greeks living in Constantinople, and as the whole affair was 
 got up there, and the Greeks were, most of them, taking the 
 Sultan's pay while they were plotting against him, it is only 
 just that if anyone was to surfer they should be the men. 
 AVhat I am afraid of ^is that when the news of this horrible 
 massacre of eight thousand people at Tripolitza gets known, 
 the Turks in Asia Minor will everywhere retaliate upon the 
 Greeks settled among them. 
 
 " They can't do much in Greece, for most of the people can 
 take to the mountains; but there are almost as many of them 
 settled in Asia Minor as there are here, for they are the traders 
 and shopkeepers in every port, and I am afraid it will go 
 mighty hard with them everywhere when the Turks come to 
 
UNDER WEIGH 125 
 
 know the atrocities that have been perpetrated over here. If 
 the Greeks had thought for a moment when they began they 
 would have seen that it was a game two could play at, and for 
 every Turk they could murder the Turks had in their hands 
 three Greeks at least that they could put an end to. To my 
 mind it is a bad business altogether. Plunket will tell you that 
 I have not put it a bit too strongly." 
 
 "Not in the least," the young officer said. "The tales 
 these fellows tell are ghastly. We have them over here by 
 dozens. A man is a leader one day and a fugitive the next; 
 and they run over here till they see a chance of landing again 
 and getting together a fresh band, and they actually make a 
 boast of the horrible massacres they have taken a part in. If 
 the islanders here saw their way to it they would rise against 
 us, and as it is, it has been as much as we can do more than 
 once to prevent their going on board neutral vessels that put 
 into harbour with a few wretched Turkish fugitives, and mur- 
 dering them. The fact is, the Greeks believe that they are 
 Christians, but they are just as much pagans as they were two 
 thousand years ago. My sympathies are altogether with them 
 in their struggle for liberty, and I try to make every allowance 
 for their actions; and I do believe that if what O' Grady says 
 could be carried out and all their leaders, and politicians, 
 and bishops, and primates hung, the people themselves would 
 carry on the struggle with ten times the chances of success 
 they have at present, for they would then be forced to form a 
 strong central government and might find some honest man 
 to put at its head. They regard it in the light of a religious 
 war rather than one for national freedom, and I suppose that 
 at least half the Mussulmans who have fallen are of Greek 
 blood, for, especially in the north, nearly half the tribes have 
 changed their religion and become Mohammedans since their 
 conquest." 
 
 " Are there many Europeans fighting with them? You men- 
 tioned a French colonel commanding the Greek artillery in 
 the siege of Tripolitza." 
 
120 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 " A good many. There are some Austrians, Frenchmen, 
 Italians, and a few of our own people. Among the last is a 
 General Gordon and a naval lieutenant; but although the 
 Greeks know nothing whatever of military matters, they are 
 jealous in the extreme of any interference or even advice 
 from foreigners. I believe there are altogether thirty or forty 
 foreign officers who came over to fight for them, and only two 
 or three of these have got employment of any sort. As to any 
 attempt to introduce military discipline, or raise anything like 
 a body of regular soldiers, it seems impossible. They believe 
 entirely in fighting in their own way and dispersing when 
 they choose, just as the Spanish guerilla bands did during the 
 Peninsular War. In fact it seems to me that the Greek char- 
 acter resembles the Spanish very much, the peasantry in both 
 countries being brave and animated by a patriotic hate of 
 their enemies, while the upper class are equally vain, cowardly, 
 given to boasting, and absolutely faithless to their promises. 
 If we had the Duke of Wellington here with a couple of hun- 
 dred good officers he would make the Greeks into as good 
 soldiers as he did some of the Portuguese, and would as likely 
 as not wind up the war by driving the Turks out of Europe 
 altogether." 
 
 At half-past ten o'clock the officers went ashore. When 
 they had left the ship, the others returned to the cabin. 
 
 " I should not take it to heart, Mr. Beveridge," Will Martyn 
 said cheerfully, seeing how depressed his employer looked at 
 the news he had heard. " Of course the Greeks have behaved 
 badly — horribly badly; but you see it is because the poor 
 beggars are not much better than savages, and never will be 
 better as long as they are kept down by the Turks. All these 
 things will right themselves in time. As you said, they are 
 no worse than the French when they rose, or than the Spanish 
 peasantry whenever they got a chance, or the Irish peasantry, 
 and we must not look at it from our own standpoint; once they 
 are free they will get a settled government and become a 
 nation again, and that is what we have got to help them to 
 
A CHANGE OF NAME 127 
 
 do. We are not going to land and take part in massacres. 
 All we have got to do is to look out for a Turkish ship of war, 
 and pull down her colours whenever we get a chance. But 
 even more than that, what I want specially to do as soon as 
 we can is to get rid of some of that cargo in our hold. That 
 is what is bothering me at present." 
 
 "Thank you, Martyn," Mr. Beveridge said, holding out his 
 hand to him. " It is trying to hear of a glorious cause being 
 disgraced by such horrible atrocities, but the cause remains 
 the same, and the atrocities are, as you say, such as have 
 occurred among other peoples when their blood has been 
 heated to boiling point. This will not shake my determina- 
 tion to aid Greece in her struggle for freedom." 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 A CHANGE OF NAME 
 
 THE next two days Mr. Beveridge and Horace spent entirely 
 on shore. Speaking modern Greek fluently, they were 
 able to converse with people of all classes from the mainland, 
 and they learned from their reports that Captain O'Grady's 
 account of the utter confusion existing from end to end of the 
 country was in no way exaggerated. As soon as the Greeks 
 perceived that Mr. Beveridge was a well-wisher to their cause, 
 and judging him from his possession of a large yacht to be a 
 wealthy man, innumerable schemes were proposed to him, all 
 involving his placing himself in the hands of the proposer and 
 advancing him a considerable sum of money. These projects 
 Mr. Beveridge resolutely turned a deaf ear to, his resolution 
 being greatly strengthened by Horace, who distrusted all these 
 plausible adventurers profoundly. 
 
 "We must wait, father," he said, "until we see something 
 
128 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 like a stable government in power. When it has been at work 
 a bit, and you find that it makes its authority respected, re- 
 stores order, and unites the people in a common effort, it will 
 be time enough for you to let them have money. To give it 
 now would simply be to waste it, and, indeed, worse than 
 waste it, for it would only add to the struggle for power on 
 which the Greeks are wasting their strength. From all we 
 learn the sailors of Hydra, Spetzas, and Psara are the only 
 men who at present are acting with any common object. As 
 everything depends upon crippling the Turks at sea, I should 
 think we could not do better than get rid of some of our guns 
 and ammunition by giving them to them. If we could get rid 
 of twenty or thirty tons of our cargo it would put us in first- 
 rate sailing trim, and at any rate get something off our minds. 
 Then from there we could sail to Athens and get the papers 
 we require authorizing us to act as a Greek privateer. Of 
 course that would be no protection to us if we fell into the 
 hands of the Turks; but we could do nothing until we get 
 them without acting as pirates and rendering ourselves lia- 
 ble to be hung by any European man-of-war that might over- 
 haul us." 
 
 This course was determined upon, to the great satisfaction 
 of William Martyn; and after a stay of three days at Zante 
 sail was again set, and the Creole left the anchorage. It was 
 well that she did so, for the next day all their Greek sympa- 
 thies would have been insufficient to prevent their fighting on 
 the other side. An Algerine barque that had separated from 
 the Turkish fleet, which had just captured Galaxidhi and had 
 taken possession of thirty-four Greek brigs, was attacked by 
 eighteen Hydriot ships. She refused to surrender, and made 
 such a gallant resistance that the Hydriots did not venture to 
 run alongside and carry her by boarding. The Algerines, 
 knowing that if their spars were shot away they would all be 
 killed, ran her ashore near the southern cape of Zante. 
 
 The fight had been witnessed by thousands of refugee 
 Moreots and Zanteot peasants, who opened fire upon the 
 
A CHANGE OF NAME. 129 
 
 Algerines when they landed. Two English officers with 
 twenty men had gone down from the town to enforce obe- 
 dience to the quarantine regulations, which were very strict. 
 They ordered the Greeks to retire, but these refused, and 
 continued to attack the Turks. The officer commanded his 
 men to fire over the heads of the crowd, when the Zanteots 
 at once turned their muskets against them. One soldier was 
 killed, and the rest retired into a house with the Turks and 
 defended themselves until a stronger body of English troops 
 came down from the town and rescued them. For firing upon 
 the troops and killing one of them five Zanteots were after- 
 wards tried and executed, and the lord high-commissioner 
 issued a proclamation forbidding the entry of any Turk or 
 Greek men-of-war into any Ionian port. 
 
 The Greek commercial navy, before the outbreak of the 
 revolution, consisted to a large extent of the shipping of the 
 four little islands Hydra, Spetzas, Psara, and Cazos. These 
 islands, which were small and barren, had sprung into impor- 
 tance by the wise policy of the sultans at the beginning of the 
 eighteenth century. Seeing that the exactions of their own 
 officials rendered it impossible for the Greek and Mussulman 
 sailors to compete with those of other nations, they had ex- 
 empted from all taxes and other burdens persons settling on 
 these islands, and had allowed to them perfect self-govern- 
 ment. The result had answered their expectations. Colonies 
 of Albanian sailors had established themselves at Hydra and 
 Spetzas, while Greek seamen had settled in Psara and Cazos, 
 and all four islands became populous and flourishing, owning 
 among them nearly three hundred craft of from sixty to four 
 hundred tons. 
 
 The contrast between the population and manners of the 
 four islands was very marked. The two Albanian islands were 
 governed by twelve primates, elected by the wealthy, while in 
 the Greek islands the government was purely democratic. The 
 Albanians were by far the more sincere and honest, while the 
 people of the two Greek islands were the more courteous. All 
 
130 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 had early thrown in their lot with the revolution. The Peace 
 of 1815 had caused a great reduction in the price of grain on 
 the Continent and a fall of freights. Consequently many ships 
 remained unemployed, the prosperity of the islands dimin- 
 ished, and the sailors became discontented and clamorous for 
 employment. Spetzas had been the first to declare for the 
 revolution, and had at once sent off some ships, which had 
 captured a Turkish corvette of twenty-six guns and a brig of 
 sixteen, which, with small crews, were waiting at Milos to 
 receive the contingent of sailors from the Albanian islands. 
 The Turks, expecting no attack, were taken by surprise; but 
 the first Greek naval success was dimmed by the Mussulman 
 prisoners being all carried to Spetzas, where some were at 
 once murdered and the rest put to death with horrible tortures. 
 
 Psara quickly followed the example of Spetzas, but Hydra 
 was some time before it raised the Greek flag. The people 
 were in favour of the revolution, but the wealthy ship-owners, 
 who possessed all the power, were averse to fitting out their 
 vessels for unprofitable service, and opposed the revolution 
 until a popular insurrection broke out and their authority was 
 set aside. The united fleet of the three islands, instead of 
 attacking the Turkish fleet, which was occupied in conveying 
 store-ships to the besieged garrisons, swept the seas of mer- 
 chantmen, and attacked and plundered an Austrian vessel. 
 Two Hydriot brigs captured a Turkish ship, with a very 
 valuable cargo, carrying, among other passengers, a recently- 
 deposed sheikh El-Islam, or Patriarch of the Mussulmans, and 
 all his family. These and all on board were murdered by 
 their captors; but the affair in the end benefited the Turks, 
 for the captors refused to conform to the regulation that had 
 been laid down, that all booty should be the common property 
 of the fleet. Quarrels began between the sailors of the differ- 
 ent islands, so that the fleet broke up, and was for a long 
 time useless for any concerted action against the Turks. 
 
 The Creole visited the three islands in succession, handing 
 over to- the authorities in each ten guns, with a considerable 
 
A CHANGE OF NAME 131 
 
 amount of powder and shot, a thousand muskets, and ten 
 thousand rounds of ammunition. There was a large amount 
 of shipping in each of the harbours, and Will Martyn had the 
 Creole's guns all loaded and double shotted before entering. 
 
 "There is no saying what these fellows may be up to," he 
 remarked to Horace. "Seeing us giving away so large a 
 quantity of valuables, they may think that we have got a gold 
 mine on board. I don't mean to close an eye while we are in 
 harbour, I can tell you." 
 
 Mr. Beveridge, personally, was received with much honour 
 at these islands, and the guns, which Will Martyn had taken 
 care should be the largest of those in the hold, were dragged 
 up by the people and placed in the batteries. 
 
 The Creole then crossed to the Pirseus. The Acropolis of 
 Athens was still held by the Turks, who were closely besieged 
 there. Will Martyn landed with Mr. Beveridge. Horace told 
 his father that he would rather not accompany him. 
 
 "You will be going about and seeing people, father," he 
 said, "and, as you say, you may have to go to other places to 
 find some of the nominal authorities to sign documents, and 
 so on, authorizing us to hoist the Greek flag, and giving us the 
 usual papers carried by privateers. This may take time, for 
 you and Martyn think that as the Greeks themselves have no 
 such formalities, but fight the Turks just as they find them, it 
 may be difficult for you to persuade them that letters of marque 
 are really required authorizing the vessel, as a Greek ship, to 
 capture, burn, and destroy all Turkish vessels she may meet." 
 
 "It is a mere formality, Horace." 
 
 "Well, father, I don't think that Martyn or the others look 
 at it at all in that light, and I know they consider it absolutely 
 necessary that we should have papers of that sort. Even with 
 such papers they say they expect there will be a lot of diffi- 
 culty, if they take any prizes, in disposing of them, and that, 
 unless they have papers signed by the central government, the 
 chances are that the moment a Turkish prize is brought into 
 port, the Greeks will seize it as public property, and want to 
 
132 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 cut the throats of any Turks prisoners. Certainly we should 
 not stand that, and we should be in the position of having to 
 fight the Turks at sea and the Greeks in port. So I should not 
 be surprised at all if you are ten days, or a fortnight, before 
 you can get all the papers you want. Of course Martyn's 
 signature will be necessary to all sorts of things, and as there 
 is no humbugging him he will be wonderfully useful to you in 
 all sorts of ways." 
 
 " But why should you not go with us too, Horace? " 
 
 " I would very much rather not, father. Of course I am 
 quite with you in wishing to see Greece independent, but I 
 am so disgusted with all these stories of the horrible atrocities 
 they have been guilty of, and at the way in which, instead of 
 joining together to fight the Turks, they are all bent only on 
 getting power or spoil, and of behaving more like a collection 
 of bands of brigands than a united people, that I would rather 
 not see any more of them at present, or I shall get regularly 
 to hate them. In a short time, I have no doubt, we shall 
 hear of a lot of things done by the other side. We may be 
 sure that the Turks will avenge the eight thousand Mussulmans 
 who were murdered at Tripolitza. We heard at Zante that 
 they had begun it, and then one thing will balance the other 
 and I may get enthusiastic about the Greeks again; but at 
 present, father, what I should like to see is this, that the 
 Creole should be employed as a rescue ship." 
 
 "How do you mean, Horace? " 
 
 " I mean, father, that we should try to save as many of these 
 wretched Turks, and their women and children, from massacre 
 as we can ; and on the other hand, that we should try to save 
 as many Greeks as possible from the vengeance of the Turks. 
 There ought to be lots of opportunities both ways. If we are 
 with the Greeks when they capture a Turkish vessel we can buy 
 off the prisoners. The Greeks are fonder of money than even 
 of blood, and the money will be a deal better spent that way 
 than if wasted among the politicians, the captains of brigands, 
 or primates, and would do good to the cause of Greece by 
 
A CHANGE OF NAME 133 
 
 saving it fiom dishonour. When the Greeks make a descent 
 upon a Turkish island we could send our boats ashore and 
 take off a lot of the inhabitants, and we could do the same 
 thing when the Turks attack a Greek place or island; and if 
 either Greeks or Turks interfere with us at the work, I should 
 say let us thrash them whoever they are. I consider that 
 would be a glorious mission, and would be a credit to the flag 
 we fly whether it is Greek or English; and if I were you I 
 should speak out to Kolokotronis, or any other leader you may 
 meet, and tell him frankly that you have come out to help the 
 Greeks with arms and money, but that these massacres will 
 turn all Europe against them ; and that unless you are provided 
 with an authority to take and hold all Turkish prisoners, and 
 to protect them both from the populace and the sailors, you 
 will withdraw altogether, and will do your best to prevent 
 such atrocities, even if it comes to firing upon Greek vessels 
 engaged in them." 
 
 "I will do so, Horace," his father said in a tone of decis- 
 ion. "We are a match, I fancy, for half a dozen of the 
 Greek ships. They will find us a very different vessel to deal 
 with than those slow-sailing Turks. I quite approve of what 
 you say. For the first outburst of vengeance when they rose 
 I am willing to make every allowance; but the revenge taken 
 by the Turks at Kydonia should have reminded them that there 
 are at least a million of their fellow-countrymen in Asia Minor 
 whose lives have been endangered by their atrocities. Hence- 
 forth I will, as you propose, devote myself to saving life, and 
 part of the money that I had intended for the Greeks shall go 
 to make up to the crew for any loss they may sustain by miss- 
 ing the chance of taking prizes. I will hoist the Greek flag 
 as I intended, and we, at least, will keep it unsullied." 
 
 Horace repeated the substance of the conversation to Will 
 Martyn and the other two officers, who cordially agreed; for 
 although they had, of course, heard less at Zante of the details 
 of the massacres than their employer and his son had done, 
 they had heard enough to fill them with indignation, and to 
 disgust them with the cause that they had come out to defend. 
 
134 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "That will be first-rate," Martyn said, "and I can foresee 
 we shall have lots of fun, and are likely to end by fighting 
 both parties. There will be plenty for us to do. We will 
 see if we can't cut off some of the Turkish vessels laden with 
 Greek captives for sale as slaves in the markets of Alexandria; 
 while, as for the Greeks, if we slip in and save their captives 
 they will be like a pack of wolves after their prey. If I am 
 to go with your father, Horace, you may be sure I will take 
 any opportunity I may get of speaking out, and I reckon I 
 will open the eyes of some of these Greek swells by the way I 
 will give it them. I tell you what, Miller: While I am away 
 do you get up eight of those eighteen-pounders from the hold 
 and mount them instead of the twelves. Now that she has got 
 so much of her weight out of her she can carry them well 
 enough, and I fancy we are likely to want as heavy metal as 
 we can mount before we have done." 
 
 At dinner that day Horace said: "Are you thinking of 
 changing her name, father, when you change your nation- 
 ality?" 
 
 "I wasn't thinking of changing her name at all, Horace," 
 Mr. Beveridge said in surprise. 
 
 "Well, I thought, father, the Greeks wouldn't understand 
 the name of the Creole at all. It was a good name for a slaver 
 and did well enough for a yacht, and if we ever take her back 
 to England I should like her to be the Creole ; but I think it 
 would be better to have some name that the Greeks will un- 
 derstand." 
 
 "What name would you propose, Horace? " 
 
 "Well, father, I have been thinking of it, and if you have 
 no objection I should like to call her the Misericordia, ' the 
 Pity.' We came out here because we pitied the Greeks, and 
 now we pity the unfortunate people, both Turks and Greeks, 
 and you have agreed that our mission shall be to save both of 
 them from slaughter." 
 
 " I think it would be a very good name, Horace. The 
 Misericordia it shall be. What do you say, Captain Martyn? " 
 
A CHANGE OF NAME 135 
 
 "I think it would be a capital name, Mr. Beveridge," 
 Martyn said, " and the crew will fight all the better when they 
 know what the name means and what we intend to do. Sailors 
 have no particular love for the Greeks — they always regard 
 them as treacherous beggars; and they have no particular 
 hostility against the Turks, who fought pluckily enough on 
 our side in Egypt, and have always been friendly with us. I 
 am sure that when our fellows understand that what we are 
 going in for is to save women and children from being mur- 
 dered, whether they happen to be Greeks or Turks, you will 
 find them ready to do anything." 
 
 The next day Mr. Beveridge and Will Martyn landed, and 
 Miller set the crew at work to mount eighteen-pounders in 
 place of the twelves, and to get the ammunition for them into 
 the fighting magazines in place of that of lighter calibre. 
 Zaimes had accompanied Mr. Beveridge. Marco remained 
 on board, but had leave every morning to go on shore the first 
 thing after breakfast, and to remain there until late in the 
 afternoon, when he came off in time for dinner. He brought 
 news that it was believed the Turks in the Acropolis could not 
 hold out much longer, as their provisions were running very 
 short. After an absence of ten days the party on shore re- 
 turned, and an hour after they did so the English flag was 
 lowered and that of Greece was hoisted, while a flag with the 
 word Misericordia replaced that of Creole at the masthead. 
 Captain Martyn called the crew together. 
 
 "My lads," he said, "you all knew that when we arrived 
 here we were going to hoist the Greek flag instead of our own, 
 and that we were going to act as a Greek privateer against the 
 Turks. That, you see, is done, and we are authorized by the 
 Greek government to capture or destroy any Turkish vessels 
 we may meet. You see we have changed her name, and I 
 will tell you why Mr. Beveridge has done this. We are going 
 to fight for Greece, but at the same time, as British sailors, 
 we are not going to stand by and see men, women, and chil- 
 dren murdered in cold blood, whether they are Turks or any- 
 
136 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 one else. There has been a great deal too much of this sort 
 of thing done on both sides, and we mean to stop it as much 
 as we can. We are going to prevent the massacre of Greeks 
 by Turks, and I hope we shall manage to lay hands on some 
 of the Turkish vessels carrying Greek women and children 
 captive to sell them as slaves; but on the other hand we- in- 
 tend to save as many Turks as we can from being massacred 
 by the Greeks, and that is the reason why Mr. Beveridge has 
 renamed his craft the Misericordia, which means 'the Pity.' 
 I am sure, my lads, that there is not a British sailor who 
 would not risk his life to save those of women and children, 
 and that is what we mean to make our first object, although 
 we hope to lower some Turkish flags before we have done with 
 them; but in any case we mean to save life whether it is Greek 
 or Turk we have to fight in doing so. It is a work, my lads, 
 in which we may all be proud to take part, and in which, 
 whether we fight under the English flag or the Greek, we shall 
 be doing a duty dear to every British sailor. Now, my lads, 
 we will give three cheers for the Misericordia." 
 
 Three hearty cheers rang out from the sailors. They had 
 all been on shore at Zante, and had heard enough from the 
 soldiers they fraternized with there to fill them with disgust 
 and indignation at the conduct of the Greeks, and this an- 
 nouncement that they would henceforth put a stop to such 
 cruelty, even if they had to fight for it, filled them with 
 satisfaction. 
 
 "We had hard work of it," Martyn said to Horace, talking 
 over his visit ashore. " In the first place they wanted us to 
 hand over all prisoners we took, and half the plunder and 
 value of the prizes, to their miserable government. We told 
 them that we would see them at the bottom of the sea first. I 
 was with your father at a meeting with the fellows they call 
 Kolokotronis and Odysseus, and half a dozen other of their 
 leaders, and you should have seen how your father spoke out. 
 He got upon his legs and he just poured it out. I did not 
 know, of course, what he was saying, but he told me a little 
 
A CHANGE OF NAME 137 
 
 about it afterwards, and I could see by their faces that it was 
 hot and strong. 
 
 "He told them that their countrymen had disgraced their 
 cause by conduct worthy only of the lowest savages, and that 
 if they did not give him the authority he demanded, to inter- 
 pose to save Turks from massacre, he would sail on to Con- 
 stantinople, hoist the Turkish flag, and fight against the ships 
 that behaved like bloodthirsty pirates rather than Greek 
 patriots, and that they would find his ship a very different 
 opponent to the Turks. I did not think your father had it in 
 him. It was splendid, I can tell you, and the faces of those 
 fellows were worth seeing. I don't expect they ever had such 
 a straight talking to before. I believe altogether he spent 
 about a thousand pounds in bribing a dozen of them; anyhow 
 he got what he wanted. In the first place we are authorized 
 to hoist the Greek flag, and to capture and destroy Turkish 
 vessels; and in the second, to dispose as we please of all 
 prisoners. We may take on board Turkish fugitives and dis- 
 pose of them at our pleasure, free from all interference from 
 any Greek authorities or Greek ships. We are to pay a quar- 
 ter of the value of all prizes and booty into the treasury of the 
 central government, and are to send ashore to-morrow five 
 thousand muskets and twenty rounds of ammunition for each. 
 
 "Your father has had a hard time of it. I don't believe 
 there has been a single Greek politician or leader who hasn't 
 called upon him privately, to what they call borrow money 
 from him. At last I had to regularly mount guard over him 
 and set Zaimes at his door to tell all comers that he was too 
 unwell to see anyone, which was not far from the truth, for he 
 was regularly upset at the meanness and trickery of the people 
 he had come to spend his fortune to assist. However, thank 
 goodness it is all over. I am precious glad that I am back, I 
 can tell you, for I believe if I had stayed there much longer 
 I should not have been able to have prevented myself from 
 walking into some of them. Your father has been trying to 
 find out whether they have got any general plan of defence; 
 
138 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 but they have no more plan than a lot of children would have 
 if they got up a rebellion. Everyone wants to be a leader; 
 everyone complains of everyone else. They scarcely seem to 
 give the Turks a thought. All their energies are occupied 
 by their own miserable squabbles and rivalry. Well, I don't 
 want to set foot on shore again as long as we are out here, 
 unless it is on some real expedition." 
 
 "What about the Turks in the Acropolis, Martyn? " 
 
 "They are negotiating, but the poor beggars know there is 
 no faith to be placed in the Greeks, and that so far there is 
 not a single instance in which they have kept their promises 
 for the safety of garrisons who have surrendered. They want 
 the guarantee of the European consuls for their safety, but 
 they can't give it, as they have no force here to protect them. 
 I told our consul that we would lend him the whole of our crew 
 if he liked, and that I thought we could pretty well clear out 
 the town; but he said that that would be well enough if there 
 was no one to protect. But that as there are something like 
 two thousand men, women, and children up in the citadel, 
 fifty men could never protect them against the mob. How- 
 ever, I hope the Turks will be able to hold out for some time 
 yet. The Greeks only guess that their provisions are running 
 short, and if a man-of-war, French, or English, or Austrian, 
 comes into the harbour the consuls will ask its commander to 
 protect the Turks, and will then guarantee their safety." 
 
 "When are we going to sail? " Horace asked. 
 
 "To-morrow. The'two Greeks will go ashore the first thing 
 in the morning to lay in a fresh stock of meat and vegetables. 
 As soon as all are on board we will get up anchor. I have 
 heard lots of shocking stories on shore from Greeks who have 
 escaped from Asia Minor and the Turkish islands. There 
 have been massacres in almost every city where there were 
 Greeks; at Smyrna, Adrianople, Salonika, Cos, Rhodes, in 
 Crete and Cyprus, and as far as I can hear the Turks have 
 altogether massacred nearly as many men, women, and chil- 
 dren as the Greeks have done. I saw General Gordon, who 
 
A CHANGE OF NAME 139 
 
 is a warm friend of the Greeks, and he said that it was impos- 
 sible to justify the ferocity of the Greeks, or to deny that a 
 comparison between them and the Turks would give the latter 
 the palm of humanity; that is, if the term humanity could be 
 employed to either. 
 
 " We went up and saw some of the troops, as they call them, 
 active, hardy-looking fellows. They seem in earnest enough, 
 and are ready, as a French officer said to me, to submit to 
 anything but discipline. He said that the Klephts and ar- 
 matoli are as fine material for mountain warfare as one could 
 wish to see; one day honest, hard-working peasants, the next 
 engaged in partisan war, or in raids on their neighbours; 
 frugal, hardy, active, and in their way brave; men who would 
 never storm a position or stand against the attack of Turkish 
 infantry or cavalry, as the war has everywhere shown so far : 
 but who would defend a hillside or hold a ravine against good 
 troops, and when driven out, make another stand at the first 
 position they came to. Anyhow they are worth a lot more 
 than the townspeople, who brag and vapour and go about 
 armed to the teeth, but who take precious good care never to 
 get within range of a Turkish musket." 
 
 Early the next morning some large boats came off, and the 
 muskets and ammunition were transferred to them, and at noon 
 the two Greeks brought off a boat-load of fresh meat, vegeta- 
 bles, fowls, eggs, fruit, and other stores. xA.s soon as these 
 were slung on board, the anchor was got up, and the MiseH- 
 cordia, under a gentle breeze, stole out to sea. 
 
 "That is better, Miller," Will Martyn said as he looked 
 over the side. "She has not gone like that since we shook 
 out our sails for the first time. I should say she is just about 
 in her right trim now, and is ready to fight or sail anything of 
 her size afloat. How easily she goes through the water. 
 There is scarcely a ripple in her wake. She is a beauty." 
 
 "Which port now, Martyn?" 
 
 " I was talking it over last night with Mr. Beveridge, and as 
 soon as we get well off land I am going to shape a course that 
 
140 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 will take us down between Cyprus and Alexandria. It is of no 
 use cruising about here. The Turks only move about under a 
 convoy of their men-of-war, and it would not be much better 
 across on the other side, for the Greek vessels are everywhere 
 on the look-out. But they don't like going far from home, 
 and if we cruise well to the south we shall have a good chance 
 of falling in with craft bound for Alexandria from Cyprus, 
 Crete, and Syria, and any or all of them will be likely to be 
 carrying Greeks captives to the slave-markets at Alexandria, 
 Tunis, or Tripoli." 
 
 "Those are the sort of craft to meet with," Miller said. 
 " I suppose they are sure to be armed. Of course one would 
 be glad to rescue captives and save them from their horrible 
 fate. But there will be much more satisfaction in doing it if 
 we have a bit of a fight first." 
 
 " Yes, I should say they were certain to be armed. No Turk 
 would venture to sea at present unless he thought himself strong 
 enough to beat off the attack of at least two or three of these 
 Greek vessels. After cruising about for a bit we intend to 
 dodge about Cyprus and the other Turkish islands, keeping 
 near the coast so as to give Greek fugitives a chance of com- 
 ing on board. We know that there have been massacres at 
 all these islands, and may be again, and there must be thou- 
 sands of unfortunate creatures who would give anything for 
 such a chance of getting away. We can anchor in quiet bays, 
 for we need have no fear of any boat attack; and if the Turks 
 come out in force we have always the option of running away 
 or fighting." 
 
 "That is a very good programme, Martyn. We are not 
 likely, as you say, to find any Greek craft cruising about 
 between Cyprus and Alexandria. Turkish vessels going up 
 towards the Dardanelles, or coming down from there, are 
 prizes worth taking, for they may have pashas and rich officials 
 on board; but down there they would be less likely to have 
 anything that would repay the Greeks for the risks of a fight. 
 As for risking anything to save their countrymen, Mr. Bever- 
 
A CHANGE OF NAME 141 
 
 idge was saying he heard that at the massacre of the Greeks 
 at Kydonia, although the Greek fleet, under Tombazes, was 
 close at hand, and their launches went on shore and rescued 
 four thousand of their countrymen, they compelled them all 
 to purchase their passage to the nearest Greek island by giv- 
 ing up the greater part of the property they had saved." 
 
 "Brutes! " Martyn exclaimed with great emphasis. "How 
 these fellows can be descendants of the old Greeks beats me 
 altogether." 
 
 "The old Greeks were pretty cruel," Horace, who had just 
 joined them, said. "They used to slaughter their captives 
 wholesale, and mercy wasn't among their virtues. Besides, 
 my father says that except in the Morea very few indeed are 
 descendants of the Greeks; the rest are Bulgarian or Albanian, 
 neither of whom the Greeks of old would have recognized as 
 kinsmen." 
 
 " It is a case of distance lending enchantment to the view," 
 Miller laughed; "our illusions are gone." • 
 
 "Never mind, we must make the best of them, Miller; 
 they are not Greeks, but at any rate they are all that is left of 
 the Greeks. Their actions show that their Christianity is a 
 sham, but at the same time they are an intelligent race capa- 
 ble of some day becoming a great people again, and they are 
 struggling to throw off the yoke of a race intellectually their 
 inferiors and incapable of progress in any sort of way. That 
 is what my father said to me as we were walking up and down 
 the deck this morning. That is the light I mean to look at 
 it in the future. It is a capable people struggling with an 
 incapable one, and if they are savage and vindictive and de- 
 based it is the faults not of themselves but of those who have 
 so long been their masters." 
 
 "Good," Martyn said; "that is the most satisfactory view 
 of the thing, and we will stick to it and shut our ears as much 
 as possible in future against all stories to the Greeks' disad- 
 vantage." 
 
 In the afternoon a fleet of vessels were seen standing out 
 from the land. 
 
142 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "There is one of the Greek fleets," Captain Martyn said. 
 " Now we will try her rate of sailing with them. Stand on for 
 a little bit longer and then haul her wind on the same tack 
 they are sailing." 
 
 The trial was perfectly satisfactory. By nightfall the Greek 
 fleet were far behind, and the Misericordia again shaped her 
 course for Cyprus. For a week they cruised backwards and 
 forwards under easy sail about midway between Cyprus and 
 Alexandria, without meeting with a single craft flying the 
 Turkish flag. Half a dozen vessels were overhauled, but 
 these were all Austrian, Italian, or British. The appearance 
 of the schooner evidently excited profound distrust in the 
 minds of the masters of all these vessels, for they all hoisted 
 every rag of sail they could set and did their best to escape 
 from her, but Captain Martyn had no difficulty in overhaul- 
 ing them and satisfying himself of their nationality. The 
 astonishment of the masters when the smart gig manned by six 
 English sailors rowed alongside was unbounded, and was only 
 equalled by their satisfaction. 
 
 "You have given us a nice fright," the master of one of the 
 English ships said to Miller, who, accompanied by Horace, 
 had boarded him. "What on earth are you flying that Greek 
 flag for? We took you for a pirate, for half these fellows are 
 no better when they get the chance." 
 
 "We are a Greek privateer." Miller said, "and carry letters 
 of marque issued by the Greek government. We only wanted 
 to assure ourselves that you were not Turks." 
 
 "Turks be jiggered ! " the master said angrily. "I should 
 have thought anvone with half an eye could have seen that we 
 weren't one of those lubberly Turks." 
 
 " Quite so, captain, we made that out some time ago, and 
 we have only overhauled you to ask whether you know of a 
 Turkish ship likely to be sailing from any of the Eastern ports. 
 Our object is to rescue Greek women and children on their 
 way to the slave-markets." 
 
 "Then give us your flipper," the master said; "that is a 
 
A CHANGE OF NAME l-Ail 
 
 business an English sailor needn't be ashamed of, though, as 
 for sailing under a Greek flag, I would almost as lief sail under 
 the skull and cross-bones, for nine cases out of ten it means 
 pretty nearly the same thing. I have known many a ship sail 
 in among those Greek islands and never be heard of again 
 when there had been no storm to account for her disappear- 
 ance. I would as lief anchor a ship near land in the Malay 
 Archipelago as among the Greek islands. Still the women 
 and children ain't to blame for that. I was at Broussa two 
 months ago and the slave-market was chock-full of Greek girls 
 and children, and I thought then what a burning shame it 
 was that Europe didn't interfere to put down such villainous 
 doings. Well now, as to Turkish ships, I don't think you 
 are likely to meet with any hereabouts. The Greeks have 
 given them a bad scare, and I fancy that all the ships from 
 Cyprus and from Aleppo and the other Syrian ports will run 
 down due south till they sight land, and will hug that as near 
 as they dare go till they get within shelter of the batteries of 
 Alexandria. If you are after Turkish vessels you must stand 
 south and anchor as close inland as the water will let you. 
 Get down those lofty spars of yours. You don't want them. 
 That craft of yonrs sails like a witch. We think the Scar- 
 borough is a fast brig. You went through the water three feet 
 to our two, so you can do without your topsails. I can tell 
 you the look of your craft is enough to frighten one fifteen 
 miles away : a more rascally-looking vessel I never saw, she 
 looks like a pirate all over." 
 
 "She was a slaver at one time," Miller said. 
 
 " Ah ! that accounts for it. I thought that long low hull 
 and those lofty spars were never put together for an honest 
 purpose. You seem to carry mighty heavy metal," he went 
 on, looking at the Misericordia, which lay with her head sails 
 aback a few hundred yards away. " Four each side and a pivot; 
 they look like eighteens." 
 
 "They are eighteens," Miller said. "You see we have got 
 to keep a sharp eye on friends as well as foes." 
 
144 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "I should think so. Well, I have just come out from 
 Larnaca. I heard from our consul that there were bad doings 
 in the north of the island, and that the Christians were having 
 a very rough time of it all through Cyprus. I have no doubt 
 there are a lot of Christians hiding there who would give every 
 stiver they have got in the world to be on board this craft." 
 
 " And you say there were some massacres going on when 
 you were there? " 
 
 " Yes, and I heard that the Turks were attacking one of the 
 Christian villages on the north-western corner of the island. 
 It was some way up on Mount Olympus, a few miles from the 
 coast. Morphou Bay is the nearest point to it. I hear it is 
 naturally a strong place, and Christians from other villages 
 round have gone in there. The people attacking it are not 
 troops, who I fancy have nothing to do with these massacres, 
 but the natives of the Mussulman villages. Some of the poor 
 devils may have got down to the coast, and you might pick 
 some up if you were to cruise along there." 
 
 "Perhaps we might," Horace said; "at any rate it would 
 be worth a try. We will go on board again at once." 
 
 "Will you have a glass of wine first? I got hold of some 
 good stuff at Larnaca. Good wine is cheap there now." 
 
 "No, thank you, we will be off at once," Miller said. 
 
 "Well, good-bye, gentlemen, and good luck to you ! There 
 is nothing I would like better than to be going for a cruise 
 with you for a few months, for no vessel can do better work 
 than that which you are engaged on." 
 
 Miller and Horace dropped down into their boat, and were 
 rowed back to the schooner. 
 
A BESIEGED VILLAGE 145 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 A BESIEGED VILLAGE 
 
 A S soon as they gained the deck of the Misericordia Miller 
 ■** reported the advice the skipper of the English brig had 
 given as to their taking their station near the southern coast, 
 to pick up vessels hugging the shore on their way to Alexandria 
 and the west. 
 
 " I have no doubt he is right," Will Martyn said; "that 
 accounts for our not having seen a single craft flying the Turk- 
 ish flag. Well, Mr. Beveridge, I think we can't do better than 
 take his advice." 
 
 "There is something else though," Horace broke in; and 
 he then told them what the captain had said about the fighting 
 among the villagers on Mount Olympus. 
 
 "Don't you think, father, we might go there first? With 
 this wind we should not be much more than twenty-four hours 
 getting there, and we might pick up a lot of fugitives in hid- 
 ing and possibly bring off the people from that village. It 
 would not be a great loss of time anyhow." 
 
 "I think we might, Horace; hearing of it in the way you 
 did, it seems almost like a call to help them. What do you 
 say, Captain Martyn?" 
 
 "Just as you like, sir. As Horace says, it is no great loss 
 of time anyhow, and we certainly may do some good." 
 
 The order was given and the schooner was headed for 
 Cyprus with a brisk wind on her beam that heeled her well 
 over and sent her through the water at nine and a half knots 
 an hour. The news was soon known through the vessel that 
 there were massacres going on in Cyprus, and that there might 
 be some work to be done, so there was an air of increased 
 activity and animation among the crew. The wind held 
 steadily, and next morning the mountains of Cyprus could be 
 seen lying like a cloud in the distance, and by eleven o'clock 
 
146 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 the north-westerly point of the island was but five or six miles 
 away. Rounding the point they entered the great indenta- 
 tion known as Morphou Bay. Martyn now ordered the topsails 
 to be lowered. 
 
 "We will run along about a mile off shore," he said; "they 
 can make out the flag then. We will go along as far as the 
 other end of the bay and then come back again. If there are 
 any people in hiding in the woods they will keep an eye on 
 us, and as we come back will come off in boats if they have 
 got them, or will come down to the shore and signal. We 
 can send our boats in for them." 
 
 As they were still going through the water faster than they 
 wished the foresail was also lowered, and they then went 
 quietly along the coast, keeping a sharp look-out with their 
 glasses on the shore. They passed several villages and could 
 see that their appearance created much excitement, and that 
 the population at once deserted their houses and made off. 
 
 "They are evidently all Mussulman villages," Mr. Bever- 
 idge said. 
 
 "They are Mussulman villages at present, Mr. Beveridge," 
 Martyn agreed, " but the chances are they were Christian a 
 short time ago. You see they have all got fishing boats either 
 riding at anchor or hauled up, and I fancy that most of the 
 fishing is done by the Greek inhabitants. I expect the Turks 
 have cleared them out. What do you say, Mr. Beveridge, to 
 our firing a shot or two at each of the villages as we pass? 
 That will act as a warning to the Turks to keep out of range. 
 If there are any Christians left they may take the opportunity 
 of seizing the boats and coming off. We might lie-to for 
 half an hour opposite each village to give them a chance of 
 doing so." 
 
 "That would be a very good plan, I think, Captain Martyn." 
 
 As they were passing a village at the moment the Miseri- 
 cordia was at once brought round. Two of the broadside guns 
 were loaded, and two shots were sent over the village. Then 
 the craft was hove-to, and waited for half an hour. As there 
 
A EESIEGED VILLAGE 147 
 
 were no signs of life, she again proceeded on her way. Three 
 more villages were fired at with the same result. Half a mile 
 beyond the furthest Tarleton exclaimed : " There is someone 
 swimming off, Captain Martyn; he has just put off from that 
 point ! There, do you see that black spot a little way off the 
 point? " 
 
 Martyn turned his glass in that direction. "I see him," 
 he said. "Lower the small gig, Mr. Tarleton; take four 
 hands, row off, and pick him up. You had better go too, 
 Horace. The chances are he won't speak anything but Greek." 
 
 In a couple of minutes the boat left the side of the schooner 
 and rowed in the direction of the swimmer, the vessel being 
 again thrown up into the wind. Horace stood up while 
 Tarleton took the tiller lines. 
 
 "Can you see him, Horace?" he asked. 
 
 "No, not yet. There is too much ripple on; but if you 
 keep her head as it is now I shall make him out before long." 
 Three or four minutes later he exclaimed: "I see him, he is 
 dead ahead ! " 
 
 Five minutes later the swimmer was alongside. He was a 
 lad of about Horace's age. 
 
 "Are you Greek? " he asked in surprise and in some alarm, 
 as he looked at the uniforms of the crew as Horace helped 
 him on board. 
 
 "We are fighting for Greece," Horace said, "although we 
 are all English. We heard that there was some trouble here, 
 and came to see if we could save any fugitives." 
 
 "I saw the flag," the lad said, "and heard you fire twice 
 at the village. My mother and sisters, and twenty or thirty 
 others, are hidden in the wood there. The Mussulmans came 
 down from the mountain villages three days ago and killed all 
 they could find; but we were expecting it, for they had gone 
 to the next village first, and a man from there brought the 
 news just before they arrived. We lived on the outskirts and 
 had time to get away, but I think my father and brothers have 
 been killed. Do go on shore and take them off." 
 
148 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "We must go back to the ship first," Horace said. "This 
 boat is too small to be of any use; besides, we must send a 
 stronger crew. No doubt the Turks are watching us, and will 
 come down if they see us landing." 
 
 The schooner had filled again and was following the boat, 
 so that in two or three minutes they were on board. Horace 
 lent the young Greek some of his clothes, and the schooner 
 stood in towards the point, with a man in the chains sounding 
 as they went. 
 
 "Ask him whereabouts they are, Horace." 
 
 "Just on the other side of the point; but they will see us 
 coming." 
 
 "I see no signs of them yet," Tarleton said when, having 
 got within three hundred yards of shore, the anchor was let go. 
 
 "It is likely enough," said Martyn, "that some of the Turks 
 may have been coming down through the wood, and if the 
 poor beggars heard them they would not dare show themselves. 
 Now, Mr. Miller, you take charge of the long-boat with ten 
 men. We will cover your landing." 
 
 The four broadside guns were loaded with grape, and their 
 crews mustered to quarters, while the rest, armed with mus- 
 kets, lined the side. 
 
 "Take the boy with you, Mr. Miller, he can lead you to 
 where his friends are hiding. Don't stop to fire as you make 
 for shore. We will dispose of any Turks there may be about." 
 
 The boat had not rowed more than fifty yards before five or 
 six musket shots were fired from the bushes near the edge of 
 the water. 
 
 " Give them a round with the aftermost gun," Gaptain Martyn 
 said; and in a moment the water near the bushes was torn up 
 with a shower of grape. " Give the next gun more elevation, 
 boatswain. Send the shot well into the wood. That's it. 
 The same with the other two guns. That will clear them all 
 out." 
 
 There was no further firing at the boat. As soon as it 
 touched the shore Miller jumped ashore with eight of the men, 
 
GIVE nu.M A ROUND," SAID CAPTAIN MARTYN 
 
A BESIEGED VILLAGE 149 
 
 while the other two pushed the boat off a few yards. Led by 
 the Greek boy, the party ran along the shore and were lost to 
 view round the point. Two more rounds were fired into the 
 wood, but everything was quiet there, and in five minutes 
 Miller's party made their appearance round the point with a 
 number of fugitives. No time was lost in getting them into 
 the boat, which at once rowed off to the schooner. There 
 were but three men among them, the rest were women and 
 children. Most of them were completely exhausted. 
 
 Horace, after asking them a question or two, said to Zaimes : 
 " You had better prepare some soup, Zaimes, as quickly as you 
 can. They have had nothing to eat for three days." 
 
 While this was being done, a sip of wine and a mouthful 
 of bread were given to each. In the meantime some sailors 
 were rigging up a partition with sail-cloth across the main 
 deck, and here hammocks were slung for the use of the women 
 and children. As soon as the poor creatures had taken a basin 
 of hot soup they revived a good deal and poured out expres- 
 sions of profuse gratitude to their rescuers. They had passed 
 a terrible three days crouching among the bushes, and expect- 
 ing every moment to be discovered. A few of the women had 
 snatched up their jewels before taking to flight, but most of 
 them were absolutely destitute. Mr. Beveridge and the two 
 Greeks persuaded them to go below and take the sleep they 
 so much needed. As soon as the deck was clear the anchor 
 was got up, and the schooner proceeded on her way. She 
 reached the farthest headland of the bay just as night began 
 to fall, and Martyn decided to anchor there till morning. 
 From the Greek lad who had first swum off, they learned that 
 the village among the mountains still resisted. 
 
 "They say there are two or three hundred there who have 
 taken refuge from the villages round. There are some rich 
 men among them, and that is the reason why the Mussulmans 
 are so anxious to take the place." 
 
 " i low many men are besieging it? " 
 
 "That I don't know," the boy replied. "I should think 
 four or five hundred." 
 
150 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "But you have heard nothing for the last three days? The 
 place may have fallen since then." 
 
 "No, I went last night to the village in hopes of finding 
 bread in some of the houses, but there were too many Turks 
 about. I was near enough to hear them talking. Some of 
 them were going up to-day to join in the siege." 
 
 "How far is the place from the sea?" 
 
 "It is ten miles from this north shore, but it is not more 
 than four or five from the western coast." 
 
 " Is there any road ? " 
 
 " Not from that side. The roads from the mountain villages 
 all lead down to the bay." 
 
 "Is it too steep to climb from the other side?" 
 
 " Not too steep to climb on foot. Donkeys and mules 
 could get up there." 
 
 The matter was talked over in the cabin that evening, and 
 it was agreed that if a guide could be obtained an attempt 
 should be made to carry off the occupants of the village. 
 During the night a boat with twelve fugitives came off from 
 the shore and as the Miscricordia sailed slowly along the coast 
 on the following day several parties of from three to ten peo- 
 ple came out from the trees and waved white handkerchiefs 
 and scarfs. All these were brought off, and four or five boats 
 full of people were picked up during the day. Their occu- 
 pants had seen the schooner passing on the previous day, and 
 had at night, when the Mussulmans in the village were asleep, 
 stolen down to the beach, launched boats, and put out to sea 
 in the hope that the schooner would return next day. All 
 were overwhelmed with joy at finding themselves under the 
 Greek flag, although the greater portion of them had lost 
 everything they possessed. The women and children were, 
 like the first batch, provided for below, while the men and 
 boys were told they must sleep on deck, which was no hard- 
 ship in that balmy climate. 
 
 Among those in the last boat picked up near the west point 
 of the bay was a young man who was a native of a village lying 
 
A BESIEGED VILLAGE 151 
 
 a short distance from the one that was besieged. He happened 
 to be down in the coast village when the Turks commenced 
 hostilities there, and hearing that the village to which he be- 
 longed had been destroyed, he had remained in hiding near 
 the coast. Marco and his brother, who mingled with the 
 fugitives, had learned this, and at once took the news to the 
 cabin. " He says he has been a goat-herd, and knows all 
 the paths among the mountains." 
 
 "Then he is the very fellow we want to get hold of," Will 
 Martyn said. " We had better have him in here and question 
 him." 
 
 The young Greek was brought in. He knew of several paths 
 from the village down to the western shore. 
 
 "Now what sort of place is this village?" Captain Martyn 
 asked. 
 
 " It stands at the top of rocky ground that slopes away all 
 round it. There are vineyards and gardens among the rocks. 
 Since the trouble in Greece began, the people have been 
 frightened, and have built a wall five or six feet high round 
 the village, and the Christians in all the villages round de- 
 cided that if there was trouble from the Mussulmans they 
 would go there to help defend it." 
 
 " Is there high ground round the village? " 
 
 "Yes, the hills rise very high on three sides, but they are 
 too far away for guns to do much harm ; besides, the houses 
 stand thickly together. My people will fight till the last, but 
 I don't know how long the provisions will last. I know they 
 all made up their minds that if they were besieged and saw no 
 hope of succour, they would at last kill all the women and 
 children to prevent their being made slaves by the Turks, and 
 then they would march out to fight until the last man was 
 slain." 
 
 " How long would it take us to get up from the shore to the 
 village? " 
 
 "One can come down in an hour, but it takes three hours' 
 hard work to get up.*' 
 
152 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Could you after dark take us close to the point where one 
 of these paths comes down to the shore? " 
 
 "Oh, yes, I could do that easily." 
 
 "Very well, that will do for the present. Now, Mr. Bever- 
 idge, it is for you to decide," Martyn said. "Of course the 
 affair is a risky one; but it seems to me that forty well-armed 
 English sailors ought to be able to make their way into the 
 village without very much difficulty, for of course the Turks 
 will be scattered about all round it. The difficulty is not in 
 getting in, but in getting out. We should have to bring per- 
 haps two or three hundred women and children, and cover 
 their retreat down to the water. Of course the men would 
 help us, but still it would be a stiff job in the face of four or 
 five hundred of the enemy. These Turks may know nothing 
 of soldiering, but they are mountaineers and are used to arms, 
 and for irregular fighting like this, would be quite as formida- 
 ble as the best troops. If we knew anything about the ground 
 we should be able to give a more decided opinion. What of 
 course we should want, if possible, would be some post, either 
 a defile or a steep eminence that we could hold for half an 
 hour and keep the Turks back until the women and children 
 are well on their way down the mountain. After that we 
 could make a bolt for it, and might get down without much 
 loss; but if there is no place where we could make a stand 
 anywhere along the road, we should be in an awkward fix, 
 especially if the path is a bad one, as I expect it is. You see 
 the whole party would have to go in single file, and if there 
 are four or five hundred of them, it would be next to impos- 
 sible to guard the flanks and keep the Turks off if they made 
 a rush, while every shot they fired would tell on such a long 
 line. You understand, Mr. Beveridge, I am putting the matter 
 to you in the worst light so that we should all understand the 
 sort of business it is likely to be." 
 
 "I see that it is a very serious affair, Martyn; but at the 
 same time, when we know that there are so many lives at 
 stake, I think that we must run the risk, however great." 
 
A BESIEGED VILLAGE 153 
 
 "Very well, then, that is settled, Mr. Beveridge, and I am 
 sure we are all glad that you have decided so. The next ques- 
 tion is, who shall go, and who shall remain behind." 
 
 "I shall certainly go," Mr. Beveridge said. "I am not 
 going to allow others to take risks that I do not share myself." 
 
 "We ought to be as strong a party as possible," Martyn 
 said. "At the same time we must leave enough to sail the 
 schooner, if not to fight her, It is probable that yesterday 
 morning, as soon as our flag was seen, messengers were sent 
 off at once to Limasol and Larnaca to tell them that a Greek 
 vessel was in the bay; and if there are any Turkish vessels of 
 war in either of these harbours, we shall be having them com- 
 ing round." 
 
 "That is likely enough," Miller said. "We must certainly 
 be ready to get up our anchor and be off at a minute's notice." 
 
 "Well, Miller, then you must remain on board with ten 
 men. We will load all the guns before we go. Ten men are 
 enough to get up sail and to fight the pivot-gun. You had 
 better not waste any time in getting up the anchor, but buoy 
 and then slip the cable. We can recover it, if we like, after- 
 wards. If you should be driven off the coast while we are 
 away, lower a sail under her fore-foot so as to deaden her way 
 and encourage the Turks with the hope that they are going to 
 catch you. Lead them a dance for seven or eight hours, then 
 cut the drag adrift, set every stitch of sail, and run back again. 
 You will be here in plenty of time to get us all on board 
 before they can come up again. Of course if we see that you 
 are gone we shall choose some position where we can make a 
 stout defence, and shall hold it until you come back to the 
 anchorage." 
 
 "All right, sir. I will obey orders. Of course I would 
 rather have gone with the expedition ashore; but someone 
 must stay on board, and if you are going J must take the 
 command in your absence. Ten men will be quite enough 
 for me. We can leave the main and foresail standing when 
 we anchor, so that will be plenty of strength." 
 
154 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Well, as that is all settled, we will bout ship and cruise 
 east again. It will be dark in an hour, and it is well they 
 should think on shore that we are off again to the east. I dare- 
 say they can make us out from points on the mountains not 
 far from the village. If they see us sailing away, it will never 
 enter their heads that we have any intention of interfering in 
 their little game up there." 
 
 Accordingly the schooner was again put about, and retraced 
 her course along the shore until it became quite dark; then 
 she stood out to sea until well out of sight of land, when she 
 was headed west again. The news had already got about 
 through the ship that there was to be a landing party to rescue 
 a number of Christians besieged by the Turks among the 
 mountains, and the sailors were in the highest spirits, cut- 
 lasses were ground, pistols and muskets served out to those 
 who were to land, and the disappointment of those who were 
 to remain behind was mitigated by Horace mentioning to 
 them that not improbably they might have a brush with the 
 Turks on their own account. 
 
 Cartridges, muskets, and pistols were served out, and the 
 arms carefully examined. Each man was ordered to take with 
 him a water-bottle filled with weak grog, and two "pounds of 
 bread in his haversack, and a hearty supper was served out. 
 Once round the point of the bay the schooner was kept close 
 in shore. The Greek kept a sharp look-out on the hills loom- 
 ing high above them, and about nine o'clock announced that 
 they were now near the place where a track from the mountain 
 came down to the shore. The anchor was at once dropped 
 and the headsails lowered. Then the sailors took their places 
 in three boats, two of the men who were to stop behind going 
 in each to bring them back to the schooner when the landing 
 had been effected. Zaimes was to accompany the party, while 
 Marco remained with Mr. Miller on board. 
 
 Ten of the fugitives, active young men, had begged to be 
 allowed to accompany the expedition, but the offer had been 
 declined, and they were told that they might be more useful 
 
A BESIEGED VILLAGE 155 
 
 helping to work the guns of the schooner should a Turkish 
 ship-of-war come round. When the arms had been purchased 
 a dozen good rifles had been among them, and after Mr. 
 Beveridge, Zaimes, and the three officers had each armed 
 themselves with one of these, the rest were divided among the 
 best shots of the party. Tom Burdett, much to his disap- 
 pointment, was left on board to assist the first lieutenant. 
 
 As soon as the boats reached the shore the men were formed 
 up. Tarleton was to lead the advance party of ten men, hav- 
 ing with him the guide. Close behind these were the main 
 body, twenty strong, led by Martyn; behind them Mr. Bever- 
 idge, with Zaimes and the surgeon, who was also accompany- 
 ing the party, had their place. Horace commanded the 
 rear-guard of ten men. Although this nominal division was 
 made, the whole party kept closely together, as the night was 
 so dark that they might otherwise have missed each other. 
 None of the fire-arms were loaded, lest an accident should 
 occur by a gun being discharged by a fall, by striking against 
 a rock, or by the trigger catching in a bush. 
 
 After a few hundred yards' walk along the shore the Greek 
 struck upon the track and led the way up, the rest following in 
 single file. The climb seemed interminable to Horace. At 
 times it was so steep it was difficult to scramble up, and in 
 the darkness there were many falls. There were frequent 
 stops, to enable the men to get their breath; but after three 
 hours' climbing they at last reached comparatively level 
 ground, and the guide told them they were within half a mile 
 of the ridge from which they could look down upon the vil- 
 lage. 
 
 "Well, we will move slowly forward until we come either 
 to some bushes or a bit of a hollow where we can get some 
 shelter, for it is quite sharp up here, and as soon as the men 
 begin to cool down a bit they will feel it. I wish we had 
 brought blankets now, but it never struck me that it would be 
 cold. Mr. Tarleton, let your ten men scatter. Don't let 
 them wander too far, but let them search about for some place 
 
15G IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 where we can get shelter. We will remain here; and if any 
 of the men find a place, send one back to bring us up. We 
 have got another four hours to wait before daylight." 
 
 In ten minutes one of the men came back with news that 
 they had found a patch of bush large enough for them to take 
 shelter in. In a short time they all arrived at the spot. The 
 bushes were sweet smelling and free from thorns, and the men 
 soon crushed their way into them and lay down. 
 
 "You will remain in charge, Mr. Tarleton. I shall go on 
 and take a look down at the village. I don't suppose we shall 
 see much, but we may be able to make out whether they are 
 still holding out. Will you go on with me, Mr. Beveridge, or 
 stay here? " 
 
 " I will go on with you. I find it bitterly cold here; for 
 not being accustomed to hard work, as your men are, I found 
 that climb almost too much for me; and hot as I have been, I 
 should not like to stop still in this keen air, even with the 
 shelter of the bushes." 
 
 "Well, we will take it easy this last bit, Mr. Beveridge. 
 Come along, Horace." 
 
 Again preceded by the guide, and followed by Zaimes, they 
 ascended the shoulder of the hill. It was a steep pull, but 
 in a quarter of an hour they reached the crest. Just as they 
 did so they heard the report of a gun, followed at once by 
 several others. An exclamation of satisfaction broke from 
 them. Their climb had not been in vain; the village was 
 still holding out. Fifty yards farther the ground fell away 
 suddenly in front of them, and they stood at the edge of a 
 deep descent. Extending round the foot of the hills that 
 formed the amphitheatre in the centre of which the village 
 lay, was a line of fires; some blazing brightly, others dim red 
 spots. Another chain of fires, much closer together, extended 
 across the mouth of the valley. The village, lying in the black 
 shadow of the hills, was invisible to them, and not even a 
 single light indicated its position. 
 
 "That is where it is," the guide said, pointing down to the 
 centre of the hollow. 
 
A EESIEGED VILLAGE 151 
 
 As he spoke a flash of flame, followed a second or so later 
 by a report, shot out from the spot towards which he was 
 pointing. 
 
 "They are keeping a sharp look-out," Martyn said; "they 
 are not to be caught napping. Now the point is, which is 
 our best side for going down on the village without being 
 seen? " 
 
 "The best point," the guide said, "would be from the head 
 of the valley. Orchards extend from the village to the foot 
 of the hill, and a ravine runs some distance up there. If we 
 could get into that, we might get some distance through the 
 orchards before we are noticed." 
 
 " Could you lead us along the side of the hill to this ravine 
 in the dark? " 
 
 "I think so. I am sure I could lead you. The danger 
 would be from setting stones in motion and so calling the 
 attention of the enemy. The hillside is very steep, and a 
 stone set rolling would go right down to their fires." 
 
 "We must risk that," Martyn said. "It would be a great 
 thing to be able to take them by surprise. Don't you think 
 so, Mr. Beveridge? " 
 
 " I should say it was well worth trying. But it is the getting 
 out, not the getting in, that seems to me the difficult part of 
 the business." 
 
 "There is no doubt about that," Martyn agreed. "Will you 
 ask him if this part we are standing on goes straight down to 
 the village? The slope looks to me almost too steep." 
 
 Mr. Beveridge put the question to the guide. 
 
 "He says the road zigzags. Olive-trees grow up for some 
 distance — about a third of the distance, he says." 
 
 "That is good," Martyn said, "because if we get the peo- 
 ple with a sudden rush across the open we can defend the 
 lower edge of these trees, and the women and children will 
 be hidden from below till they get up above the trees, where 
 they would be pretty well out of danger except from a chance 
 shot. I think, Mr. Beveridge, it would be a good thing to 
 
158 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 leave Tarleton with fifteen men here. If we can take them 
 by surprise five-and-twenty of us ought to be quite enough to 
 make our way in. Even if there are six hundred of them they 
 must be scattered pretty thinly round this circle, and are 
 probably thickest down at the mouth of the valley. The 
 rear-guard here will of course be concealed until we sally out. 
 Then if the Turks from the other side and the end of the val- 
 ley try to climb the hill on either side of the path so as to cut 
 us off, our fellows here could open fire and prevent them doing 
 so, and as the enemy would not be able to see how many men 
 there are, it would stop them a bit." 
 
 "I think that would be a very good plan, Captain Martyn." 
 
 "Very well, then. Horace, do you go back to the bushes, 
 bring Mr. Tarleton and the men up. Tell them to move as 
 quietly as they can when they get near this point." 
 
 The men got up willingly when Tarleton gave the word, for 
 although the bushes afforded some shelter, they were already 
 feeling very chilled, and were pleased to be in motion again. 
 They met Martyn a short distance from the spot where Horace 
 had left him. The men were halted. 
 
 " Now, Mr. Tarleton, you are to take the fourteen men who 
 came ashore with you in the gig. For the present you had 
 best return with them to the bushes and wait there till daylight. 
 Then you will come back to this point. Post the men where 
 they cannot be seen from below. Be sure that not a head is 
 shown. Take your own post at a point whence you can see 
 down into the valley without being seen yourself. You will 
 remain in hiding while we fight our way into the village. As 
 soon as you see the sortie begun get your men ready for action, 
 and let them lie down without showing themselves more than 
 they can help at the edge of the brow from which they can 
 fire down into the valley. Your duty is to prevent any par- 
 ties of the enemy working along the side of the hill to take 
 the fugitives and us in flank as we come up the path. As the 
 women and children arrive tell them to push on along the 
 path as fast as they can, without stopping or paying attention 
 
A BESIEGED VILLAGE 159 
 
 to any fire that may be opened upon them. They will be told 
 before they start that the schooner is in readiness to take them 
 off. Still, you may as well hurry them along. You will remain 
 here until the last and form the rear-guard. But we shall all 
 make a stand here as long as we can so as to give the women 
 and children plenty of a start. Do you quite understand?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Shall I go with you or wait here?" Macfarlane asked. 
 
 "I think you might as well stay here, doctor. There won't 
 be any time for you to be dressing wounds till we are back 
 here again." 
 
 Tarleton called out the men who had landed with him, and 
 marched off with them. 
 
 "Now, my lads," Martyn said to the others, "we are going 
 to work along the side of the hill so as to come down behind 
 them. But I fancy it will be very steep in places. Sling your 
 muskets behind you so as to have both hands to hold on by. 
 If you once begin to roll you go right down to the bottom, 
 and then there is an end to our chance of surprising them. 
 Be careful, above all things, how you walk, for if you set 
 a stone rolling it will put them on their guard. We have 
 to go as quietly as mice. Now follow me in single file, and 
 keep as close as you can to each other, yet so far off that if 
 you stumble you won't touch the man in front of you." 
 
 The men fell in, and Horace took his place at the rear. A 
 few steps and they halted. The guide then went on in front 
 of Martyn, and Mr. Beveridge and Zaimes fell in behind him. 
 The hill rose so abruptly on the right that it was necessary to 
 keep along on its slope, and very cautiously the men made 
 their way along the hillside. Each step had to be felt before 
 they put their weight down. Sometimes it was slippery grass, 
 and so steep that they were obliged to crawl on all-fours to 
 make their way along it. Sometimes they passed patches of 
 bare rock and sometimes slides of loose stones. They had 
 gone but a short distance when Martyn passed the word along 
 in a whisper for them to sit down, pull off their shoes, and 
 
160 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 fasten them round their necks. Indeed, had it not been for 
 this precaution, there were places across which it would have 
 been impossible to pass. As it was, it took them a full hour 
 to traverse the half-mile between the point from which they 
 had started and the head of the valley. At last a sharp fall 
 told them that they were at the edge of the ravine. As soon 
 as they descended into it there was a short halt to allow Mr. 
 Beveridge to rest. 
 
 "I am sorry I came," he said as he sat down faint and 
 exhausted. " I did not reckon on this sort of thing, Captain 
 Martyn. If I had done so I would have remained with Tarle- 
 ton." 
 
 " It is all right now, Mr. Beveridge. We have done our 
 climbing, and it is a marvel that we have done it without 
 alarming those fellows below, for some small stones rolled down 
 once or twice. But if they noticed them, no doubt they 
 thought that it was some sheep or goats on the hillside. Now, 
 my lads, before you go any further, you had better take a drink 
 from your bottles. You will have to be careful in going down 
 the ravine, for there are sure to be loose stones lying about." 
 
 After a halt of five minutes they proceeded cautiously down, 
 and at last, to their great satisfaction, stood on level ground, 
 and soon entered a grove of fruit-trees, where they halted and 
 lay down. There was a short consultation whether their guide 
 should try and make his way into the village to inform the be- 
 sieged of the help that was near in order that they might assist 
 by opening a fire upon the besiegers as soon as the sailors made 
 their attack. The idea was, however, abandoned, because, 
 were he seen by the Turks, it would put them on the alert; 
 and because, in the second place, he might be shot by the 
 besieged as he approached the village. It did not seem to 
 Martyn that there could be any difficulty in their getting in. 
 It was not likely that more than fifty of the enemy at the out- 
 side could interpose between them and the village, and these, 
 taken by surprise, and ignorant of the number of their assail- 
 ants, could offer no effectual resistance, and they would be up 
 
A BESIEGED VILLAGE 161 
 
 under shelter of the guns of the defenders of the village before 
 the Turks could rally from their first surprise. 
 
 Another two hours and daylight began to appear. Martyn 
 waited until it was light enough to make their way through 
 the trees without difficulty. Then the men, most of whom 
 had fallen asleep as soon as they lay down, were roused. 
 
 '•'Now, my lads, you are to keep together. Keep your 
 muskets slung, and use cutlass and pistol. I don't expect 
 there will be any serious resistance, but, at any rate, don't 
 straggle. Of course we don't want any prisoners. Shoot or 
 cut down any one who opposes you, and follow me straight 
 on. Now, load your pistols." 
 
 As soon as this was done they proceeded through the wood. 
 The guide, as before, led the way. His instructions were 
 that directly they were through the Turks he was to run on 
 at the top of his speed, shouting to the villagers not to fire, 
 as those approaching were friends. Martyn, Mr. Beveridge, 
 Horace, and Zaimes, followed close behind the guide, the line 
 of seamen extending behind them. They were nearly through 
 the orchard when a shout was given and they saw a dozen fig- 
 ures leap up from the ground. 
 
 "Come along, lads!" Martyn shouted. 
 
 The sailors gave a cheer, and at a run the party rushed for- 
 ward. The Turks, astounded at the appearance of this body 
 c f sailors, snatched up their muskets, one or two fired at ran- 
 dom, and then the whole fled when their assailants were still 
 thirty yards away. A few pistols were emptied at the fugi- 
 tives, and then, paying no further attention to them, the party 
 kept straight on. When they emerged from the trees the 
 \ illage was but some three hundred yards away. The Greek, 
 waving his red sash and shouting " Friends, friends, do not 
 fire!" dashed forward at full speed across the gardens that 
 intervened between the orchard and the rocky knoll upon 
 which the village stood. A row of heads appeared above the 
 wall and a line of musket-barrels pointed outward. As the 
 Greek approached shouts of welcome and triumph broke from 
 
162 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 the besieged, which swelled more and more loudly as the partv 
 of sailors were seen running in a compact body towards the 
 wall. 
 
 A few straggling shots were fired by the Turks, but these 
 passed harmlessly overhead, and the party reached the wall 
 without a single casualty, and were soon helped over. The 
 delight of the Greeks was only equalled by their astonishment 
 at the approach of this body of foreign sailors. All hope of 
 either escape or rescue had left them, and they had thought 
 only of fighting to the last. As soon as they understood from 
 the guide, Zaimes, Horace, and Mr. Beveridge that there was 
 a ship in readiness to take them off, and that there was a 
 chance of fighting their way through the besiegers, the village 
 was the scene of the wildest delight. The men shouted, 
 screamed, danced, laughed, and wept by turns. The women 
 seized the sailors' hands and kissed them, to the confusion 
 of the tars, threw themselves on their knees, and poured out 
 passionate ejaculations of thanksgiving that a hope of rescue 
 should be afforded them, and it was some time before anything 
 like order was restored. By this time the alarm had spread 
 round the circle of the besiegers, and their anger was exhib- 
 ited by shots being fired into the place, many of them press- 
 ing forward so threateningly that the defenders manned the 
 walls, and opening fire upon the Turks drove them back out 
 of range of their guns. 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 RESCUED 
 
 AS soon as the excitement subsided a little, Mr. Beveridge 
 assembled the heads of the families in the village church. 
 "You must prepare to leave at once," he said. "Our landing 
 will be shortly known, and it will be guessed that we intend 
 
RESCUED 163 
 
 to take you off in our ship. The consequence is, in addition 
 to the enemies now round you others will gather, and it will 
 be no longer possible to cut our way through. What we pro- 
 pose to do is to make a rush out, the women and children 
 following us. As soon as we have gained that wood and driven 
 the Mussulmans out the women and children will hurry up the 
 path, while all the fighting men will hold the wood and keep 
 the Turks at a distance. There are some more of my men at 
 the top of the hill there; these will keep off any parties of the 
 enemy who try to scale the hillside at other points. As soon 
 as the women are fairly at the top the men will fall back gradu- 
 ally. The sailors will cover the retreat. We shall hold the 
 top of the hill till we know that the women have got nearly 
 down to the sea-shore, and then fall back. We are risking 
 our lives here to save you, and we shall expect all the men to 
 fight valiantly and to obey our orders. It is only by working 
 well together that we can hope to beat off the Turks as we 
 retreat, and to get safely on board ship. You must not load 
 yourselves with baggage; of course each man can take any- 
 thing he can carry wrapped in his sash, and the women can 
 take bundles such as they can carry on their heads, but they 
 must beware not to take too great weights. Anyone who 
 lags behind will have her bundle taken off and thrown away." 
 
 "Would it not be better to wait till night? " one of the 
 elders of the village asked. 
 
 " No. The captain of the ship says that in the dark we 
 should not be able to keep off the enemy nor to travel fast. 
 We may lose rather more in the first rush in daylight, but after 
 that the light will be all in our favour. How many men have 
 you armed with muskets?" 
 
 "There are a hundred and forty-six men, and all have 
 guns." 
 
 " How many women ? " 
 
 "There are about two hundred women and girls, and a hun- 
 dred and eighty children of all ages." 
 
 "Very well, I leave it to you to make preparations. You 
 
104 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 must tell the women that they are to keep together, and to 
 follow about a hundred yards behind the men as they advance. 
 As soon as the wood is taken they are to hurry through it, 
 mount the hill by the path, and then without stopping a min- 
 ute go on at the top of their speed to the sea-shore. It is just 
 possible that some Turkish ships-of-war may have driven our 
 vessel away, but if that is so she will be back again this even- 
 ing. If they find she has gone they must sit down under 
 shelter of the rocks near the shore, and we will keep the 
 Turks at bay till the ship arrives. Make your preparations 
 and get your valuables together, for in an hour from the 
 present time we shall sally out." 
 
 While this was going on Martyn had formed up the villagers, 
 for the firing had now ceased. The besiegers had before 
 shrunk from attacking the wall, relying upon famine to com- 
 pel the defenders to surrender, and the addition, small as it 
 was, to the garrison rendered any idea of assault more for- 
 midable than before. Horace acted as Martyn's interpreter. 
 
 "Now," he said, "I expect we shall have no difficulty in 
 carrying the wood, for the enemy can have no idea that we 
 intend to escape in that direction, or that we mean to sally 
 out at all; therefore it is not likely that they will have more 
 than fifty or sixty men at that point. In the first place I want 
 forty determined men who can be trusted to obey orders." 
 
 One of the leaders of the defence chose out that number of 
 men. Martyn divided them into two parties and told off five 
 sailors to each. 
 
 " Horace, you will take command of one of these bands, 
 and you, Jones," he said to the coxswain of his gig, "will take 
 command of the other. Your bands will fall in behind the 
 main body, which I shall lead. We shall go straight at the 
 wood. You will follow us till you are half-way across the open, 
 and will then take post, one to the right and the other to the 
 left, fifty yards from the line we take. Your work will be to 
 check any of the Turks who may come running down from 
 the ends of the valley, and to cover the passage of the women. 
 
RESCUED 165 
 
 As soon as they have all passed along you will both run in and 
 join us in the wood. Now, lads, I want the wall undermined 
 for a width of ten yards or so, so that when we push it it will 
 all fall together and leave a wide front for us to pour out. It 
 is not above three hundred and fifty yards or so to the wood, 
 and we shall be half-way across before the Turks can pull them- 
 selves together, and they won't have time for much more than 
 a shot each before we are upon them." 
 
 In an hour the whole of the villagers were gathered. There 
 were five or six wounded men unable to walk. These were 
 laid on doors, and four Greeks were told off to each. The 
 children Avere told off, "one to each woman. Twenty of the 
 Greeks were to form a special escort for the women, and 
 Martyn's order to their leader was, "See that each woman 
 takes along the child told off to her. If she doesn't help it 
 along, take off her bundle and throw it away; force her to 
 look after the child. Not a single child shall be lost if we 
 can help it. Life first, property next." 
 
 Martyn was well pleased with the bearing of the Greeks. 
 The men looked ready and eager for the fight; the women, 
 stern and determined. All of them had knives or daggers 
 in their sashes. Some, in addition, had their husbands' or 
 fathers' pistols. Their bundles were poised on their heads, 
 and each, with the exception of a few of the old women, had 
 an infant in her arms or held a child by the hand. The 
 twenty English sailors formed the first line; behind these came 
 the main body of the Greeks. Horace's and Jones'. parties 
 were drawn up three or four paces in their rear, and behind 
 these were gathered the women. 
 
 "Now," Martyn said to the Greek fighting men, "on one 
 point my orders are distinct. Not a shot is to be fired until 
 we reach the trees. Firing would be no good whatever; it 
 would be a loss of time, and your guns would be empty just 
 when you want them; besides, you would be as likely to shoot 
 those in front of you as the enemy. All you have got to do 
 is to follow me closely until you get into the olive grove, then 
 
1G6 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 scatter and clear it of the Turks; but don't go a foot beyond 
 them in pursuit. Directly it is clear let each man take up 
 his station behind a tree at its edge, and defend himself there 
 until the order is given to fall back." 
 
 Zaimes translated the order, then the sailors advanced to 
 the wall, from which the lower stones had been removed as 
 far as was safe. "Now put your shoulders to it, my hearties, 
 and heave all together. One, two, three; now!" 
 
 The walls shook as the sailors flung themselves against it. 
 "It is going. Now another try." There was a shout as the 
 wall toppled over. Then with a cheer the sailors sprang for- 
 ward, led by Martyn, dashed over the 'fragments of the wall 
 and down the steep rock, the Greeks pouring after them in a 
 confused mass, and then the whole dashed across the flat cul- 
 tivated ground towards the olive grove. As Martyn had fore- 
 told, not a shot was fired until they were nearly half-way across, 
 though loud shouts of alarm were heard, then a straggling fire 
 was opened; but the enemy were evidently too flurried and 
 alarmed to take aim. Without a check the sailors ran on, 
 cutlass in hand, but the Turks did not await the attack. Out- 
 numbered and surprised they had no sooner fired than they 
 dashed away among the trees to join their companions right 
 and left, and the olive grove was deserted when the sailors 
 entered. 
 
 " That will do, lads ! " Martyn shouted. " Leave the Greeks 
 to hold the wood. Sheath your cutlasses and unsling your 
 rifles. Come back with me to help the others: keep back the 
 enemy in the open." 
 
 There was, however, no occasion for assistance. The 
 women, instead of waiting, had followed close behind the 
 flanking parties, and were already coming into the wood. By 
 the time Martyn joined the flanking parties the women had all 
 passed, while Horace and Jones were just beginning to fall 
 back with their commands. By this time the valley rang with 
 shouts and cries, and guns were being aimlessly discharged, 
 but the sailors were back in the olive °;rove before the Turks 
 
RESCUED 167 
 
 li»J mustered strongly enough to think of advancing. The 
 sailors lay down in the intervals between the trees, and as soon 
 as the enemy began to advance a heavy fire was opened upon 
 them, the twelve rifles telling with deadly effect. The Turks 
 on the opposite side of the valley instead of advancing at once 
 to the assistance of their comrades, made a rush at the village 
 as soon as they perceived that it was no longer defended, 
 thinking for the moment much more of plunder than of attack- 
 ing the retiring Greeks, while the parties who had begun to 
 advance towards the wood rapidly retired again before the 
 heavy fire opened upon them. 
 
 "Go round and stop those Greeks firing, Horace; the fools 
 are simply wasting their ammunition," Martyn said savagely 
 as the Greeks continued to blaze away when the enemy were 
 already out of range of their guns. Horace hurried off one 
 way and Zaimes the other, and in a minute or two the firing 
 ceased. As it did so the report of guns could be heard on the 
 hill above them. 
 
 "That is Tarleton's party at work," Martyn said to Mr. 
 Beveridge. " Of course the Turks have seen the women 
 mounting the hill, and I suppose some of them were begin- 
 ning to climb up to cut them off. Tarleton's fire will stagger 
 them a bit." From the shouts in the valley it was evident 
 that the enemy were gathering for a serious attack. Horace 
 had returned to Martyn's side. 
 
 " Now, Horace, do you take ten of the men and ascend the 
 path half-way up the hill. Post five of them on each side of 
 it to act as flanking parties. Zaimes, do you tell your country- 
 men it is time for us to be off. We must get well up the hill- 
 side before these fellows make their rush. Mr. Beveridge, 
 will you make your way up the path at once. These Greeks 
 are as active as goats, and I should recommend you to be push- 
 ing on to get a start of them." 
 
 In a couple of minutes the entire party had left the wood 
 and were mounting the path, Martyn and his sailors forming 
 the rear-guard. The Greeks sprang up the path with such 
 
168 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 speed that the sailors, active as they were, had hard work to 
 keep near them. Mr. Beveridge was speedily overtaken. 
 
 "Jones, you take Mr. Beveridge's rifle; and do you, Haw- 
 kins and Baldock, help him along. Make haste, lads ! we shall 
 have a storm of bullets coming up after us in no time; " for as 
 soon as the fugitives appeared on the path above the level of 
 the tree-tops a loud shout had broken from the enemy, and it 
 was certain they would soon be upon them. So rapidly, how- 
 ever, was the ascent made that Martyn and the sailors reached 
 the spot where Horace with his party had taken up his posi- 
 tion before a shot rang out from below. There was a slight 
 shoulder on the hillside at this point, and lying down here the 
 men were sheltered from the fire below. 
 
 "Wait here, my lads, until you get your wind. Their guns 
 will hardly carry this height, and there is no fear of their 
 showing themselves above the trees, at any rate for the 
 present." 
 
 Mr. Beveridge threw himself down on the grass, and even 
 the sailors were glad of a pause, for in the five minutes that had 
 elapsed since they left the wood they had climbed half-way 
 up the hill and were fully three hundred feet above the olive 
 grove. A roar of musketry broke out from below, and some 
 of the Mussulmans dashed out from the trees, waving their 
 guns and calling upon the others to follow them; but as soon 
 as they showed themselves the sailors under Horace opened 
 fire. Some of the others would have joined them, but Martyn 
 forbade them. 
 
 " It is no use trying to take aim, lads, just after such a run 
 as that. You must wait until your breath comes quietly, and 
 your hands get steady again. You would be only throwing 
 away powder and ball, and we shall probably want all we have 
 got before we are on board the schooner again." 
 
 The firing above still continued, and looking along the t ill- 
 side men could be seen straggling up in considerable numbers 
 on either side. 
 
 " Forward, lads ! we must move on again. Horace, you 
 
RESCUED 169 
 
 may as well bring your men straight up. There is no fear of 
 their venturing on an attack up this path. Bring your father 
 on with you. There is no occasion for haste; we will push 
 straight up now. Forward! Don't run, but go at a steady 
 pace that you can keep up till we reach the top." 
 
 Horace followed with the rear-guard at a leisurely walk 
 wherever the inequalities of the ground sheltered the path 
 from the bullets that still came singing out from below, and 
 stepping out briskly whenever they were exposed to fire. The 
 coxswain was waiting with orders when they reached the top. 
 
 "The captain's orders are, Mr. Beveridge, " he said to 
 Horace, " that your party is to remain here for the present 
 with these twenty Greeks. You are to spread along the edge 
 here for a bit and keep up a fire, if the Turks try to climb the 
 hill hereabouts. The captain is with a party away there on 
 that high ground back on the left, and Mr. Tarleton with the 
 rest back there on the right, so as to prevent the varmint work- 
 ing round in front of us. You are to let them know if you 
 see any large bodies of men climbing the hill, either right or 
 left of you." 
 
 Horace divided his party in two, telling Jones with five 
 sailors and ten Greeks to take post a hundred yards to the left 
 of the path, while he with the others went the same distance 
 to the right. 
 
 " Don't let them waste their ammunition, Jones. My father 
 and Zaimes will go with you, and as you three have rifles you 
 may do something to check those fellows from climbing up 
 away to the left. It is no use the others firing, their guns 
 won't carry half the distance. Of course if the Turks try to 
 come straight up from the wood your party will all open fire 
 upon them." 
 
 As soon as he got to his station Horace lay down, and with 
 one of the sailors with him who had a rifle, opened fire upon 
 the stream of men ascending the hillside near the head of the 
 valley. After firing three or four rounds he told the sailor to 
 desist. 
 
170 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "We are only wasting our ammunition, Frost," he said. 
 "They are seven or eight hundred yards away, and the rifles 
 are of no real use at more than half that distance." 
 
 Ten minutes later he sent off sailors to Martyn and Tarleton, 
 to tell them that the Turks continued to climb the hill in large 
 numbers, and that he should think that at least two hundred 
 men must have gone up on each flank, that flames had broken 
 out in the village, and numbers of men were pouring out from 
 there, and would probably join in the attack. A few minutes 
 later a message came from Martyn: 
 
 "The captain says, sir, that now the women have got half 
 an hour's start we shall fall back. Your party are to retire by 
 the path. He and Mr. Tarleton will work down the hill on 
 your flanks. You are to keep your eye on them, and regu- 
 late your pace by theirs, keeping about a hundred yards in their 
 rear, unless you are pressed, when you can double on till you 
 are in line with them. He has sent orders to Mr. Tarleton, 
 sir." 
 
 Horace was expecting the order, A sharp fire had broken 
 out on either side, and he knew that the Turks were trying to 
 work round to cut them off. 
 
 "Run on," he said to the sailor, "and tell the other party 
 over there to join me in the path." 
 
 In three minutes the united body was marching to the rear. 
 The crackle of musketry was now incessant, and Horace soon 
 caught sight of the two flanking parties making their way down 
 the hill at a distance of a hundred yards or so on either side 
 of the path. They were in scattered order, loading as they 
 retired, crouching behind rocks to take a steady aim, and then 
 retiring again; going at a run when the ground permitted it, 
 hanging to the rocks and bushes when they afforded shelter. 
 On the higher ground, to the left of Martyn' s party, were a 
 number of Mussulmans. They were pursuing similar tactics 
 to those of their opponents — at times crouching behind rocks, 
 and then bounding forward with loud yells. 
 
 "Get ready to fire, lads," Horace said. "The next time 
 
RESCUED 171 
 
 those fellows make a rush give them a volley. They are not 
 thinking of us yet, and we shall take them by surprise. Take 
 steady aim; don't hurry. Halt; drop on one knee. They 
 will be crossing that open space in a minute." He repeated 
 the order to the Greeks. "There they come," he said a mo- 
 ment later. " Get ready ! Now fire ! " 
 
 Thirty guns rang out; several of the Turks fell, and the rest, 
 with a shout of surprise, bounded back into the bushes. 
 
 "Now retire briskly for a bit, and load as you go." 
 
 After a hundred yards' running they again fell into a walk. 
 Horace kept his eye upon Tarleton's party. They did not 
 seem so severely pressed, and had the advantage that their 
 foes were on somewhat lower ground than they were. Pres- 
 ently a sailor came in from the left. 
 
 "Captain Martyn's orders are that the two flanking parties 
 are to fall back quickly to the path, then to double down the 
 hill to that shoulder a mile below. You are to act as rear- 
 guard, and to follow close behind them." 
 
 In two or three minutes the two flanking parties, taking 
 advantage of cover which concealed them from the enemy, 
 made a rush to the path. The body under Tarleton gained it 
 first, and at once started down at the top of their speed. 
 Martyn's party were but a minute later. He himself paused 
 till Horace came up at a run. 
 
 "We can go faster down this path," he said, "than they 
 can follow over the rough ground, and there are such a lot of 
 them that they will jostle each other on the path, and won't 
 get along as fast as we shall. How are you feeling, Mr. 
 Jieveridge? " 
 
 " I am all right now we are going downhill, Martyn. It is 
 only the climbing I can't stand. This is really very exciting 
 work, though I don't like running away." 
 
 "We will make another stand presently, but I wanted to be 
 getting on. They will get stronger every minute, and we shall 
 have to fight hard presently. Do you see that the schooner 
 has gone? " 
 
172 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 An exclamation broke both from Mr. Beveridge and Horace. 
 In the excitement of the fight neither of them had thought of 
 the schooner. 
 
 "There she is, five-and-twenty miles away to the north- 
 west, with two Turkish frigates lumbering after her." 
 
 The firing had ceased; the yells of the Turks rose loudly in 
 the air, but they were fully two or three hundred yards in the 
 rear. 
 
 "We are in plenty of time," Martyn said. "We will line 
 the other side of that flat step when we reach it. We can 
 keep them back there for some time." 
 
 There was no attempt at keeping in order, the path was too 
 steep and broken; but they went down running and leaping, 
 each as he best could. Down the path, in front, was a long 
 straggling line of Greeks, with the sailors, keeping in two 
 distinct bodies, among them. As soon as the head of the line 
 came down on to the flat step in the hill they spread out right 
 and left, and in less than ten minutes from the issue of the 
 order to retreat the hundred and eighty men were lying down 
 along the lower edge of the level ground, which was some forty 
 yards across, the centre of the position being left vacant for 
 the last party that arrived. The instant the rear-guard threw 
 themselves down they opened a heavy fire upon the Turks, 
 who were crowding down the path. Horace was lying next 
 to his father. 
 
 "Do keep your head lower, father," he said, as the Turks 
 left the path and bounded in among the rocks and shrubs and 
 opened fire. 
 
 "But I can't take aim if I don't see, Horace." 
 
 "No, father, that is right enough; but you might move a 
 foot or two back, so as to be in shelter while you are loading. 
 Then, if you push your rifle up before you, you would only 
 have to raise your head to look along the barrel and fire. Some 
 of these mountain fellows are good shots." 
 
 The firing in front of them increased every moment as the 
 Turks poured down and took up their positions, until puffs of 
 
RESCUED 1 1 3 
 
 smoke seemed to dart out from every bush and rock. Martyn 
 now went along the line posting the men. Horace's party 
 were left lying thickly opposite the path, in case the Turks 
 should attempt a rush. The rest were disposed two yards 
 apart, the sailors being placed at regular intervals among the 
 Greeks. Fortunately the ground fell sharp away from the flat, 
 so that even from the higher ground those lying behind it 
 were completely sheltered, except when raising their heads to 
 fire. This, by Martyn' s orders, they did but seldom. 
 
 "Let them blaze away as much as they like," he said, "they 
 do us no harm. The great thing is to have every musket 
 loaded in case they make up their minds to try a rush, and I 
 don't think they will do that. The more smoke they make 
 the better, for it prevents them taking aim. We can stop 
 them here for hours, as long as they don't work round our 
 flanks." 
 
 Satisfied that all was going on well, Martyn returned to Mr. 
 Beveridge. 
 
 "We have stopped them for the time effectually, sir." 
 
 "Yes, this is a capital position, Martyn." 
 
 "Capital as far as it goes, sir. Of course if these fellows 
 were soldiers they would either gather and make a rush, or 
 march away and work round our flanks; but being only peas- 
 ants, there is no one to command, and every man fights for 
 himself. Macfarlane is at work with the wounded." 
 
 "Did you lose many men in your retreat, Martyn? " 
 
 "No: three of the Greeks were killed and half a dozen of 
 them were wounded, fortunately not severely. Two of our 
 own fellows were hit, but neither of them badly. I have sent 
 them and the Greeks on ahead to join the women on the 
 shore. Tarleton lost two Greeks, killed, and had about as 
 many wounded as I had. One poor fellow was so badly hit 
 that he could not keep up with the others on the retreat. 
 Two of our men tried to carry him: but it hurt him so much 
 that he begged them to put him down: and as soon as they 
 did he drew his pistol and shot himself. So, altogether, we 
 
174 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 have lost six, which is little enough, considering we are more 
 than half-way down to the shore." 
 
 " If they do try to outflank us, I suppose we must fall back 
 again? " 
 
 " Yes, if they succeed we must do so. Of course we shall 
 try to prevent it. Directly I see any signs of their trying it 
 on, I shall make a strong effort to drive them back; but I 
 don't think they will try it at present, the sole object of each 
 man seems to be to fire away his ammunition as quickly as he 
 can. I have just been giving orders to the Greeks and our 
 fellows to shove their caps up in front of them on the ends of 
 their ramrods, so as to encourage the Turks to keep on firing, 
 and to push a musket up and fire occasionally, without raising 
 their heads to take aim. The smoke hanging about along the 
 line will hide the trick of the caps, and the shots will keep the 
 Turks blazing away." 
 
 For two hours the firing continued; but towards the end of 
 that time it slackened considerably. 
 
 " I expect a good many of them are running short of ammu- 
 nition," Martyn said. "Now they have done firing they will 
 have time to talk a bit, and may arrange to march off some- 
 where, and come down between us and the shore; so I think 
 it is time for us to be making a move. I will go along and 
 tell every third man to fall back at once. I think, Mr. Bever- 
 idge, it would be as well that you should go with them. I 
 shall send Tarleton in command, and tell him to pick out a 
 spot, from a hundred to three hundred yards from the shore, 
 and place the men in position there. Five minutes later you 
 shall pick out every second man, Horace, and go down and 
 join them. We will keep up a morj rapid fire now, so that 
 they sha'n't have any idea we are falling back. Of course, 
 when you join Tarleton, you will take up your position with 
 him. I shall be down five minutes after you. When we are 
 all there we can form a semicircle, with the ends resting on 
 the sea, and there will be an end of this constant fear of being 
 outflanked." 
 
RESCUED 1 1 o 
 
 Five minutes later Tarleton, with a third of the men, went 
 off at the double down the path. Those left behind renewed 
 their fire, taking aim among the rocks and bushes, and this at 
 once provoked a fresh outburst of firing on the part of the 
 Turks. In a short time Martyn told Horace to get his men 
 together and be off, and in twenty minutes he joined Tarleton, 
 who had taken up his post at a little more than a hundred 
 yards from the shore. The men were slashing down bushes 
 with their cutlasses, and piling them and stones so as to make 
 a low breastwork. The party Horace had brought at once 
 joined in the work. 
 
 "It is a screen we want more than a defence," Tarleton 
 said. " You see we are commanded everywhere from the hill, 
 but these bushes will hide us, and they will only be able to 
 fire into them at random; besides, we want them cut down in 
 front of us to be able to use our guns." 
 
 They were soon joined by the rear-guard. 
 
 "The Turks must be some distance behind," Martyn said. 
 "We could hear them blazing away when we were nearly half 
 a mile on the road. That is a good work, Mr. Tarleton; we 
 shall get it finished by the time they come." 
 
 So strong a party made quick work of it, and in another 
 quarter of an hour the screen of bushes was completed down 
 to the shore on either side, the sweep being some three hun- 
 dred yards in length, and the breastwork in most places three 
 feet high. 
 
 "It won't keep out bullets," Martyn said; "but from the 
 distance they won't see how thin it is. At any rate it is a 
 good screen." 
 
 The whole of the Greeks and twenty of the sailors were 
 placed at intervals of about six feet apart behind the screen, 
 and each man was told to dig up the soil with a knife or cut- 
 lass in front of him, and with that and a few rocks to make a 
 protection fur himself against stray bullets. The other twenty 
 sailors Martyn retained under his own command to carry to 
 the assistance of the defenders at any point against which a 
 
176 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 serious attack might be made. Mr. Beveridge had gone down 
 at once to the women and children who were sitting under 
 shelter of the bank by the sea-shore, and cheered them by 
 assurances that the schooner would be sure to return some time 
 during the night. It was not until a quarter of an hour after 
 the screen had been completed that parties of Turks could be 
 seen descending the side of the hill. They did not seem to 
 be hurrying. 
 
 "They think they have got us in a trap, Horace," Tarleton 
 said, "and that they have only to wait a bit to starve us out. 
 Perhaps it is just as well the schooner made off, for it would 
 have been hot work all getting on board under their fire, 
 whereas now we shall be able to slip off in the dark almost 
 without their knowing it." 
 
 When the Turks approached to within a distance of three or 
 four hundred yards of the breastwork, the party with the rifles 
 opened fire upon them, and they at once fell back some little 
 distance. For half an hour nothing was done, and then a 
 party of fifty or sixty men were seen reascending the hill. 
 
 "They are going to make a siege of it," Martyn said. 
 "They don't like the look of this breastwork." 
 
 "But what are they sending the men away for, Martyn?" 
 Horace asked. 
 
 "Because it is just as necessary for them to eat and drink, 
 Horace, as it is for us. We have got our water-bottles and 
 biscuits, and the Greeks have all brought something with 
 them; they were warned to do so before they started. But 
 those gentlemen all came off in a hurry. I don't expect any 
 of them had breakfast, and in the excitement not one in twenty 
 is likely to have caught up as much as a gourd of water, so I 
 have no doubt those men you see going up the hill are on their 
 way to their villages for a supply of food and water, and per- 
 haps to get some more ammunition if they can find any. I 
 will warrant half those fellows in front of us have fired away 
 their last shot. You will see they won't disturb us any more 
 to-day." 
 
RESCUED 177 
 
 A few shots only were fired from either side during the 
 course of the day, this apparently being done on the part of 
 the Turks from pure bravado, as they generally showed them- 
 selves conspicuously, brandished their long guns over their 
 heads, and shouted defiantly before firing. One of them, 
 however, having been shot by a sailor armed with a rifle, the 
 amusement ceased, and during the afternoon all was quiet. An 
 anxious look-out was kept seaward all day. At five in the 
 afternoon one of the sailors sang out, "Sail, ho! " 
 
 "Where away, Baldock?" 
 
 "About west-north-west I should say, sir, though I ain't 
 sure of my bearings here." 
 
 Martyn went up to where the man was standing on a rock 
 that projected eight or ten feet above the surrounding ground, 
 a position which would have been dangerous had not the 
 Turks been almost out of range. 
 
 "There, sir, do you see just under that streak of white 
 cloud? it is a little black patch." 
 
 " I see it, Baldock." 
 
 "I believe it is the schooner's gaff top-sail, sir; it is too 
 narrow for a square sail." 
 
 " I think you are right, Baldock. It might be the peak of 
 one of the native lateen sails, but I think it is too far away 
 for that. It is about the direction we might expect the 
 schooner to come from. She was more to the north-west when 
 we saw her last, but to get round the Turks she would have to 
 bear either one way or the other, and if she ran to the south 
 that is just about where she would be on her way back. Hullo ! 
 that was a near shave; we had better get off this, Baldock." 
 
 "Are you hit, sir? " 
 
 " Yes, but I don't think it is of any consequence; it is 
 in the arm, but as I can move it all right, it is only through 
 the flesh." 
 
 Half a dozen guns had flashed out in reply to the shot, 
 which had been fired from a distance of less than a hundred 
 yards, the man having crept through the bushes unseen. 
 Martyn's coat was taken off and his arm bandaged at once. 
 
178 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 " It is rather foolish to expose yourself like that, Captain 
 Martyn," Mr. Beveridge said as he came up. "Your life is 
 too valuable to us all to be risked in that way." 
 
 "It was rather foolish," Martyn laughed; "but I thought 
 the fellows were out of range, and did not give them credit 
 for enterprise. Anyhow there is no great harm done. I 
 think we have made out the schooner, sir, and it is worth 
 getting a ball through one's arm to know that she is on her 
 way back." 
 
 " Do you feel sure it is her? " 
 
 "Well, I can say that it is not a square top-sail; that is 
 certain, and it must either be her gaff top-sail or the peak of 
 a lateen sail of one of these native craft; but I think it is the 
 schooner. If it is, we sha'n't be long before we can make out 
 her fore-top gallant-sail. No native craft carries a lateen 
 and anything like a square sail." 
 
 "If it is the schooner, how far is she off, do you think?" 
 
 " Five-and-twenty miles, I should say. There is not much 
 breeze, but that is all the better, for she will be slipping along 
 now at least two knots to the Turks' one, while in a strong 
 breeze she would not go more than five to their four. It is 
 five o'clock now, and though we can't feel any wind here, I 
 expect she is making five or six knots an hour. Anyhow she 
 ought to be here between ten and twelve." 
 
 A quarter of an hour later Baldock said : " May I take 
 another squint from the look-out, sir?" 
 
 "Yes, but don't stand there long, Baldock. I expect that 
 fellow has moved off again if he was not hit by any of our 
 shots. Still it is as well not to give him another chance." 
 
 Baldock stood on the rock shading his eyes from the light 
 of the western sun, which was now getting near the horizon. 
 For a minute or two he stood uncertain, and then said : 
 
 " It is the schooner, sir, sure enough. I can just make out 
 a black line below the sail; that must be her fore-top gallant- 
 sail just showing." 
 
 A cheer broke from the sailors lying along the shelter of 
 the screen of bushes. 
 
RESCUED 179 
 
 " That is good news, Baldock," Martyn said. " Come down 
 now; another half-hour will settle it anyhow, and there will 
 be light enough till then." 
 
 The next observation settled the question. It was certainly 
 a square sail underneath the sharp peak of a gaff top-sail. The 
 joy of the Greeks was extreme when they heard that the 
 vessel that was to carry them away was in sight. 
 
 "The schooner will be in a nice mess," Martyn grumbled 
 to Tarleton. "With what there are on board now, and all 
 these, there will be something like six hundred of them; a 
 nice cargo that." 
 
 "There is one thing," Horace laughed, "I expect she has 
 carried as many before." 
 
 "Yes, I daresay she has taken six hundred slaves, but we 
 can't pack these Greeks as they pack slaves. There will be 
 no moving on board, and as to fighting the guns if we fall in 
 with a Turk, it will be well-nigh impossible. Why, she will 
 be as deep in the water as she was when we sailed out of 
 Plymouth. What is the weight of them all, Horace, do you 
 suppose? " 
 
 " Not very great, Captain Martyn. I don't suppose there 
 are a dozen of the men weigh over ten stone. I suppose the 
 women average seven, and the children, counting babies, say 
 four. As there are as many children as there are men, that 
 would make the average seven stone all round, but even if you 
 said eight stone, which is a hundredweight, and they are cer- 
 tainly not that, or anything near it, that would make thirty 
 tons, and it won't be over that if you throw in all the bundles. 
 You calculated that you got fifty tons out of her hold." 
 
 "Oh, well, that is not so bad. If it comes on to blow we 
 will make shifting ballast of them, and pack them all up to 
 windward on both decks; that ought to make her as stiff as a 
 church. It will be a big job getting them all on board to- 
 night. 'Ihere is one thing, I don't suppose the Turks have 
 made her out. ( )f course the)' don't know that we are expect- 
 ing a vessel, or anything about her rig. We must make a fire 
 
180 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 down on the shore as soon as it gets dark, and keep a sharp 
 look-out for her, putting the fire out as soon as she is near 
 enough for the light to begin to show on her sails. Then we 
 will open fire all along the line as if we thought we heard them 
 creeping up towards us, and that will cover the rattling of the 
 anchor chain. I will hail Miller to muffle the oars, and in 
 that way we may manage to get most of them on board at any 
 rate before the Turks have an idea of what is going on. By 
 firing an occasional shot we shall keep their attention fixed, 
 and gradually withdraw from the line as we did from that 
 place we held up there." 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 A DARING EXPLOIT 
 
 SOON after nine o'clock Will Martyn took his post on the 
 shore at the northern end of the position. A dropping 
 fire was kept up all round the semicircle, as if the defenders 
 feared that the assailants might be trying to crawl up towards 
 them. Martyn continued to listen intently for half an hour, 
 then he thought he heard a sound on the water. In another 
 minute or two he could make out the sound of voices. 
 
 " Miller has got his head screwed on the right way," he said 
 to himself. " He is showing no lights." Another five minutes 
 and he could dimly make out the outline of the schooner. 
 
 " Misericordia ahoy!" he shouted. 
 
 "Ay, ay," came across the water. 
 
 " I am going to put out the fire so that the light won't show 
 on your sails, and in a minute or two I am going to open fire 
 heavily to cover the rattle of the chains. Directly you hear 
 us begin let go the anchor; don't answer." 
 
 Horace was standing by the fire, and he at once scattered 
 the brands and threw sand over them. Martyn ran up to the 
 
A DARING EXPLOIT 181 
 
 front of the position and shouted, " Open fire ! " and the rattle 
 of musketry broke out all round the screen. The Turks, sur- 
 prised at the sudden din, and fearing that a sortie was going 
 to be made, replied briskly, and for four or five minutes the 
 fire was maintained. Horace down on the shore heard the 
 rattle of the anchor chain and the creaking of the blocks, 
 followed shortly by the sound of the tackle as the boats were 
 lowered. 
 
 "Please muffle the oars, Mr. Miller!" he shouted, and the 
 answering hail came across the water. Twelve of the sailors 
 came down from their posts to assist with the boats, and in 
 three or four minutes there was a slight splash of oars, and 
 the four boats of the schooner ran gently ashore. 
 
 "All well, I hope?" Tom Burdett asked as he jumped out. 
 
 "All well, Tom, with the exception of about half a dozen 
 slightly wounded." 
 
 "Thank God!" the boatswain said. "I tell you we felt 
 mighty sore at having to run away and leave you just at day- 
 break this morning, and you can't tell how glad we were when 
 we caught sight of the fire first and then made out the popping 
 of the guns. Have you got the Greeks out, Mr. Horace? " 
 
 "Yes, there are over five hundred of them here." 
 
 "My eye!" the sailor said, "that is something like a 
 cargo." r 
 
 " I have got twelve men here, Tom. That will give you 
 four and a helmsman to each boat with what you have got. 
 Has Marco come ashore with you?" 
 
 "Yes, Mr. Horace. I thought I might be useful if you had 
 got the Ghristians with you." 
 
 "Yes, that is what I wanted you for, Marco. Now, then," 
 he said to the women who were clustered behind him, "take 
 your places in the boats. Help them in, lads; there are lots 
 of children among them. You need not be afraid of packing 
 them closely so long as you leave yourselves room to row, for 
 there is not a ripple on the water. Father, would you mind 
 going off with the first lot? " he said as Mr. Beveridge came 
 
182 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 up. "Marco has come ashore to help here, and Mr. Millei 
 does not talk their language. If you take Zaimes with you he 
 can help settle them down as they come on board. Mind, 
 lads, you are to make as little noise as you can. There are 
 six hundred of those Turks lying round us, and if they got a 
 notion of what was going on they would be coming on us like 
 a pack of wolves, and in the dark they would be among us 
 before we knew that they were coming, and your first boat- 
 load would be your last. Impress upon the Greeks, father, 
 when they get on board, that not a word must be spoken." 
 
 "Mr. Miller will see to that, sir, no doubt," the boatswain 
 said. " He has got the whole lot of them down between 
 decks, and he and Bill Scoons have got the deck to them- 
 selves." 
 
 The women and children were crowded into the boats, 
 which were first backed btern on shore to allow them to enter. 
 The sailors lifted the chiliren, and wading into the water put 
 them in. The smaller boats pushed off as soon as they were 
 filled, and they were back again just after the two larger ones 
 started. The schooner was but a hundred yards away, and 
 so quickly did the work go on that in little more than a quarter 
 of an hour the last batch of women and children left the shore. 
 Horace directed Marco to see that the wounded were care- 
 fully lifted into the next boat, and to go on board with them; 
 he then ran up to Martyn. The continuous fire had ceased 
 now, but dropping shots were kept up all round the position. 
 
 " The last batch has gone on board, Captain Martyn," he 
 reported. 
 
 "Thank God for that, Horace! That is a load off one's 
 mind. It is a smart piece of work to have got them on board 
 so soon. I did not expect you for some time yet. I have 
 been listening sharply. Of course I heard sounds, but even 
 here they were faint, while the Turks, being twice as far 
 away, can hardly have heard them, and if they did would not 
 have made them out, knowing nothing of what is going on. 
 Now do you and Tarleton go off, one each way, and send 
 
A DARING EXPLOIT 183 
 
 every third man down to the boats; but if the third man is a 
 sailor send the next Greek to him. When you get down to 
 the shore go along to the boats and see the men off. As soon 
 as they are in the boats start back again, sending the rest of 
 the Greeks down to the shore. Then when you join me here 
 I shall know that there are only our own men to draw off. 
 Tell them all to keep up a pretty sharp fire when the Greeks 
 have left." 
 
 In a very few minutes they were beside him again. "The 
 boats took the first batch off in one trip, sir," Tarleton 
 reported, "and they will be back again by the time the last 
 fellows we have sent down get to the shore." 
 
 "We will give them five minutes and then be off." 
 
 " Mr. Miller sent word by the boatswain, sir, that he had 
 got the guns loaded with grape, and blue lights ready, so that 
 if they should at the last moment press you he will sweep the 
 hillside as soon as you bring the men down to the shore." 
 
 "I hope we shall not want it," Martyn said; "but it is well 
 to be on the safe side. I am sure we don't want to kill any 
 more of these poor beggars than we can help. Of course they 
 wanted to massacre the Christians, but as they know their own 
 people have been massacred in tens of thousands by the 
 Greeks, it is only human nature they should take revenge. 
 Anyhow I am glad there has not been much bloodshed. The 
 only time we got fairly at them was when they first gathered 
 for a charge at that olive grove, and again when they came 
 down the path to that place where we stopped them. Of 
 course a few fell while we were falling back, but I should say 
 that from forty to fifty would be quite the outside; and likely 
 enough it may not have been half that. It has been a much 
 easier business than I expected. 1 must say, when we first 
 got into the village and I saw what a crowd of women and 
 children there were there I thought we were going to have a 
 very tough job before we got on board the schooner again. 
 Now 1 think we can fall back. ( )o down to the shore again, 
 please, and start the men from that end, so that we can keep 
 on firing from here up to the last moment." 
 
J.S4 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 In a very few minutes the last of the defenders stepped into 
 the boats and rowed off to the ship. 
 
 "All safe, Captain Martyn?" Miller's voice asked as the 
 boats came alongside. 
 
 "All safe, Mr. Miller." 
 
 "Then we will give a hearty cheer, sir. They will know in 
 a few minutes that you have gone, and it will make no differ- 
 ence. Now, lads, all together." 
 
 And three hearty cheers broke from the English sailors, 
 swelled by shouts and yells from the Greeks clustered on deck. 
 As they stepped on to the deck Miller shook hands heartily 
 with Martyn, Tarleton, and Horace. 
 
 "Thank Heaven you are all back safe again!" he said, 
 "and, as I hear, without the loss of a single life. We have 
 had an anxious time of it, as you may guess, since you have 
 been away. I suppose we may as well get the boats up, sir? " 
 
 "Certainly. We sha'n't want to go ashore again, Miller." 
 The boatswain's whistle rang out, the falls were hooked on, 
 and the boats run up to the davits. 
 
 "Don't swing them in at present," Martyn said. "We 
 want all our room on deck. What have you done about the 
 Greeks, Miller? " 
 
 "The cook had a big copper of soup ready, and they each 
 had a basin as they came on board. We have given up the 
 whole of the lower deck to the women and children. Our 
 fellows and the men sleep on deck." 
 
 " I thought that was how you would manage, Miller; indeed 
 I don't see any other way that it could be done." 
 
 " I have got all the scuttles open down below," Miller said, 
 "and the hatchways off, so I think they will manage. It will 
 be pretty close, no doubt, but none of these people are par- 
 ticularly fond of fresh air." 
 
 "You have got supper ready for the men, I hope, Miller. 
 They had something to eat in the village at daybreak, and 
 they have had the biscuits they took with them; but I expect 
 they are all ready for a regular meal. Of course they will 
 have a ration of grog all round." 
 
A DARING EXPLOIT 18a 
 
 "I have seen to all that, sir, and Marco came up just before 
 you came alongside, to say that supper would be ready for us 
 in five minutes. How he managed it I don't know, for he, 
 Mr. Beveridge, and Zaimes have been busy settling the women 
 below ever since they came on board. How did the chief get 
 through it?" 
 
 "As well as anyone, except in the climbing. There is a 
 lot more in him than we thought, Miller. I watched him when 
 he was loading and firing, and he was just as cool and quiet 
 as if he was sitting here on the quarter-deck, and what was 
 better, he always fell in with what I suggested without any 
 talk or argument, and if I were asked I should say that he 
 really enjoyed the whole business. I have never seen him 
 look so bright and animated. Well, I am quite ready for 
 supper; at least I shall be when I have had a wash." 
 
 In a short time the party in the cabin was seated at supper. 
 All were in the highest spirits. Their enterprise had been a 
 complete success in every respect, and they were the more 
 pleased that it had been accomplished without the loss of 
 a single life on the part of the crew. The supper was not 
 quite so varied as usual, and Marco apologized for its short- 
 comings. 
 
 "There is no occasion to say a word, Marco. It is excel- 
 lent," Martyn said. "I don't know how on earth you have 
 managed it." 
 
 " I had most of it ready before we dropped anchor, Captain 
 Martyn," he said, "but I went ashore with the boats and have 
 been helping with the women until a few minutes ago, so I 
 have not had time to finish the things properly; but I thought 
 you would rather have them so than wait." 
 
 "Much rather, Marco. Now, Miller, let us hear your re- 
 port. I have not had time to ask you a single question since 
 I came on board. We made you out from the top of the hill 
 twenty-five miles away, with two Turkish frigates after you." 
 
 "Yes," Miller said, "we were as near as possible caught ii 
 a trap. It was lucky I had had the anchor buoyed and the 
 
186 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 chain ready to slip. Of course we kept a sharp watch all 
 night; I was on deck half an hour before day began to break, 
 for I knew that that was the dangerous time. It was very 
 dark then." 
 
 "Yes, we know that," Martyn put in. "We pretty nearly 
 broke our necks scrambling along the face of a hill nearly as 
 steep as a wall." 
 
 "Just as the first gleam of daylight came," Miller went on, 
 "I made out two large craft coming along about a mile and a 
 half from shore. They were not quite abreast of us, perhaps 
 half a mile south. You may guess we lost no time in slipping 
 the chain and getting up our head sails. Fortunately there 
 was enough breeze even in here to fill our sails. I knew they 
 could not make us out as yet, lying in here under the shadow 
 of the land, and, indeed, I was half inclined for a moment to 
 lower the sails and trust to their not making us out at all, but 
 as it would soon be light, and no doubt they would be keep- 
 ing a sharp look-out for us, I saw it wouldn't do. It was not 
 long before I saw that, though, of course, they had a good deal 
 more wind than we had, we were holding our own with them. 
 
 "Ten minutes after we got under weigh they made us out 
 and changed their course, steering so as to cut us off before 
 we were clear of the northern point, while I stood a little 
 more out so as to get farther from the shelter of the land and 
 catch a little more breeze. They closed a bit with us, and 
 one of them began to try the distance with his bow-guns, but 
 though we were not quite out of range, the shot went alto- 
 gether wide of us. I never saw such lubberly shooting. We 
 were better than a mile ahead when we came out beyond the 
 point and got the true wind. As soon as I felt her beginning 
 to walk along I got a couple of sails overboard to deaden her 
 way and stood for the north-west. The Turks got out stun- 
 sails and did their best to come up to us, and as the wind was 
 pretty fresh they walked along faster than I should have given 
 them credit for, and I had to get one of the sails on board 
 again to keep my distance. They fired occasionally, but as 1 
 
A DARING EXPLOIT 187 
 
 kept them in line they could only bring a couple of bow- 
 chasers to bear. 
 
 "I don't think we altered our distance by a ship's length 
 for six hours, by which time we were a good thirty miles 
 away from the island, and nearly dead to leeward; so I thought 
 it was about time to begin to have some amusement. Directly 
 we had started I had got the cook to make a tremendous fire 
 in the galley, and had put six eighteen-pounder shot in it. I 
 kept coal heaped on, and stuck a couple of extra lengths on 
 to the chimney to make it draw, and by this time the balls 
 were red-hot. We did not begin with them at first, but hav- 
 ing got the second sail out of water we luffed a little so as to 
 get the pivot to bear, and Tom Burdett sent the first shot 
 smack into the frigate's fore-foot. She yawed a bit, and let 
 us have four or five of her forward guns on the starboard side, 
 and this time a couple of shot went through our sails. As I 
 did not want to run any risks I held on till I put another half- 
 mile between us; then I began again with the pivot. 
 
 "The boatswain is a capital shot and hulled the leading 
 frigate every time. Evidently she did not like it. I expect 
 she had no idea that a craft of this size carried such heavy 
 metal, and she came up into the wind and gave us a broad- 
 side. I put the helm down at the same moment as she did 
 and returned the compliment. We trained the guns high, 
 and as good luck would have it one of the shots struck the 
 maintop-mast and down it came bringing the fore and mizzen- 
 topgallant masts down with it. We gave a cheer, and the 
 Greeks yelled like fiends. I had sent the women and children 
 down into the hold, but the men were on deck, and they danced 
 about like lunatics when they saw the top hamper of the Turk 
 go over her side. We wore round and gave her the other 
 broadside, then I set the Greeks to work to load the broadside 
 guns, while our fellows went to the pivot again. 
 
 " Now was the time to try the red-hot shot while she was 
 lying broadside on to us, and we plumped the whole six into 
 her, one after the other; then we stood off again, for the other 
 
188 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 frigate had come up and was joining in the game. If we had 
 had a spar knocked out of us it would have been all up, for 
 they each carried something like forty guns. As soon as they 
 got pretty well out of range I hauled my wind and stood south. 
 The first frigate was still in complete confusion. With my 
 glass I could make out the men trying to cut away the wreck, 
 but it was not long before I saw a thin wreath of smoke rising 
 from her forward hatchway, and presently I saw her ensign 
 half hauled down as a signal of distress to her consort, which 
 at once gave up the chase, which she must have already seen 
 was useless, and bore down to her. Thinking I had done 
 enough, and being in such a stew about you all, I left them to 
 settle matters as best they could and began to beat back to the 
 island. When we were five miles away a pillar of smoke was 
 rising from the frigate, and with the glass I could make out 
 boats passing backwards and forwards between her and her 
 consort, which was lying-to near her; and the last we could 
 make out of her was that she was in flames from keel to truck." 
 
 "Capital, Miller, that was splendidly done ! " Martyn ex- 
 claimed. " Fancy a schooner with ten men on board destroy- 
 ing a forty-gun frigate. That was a capital idea of yours 
 of heating the shot." 
 
 "The cook is in a great way," Miller laughed, "for we pretty 
 well melted the galley, and we shall have to get a fresh one 
 next time we put into port. And now tell me about your 
 share of the day's work." 
 
 "Well, we have done very well," Martyn said; "but you 
 have quite taken down any conceit we may have felt. I quite 
 envy you." 
 
 "You need not do that, Martyn," Mr. Beveridge said; "one 
 may be as proud of saving five hundred lives as of destroying 
 a frigate, admirable as the action was. I will tell you about 
 our doings. I have no doubt Martyn will be too modest to 
 do justice to himself. Ah! what is that?" He broke off as 
 he heard the report of a gun, followed by several others. 
 
 "The Turks venting their dissatisfaction," Martyn said. 
 
A DARING EXPLOIT 189 
 
 " I expected it before this. Of course they heard our cheer, 
 but at the distance they were they may not have made out it 
 came from the water, and I expect they were some time before 
 they crawled forward and found out that our lines were de- 
 serted. We will fire a round of grape over their heads as a 
 hint to them that they had better clear off, and as there is no 
 hope of either plunder or blood they will not care about risk- 
 ing their lives for nothing. Will you go up, Mr. Tarleton, and 
 just touch off one of the port guns. Don't fire in the direc- 
 tion they are shooting from. We only want to frighten and 
 not to hurt them." 
 
 In a couple of minutes the vessel quivered as an eighteen- 
 pounder sent its contents rattling among the rocks. Tarleton 
 soon rejoined the party, and Mr. Beveridge proceeded to relate 
 to Miller the events of the day. 
 
 "The next time I land, Mr. Miller," he concluded, "I shall 
 take good care to ascertain tho nature of the ground we have 
 to cross. I have never been accustomed to active exercise, 
 even as a boy I never cared for it; but I could not have be- 
 lieved that human lungs could have failed in their action so 
 completely, or human heart bump as mine did in going up 
 that hill. As for the scramble along it in the dark, it was a 
 sort of nightmare. Martyn and Zaimes hauled me along like 
 a helpless bundle. I was only conscious of my feet continually 
 slipping from under me, of grasping at the grass, of having 
 my knees bruised against rocks, and of thinking every moment 
 that my coat collar must give way and that I must roll to the 
 bottom of the hill. Zaimes had hold of that, and Martyn of 
 my arm, and I should say that my flesh will be black and blue 
 for weeks. I mentally registered a vow that though I was 
 ready to fight for the Greeks I was not ready, and never would 
 again undertake to climb among mountains for them. There 
 is a limit to the endurance of human nature, and the limit was 
 very distinctly passed upon that occasion. Moreover, my 
 dignity as a man suffered. I was humiliated at my own help- 
 lessness, and was deeply impressed with the thought that my 
 
190 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 whole life had been a mistake when it resulted in my being 
 hauled along by Zaimes, who is a year or two older than I 
 am, I believe. I made a resolution to practise athletic exer- 
 cises, but I am afraid that, like many other good resolutions, 
 it will be dropped with the memory of that terrible hour." 
 
 "Where are you thinking of landing all these people, Mr. 
 Beveridge? " 
 
 " I have not the least idea, Martyn. Where do you think? " 
 
 "So that we get rid of them as quickly as possible, sir, it 
 doesn't matter in the slightest. There is one thing certain, it 
 will be weeks before we shall get the decks white again, and 
 I should say that a thorough fumigation of her from stern to 
 stern will be advisable. I don't suppose the British authori- 
 ties would be grateful to us if we were to dump them all down 
 in Zante or Corfu, because it is certain they would have to 
 feed the greater portion of them for a considerable time. 
 On the other hand, if you land them at any Greek port there 
 is a very strong risk of their all dying of starvation; the new 
 government have other things to think about." 
 
 " It is very awkward, Captain Martyn, very awkward," Mr. 
 Beveridge said seriously. " However, it is evident that now 
 we have rescued them they can't be allowed to starve." 
 
 "There is one thing, father," Horace put in. "I think 
 that money would be much better laid out in feeding them 
 than in enabling the politicians and the Klephts to spend it in 
 gaudy dresses and in keeping bands of armed ruffians round 
 them." 
 
 "Certainly it would, Horace. As to where they had better 
 be landed, I should say that we might give them their choice 
 of say four or five places. It would be much better that they 
 should be divided, as they would in that way be more likely 
 to get employment than if they were all turned out at one 
 place. Some might be landed at some of the Greek islands, 
 some in the Morea, others at Athens, and some, perhaps, in 
 the Ionian Islands, where they would be under the British 
 flag." 
 
A DARING EXPLOIT 191 
 
 " I think they would be a deal better off there, father, than 
 in Greece or the Greek islands, where at present everyone is 
 thinking of war, and the fields are going out of cultivation. 
 They certainly would do a great deal better in Corfu, Cepha- 
 lonia, and the other islands than they would elsewhere; and 
 if they were landed in small batches they might find work. I 
 expect most of them have got a little money, and as living is 
 very cheap, if you were to give them a couple of pounds a 
 head it would enable them to live a long time while they are 
 looking for work. Besides, there are committees on those 
 islands for helping refugees; so I do think it would be better 
 to land all those who have no friends in Greece, or any par- 
 ticular wish to go there, in our islands. I should say Zaimes 
 and Marco might go round among them in the morning and 
 ask if any of them have friends in the Greek islands or the 
 mainland, and to put it to the others, that though they can be 
 landed in Greece if they like, they will probably be better off 
 and certainly much more free from anxiety and danger, in 
 the Ionian Isles." 
 
 "I think that that would be a very good plan," Mr. Bever- 
 idge said. " When are you going to get under sail again, 
 Captain Marty n? " 
 
 "As soon as I have finished this cup of coffee, Mr. Bever- 
 idge, we will get a boat lowered and find the buoy and pick 
 up the anchor Miller slipped this morning. I don't want to 
 lose that, and the chain. As soon as we have got it on board 
 we will be off. There is not much breeze here after dark, but 
 we may as well get what benefit we can from it. I have no 
 fear of the other Turkish frigate looking in here on her way 
 back ; and if she did, now that we have got all our crew on 
 board, 1 have no doubt we could give a good account of her. 
 But 1 want to be under weigh. There will be no comfort on 
 board till we have got rid of our passengers. Whereabout do 
 you think the buoy is lying, Miller?" 
 
 " 1 fancy we were anchored a couple of hundred yards or so 
 farther out, and a quarter of a mile astern. You know where 
 
192 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 you landed last night. You had to march along the beach 
 some little distance before you came to the path on the hills." 
 
 "That is so, Miller. I am afraid we shall have some little 
 trouble in finding it. However, we will have a try. It is 
 just eight bells now, and it won't be light for another six 
 hours. I don't want to waste that time if I can help it." 
 
 " Well, I will take one of the gigs, and Tarleton can take 
 the other. We will take some blue lights with us, and I ex- 
 pect we shall soon find it." 
 
 "Very well. Directly you do, hang on to the buoy-rope 
 and get the end of the chain into your gig. Hail me, and 
 send Tarleton back. We will get up her anchor at once, and 
 the gig and the long-boat shall tow the schooner up to you. 
 Then you can pass the end of the chain on board, and we will 
 get it round the capstan and have the anchor up in no time. 
 Now, Mr. Beveridge, if you will take my advice you will turn 
 in at once. You only got a couple of hours' sleep last night 
 in that orchard, and have had twenty-four hours' really hard 
 work." 
 
 "I will take your advice, Martyn; " and Mr. Beveridge 
 touched the hand-bell beside him. " Marco, you must help 
 me to my cabin, for I am so stiff I don't think I could get out 
 of my chair by myself." 
 
 "We will help you in, sir," Martyn said; and he and Miller 
 raised Mr. Beveridge from his chair and almost carried him 
 into his cabin. Then they lit their pipes and went on deck. 
 
 The buoy was found after a few minutes' search, and in 
 another ten minutes the schooner was under weigh and steal- 
 ing out from the land. 
 
 "I will take the watch," Miller said. "You had better all 
 turn in. I will put a couple of the hands who remained with 
 me at the wheel, and let all the rest lie down. As they will 
 be on deck one can rouse them up in a minute if they are 
 wanted." 
 
 The next day the two Greeks went among the fugitives and 
 questioned the heads of each family as to the number of their 
 
A DARING EXPLOIT 193 
 
 party, the means they possessed, and whether they had any 
 friends in Greece. Most of them possessed a little money, 
 the proceeds of their last harvest and vintage, and some eight 
 or ten had sums varying from a hundred to four hundred 
 pounds, besides the jewels of their females, which, in their 
 cases, were of considerable value. Some of the poorer ones 
 had literally nothing beyond the clothes in which they stood 
 and a few almost worthless trinkets. There were not half a 
 dozen of the whole number who had friends or connections in 
 Greece. Some thirty of the unmarried men expressed their 
 desire to join the Greek army and fight against the Turks; 
 the rest thankfully embraced the offer of being landed on 
 islands under the protection of the British flag. It took a 
 whole day to ascertain all these particulars, and on the fol- 
 lowing day the exiles were asked to divide themselves into par- 
 ties according to the villages from which they came, in order 
 that acquaintances and relations should be landed together. 
 
 When this had been done, Zaimes distributed, in the name 
 of Mr. Beveridge, to the head of each family a sum amount- 
 ing to two pounds for each of its members, except to those 
 whose resources were sufficient to maintain them for a con- 
 siderable time. 
 
 The wind was very light, and it was six days after they 
 weighed anchor before they entered the port of Zante. Another 
 week was spent in landing the fugitives among the Ionian 
 Islands, each party being in proportion to the size of the 
 island and the facilities of obtaining employment there. The 
 gratitude of the poor people to Mr. Beveridge, and indeed to 
 all on board the schooner, was very great, but they were all 
 much depressed on landing. At first their delight at having 
 escaped with their lives was unbounded. But as the days 
 went on, and the feeling that they had lost all else, were sepa- 
 rated for ever from their birthplace and home, and were in 
 future to live among strangers, overwhelmed them. 
 
 Mr. Beveridge went a great deal among them, and endeav- 
 oured to cheer them with the assurance that the war could not 
 
194 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 last very long, and that at its termination, whenever that might 
 be, there would certainly be a general amnesty, and that all 
 fugitives would then be permitted to return to their homes. 
 He therefore advised them to keep this always in mind, and 
 to lay by every penny they could spare of their earnings, 
 so that they would eventually be able to return to Cyprus and 
 resume their former life. When the Misericordia left Cyprus 
 there remained onboard only some half a dozen families who 
 had friends in Creece, and the young men who intended to 
 join the Greek army. Never did a vessel undergo a more 
 thorough washing and cleaning up than the schooner on her 
 voyage round to Athens. The deck was scrubbed and holy- 
 stoned twice a day; the lower deck was equally cleaned, and, 
 in addition, the woodwork received two coats of fresh paint, 
 after having been thoroughly fumigated. 
 
 "The Greeks may have their virtues," Martyn remarked to 
 Miller, "but cleanliness on board ship is marked by its 
 absence." 
 
 "Then is no doubt about that," Miller agreed. "I have 
 always heard that a cargo of Mohammedan pilgrims to Mecca 
 was about the most painful experience a sailor could have; 
 but I back the Greeks against them. I don't think the 
 schooner herself liked it. She seemed to have lost all her 
 liveliness and to be depressed at being turned into a human 
 pig-stye. I don't believe it was worse between decks when 
 she had a cargo of slaves on board." 
 
 "Mr. Beveridge has just told me," Martyn said, "that I am 
 to tell the crew that at the next pay he shall give three pounds 
 a head to each man as a reward for their work at Cyprus and 
 the inconveniences they have been since put to." 
 
 "They will appreciate that," Miller said. "They certainly 
 have been put about a good deal, and they will be pleased at 
 the recognition of it as much as with the money. Besides, 
 the same thing may happen again, and it is a good thing to 
 keep them all in a good humour, especially as at present there 
 hasn't been any chance whatever of prize-money." 
 
A DARING EXPLOIT 195 
 
 "What are the next orders, sir? " Martyn asked Mr. Bever- 
 idge when they had finished supper. 
 
 "There will be nothing particular going on for some time, 
 I should imagine, Captain Martyn. The Turkish army does 
 not seem to be ready to advance, and the Greeks are not 
 troubling themselves to get up an army at all. After the last 
 affair every man made off with the booty he had gathered to 
 his own village; and there, I am afraid, they are all likely to 
 stay till a Turkish army invades them. Athens and Nauplia 
 may hold out for some time longer — for weeks, perhaps, pos- 
 sibly for months. Therefore, for the present I leave it 
 entirely with you to cruise where you think best." 
 
 "Then, sir, we will go south. Since we have come out we 
 have not taken a prize worth having; and I think that as 
 prize-money was certainly one of the inducements held out to 
 the sailors when they joined, we might as well try to pick up 
 a few Turkish merchantmen. There is no doubt that the 
 ships from Smyrna and all the Syrian ports, as well as from 
 the islands, keep near land, and that even those bound for 
 Alexandria and the African ports coast round there also. 
 Some of these no doubt carry rich cargoes, and many will be 
 taking Greek slaves to Alexandria and Tunis; so we shall be 
 carrying oat your object by releasing them, as well as picking 
 up soms prize-money. I think the men well deserve a little 
 indulgence in this way. Their work has not been altogether 
 pleasant for some time. They have been turned out of their 
 quarters, and have had to sleep under the awning forward. I 
 have heard no grumbling among them, for I am sure they 
 were glad to do all they could to help the poor creatures we 
 have hid on board. Still, they will be glad of a chance of 
 what they would consider legitimate business." 
 
 "Very well, Captain Martyn, let it be so. I quite agree 
 with you as to the excellent conduct of the men. They have 
 certainly had a good deal of hardship to put up with, for every- 
 thing has been very uncomfortable since our visit to Cyprus." 
 
 In a few minutes the boatswain's whistle was heard, followed 
 
196 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 by the tramp of the men round the capstan and the stir of 
 getting up sail. Then the watch was set, and the schooner 
 sped along under a gentle breeze towards the south. 
 
 For the next two months the Misericordia cruised on the 
 coast of Syria. Scarce a day passed without some vessel 
 being overhauled. Many of these were small coasters laden 
 only with grain or other cargoes of small value. These were 
 permitted to proceed on their way without interference. Of 
 the larger vessels some contained mixed cargoes. In the 
 cases where no Greek captives were on board, the valuable 
 portion of the cargo was transferred to the schooner, and the 
 ship was then permitted to proceed on her voyage. Where 
 Greek slaves were found on board, the 'captain was given the 
 choice of having the vessel burned, or giving a bond for an 
 amount equal to half her estimated value and that of the cargo, 
 signed by himself, the representative of the owners, if there 
 was one on board, and the principal passengers. 
 
 These bonds could not, perhaps, have been enforced in any 
 court; but Mr. Beveridge had confidence in the honesty of 
 the Turks, and in every case the amounts were duly forwarded 
 to the agents he named. Seven ships contained valuable 
 cargoes of silks, tobacco, and wine. These were all bound 
 for Alexandria and Tunis, and carried a considerable number 
 of Greek women and children, the survivors of massacres in 
 towns in Asia Minor. In these cases the Turks were all placed 
 in their boats within two or three miles of land, and the vessels 
 with prize crews on board were consigned to Greeks at Corinth 
 and Athens, who had undertaken to act as Mr. Beveridge 's 
 agents, and who were to dispose of them and their cargoes to 
 Greek merchants. 
 
IN THE HANDS OF THE TURKS 197 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 IN THE HANDS OF THE TURKS 
 
 TOWARDS the end of the cruise the schooner had just 
 returned to the coast of Asia Minor after having run across 
 to Athens and taken on board the officers and men who had 
 sailed the last prizes taken there. On the day after they took 
 up their place on their cruising ground they fell in with a 
 large polacca brig. The vessel mounted ten small guns, and 
 fought with some obstinacy, and it was not until Martyn 
 placed the schooner so that she could rake the brig's decks, 
 which were crowded with men, that she hauled down her flag. 
 
 " Lower two boats, Miller. You take charge of one and 
 Tarleton the other. By the look of those fellows I don't 
 believe they are Turks at all. I believe they are from Algiers 
 or Tunis; pirates at ordinary times, but who have come here 
 to pick up slaves cheap. They are treacherous beggars, so be 
 on your guard. There is a very strong crew. Don't row 
 alongside till I lay the schooner broadside on." 
 
 In five minutes Miller hailed from the deck of the prize, 
 "You are right, sir, they are Algerines, and as cut-throat a 
 looking lot as ever I came across. She is crowded below with 
 Greek women and girls, and as far as I can see at present she 
 has no cargo of any sort. I have sent one of the boats for 
 Marco. He can speak to the women, who are making a fear- 
 ful hubbub down below." 
 
 "Have you disarmed the crew, Mr. Miller?" 
 
 " Mr. Tarleton has just finished that. We have had to knock 
 a good many of the scoundrels down. They are as savage as 
 wildcats." 
 
 The schooner was brought alongside rhe polacca and lashed 
 there. The deck of the prize showed that the fire of the 
 schooner had been terribly destructive. Over twenty bodies 
 lay scattered about, principally round the guns. 
 
198 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 " Are they all dead ? " Martyn asked as he stepped on board. 
 
 "They are all dead now, but they were not when we 
 boarded her. But as they lay there they fired their pistols 
 among us. Two or three pretended to be dead, and then 
 sprang up, knife in hand, and several of the men have got 
 nasty cuts; so that was soon put a stop to. Some of the fel- 
 lows below made quite a fight of it, and the men had to use 
 their cutlasses pretty freely. However, they are all disarmed 
 and bound now. I have no doubt they are Algerine pirates, 
 and deserve to be hung to the yard-arm every man-jack of 
 them." 
 
 "Have you overhauled the hold yet? " 
 
 "Yes, sir. It is filled with these unhappy slaves. She evi- 
 dently came merely in ballast, with money to buy them." 
 
 " Well, no doubt these fellows have been pirates, Mr. Miller, 
 but as we have no means to prove it we must let them go as 
 we have the others, though it is a nuisance, for they only warn 
 the people at the ports against us. We won't put them on 
 the mainland this time, but land them on one of the little 
 islands. They may be some time in getting a craft to take 
 them to the mainland, and then they will find it rough work 
 making along the coast. However, we can settle upon that 
 later. The first thing to do is to get the decks roughly 
 cleaned and the dead bodies thrown overboard." 
 
 A dozen men were set to work with mops and buckets, 
 while others fastened shot to the feet of the Algerines and 
 dropped them overboard. As soon as this was done Marco 
 was sent below to tell the captives that they could come on 
 deck. 
 
 As the women poured up, looking almost dazed at their 
 sudden release, and at the bright sunlight after the stifling 
 atmosphere of the dark hold in which they had been confined 
 for six days, Horace saw one of them, a woman of some five- 
 and-thirty years of age, to whose side a girl of fifteen was 
 clinging, looking round with an air of excitement, in strong 
 contrast to the comparative apathy of the others. She glanced 
 
THE GREEK CAPTIVES ARE BROUGHT <>N DECK 
 
IN THE HANDS OF THE TURKS 199 
 
 round at him and the men engaged in tidying up the deck, 
 and then with a cry sank fainting on the deck. He hurried 
 up to her, and partly raised her, when he was struck by the 
 cry of the girl, "Oh, mother, mother! " He looked at her in 
 astonishment. 
 
 "Are you English?" he exclaimed. 
 
 "Yes," she cried, "we are English; but we have been 
 seized and carried away by these horrid Turks. Mother said 
 she fancied she heard some shouts in English, but she thought 
 she must have been mistaken, as only a Greek came down 
 and spoke to us in the hold, and she did not think it possible 
 that it could be English. And have you rescued us out of the 
 hands of the Turks, sir? Mother said they were taking us 
 away to sell us as slaves." 
 
 "Yes, we have rescued you," Horace said. "You are free 
 now. If you will hold your mother's head for a moment I 
 will fetch the doctor; we have one on board." 
 
 " If you would get a little water, sir, she will soon come 
 round. She has fainted several times since we were capt- 
 ured." 
 
 Horace, however, caught sight of Macfarlane. 
 
 " Doctor, here is an English lady among the captives. She 
 has fainted. Please see to her. I will run to get some water; " 
 and he sprang over the bulwark on to the deck of the schooner. 
 
 "Bring some brandy with you too," Macfarlane said as he 
 hurried to the side of the fainting woman. 
 
 Horace rushed down to the cabin, and returned with a jug 
 of water, a decanter of brandy, and a tumbler. The doctor 
 sprinkled some water on the lady's face, poured a few drops 
 of spirits between her lips, and in a minute or two she opened 
 her eyes. 
 
 "It is all right now, madam," he said as she looked round 
 in a confused way. "You are safe among friends and British 
 sailors." 
 
 "Thank God for His mercies! " she murmured, while tears 
 fell down her cheeks. "It seems almost too great happiness 
 to be true." 
 
200 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 In a few minutes she was well enough to be assisted down 
 to the cabin of the schooner, where she was left to the care 
 of her daughter for a time. Half an hour later she was able 
 to relate her story to Mr. Beveridge. She was, she said, the 
 wife of an English merchant at Smyrna. They lived a short 
 distance out of the town, and had, since the troubles began, 
 gone but little abroad, for although it was only the Greeks 
 who had been involved in the massacre that had taken place 
 there some months before, there was a good deal of hostility 
 upon the part of the lower class of the population against all 
 Christians. One evening she had been with her daughter in 
 the garden, her husband being engaged till late at his business 
 in the town. It was just getting dark, and she was about to 
 re-enter the house, when five or six ruffians of the lowest 
 class rushed into the garden, seized her and her daughter in 
 spite of their shrieks, threw thick cloths over their heads, and 
 then carried them away. They were taken for some distance, 
 when they stopped, and she heard an animated conversation 
 and the clink of money. Then they were placed in a boat, and 
 presently carried up on to the deck of a ship and taken below. 
 
 When their mufflings were removed they found they were in 
 the hold of a vessel with a large number of Greek captives. 
 She endeavoured in vain to make herself understood by the 
 sailors who came below, and who, she perceived at once, were 
 not Turks. She told them that she was English, and that her 
 husband would pay a large sum if she and her daughter were 
 set on shore unharmed. No attention was paid to her entrea- 
 ties, but on her persisting she was brutally knocked down, and 
 in a short time a man, who was evidently an officer, came 
 down and forced them both to take off their European dresses 
 and put on others that some of the Greek women were ordered 
 to hand over to them. It was now evident to her that they 
 had been seized by some of the ruffians of the town and sold 
 to the Algerines, who were in no way particular as to the 
 nationality of their slaves, and that they were destined to be 
 sold in the slave-market of either Tunis or Algiers. 
 
IN THE HAXBS OF THE TURKS 201 
 
 A few hours after they were taken on board they heard the 
 anchor run up, and could soon tell by the ripple of the water 
 against the planks that they were under weigh. All hope now 
 left them, and they had passed a terrible six days, overcome 
 by despair, and half suffocated by the foul air of the hold. 
 Hope had again sprung up when a gun was fired overhead, 
 and it was soon evident that the vessel was engaged in an 
 encounter with an enemy. At last the firing ceased, then 
 there was a sound of shouting and the clashing of swords on 
 the deck above their heads. Presently the hatchways had 
 been opened and a Greek had come down and told them that 
 the vessel had been captured from the Turks, and that they 
 were free. She fancied that she heard English voices, but 
 until she had reached the deck and saw the faces and uni- 
 forms of the sailors, she thought that she must be mistaken. 
 After that she remembered no more until she heard the doctor's 
 voice. 
 
 "I am rejoiced indeed that I have been enabled to save 
 you and your daughter from the horrors of slavery," Mr. 
 Beveridge said. " We have had the pleasure of rescuing many 
 hundreds of Greek women and children from the hands of the 
 Turks, but I never expected to find a countrywoman among 
 them. This cabin will be at your disposal, except that we 
 must, I fear, take our meals here. The cabin adjoining will 
 be wholly yours. In the course of a week I hope to land you 
 at Corfu, thence you will be able to write to your husband and 
 arrange either for joining him again at Smyrna, or taking a 
 passage for England, which would, I should think in the pres- 
 ent state of things, be the wisest course. My purse will be 
 entirely at your disposal. I am the owner of this schooner, 
 which is called the Misericordia, and although we fight under 
 the Greek flag, and have come out to assist them to obtain 
 their independence, we are principally devoting ourselves to 
 saving the unhappy victims of this war." 
 
 The lady, whose name was Mrs. Herbert, expressed her deep 
 gratitude, and Mr. Beveridge at once took possession of Mil- 
 
202 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 ler's cabin, as the lieutenant would, he had no doubt, remain 
 in charge of the prize. When the capture was made, the 
 schooner was some eighty miles to the east of Rhodes, and 
 after talking the matter over with Miller, Martyn decided to 
 land the Algerines on Caxo, an islet lying some fifty miles to 
 the south-west of Rhodes. Miller and Tarleton were for the 
 present to continue on board the prize. The prisoners, forty- 
 eight in number, were transferred into the schooner. The next 
 evening they arrived off Caxo, where the Algerines were landed 
 in boats. Martyn then went on board the polacca. 
 
 "I have been thinking, Miller, that as we seem to have 
 frightened all the Turks into remaining in port for the pres- 
 ent, I will leave you and Tarleton on board the polacca, and 
 give you twenty men and let you cruise on your own account, 
 while we take these women and children round to the Ionian 
 Isles. We will shift two of the eighteen-pounders on board 
 this craft. No one will suspect you, and you will have a good 
 chance of picking up some more prizes, while the sight of our 
 white sails sends everything running into port as far off as they 
 can be seen. We can rendezvous here again this day fortnight. " 
 
 "I should like that very much," Miller said, "and I think 
 it is a capital plan. I must ask Mr. Beveridge to let me have 
 Marco, or I shall have no means of making myself understood 
 either by Turk or Greek." 
 
 A fortnight later the schooner returned to the island. She 
 had had rough weather for the last three days of her voyage, 
 but the sky had now cleared again. 
 
 "There is the island," Martyn said, as Horace came up at 
 six o'clock in the morning to take charge of the watch, for he 
 had now command of the starboard watch, and Tom Burdett 
 had the port. "There is the island, but there is no sign of the 
 polacca yet. I wonder Miller is not here first. If we had 
 been having calms I should not have been the least surprised 
 at his not turning up, but with this strong southerly wind 
 there is no reason why he should not have been here. Go up 
 to the main-top, Horace, and take a look round." 
 
IN THE HANDS OF THE TURKS 203 
 
 But Horace could see no sail in sight. 
 
 "You are not uneasy about Miller surely," Mr. Beveridge 
 said at breakfast, seeing that Martyn was not in his usual 
 spirits. 
 
 "Well, I am rather uneasy, sir. Miller would be more 
 likely to be a day too soon than too late, and with the wind 
 from the south he could have calculated his time here from 
 wherever he happened to be, within an hour or two. The 
 wind has been strong with us, and for aught I know it may 
 have been blowing a gale more to the east. We don't know 
 much about the sailing qualities of the polacca, certainly she 
 was very light in ballast, and if she has been caught off a lee 
 shore in a heavy gale she may not have been able to claw off, 
 especially if she happened to be embayed when it came on. 
 Of course we must give him twenty-four hours more, but if he 
 does not come then we will shape our course north-east and 
 cruise along the coast: as we get eastward we may pick up 
 some fishing craft or small coaster and hear what the weather 
 has been there, possibly even get news of the polacca. If 
 Miller gets here after we have left, he will guess what course 
 we have taken. Very likely he will land a boat and learn 
 that we have been here, and the course we took when we sailed 
 away, and would then be guided by circumstances. At any 
 rate, if nothing has happened to him, we are sure to meet 
 sooner or later." 
 
 " Do just as you think best, Captain Martyn. I most sin- 
 cerely trust that there are no grounds for your uneasiness. 
 Hitherto everything has gone well with us, and it would be 
 terrible indeed if anything should have happened to our two 
 friends and so many of our brave fellows." 
 
 The day passed slowly. A look-out was kept in the top, 
 but until the sun went down no sail was seen above the hori- 
 zon. The crew shared the anxiety of their captain, and 
 gathering in groups, discussed what could have occurred to 
 prevent their consort arriving at the rendezvous. 
 
 "I don"t believe as the Turks have caught them," one of 
 
204 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 the sailors said. "You won't never gammon me into taking 
 in such a yarn as that. I don't believe as there is a Turk 
 living would get the weather gauge of Lieutenant Miller. As 
 to tempests, that is different. We don't care for tempests 
 one way or the other on board the schooner, but then she is 
 a craft such as you don't see twice in a v'yage round the 
 world. If they had been in her I shouldn't have felt noways 
 uneasy; but seeing as how they are in a outlandish brig whose 
 ways they don't understand, it may be that if they was caught 
 off a lee shore by a heavy gale, even the first lieutenant with 
 our men at his back couldn't get her out of the mess." 
 
 "I said all along," another sailor put in, shaking his head, 
 "as there was bad luck coming. Three days ago I dreamed 
 of a black cat, and everyone as knows anything knows as there 
 ain't nothin' more unlucky to dream about than a black cat." 
 
 "Surely, Bill," another said, shaking his head gravely. 
 
 "Well, mates, it is my opinion," Tom Burdett said gruffly, 
 "as there is something in dreams, but in nine cases out of ten 
 it is something as has gone afore and not what comes after. 
 I know once when I came back from a v'yage I had written a 
 letter to tell my old woman what time I should arrive. I 
 reckoned to be in to dinner. Well, the coach broke down 
 and I did not get in till nine o'clock. The old woman had 
 made a plum-duff pretty nigh as big as my head, knowing as 
 I was fond of it, and she was in such a taking at my not hav- 
 ing been in to eat it at dinner that I sat down and I finished 
 that there pudding cold for supper. Well, I dreamt of about 
 ten million black cats and about as many sharks mixed up 
 together, but if you will believe me nothing came of it; and 
 ever since that I have held to the opinion that when you have 
 a bad dream, what you have got to think about when you wake 
 ain't what it means in the future, but what you have been 
 having for supper. 
 
 "Now, I expect if Bill there was to turn his mind back he 
 would remember that the night as he had that dream, he had 
 been filling hisself up with fruit or such like trash afore he 
 
IN THE HANDS OF THE TURKS 205 
 
 turned in. I don't say as nothing has happened to Lieutenant 
 Miller and our mates, but I am cocksure as that black cat Bill 
 said he dreamt on hadn't nothing to do with it either way. 
 Why, bless me, in my village there is hundreds of women as 
 thinks of nothing but dreams and tokens. It is no matter 
 what you dream of, they have got a 'terpretation of it, and if 
 the 'terpretation happens to be a bad one they bother their 
 husbands and brothers and sons, as the case may be, not to 
 put to sea, and there is many a good fisherman whose cup- 
 board is bare half the year, through listening to them. I may 
 have my ideas as to whether harm are come to that polacca or 
 not, but if every seaman on board the ship was to dream of a 
 black tom-cat and his wife and family, it wouldn't make not 
 so much as a shade of difference, in my opinion." 
 
 Martyn did not wait for daylight, but when the middle 
 watch was relieved sail was made, and the schooner bore away 
 to the north-east. Land was sighted about four o'clock, and 
 by nightfall they were coasting along at the distance of about 
 a mile. When it became dark they stood on and off the shore, 
 as Martyn wished to examine every inlet and bay as they went 
 on. As soon as it was daylight the schooner proceeded on 
 her way. The sails of several craft were made out seaward 
 during the course of the day, but none of these resembled the 
 canvas of the polacca, and attention was concentrated upon 
 the shore, every rock being closely scanned with glasses, and 
 a sharp look-out kept for signals of any kind. 
 
 In the evening a small fishing-boat was overhauled as it 
 made its way into a village. The fishermen were interrogated 
 by Zaimes, who understood a little Turkish. They had seen 
 nothing of any craft answering to a description of the polacca. 
 Interrogated about the weather, they replied that the storm 
 four days before had been an exceptionally severe one, com- 
 ing on very suddenly and blowing with tremendous force for 
 some hours. 
 
 The next morning they were at the mouth of the Gulf oi 
 Adalia. 
 
206 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "If Miller has gone to grief anywhere," Martyn said to 
 Horace, "it is as likely as not to be somewhere in this bay. 
 He might very well have been cruising about in here to pick up 
 anything coming out of Adalia, which is the principal port 
 along this part of the coast. It is a large bay, you see, and 
 if he happened to be well up it when he was caught in that 
 sudden gale it is probable enough that he would not be able 
 to beat out in that craft. I see on the map there are three 
 or four small towns between this cape and Adalia. I don't 
 want to show ourselves inside the cape, for the probability is 
 the schooner would be recognized directly. What I think 
 will be the best plan would be for you and Zaimes to take one 
 of the boats and coast along close in to the cape. There is a 
 place called Grambusa a mile or two around the corner, and 
 another place called Yanar a little farther on. I want you 
 either to board a fishing-boat and find out whether they have 
 news of a wreck between this and Adalia, or have heard of 
 any Greek or European prisoners being brought there from 
 farther east. If you can't succeed in getting hold of a fish- 
 ing-boat, Zaimes might land and try to pick up the news at 
 some cottage in the outskirts of the village. There are Greeks 
 in all these sea-side villages, for most of the fishing is in their 
 hands, and though in the towns there were massacres I don't 
 suppose they would be disturbed in quiet villages where they 
 had been settled for generations." 
 
 Zaimes was summoned, and agreed at once to land, as both 
 Martyn and Horace were of opinion that there was more prob- 
 ability of their getting trustworthy information that way than 
 from fishermen, who would be scared at finding their boat 
 suddenly overhauled. Accordingly, taking a gig with six men 
 Horace and Zaimes started for the shore, while the schooner 
 turned her head west. 
 
 "I shall cruise backward and forward," Martyn said. "I 
 sha'n't go more than four miles from the cape; so when you 
 come out again you will only have to lie on your oars till I 
 come back for you." 
 
IN THE HANDS OF THE TURKS 207 
 
 They rowed direct to shore, crept along close to it till they 
 saw the village half a mile ahead, and then rowed in and 
 landed Zaimes. He was absent an hour, and his walk assured 
 Horace that he had bad news even before he reached the side 
 of the boat. 
 
 "I am afraid you have bad news, Zaimes." 
 
 Zaimes shook his head. "Very bad: it could hardly be 
 worse. There are several Christians in the village, and I 
 learned from them that four days ago a brig that was caught 
 in the storm was driven ashore close to Adalia. It was found 
 that she was a Turkish vessel which had been captured by 
 pirates. The people would have torn them to pieces, but the 
 pasha, who had come down to the shore with a body of troops 
 to try and save those on board the ship when she was seen to 
 be driving ashore, protected them from the mob and lodged 
 them in prison. They say that he has sent off to Smyrna, 
 where the governor of Anatolia resides, to ask for instructions, 
 and it is expected that orders will come for their execution in 
 a day or two." 
 
 "Stretch to your oars, men," Horace said. "The others 
 have been wrecked and captured by the Turks, and the sooner 
 we are on board with the news the better." 
 
 The men bent to their oars and made the boat fly through 
 the water, and when they rounded Cape Khelidonia they saw 
 the schooner a quarter of a mile away in the act of going about. 
 They were seen almost as soon as they caught sight of her, and 
 she remained thrown up in the wind until they got alongside. 
 Martyn and Mr. Beveridge were both on deck, and as soon as 
 Zaimes had told his story they went down into the cabin for 
 a consultation. 
 
 "What on earth is to be done?" Martyn said; "Adalia is 
 a large town. Zaimes says there are troops there, likely enough 
 a whole regiment. It would be hopeless to try to attack it 
 with thirty men. The only thing I can see at present would 
 be for us to sail right in, anchor off the town, and threaten to 
 bombard it with red-hot shot if they don't give up the pris- 
 
208 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 oners. The objection is that they are likely to have some 
 batteries there, and in that case we might get the worst of it. 
 Besides, it is likely enough that they might hang Miller and 
 the rest of them at the first shot we fired." 
 
 "No, that is not to be thought of," Mr. Beveridge said. 
 "It seems to me that we might anchor within sight of the 
 place, send a boat ashore with a white flag, and offer to pay 
 any ransom they might fix for the prisoners. I would rather 
 pay ten thousand pounds than that harm should come to them. 
 What do you think, Horace?" 
 
 "If we could have got at the pasha before he .sent Off to 
 Smyrna that might have done, father; but having once referred 
 the case to Smyrna, I am afraid he might consider it too risky 
 to let them go. But we might try that if everything else 
 fails." 
 
 "But what else is there, Horace?" 
 
 " Well, I should say, father, the best thing would be to land 
 Zaimes and myself again. He has already made some acquaint- 
 ances in the village here, and no doubt they could rig us both 
 up in dresses like their own. Then we could go boldly on to 
 Adalia, find out exactly how things stand, what sort of a place 
 they are imprisoned in, how strong is the guard, and how close 
 the barrack of the troops is to the prison. I should suggest 
 that you sail away west, so that if, as it is likely enough, the 
 schooner has been noticed by any of the peasants in the vil- 
 lages scattered about among the hills and word sent to Adalia, 
 the report may also go that it has sailed right away. Then you 
 should capture a small Turkish craft; a large fishing-boat would 
 do. Leave ten men on board the schooner, and sail in the 
 prize nearly up to Adalia. If you anchor, say a couple of 
 miles this side of the town, and hoist a little flag, say a red 
 flag over a white, to your mast-head we should recognize you 
 and come down to the beach. 
 
 " If it is in the daytime you will make us out with your 
 glasses easily enough, and send a boat ashore for us. If it is 
 nighttime we will empty out a little powder, moisten it, and 
 
IX THE HAXDS OF THE TURKS 209 
 
 flash it off; then you can send ashore for us. I should order 
 the schooner to come every night, keeping three or four miles 
 off shore, sailing up nearly to Adalia, and then returning so as 
 to be round the cape again before daylight. In that way we 
 could communicate with her and go on board again when we 
 liked. Till we examine the place there is no saying whether 
 there is a possibility of rescue or not. If we find that there is 
 no possibility of anything being done in that direction we can 
 embark on board the schooner again, and carry out the plan 
 you suggested : anchor off Adalia, and send in to offer a ran- 
 som, with the alternative that if it is not accepted we will 
 bombard the place about their ears. In that way, you see, we 
 shall anyhow lose nothing by this expedition of Zaimes and 
 myself ashore." 
 
 "I think your plan is an excellent one, Horace," Martyn 
 said, and Mr. Beveridge equally approved of it. 
 
 "I don't think there will be any great danger about it, 
 Martyn. There seems no reason why any suspicion should 
 fall upon him and Zaimes if they are dressed in the same way 
 as the Greeks in these villages." 
 
 "No, I don't see why there should. Of course they will 
 only speak with other Greeks. I certainly think the plan of 
 our getting hold of a small native craft and anchoring near the 
 town is a capital one. It will save a great deal of time, for it 
 is somewhere about fifty miles from the cape to the town, and 
 it would, in fact, save a whole day, as, if they come off to us in 
 the evening we could do what there is to do that night, whereas, 
 if they had to walk all the way down the coast to the cape and 
 come on board there it would be too late to do anything that 
 night, and we should have to wait until the next." 
 
 Zaimes was called in, and eagerly embraced the proposal 
 when it was explained to him. He was passionately fond of 
 his brother, from whom he had never been separated, and. was 
 ready to dare anything to attempt his rescue. It was agreed 
 they had better wait till dark before they landed. Accordingly 
 the schooner sailed west for some hours and did not return to 
 
210 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 the cape until after darkness had fallen. Then Zaimes and 
 Horace were landed, and as soon as the boat returned the 
 schooner again sailed away. Before leaving the ship Horace 
 had dressed himself as a Greek, and on landing they walked 
 to the village. 
 
 "You had best remain outside for a few minutes, Mr. Hor- 
 ace," Zaimes said, "while I see the man I conversed with this 
 morning. I told him then that my brother was on board the 
 polacca that was wrecked, and that I should endeavour to get 
 the ear of some person of importance at Adalia. He said that 
 he was sure that I could do nothing, but anything he could do 
 to help me he would, for his people came years ago from 
 Naxos, which, as you know, is our native place. I will just 
 go in first to see if he is alone and to tell him that I have a 
 friend with me. As soon as I see that he is in the same mood 
 I will call you in." 
 
 In three or four minutes the door of the cottage opened 
 again and Horace was called in. 
 
 "This is the young friend who accompanies me," Zaimes 
 said to the man. "He is not a relation, but he has been with 
 my brother ever since he was born, and is willing to join me 
 in the effort to save him." 
 
 "It is quite hopeless," the peasant said. "You are only 
 risking your lives. Still, that is your business. You are 
 ready, you say, to buy of me two suits of our clothes. I have. 
 one suit belonging to my son, who is at present away in a 
 coasting ship, and I have a suit of my own that I can let you 
 have." 
 
 Zaimes and Horace had both brought on shore a consider- 
 able amount of gold stowed in belts beneath their clothes, in 
 case they should find any opportunity of bribing a prison 
 official, and had in their pockets an ample sum for any ordi- 
 nary expenditure. As the peasant only asked about three 
 times the amount which the clothes would cost new, they paid 
 for them without bargaining, and at once put them on. 
 
 "I have a brother at Adalia," the man said, well pleased 
 
IX THE HANDS OF THE TURKS 211 
 
 with the bargain he had made; "and if you go to him and say 
 that you come from me, his brother Alexis, of this village, I 
 am sure he will be glad to lodge you, especially when you tell 
 him that you too belong to Naxos." 
 
 After receiving instructions as to how to find the man's 
 brother in Adalia they started at once upon their journey. 
 They lay down for three hours in the middle of the night in 
 a wood, and entered Adalia at eight o'clock in the morning. 
 They went straight to the address the peasant had given them. 
 It was a small house with but two rooms, and its master was a 
 cobbler. As soon as Zaimes mentioned his brother's name, 
 and said that they were ready to pay for the accommodation, 
 the shoemaker agreed at once to receive them. He was a 
 chatty fellow, and was very anxious to hear news about affairs 
 in Greece, when they told him that they had but lately arrived 
 from there. 
 
 "Now," he said, "what is your business? Of course I can 
 see that you do not belong to us. You are from Naxos, as 
 you say; I notice a few turns of speech such as my father used 
 •to use. But what have you come here for? and why have you 
 bought my brother's clothes from him, for I recognized them 
 directly you came in? I like to know things, not because I 
 am inquisitive, but because I do not want to have the pasha's 
 executioner suddenly coming in at the door and taking off my 
 head, without even explaining the reason why." 
 
 "I am what I told you, a Greek of Naxos," Zaimes said; 
 "and as I explained to your brother, I have a brother who is 
 one of the crew of that ship that was wrecked here six days 
 ago; and I have come to see whether, by greasing the palms 
 of some of the officials, I can manage to get him out." 
 
 "That you can't," the man said decidedly. "If he were 
 in the civil prison it might be done; but the pasha, guessing 
 perhaps that many of us Christians would sympathize with 
 them, or possibly having an idea that the mob might rise, 
 handed them over to the buldiers, and they are confined in a 
 room in the military prison in the centre of the barracks, 
 
212 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 where there are lots of sentries. The gates have been closed 
 since they were taken there, and no civilian is allowed to enter 
 under any pretence. So you see there is no bribing to be 
 done. Of course the sentries are changed frequently. There 
 is no knowing what officer has the prisoners specially under 
 his charge. And even if he were bribed, there would be no 
 getting them past the sentries. So you can give up the idea 
 altogether of getting your brother out." 
 
 "How long does it take for a messenger to go from here to 
 Smyrna?" Zaimes asked, with a slight glance at Horace to 
 show that he was changing the conversation purposely. 
 
 "By ordinary travelling some two weeks; but a mounted 
 messenger, with relays of horses, can do it in four days." 
 
 "Then in another three days the answer may come from 
 Smyrna? " 
 
 "That is so. I wonder myself that the pasha took the 
 trouble of sending to the governor of Anatolia, instead of 
 hanging the prisoners at once." 
 
 " I suppose he thought that the governor might like to have 
 them sent to him, so that he could 1 forward them to Constan- 
 tinople." 
 
 "Are you thinking of delaying the messenger's return? 
 That might be done, you know." And the man drew his 
 finger across his throat significantly. 
 
 "I don't see that the delay would be of any use," Zaimes 
 replied. " If there is no chance of getting my brother out, 
 it matters not whether the messenger arrives to-day or a fort- 
 night hence. However, it is a matter that may be worth 
 thinking over later. At any rate we will go out and have a 
 look at the barracks. Will you go with us? I am not with- 
 out money, and can make it well worth your while to aid us 
 by your advice." 
 
 "I am ready enough," the man said. "Trade is dull, and 
 a man must live; and besides, I would gladly save a Chris- 
 tian and a native of my own island from the Turks." 
 
 "I would not trust him too far," Zaimes said in an under- 
 
PLANNING A RESCUE 213 
 
 tone to Horace when the man went into the apartment behind 
 to speak to his wife. "He is now inclined to help us, espe- 
 cially if he thinks that he will be well paid for it. But we 
 had better not let him know anything of our plans. When he 
 saw there was danger, what with fear as to his own safety and 
 the hope of a bigger reward than he could expect to get from 
 us, he might decide to turn traitor. We had better let him 
 suppose that we have given up all hope." 
 
 " I agree with you, Zaimes. His hint about the messenger 
 may be a useful one. I don't mean, of course, that we should 
 cut the poor beggar's throat; but we might bind him and 
 fasten him up for a few days if we find there is need of time 
 to make our preparations." 
 
 "I am afraid time will not help us," Zaimes said. "The 
 fellow can have no motive for lying; and if what he says is 
 a fact, I don't see a shadow of a chance of our getting them 
 out, even if we had all the crew of the schooner here." 
 
 " We shall know more about it when we have seen the place, 
 Zaimes. I expected they would be securely locked up, and 
 it is not much worse than I looked for. It is hard if we can't 
 hit on some plan for getting them out." 
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 PLANNING A RESCUE 
 
 "PVEN Horace was obliged to admit, when he with Zaimes 
 -L' and their guide had walked round the barracks, that he 
 saw no chance whatever of being able to get the prisoners out 
 by force. The barracks consisted of an old castle, a portion 
 of which was, as the shoemaker told them, now used as a 
 military prison ; and round this at some distance ran a strong 
 wall some fifteen feet high, loopholed for musketry. The 
 troops were lodged in huts between this wall and the castle. 
 
214 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "There you see," the guide said, "what I said was true. 
 You could not get a bird out of that place, much less a man." 
 
 "That is so," Zaimes agreed. "Well, what cannot be done, 
 cannot. However, we will talk it over this evening at your 
 house. Now let us walk about and view the city. Truly it 
 is a fine one." 
 
 Few towns, indeed, have a finer situation than Adalia, stand- 
 ing as it does at the head of a noble bay, a great portion of 
 which is fringed with lofty and precipitous cliffs. The town, 
 which at that time contained some ten thousand inhabitants, 
 stands on ground sloping upwards from the sea in terraces 
 rising one above another. It was surrounded by a ditch and 
 a double wall of massive construction, with square towers 
 every fifty yards. Beyond the walls stretched gardens and 
 groves of orange, lemon, and mulberry trees. Ten mosques 
 with their domes and minarets reared themselves above the 
 houses, and there were several churches belonging to the 
 Christian population, which was, the guide told them, about 
 two thousand in number, the great proportion of whom spoke 
 only the Turkish language. " I can talk equally well in both, 
 for it is but fifty years since my father settled here, and we 
 always talked Greek in the family as long as he lived. Now 
 I always speak Turkish; it is safer, and does not remind the 
 Turks continually that we are of Greek race." 
 
 "Where does the pasha reside?" Horace asked presently. 
 
 "I will show you his place; it is at the lower corner of 
 the north wall. His gardens stretch down to the wall by the 
 water, and another high wall on this side separates them from 
 the town." 
 
 Passing through several streets they arrived opposite the 
 residence of the pasha of the sanjak of Tekeh, of which Adalia 
 is the chief town. The residence itself stood at the angle of 
 the two walls dividing the garden from the town. It was a 
 massive building. Some soldiers sat on benches at either side 
 of the gate that opened into the court-yard, and townspeople 
 and officials passed in and out. 
 
PLANNING A RESCUE 215 
 
 "The public offices are in the court-yard," the guide said. 
 "The pasha's private dwelling and his harem lie behind it." 
 
 "I suppose we can walk in? " 
 
 "Certainly," the guide said; and they passed through the 
 gates into the court-yard. On one side was a guard-room, 
 stables, and other offices; on the other were the rooms of the 
 secretaries and officials and that in which the pasha transacted 
 business and received visitors. The portion of the house 
 facing the gates was blank on the basement story, except that 
 a door faced the gateway. Above were a line of windows, all 
 closed with jalousies. "That is the dwelling-house," their 
 guide said. " I believe all the apartments of the family face 
 the garden. Those windows you see there are only those of 
 the apartments of the servants and slaves." 
 
 After leaving the pasha's they walked down to the bottom of 
 the town, where two gates with strong flanking powers opened 
 upon the port, which was smaller than Horace had expected 
 to find it. However, he was glad to see that there were sev- 
 eral craft anchored in the roadstead, some near the port, some 
 at a distance, showing that vessels did not come in unless for 
 shelter in bad weather or to discharge heavy cargoes. What- 
 ever the craft, then, in which the crew of the schooner might 
 arrive, it would not attract attention by anchoring outside the 
 port, as arranged. They returned with their guide to his 
 house and had a meal there. Zaimes was profoundly dis- 
 couraged. He saw no prospect whatever of rescuing his 
 brother or the other prisoners, and the strength of the walls 
 and the guns that were mounted upon them — a step which, 
 the host told him, had been taken a few months before to 
 defend the town against the Greek fleet, should it make its 
 appearance there — showed that there was no prospect of the 
 Turks being alarmed by the appearance or threats of a craft 
 like the schooner. 
 
 "it seems altogether hopeless," Zaimes said to the Greek. 
 
 The latter shook his head, "1 can see no possible way," he 
 replied. "If it had been an ordinary prisoner in the jail it 
 
21G IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 could be managed without difficulty. I could have got one of 
 our countrymen of some influence to have approached the 
 prison officers, or I myself could have worked with the 
 warders; a small sum of money would have done it. But 
 now it seems to me hopeless, and even if we stop the messenger 
 and gain another eight days while the pasha sends again to 
 Smyrna, we should only run some risk and gain nothing." 
 
 Zaimes assented mournfully. 
 
 "You had better make the man a present, Zaimes," Horace 
 said when they were alone for a minute after the meal was 
 finished. "Tell him that it seems to us to be hopeless, and 
 that we shall probably go right away; but that if, thinking it 
 over, we can hit upon any possible plan we will be back again 
 this evening and sleep here." 
 
 Zaimes carried out the suggestion, gave their host a gold 
 coin, and said that they saw no use in staying longer, but 
 would think it over in every way and might return that evening. 
 
 "If you go outside the town you must be back by sunset," 
 the man said; "the gates are closed at that hour." 
 
 "We will not forget, but I do not think you will see us 
 again." 
 
 "Even if our people don't arrive this evening, Zaimes, I 
 think it will be just as well not to go back into the town," 
 Horace said as they issued out through the gates into the 
 country. " I don't say for a moment that the man is not hon- 
 est, but it is just as well not to put temptation in his way. 
 He knows that we are friends of the prisoners, and he, no 
 doubt, guesses that we belong to the craft that captured the 
 polacca that was wrecked. No doubt he would not openly 
 betray us; that would bring him into discredit with all the 
 Christians in the town. But a few words whispered to some 
 Turk, and an agreement to share any reward that may be given 
 for our capture, would answer the purpose just as well. I 
 don't say he would do it, you know, but it would be just as 
 well not to run the risk." 
 
 On issuing from the gate, Horace saw that there was a nar- 
 
PLANNING A RESCUE 217 
 
 row road running between a deep dry ditch at the foot of the 
 city walls and the outlying gardens and orchards. 
 
 "This will be our shortest way down to the water, Zaimes, 
 let us follow it." 
 
 The Greek turned without question. When they had gone 
 half-way down between the gate and the bottom of the hill, 
 Horace stopped. " Now, let us have a good look at this 
 place. On the other side of that wall is the garden of the 
 pasha's house. I counted the number of steps up from the 
 house to the cross-road leading to the gateway, and I have 
 counted them coming down again; we are about fifty yards 
 below the upper wall of the garden." 
 
 "I daresay it is so," Zaimes replied listlessly. 
 
 "This ditch is about ten feet deep, and from the bottom of 
 the ditch to the top of that first wall is from five-and-twenty 
 to thirty; between that wall and the higher one inside it is 
 about fifteen feet; and the inner wall is about fifteen feet 
 higher than the outer one; those square towers form junctions 
 between the two walls. Now, we may be quite sure that there 
 are no sentries either on the wall or on the square towers. I 
 don't suppose there are sentries anywhere except in the bat- 
 teries on the water-face, but there certainly won't be here, 
 for they would command a view down into the pasha's gar- 
 den; so we may quite conclude that except for the trouble of 
 scaling the walls there is nothing to prevent our getting over. 
 A couple of rope-ladders and one or two twenty-foot planks 
 with bits nailed across them to give a foothold would take us 
 on to the inner wall; then we should need another long ladder 
 to get down into the garden. That would be about thirty-five 
 feet, I should say." 
 
 "Yes, I see all that," Zaimes, whose face had again become 
 animated as he listened, agreed; "but what would be the good 
 of getting into the pasha's garden? " 
 
 " No good at all, if we were by ourselves, Zaimes, but with 
 Martyn and twenty men from the schooner a good deal of good, 
 I should say. We have only got to make a sudden rush into 
 
218 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 the house, which will, of course, be open to the garden, seize 
 the pasha, and carry him and some of his wives and children 
 off to the craft that our fellows come in, and then on to the 
 schooner. Then we can send ashore to say that unless the 
 prisoners are sent off in a boat to us by twelve o'clock in 
 the day we shall hang the pasha. Maybe when we get hold 
 of the pasha there will be no occasion to carry him and his 
 Avomen off; the mere threat of it might be enough. We can 
 tell him that it will be painful to us to have to hoist them up 
 to the top of the wall in sacks, but that we shall be obliged to 
 do it unless he signs an order for the prisoners' release, and 
 sends it off at once by an officer to the jail. A handsome 
 bribe that will enable him to make his peace with his superior 
 at Smyrna may help to quicken his perception." 
 
 Zaimes seized Horace's hand with fervour, shook it wildly, 
 clasped his hands on his breast, raised them to heaven, and 
 poured forth a stream of exclamations of delight. The quiet 
 habits of many years had been thrown to the winds in a mo- 
 ment, and the excitable Greek nature burst through all re- 
 straints. " You have given me new life," he exclaimed as soon 
 as he had calmed down a little. "Just now there did not 
 seem even a shadow of hope. Now there is a chance that once 
 again I may clasp my brother in my arms. Your plan is 
 difficult, it is dangerous, and yet we may succeed. It is a 
 desperate undertaking, but what is that? I would give my 
 life for my brother, and your sailors would all risk theirs for 
 their comrades." 
 
 " Let us sit down here quietly for a few minutes, Zaimes, 
 and take a good look at these walls. It is evident by the look 
 of this road that it is very little used, and even if anyone did 
 come up they would only think that we had been working in the 
 orange groves behind us and were taking a quiet smoke. It 
 is lucky that there is a moon to-night; it would be an awfully 
 difficult job to get over those walls and into a place we know 
 nothing of if it were a dark night. There will be no difficulty 
 in throwing up a grapnel and getting on to the first wall. The 
 
PLANNING A RESCUE 219 
 
 greatest difficulty will be in crossing from that to the one be- 
 hind it. Of course with a regular gangway it would be easy 
 enough, but we should not be able to get materials for making 
 one. However, with a couple of stout spars put up a foot 
 apart with ropes between them a foot from each other so as to 
 make ratlings, we could get up, though it wouldn't be a very 
 easy job passing women down. Still, I hope it won't come 
 to that. I should think if we capture the pasha and his chil- 
 dren, if he has any — and I suppose with half-a-dozen wives 
 he will be sure to have some — we might leave the women 
 alone, though, of course, we should threaten to take them. But 
 I'll tell you what we shall want, and that is a man who can 
 speak Turkish well, so as to explain exactly to the pasha the 
 fix he is in." 
 
 "Yes, we shall want such a man," Zaimes agreed. 
 
 "Very well, Zaimes, then I think you had better go back to 
 our friend at once. Even if he did mean treachery, he would 
 have taken no steps yet, as he won't expect us back till the 
 evening if we come at all. Tell him that you want a service 
 of him in which he will run no personal danger — for you know 
 we can dress him up in some of our things, and put a bit of 
 black cloth as a mask half over his face — and that he will be 
 paid twenty pieces of gold for a night's work. That will be a 
 fortune to him." 
 
 "That will be the best plan," Zaimes said. "Where shall 
 we meet you? " 
 
 " I will go down the hill to the bottom to see what sort of 
 a road there is along the sea, and I will wait there for you. 
 If the road is exposed to the view of any sentries on the bat- 
 teries at the sea wall we must make our way through the 
 orchards to this point; if not, we will move along there." 
 
 " Do you think that Captain Martyn is sure to be here this 
 evening? " 
 
 " He is quite certain to be. He knows that every hour is of 
 importance, and he will get hold of some craft or other early 
 this morning even if he has to go into a fishing port to get it." 
 
220 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 Zaimes retraced his steps up the hill, while Horace saun- 
 tered down until he came out on to the road leading to the 
 port along the shore. A good many small houses were scat- 
 tered along by its side, and some fishing-boats drawn up on 
 the beach. At the angle of the wall there was a battery. 
 Three guns pointed along the road and the Turkish sentry was 
 leaning against the parapet by the side of them. 
 
 "We shall have to make our way through the orchards," 
 he said to himself. "There will be no getting along this road 
 with the moon up. The sentry would notice us a quarter of 
 a mile away. Besides, the tramp of so many feet would be 
 certain to bring people to their doors. And we must come 
 early if we can, so as to catch the pasha before he goes to 
 bed." 
 
 In half an hour Zaimes and the cobbler came up. 
 
 " It is agreed," the former said in English; " twenty pounds 
 will make him what he considers rich, and he declares he is 
 ready to run any risk for a single night's work in order to gain 
 it. I think he is an honest fellow. I watched him closely 
 when I went in, and if he had any thought whatever of betray- 
 ing us, I think I should have seen it in his face." 
 
 It was now four o'clock in the afternoon, and they soon 
 made out a small brigantine anchored a quarter of a mile out, 
 and about a mile and a half along the shore. 
 
 "I expect that is her," Horace said. "She has only just 
 come in, for there are some men upon the yards stowing 
 away the sails, and that is just the position we agreed she 
 should take up." 
 
 When they had gone a mile farther they could see that she 
 had small red and white flags at her mast-head. When they 
 got opposite to her they went down to the water's edge. 
 Horace waved a white handkerchief for a moment and then 
 sat down. A minute later the boat towing behind the brigan- 
 tine was hauled up. Two men got into her and rowed lei- 
 surely to the shore. They were dressed as Turkish sailors, but 
 Horace recognized them as they came close as two of the 
 
PLANNING A RESCUE 221 
 
 crew. They stepped in at once, and the boat rowed out 
 again. 
 
 "Have you any news of Mr. Miller and the others, Mr. 
 Horace," one of them said, "if I might make so bold as to 
 ask?" 
 
 " Certainly you may. They are in prison, and there is no 
 possibility of getting them out with the strength we have got; 
 it would need three or four hundred men at least. But we 
 have another plan, which we hope will be successful." 
 
 "You will find the captain down in the cabin with your 
 father, Mr. Horace. Everyone is keeping below except three 
 or four of our chaps, who are got up, like us, in the clothes of 
 the crew of the craft." 
 
 "Come along, Zaimes," Horace said as he stepped on 
 board. "You had better come with me. This man is going 
 to help us, Davidson, so make him as comfortable as you can 
 till Zaimes comes out again." 
 
 Horace found his father, Martyn, and the doctor in the 
 little cabin. He was heartily welcomed back, and eagerly 
 questioned as to his news. He first told them of the impos- 
 sibility of doing anything to effect the rescue of the prisoners, 
 guarded as they were; and then explained the position of the 
 pasha's house and garden, and his own plan. 
 
 "Well, it is a bold scheme, Horace, but I should think it 
 might succeed," Martyn said when he concluded. " We ought 
 certainly to be able to get hold of the pasha before an alarm 
 is given, and if we do we might manage to make terms with 
 him without the women knowing anything about it. That 
 would be a great point, if it could be managed, for if they 
 begin screaming they will bring the whole town upon us. You 
 say there is one door from that part of the house into the 
 court-yard on the other side, and of course there is a commu- 
 nication from the public rooms into the house. The first 
 thing to do when we get in will be to post a couple of men at 
 each of these doors to prevent anyone from running out and 
 giving them the alarm. After that we can tackle the pasha 
 
222 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 quietly. As you say, though we may threaten, there would be 
 no getting women up over those walls; they would have to be 
 slung up like bales, and if the alarm were given we should 
 have the town upon us before we had half finished the job. 
 We could bundle the pasha off, tied up if he would not walk, 
 and take a dozen children if there are as many, for the sailors 
 could carry them if they were small; if not, they could be 
 gagged and made to walk with a pistol at their heads; but 
 with women, and especially Turkish women, it would be an 
 awful business. Many of them are fat, and some of them I 
 suppose would faint. If we can get the pasha himself and 
 some of his children that will be enough; but as you say, I 
 expect he will give in when he finds himself in our hands, and 
 we tell him that we are going to carry him and his whole 
 family off. Your idea of a bribe in addition is a very good 
 one. Of course, as you say, if we were sure the men at Smyrna 
 would send an order for them to be sent to him, we should be 
 all right, for we could attack their guard at some lonely spot 
 along the road; but the betting is ten to one that he orders 
 them to be hung at once, and if the pasha here writes in return 
 describing how he has been obliged to give them up, and 
 sending a handsome present, he will hear nothing more about 
 it. What time do you think we had better start, Horace? " 
 
 "About nine o'clock, I should say. It will take us a good 
 hour getting from here and scaling the walls. It is not likely 
 the pasha will be turning in before eleven, but it is as well to 
 give a good margin." 
 
 "I should recommend you not to go, Mr. Beveridge," Mar- 
 tyn said. "You are not accustomed to climb rope-ladders. 
 It is a job that is only fit for sailors." 
 
 "I do not think I should be of much use," Mr. Beveridge 
 replied. "If I did, I would go gladly; but after the hin- 
 drance I was to you all at Cyprus, I will take your advice and 
 stay here." 
 
 " I will leave a couple of men with you." 
 
 " No, Captain Martyn, you may want every man. Zaimes 
 
PLANNING A RESCUE J-'o 
 
 will remain with me. If you were going to attack the prison 
 no doubt he would wish to be there and help to rescue his 
 brother: but as it is, someone must stay here as we have eight 
 prisoners down in the hold, and as he is no more accustomed 
 to climbing ropes than I am, it is better that he should re- 
 main here." 
 
 "Very well, sir, then I will see about getting the things we 
 shall want made." 
 
 The crew were at once set to work to prepare the ladders. 
 
 "We had better not make regular rope-ladders," Martyn 
 said. "They are well enough for us; but if we have to get 
 people over the wall, we had better put in wooden rungs." 
 
 Accordingly some spare oars were sawn up into lengths, 
 and with these and four ropes, two ladders each forty feet long 
 were manufactured. Then two spars twenty-five feet long 
 were chosen. Cross-pieces were nailed to these a foot apart, 
 and a long piece of canvas was nailed under this gangway, so 
 that, as Martyn said, if any of the captives made a false step 
 in going across it, they would not fall through. A single 
 block was fastened to a grapnel, and a long rope attached for 
 getting up the ladder to the top of the first wall. All this was 
 but an hour's work for twenty men. The doctor had been 
 asked whether he would prefer staying on board or going 
 with the party. He decided upon staying. 
 
 " If you were going to fight I would certainly go with you, 
 Martyn ; but I am no more accustomed to climbing up ropes 
 than Mr. Beveridge is, and I should only be in your way, so I 
 will stay with him and Zaimes and keep watch on board." 
 
 " I think that is the best plan, doctor. It is sailors' work. 
 We shall have trouble as it is in hoisting that fellow Horace 
 brought on board over the walls." 
 
 The cobbler had turned pale with fright when Zaimes ex- 
 plained to him that they were going to take the pasha a pris- 
 oner, and that he would be wanted to interpret to him, and he 
 protested that nothing could tempt him to undertake such a 
 business. 
 
224 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Nonsense, man!" Zaimes said. "You will run no more 
 risks than the others. Look at them laughing and joking. 
 They don't look like men who are about to embark on a peril- 
 ous expedition. However, I promised you twenty pounds, 
 but if you do your work well and speak out boldly and firmly 
 what you are told, you shall have another five." 
 
 "It is a big sum for a poor man," the cobbler replied. "I 
 will do it, but I won't answer for speaking out loud and bold; 
 my teeth chatter at the very thought of it. If he should ever 
 recognize me again, he would chop me up into mince meat." 
 
 "How can he recognize you? You can either fasten a piece 
 of black cloth over your face, or what will do just as well, get 
 a cork and burn it, and rub it over your face till you are as 
 black as coal. Your own brother wouldn't know you then, 
 and the pasha will have enough to think about without staring 
 at you." 
 
 "I like that better than the cloth," the man said. "If 
 there is a scuffle the black cloth may come off." 
 
 "We will rig you up in the clothes of one of the sailors 
 here. You can put them on over your own if you like, and 
 then you will have nothing to do but to throw them away, 
 wash your face, and walk boldly into the town in the morn- 
 ing." 
 
 The brigantine had two boats. These were, as soon as it 
 became dark, lowered, and a quarter before nine the landing 
 party mustered. The men had already torn up some blankets 
 and old sail-cloth, and wrapped them round their cutlasses 
 and muskets so as to deaden the sound should these strike 
 against the wall. The guns were not loaded, but each man 
 carried thirty rounds of ammunition and a brace of pistols, 
 which were to be loaded as soon as they got down into the 
 garden, Martyn, however, giving the strictest orders that what- 
 ever happened not a shot was to be fired without his permis- 
 sion. 
 
 " I do not think it is likely that we shall meet with any 
 resistance, lads," he said before they stepped down into the 
 
THE PASHA OF ADALIA 225 
 
 boats. "If there is, knock them down with your fists; or if 
 there is anything serious, use your cutlasses. Mr. Horace will 
 place the four men told off for the doors, at their posts. These 
 will follow him through the house regardless of anything that 
 is going on around. Everything depends upon our preventing 
 anyone from leaving the house and giving the alarm. I shall 
 myself post men at all the lower windows before we enter. 
 Their duty will be to prevent anyone from coming out into 
 the garden. If there is yelling or shrieking in the garden it 
 will alarm the town. As long as they only shriek in the house 
 there is no fear of its being heard. Now you each know what 
 you have got to do. As to scaling the wall, this must be done 
 as quietly as if you were making sail on board a smart frigate." 
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 THE PASHA OF ADALIA 
 
 PACKED closely in the two boats of the Turkish craft the 
 landing party rowed for the shore. As soon as they 
 reached it the boats were drawn up on the strand, and in 
 silence Martyn led his men across the road. Then he struck 
 off into the orchard on the other side, so as to escape the 
 notice of any of the people in the houses by the road. The 
 cobbler and Horace went first, Martyn and the men followed 
 a short distance behind. Half an hour's walking took them 
 to the edge of the ditch, and after a short search they found 
 a bough that Horace and Zaimes had cut off and thrown down 
 by the side of the path, to mark the spot where they were to 
 make the ascent. 
 
 Two sailors were posted on the path, at fifty yards above 
 and below them, in case anyone should come along, although 
 the risk of this was exceedingly small. There was no difficulty 
 
226 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 in scrambling down into the ditch. As soon as they did so 
 the sailor who carried the grapnel advanced to the foot of the 
 wall, and at the second attempt succeeded in getting it to 
 hold on the parapet. Another, with one of the rope-ladders, 
 went forward, fastened the rope to it, and the two of them 
 hauled the ladder up to the block, and kept the rope taut 
 while Martyn mounted. He found, as he had expected, that 
 there was a platform behind the wall for men to stand on while 
 firing. Taking his place on it he took hold of the ladder 
 rope and told the men below to loosen their end. Holding it 
 partly up he fastened it at the block. Then two men joined 
 him, hauled the wooden gangway up, and planted it against 
 the top of the inner wall. The rest of the men followed, and 
 Martyn led the way across. The others soon stood beside 
 him, all stooping down on the platform as soon as they had 
 crossed, so that their heads should not show above the sky- 
 line, should anyone happen to be looking out from the win- 
 dows of the house. 
 
 Two sailors helped the cobbler across the gangway. Horace 
 was the last to mount, with the exception of the two sentries, 
 whom he summoned with a low whistle as soon as the others 
 were up. When they reached the top they hauled the rope- 
 ladder after them, and laid it ready for lowering again. By 
 the time Horace crossed to the inner wall Martyn and most of 
 the men had already descended to the garden by the second 
 rope-ladder. 
 
 "That has all been managed well," Martyn said when 
 Horace joined him below. "Now, you and I will go forward 
 and reconnoitre a bit." 
 
 The house was seventy or eighty yards away. There were 
 lights in several windows on the ground-floor, and at almost 
 all the windows on the flat above it. 
 
 "We had better take off our shoes, Horace. It is no use 
 running any risks. Shove them in your sash beside your 
 pistols." 
 
 They stole noiselessly up to the house and looked in at the 
 
THE PASHA OF ADALIA 227 
 
 windows. In one room were a group of servants sitting round 
 a brazier, smoking; another room was empty; but in the 
 third, which was much the largest, four Turkish officials were 
 seated on a divan, and a Nubian slave was handing them 
 coffee. 
 
 "That old chap is the pasha, no doubt," Martyn whispered. 
 "He is evidently master of the house. You see he is giving 
 some order or other to the slave. Here is the garden door 
 into a hall; let us see if it is open. Yes; that is all right. 
 Well, I think now we will bring up the men. Now, as soon 
 as we are in, Horace, you take four men; go in first and post 
 them at the doors leading out of the house. I will take six 
 men and seize the pasha and his friends. Other four will 
 pounce upon the servants. Your cobbler fellow had better go 
 with them to tell the servants that if they make the least row 
 they will have their throats cut. The other men will scatter 
 about in the passages and down stairs, and pounce upon any- 
 body who may come along. As soon as you have posted your 
 men, go to the room where the servants are, and bring the 
 interpreter in to me. Tell the sailors to bind the fellows and 
 lay them down, and put a couple of guards over them." 
 
 They returned to the men and told them off to their several 
 duties. All were ordered to take their shoes off, and put them 
 in their belts. 
 
 "Now, you can draw your cutlasses, lads," Martyn said. 
 "Have you all loaded your pistols? " 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Well, mind they are not to be used; a pistol-shot might 
 destroy all our plans. I hope to manage it so that there shall 
 not be any noise whatever." 
 
 They made their way quietly up to the house. Horace 
 opened the door and led the way in, followed by his four men. 
 They passed through the hall and a long passage, from which 
 several rooms opened; and he was sure, by the direction in 
 which he was going, that this must lead to the offices. At the 
 end was a strong door; only one bolt was shot, as doubtless 
 
228 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 the officers would be leaving by this way. He put up a heavy 
 bar that was standing beside it, stationed two of the sailors 
 there, and then retraced his steps with the others. Just as he 
 reached the hall again a sailor came up to him. 
 
 "This is the way to the big door, your honour; " and turn- 
 ing down another passage they arrived at a double door, 
 which Horace had no doubt was the one that he had seen in 
 the court-yard. Posting the men there he hurried back, and 
 soon found the room where the servants had been sitting. 
 The work had already been done. The sailors had all been 
 provided with short lengths of rope, and the Turks were lying 
 bound upon the floor. Telling the cobbler to accompany him, 
 he went into the next room. Two sailors, with drawn cut- 
 lasses, were standing by the side of the pasha. The three 
 officers had been bound, and were lying on the divan, with a 
 sailor standing over each, while the other sailor stood over 
 the attendant, who cowered on the ground in an attitude of 
 abject terror. Martyn was standing facing the pasha. 
 
 "Now, Horace," he said, "tell your man what to say to the 
 pasha." 
 
 This had been arranged between them, and Horace at once 
 addressed the pasha. 
 
 "Do you speak Greek?" 
 
 The pasha shook his head. 
 
 "Tell him," Horace said in that language to the interpreter, 
 "that we belong to the ship to which the officers and sailors 
 he has in his prison also belong, and that we have come here 
 to fetch them away. We are fighting under the flag of Greece; 
 but we are Englishmen by blood, and we shall do no harm to 
 him or his family. The prisoners, however, we will have; 
 and unless he sends at once, with an order for their delivery 
 from the prison, and hands them over to us, we shall be 
 obliged to carry him, the three officers here, and the ladies of 
 his family and his children, off on board our ship as hostages; 
 and if a hair of the prisoners' heads is touched, we shall be 
 forced to hang him and the whole of his family to the yard- 
 arms of the ship." 
 
i'HE CAPTURE OF THE PASHA 
 
THE PASHA OF ADALIA 229 
 
 The interpreter translated his words sentence by sentence. 
 The Turk had at first looked perfectly impassive ; but at the 
 threat to carry off his women and children his expression 
 changed, the veins stood out of his forehead, and his face 
 flushed with fury. 
 
 "Tell him," Horace went on, "that we should deeply regret 
 to have to take such a step, and that we sincerely trust that he 
 will see the necessity for his yielding to our demands. There 
 is no possibility of assistance reaching him, we are a well- 
 armed body of determined men, his servants have been secured, 
 and all the doors are guarded, as also the windows outside — 
 he is completely in our power. As we came in noiselessly 
 and unobserved, so we shall depart. If he refuses to comply 
 with our demands we shall, of course, be compelled to bind 
 and gag all our captives, and to carry the ladies«and children." 
 
 When the last sentence had been translated, Horace said to 
 Martyn, " I think, Captain Martyn, you had better get those 
 officers carried into the next room, so that we can touch upon 
 the money side of the question." 
 
 Martyn gave the order, and the officers and the attendant 
 were removed. 
 
 "Now, pasha," Horace went on, "let us look at this thing 
 reasonably. On the one side is the certainty that you and 
 the ladies of the household and your children will be carried 
 away; and that unless the prisoners are given up to us in 
 exchange for you, you will be all put to death. On the other 
 hand, you have but to surrender prisoners whom you did not 
 even capture in war, but who were wrecked on your shore. 
 We know that you have sent to Smyrna for directions concern- 
 ing them. Were it not for that you would have handed them 
 over to us without difficulty; but as the pasha there, who is 
 your superior, now knows of it, you think that he will be angry 
 when he hears of their escape, and that you might fall into 
 disgrace. Hut I don't think that the pasha of Anatolia, if he 
 were placed in the same position as you are, would hesitate a 
 moment in giving up a score of captives of no great impor- 
 
230 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 tance one way or the other; and that if the matter were placed 
 by you in the proper light before him, accompanied, perhaps, 
 by a present, nothing more would be heard about it. In any 
 case we are ready to pay you the sum of one thousand pounds 
 as a ransom for them. We have sent your officers out of 
 the room that they should not hear this offer, which will be 
 entirely between ourselves. It is not meant as a bribe to you, 
 but as a ransom, which, if you choose to send it to Smyrna, 
 will doubtless assist the pasha there to perceive that being, 
 with your whole family, at our mercy, you had no resource 
 but to comply with our commands. We will give you five 
 minutes to make up your mind." 
 
 When this was translated, the pasha asked : 
 
 " How am I to know that, if the captives are restored to 
 you, you will not still carry me and my family away? " 
 
 "You have simply the word of English gentlemen," Horace 
 said when the question was translated to him. "You see we 
 are acting as considerately as we can. Your ladies upstairs 
 are still unaware that anything unusual is going on. Our men 
 have touched nothing belonging to you. We are neither 
 robbers nor kidnappers, but simply men who have come to 
 save their comrades from a cruel death." 
 
 "I will write the order," the pasha said firmly. "Had I 
 been in the house by myself I would have died rather than do 
 so. Being as it is, I cannot resist." 
 
 "Who will you send with the order? " Horace asked. 
 
 " One of the officers you have taken away is the colonel of 
 the regiment. He will take it and bring the prisoners here. 
 He is the oldest of the three." 
 
 Horace went into the next room and ordered the officer to 
 be unbound and brought in by two of the sailors. 
 
 "You have heard, Colonel Osman, the terms that these 
 strangers have laid down, and that unless the prisoners are 
 surrendered, you, the two bimbaches, myself, and the mem- 
 bers of my family, will be carried off as hostages and hung if 
 the prisoners are not delivered up." 
 
THE PASHA OF ADALIA 231 
 
 "I heard that, pasha." 
 
 "What is your opinion, colonel? " 
 
 " My opinion is that you have no course but to give up the 
 prisoners. No one would expect you to sacrifice the lives of 
 the ladies of your family and your children, to say nothing of 
 your own and ours, merely for the sake of twenty shipwrecked 
 sailors. It seems to me that it were madness to hesitate, 
 pasha." 
 
 "That is also my opinion," the pasha said. "Therefore, 
 colonel, I will now write you an order to fetch them from 
 prison and bring them under an escort here. You will under- 
 stand that it will be better that absolute silence should be 
 observed about this affair. The less it is talked of the better. 
 If the officer in special charge of them asks any questions 
 you can intimate that, without knowing it, you believe that the 
 messenger may have arrived from Smyrna with instructions as 
 to their disposal. Dismiss the escort at the outer gate and 
 bring the prisoners yourself here." 
 
 The pasha wrote the order, which he handed to the colonel, 
 who at once hurried off with it. 
 
 "You are sure that he will faithfully obey the order, pasha? " 
 Horace asked through the interpreter. 
 
 The pasha nodded. 
 
 " One of the bimbaches here is his own brother, and he 
 would be sure that his life would be sacrificed were there any 
 treachery." 
 
 At this moment there was a little shriek heard. 
 
 " I am afraid," Horace said, "that one of the ladies' attend- 
 ants has come downstairs and has been seized. Perhaps you 
 will like to go upstairs and assure them that there is no cause 
 for alarm. In the meantime I will hand you this bag, which 
 contains the amount of the ransom in gold." 
 
 "You Englishmen act nobly," the pasha said as he took the 
 bag. "You had us in your power, and need have paid noth- 
 ing, and you treat me as a friend rather than as an enemy. It 
 is a pity that you fight for the Greeks. When I was a young 
 man I fought in Egypt by the side of your troops." 
 
232 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 Horace escorted him through the sailors in the passages to 
 the foot of the stairs and there left him. 
 
 "Your scheme is turning out trumps and no mistake," 
 Martyn said as he returned to the room. "There is no fear, 
 I hope, of that Turkish colonel bringing all his men down 
 on us." 
 
 "I don't think so." And Horace then repeated what the 
 pasha had said as to one of the officers in his hands being the 
 colonel's brother. 
 
 "That is good, Horace. I don't think he would venture 
 on it anyhow. Evidently the pasha has no fear. If he had 
 he would not have sent him, because he must have known that 
 his treachery jeopardized his own safety and that of his 
 family." 
 
 " How long do you think they will be before they are back ? " 
 
 "Not much above half an hour, I should think. I don't 
 think the Turkish soldiers do much in the way of undressing, 
 and certainly our fellows won't. Now we will leave five men 
 to look after the prisoners here, and we will put all the others 
 in the offices you say look into the court-yard, so that if by 
 any chance this fellow does bring troops down with him we 
 can give them a hot reception." 
 
 " If he does, Horace, do you take the five men in the 
 house, rush upstairs, let one man put a pistol to the pasha's 
 head, and let the others snatch up any children they can find 
 there and take them away over the wall — pasha and all — and 
 march them straight down to the boat and get them on board 
 ship. Let me know when you are off with them. We will 
 defend the place as long as we can, and then make a bolt 
 through the garden to the ladder and follow you." 
 
 The men loaded their muskets and took their places at the 
 windows of the offices. Horace and Martyn stood at the 
 door leading from the house into the court-yard. The inter- 
 preter stood with them. Presently they heard the tramp of feet 
 approaching. Then they heard a word of command, followed 
 by silence, and the interpreter said : 
 
THE PASHA OF ADALIA Joo 
 
 " He has ordered the soldiers to halt. The prisoners alone 
 are to enter the court-yard. When the gates close behind 
 them the soldiers are to march back to barracks." 
 
 The gates that had been left ajar by the officer as he went 
 out opened, and in the moonlight they saw him enter, followed 
 by Miller, Tarleton, and the sailors. The officer himself 
 closed and barred the gate as the last entered. Then Martyn 
 and Horace rushed forward and grasped the hands of their 
 friends. These were for a time speechless with astonishment, 
 but the men burst into exclamations and then began to cheer. 
 Martyn checked them at once. 
 
 " Hush, lads ! Come in silently and quietly. We will talk 
 and cheer when we get away. Pass the word inside, Horace. 
 Tell the men to file out at once. Form up in the garden. I 
 will wait here till you have cleared the house." 
 
 The greetings were hearty indeed when the two parties met 
 in the garden. 
 
 "March to the ladder, lads," Martyn said, "but don't begin 
 to climb it till we join you. Now, Horace, we will say good- 
 bye to the old pasha. Bring the interpreter in with you." 
 
 The pasha had returned to his room again where he had 
 been joined by the three officers, the colonel having already 
 liberated the other two. 
 
 "Tell the pasha that Captain Martyn wishes to thank him 
 for the promptness with which the arrangement has been car- 
 ried out, and also to express to him his very great pleasure 
 that this incident should have terminated without unpleasant- 
 ness. Captain Martyn wishes also to say, that although, in 
 order to rescue his officers and men, he was obliged to use 
 threats, yet that, as far as the ladies of the pasha's family were 
 concerned, they were threats only; for that, even had he 
 refused, he should have respected the privacy of his apart- 
 ments; and although he would have been obliged to carry off 
 the pasha himself, his children, and these officers as hostages, 
 he would have retaliated for the murder of the prisoners only 
 upon the adults. No English officer would use disrespect to 
 
234 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 ladies, and no English officer would avenge the murder even 
 of his dearest friends upon children." 
 
 When this was translated to the pasha, he replied: "The 
 courtesy that the captain and his sailors have exhibited since 
 they entered the house is in itself sufficient to show me that 
 his words are true, and that the ladies of my household would 
 have been respected. I feel myself humiliated by thus having 
 my prisoners carried off from the midst of the town, but I 
 have no reason to complain. It is the will of Allah, and I 
 shall always remember these English officers as gallant gentle- 
 men. There are not many who would risk their lives to save 
 a few of their countrymen." 
 
 A few more words were exchanged, and then Martyn and 
 his companions joined the sailors at the wall. Miller and 
 Tarleton had by this time gathered from the men a short 
 account of how their rescue had come about. 
 
 "Now," Martyn said briskly when he reached them, "the 
 sooner we are off the better. Horace, do you lead the way 
 with ten of the men who came with us; let the last two of that 
 party help your interpreter over. Mr. Miller, you with your 
 party will follow. I will bring up the rear with the other ten 
 men." 
 
 In five minutes all were over the walls. The last party had 
 pulled up the ladder from the garden after them, then removed 
 and lowered down the gangway; and after Martyn, who came 
 last, reached the ditch, the grapnel was shaken from its hold 
 on the wall. 
 
 "It wouldn't do to leave these things here," he said to 
 Horace. "There is no saying what yarn the pasha may set 
 afloat. It is quite on the cards that if he gets an order from 
 Smyrna to execute the prisoners, he will have it given out that 
 they were marched to the court-yard of his house and there 
 executed. At any rate our taking away the ladders will leave 
 it open to him to give his own account of the matter. Now, 
 my lads, you will all follow me. It is of no use forming up 
 in order, as we are going through orchards; but keep close 
 
THE PASHA OF ADALIA 235 
 
 together, don't straggle and don't talk. You will have plenty 
 of time to compare notes when you are once on board. 
 
 "Now, Miller," he said as he started, "we are fairly out of 
 it. I am delighted, indeed, to see you and Tarleton again. 
 I thought at one time it was all up with you." 
 
 "So did we," Miller said, "and I can hardly believe we 
 are free even now." 
 
 " It is due to Horace and Zaimes, Miller, though it is to 
 Horace entirely that the credit of hitting upon the plan by 
 which we have got you out belongs. However we will talk 
 all about that when we get on board. You will have to tell 
 your yarn to the chief; besides, as I have told the men not to 
 talk, I don't want to set a bad example." 
 
 Horace had greeted Marco warmly in the court-yard, and 
 as soon as they started he fell behind with him, chatting with 
 him in low tones. 
 
 "Zaimes couldn't come with us, Marco, for he and the 
 doctor had to stay on board with my father to look after some 
 prisoners there, but he was here with me this morning and 
 made all the arrangements for the escape. We landed at the 
 mouth of the bay and walked here last night, both disguised 
 in peasants' dresses we got hold of. I know it was a great 
 privation to him not to be able to come himself and aid in 
 your rescue." 
 
 Here Martyn, catching the murmur of voices, passed the 
 word for silence, and nothing more was said until they reached 
 the boats which they had drawn up on the shore. A few min- 
 utes later they were alongside the brigantine. Mr. Beveridge 
 hailed them as they approached. 
 
 " Is that you, Martyn? " 
 
 "Yes, sir. Horace's plan has worked perfectly, and we 
 have got them all out. The boats can only carry half. He is 
 waiting with the rest on the beach." 
 
 "Thank God for that, Martyn! No one hurt at all? " 
 
 "No one, not even a Turk has been knocked down. The 
 only scrimmage has been with one of the pasha's wives' 
 
23G IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 maids, who fought like a wild-cat before two of our men could 
 make her a prisoner." 
 
 Directly the rest of the party came off the anchor was weighed 
 and sail made on the brigantine, and she was headed from the 
 land. In half an hour a look-out in the bow called out: "I 
 think I can make out the schooner away on our beam, sir." 
 
 "I think it is her," Martyn said after going forward to have 
 a look. " Light that red flare-up we brought with us, Horace." 
 
 As soon as the red flame broke out, a similar signal was 
 shown by the craft in the distance. The brigantine was headed 
 for her, and the two vessels rapidly approached each other. 
 Presently a hail from Tom Burdett came across the water. 
 
 " Captain Martyn ahoy ! " 
 
 "Ay, ay, Tom! We have got them all. Everyone is safe 
 and well." 
 
 A cheer broke out from the schooner, which was answered 
 by a louder one from the brigantine. 
 
 "Throw her up in the wind, Tom," Martyn shouted, "and 
 we will bring this craft alongside." 
 
 In two or three minutes the vessels lay side by side. Before 
 leaving the brigantine its crew were released. Mr. Beveridge, 
 in his delight at the success of the plan, made them each a 
 handsome present for the inconvenience they had suffered. 
 The cobbler of Adalia had not come aboard with the boats, 
 Horace having given him his reward of twenty-five pounds 
 before embarking. As soon as the crew of the schooner were 
 all on board the head-sails were filled, and she rapidly drew 
 away from the brig. The boatswain was ordered to serve out 
 a ration of grog all round, and the officers then assembled in 
 the cabin, where the Greeks placed some cold meat and wine 
 on the table, to which all, especially Miller and Tarleton, fell 
 to with a good appetite. When they had done, Martyn told 
 the story of the steps that had been taken for their rescue. 
 
 "You see, Miller, it was entirely Horace's plan; he made 
 the whole arrangements, and we had only to carry them out, 
 which was the simplest thing in the world. Now let us have 
 your account." 
 
THE PASHA OF ADALIA 15 1 
 
 "We were not very lucky," Miller said. "We overhauled 
 five or six craft, but for the most part they contained little of 
 value. One or two of them had some silk and other goods 
 on board, and these were transferred to the polacca. The 
 weather kept fine, and thinking that our rig would not alarm 
 the Turks we sailed in within three miles of Adalia. I was 
 intending to go right into the roads and anchor there, when 
 we saw the clouds banking up to the south. I had no ba- 
 rometer on board, but it looked so bad that we headed out 
 again for the mouth of the gulf. 
 
 "We had not gone far when the gale struck us, blowing like 
 fury right into the bay. We did everything we could, but the 
 old tub drifted to leeward two feet for every one we worked 
 out. The wind got higher and higher till it was blowing a 
 hurricane. As soon as the water shallowed sufficiently to 
 anchor, I let both anchors go: but the gear was all rotten, and 
 the cables snapped like packthread. Finally we drove ashore 
 about half a mile to the east of the town. 
 
 "There was a mob there waiting us, and the pasha with a 
 lot of troops. We tied a line to a keg and it floated on shore. 
 They hauled on it, and then we sent a hawser and swarmed 
 along it. The Turks behaved very pluckily, joining hands 
 and rushing into the breakers to get us ashore. As soon as 
 they saw by our uniform who we were there was a regular hub- 
 bub, and I thought we should all have been killed then and 
 there. However the pasha made the troops form up round us, 
 and marched us into the town, and there we were stowed away 
 in a room in that old castle. The prospect didn't look good, 
 for as we went in we saw that the troops were in huts all round 
 us, and that there was besides a high wall outside them. The 
 window of the place we were shut up in was about eight feet 
 from the ground and very strongly barred, and in addition 
 they kept four soldiers always on guard in the room. 
 
 "Two or three fellows came to us and spoke in different 
 lingoes, of which we could neither make head nor tail. Then 
 a chap came who spoke Italian. I don't know much of it, but 
 
238 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 enough to make out what he meant when he spoke very slowly. 
 The upshot of it was that they had sent to Smyrna for orders 
 as to what was to be done, and that it would take five or six 
 days for the messenger to go there and back. It did not seem 
 to make much odds to us what the answer was. Knowing how 
 they go on on both sides it was a moral certainty that we should 
 be hung either here or at Smyrna, and it did not seem to us 
 that there was much choice between the two places. 
 
 "Of course we often talked about you. We knew you 
 would do everything you could, and that when you found we 
 did not turn up at the rendezvous you would sail along the 
 coast till you got news of us; but it did not seem likely that 
 you could do anything to help us. We knew that you could 
 not land more than twenty men, and with twenty men you 
 could do nothing at all against about a thousand Turks with 
 that strong wall in front of them. Besides, the old castle itself 
 was capable of defence, and there were lots of them stationed 
 in it. Things looked about as black as they could be. We 
 were not starved; the Turks gave us plenty of bread and a 
 sort of thin broth. 
 
 "This evening we stretched ourselves out as usual about 
 nine o'clock. We were all asleep when the outer gates of the 
 castle were opened, then there was a loud trampling of feet, 
 then our door was unlocked. When an officer came in, fol- 
 lowed by a lot of soldiers, we thought that it was all up with 
 us. The officer made signs that we were to go with him, and 
 I made so certain that we were being taken out either to be 
 shot or hung that I said a few words to the men, telling them 
 that the end had evidently come, and that we must die as 
 Christians and British sailors. We were led out, and about 
 a hundred Turkish soldiers closed round us. We were sur- 
 prised when they marched us out of the place, but as we went 
 on through the streets of the town we supposed they were 
 taking us to some quiet spot outside the walls. Then we 
 turned in through that gateway, and then you know the rest, 
 Marty n. I don't think that I am a coward, or that I felt 
 
THE PASHA OF ADALIA 239 
 
 afraid to die; but when you and Horace rushed out to speak 
 to us, you could have knocked me over with a feather. It was 
 not until I got out into the garden and found your party 
 formed up there that I was quite sure it was not all a dream." 
 
 When they had talked over the rescue Mr. Beveridge said : 
 "Well, we have had enough of cruising for the present; we 
 will make for Athens at once, Captain Martyn; by this time 
 probably something will be going on there." 
 
 It was late in February when anchor was dropped in the 
 harbour of the Piraeus. Mr. Beveridge at once went on shore 
 with Martyn, and returned the next morning. 
 
 "Any news of importance, father?" Horace asked as they 
 came on board. 
 
 "Yes, Hypsilantes is likely to be succeeded by his rival 
 Mavrocordatos. A Samian adventurer named Lykourgos has 
 got together a fleet and has proposed a landing at Chios; there 
 can be no doubt that his intention is simply plunder, for even 
 if he could drive the Turks out of Chios he could not possibly 
 hold the island, as a large Turkish fleet will very shortly be 
 ready to sail out of the Dardanelles. The worst of it is that 
 the Chiots are utterly opposed to any movement of the kind. 
 They are an agricultural people, and the island has always 
 been mildly governed and lightly taxed ; their municipal ad- 
 ministration is already in their own hands, and their taxes 
 collected by themselves. When Admiral Tombazes appeared 
 off Chios with the Greek fleet during its first cruise, the in- 
 habitants turned a deaf ear to his invitation to them to rise. 
 In fact there is no doubt that the people of Chios have every- 
 thing to lose and nothing to gain by becoming a part of 
 Greece. 
 
 "They have sent urgent remonstrances against the landing 
 of any Greek troops on the island, pointing out that there is 
 a strong body of Turkish troops there; that the citadel could 
 not be captured, and that the attempt would only inflame the 
 passions of the Mohammedan population and end in ruin and 
 disaster to the Christian inhabitants. Hypsilantes has written 
 
240 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 a mild letter to Lykourgos suggesting that it would at any rate 
 be prudent to defer the enterprise. It is feared, however, 
 that, like Greek commanders in general, the fellow will pay 
 no attention to this, but will proceed on his own account. 
 Martyn agrees with me that it would be as well for us to cruise 
 about the island and see how matters go on, and endeavour to 
 rescue some of the Turks from the fury of the Greeks, or some 
 of the Greeks from the fury of the Turks." 
 
 "I should say the best thing to do, father," Horace said 
 indignantly, "would be to attack the ship of this fellow 
 Lykourgos and to hang him at his own yard-arm." 
 
 "It would be a good action, no doubt, Horace; but as he 
 has with him a fleet of seventy or eighty vessels it is probable 
 that if we made the attempt we should decorate the yard-arms 
 and not Lykourgos. At any rate we will stop here for two or 
 three days, and give the men a run on shore. Just at present, 
 owing to the fact of our having destroyed that Turkish frigate, 
 they will be very popular characters, and are not likely to get 
 into any serious row. They have still got the money I paid 
 them for their conduct at Cyprus, and when sailors have got 
 money in their pockets they are never happy until they have 
 got a chance of spending it." 
 
 Accordingly, the crew had twelve hours on shore, a third of 
 their number going each day. On the fourth day the vessel 
 sailed for Chios. They cruised round the island for a fort- 
 night and frequently overhauled fishing-boats and had conver- 
 sations with the crews. They learned that fresh troops had 
 lately arrived at Chios, and that as these bands were princi- 
 pally composed of volunteers, Vehid Pasha, the governor, had 
 great difficulty in maintaining order among them. He had 
 persuaded the Christians to raise a monthly contribution of 
 thirty-four thousand piastres to give regular pay and rations 
 to the troops and so keep them in a good temper. 
 
 On the 2 2d of March the schooner made out a large fleet 
 of vessels approaching the island. They kept away until they 
 saw them anchor, and then themselves cast anchor at a short 
 
THE PASHA OF ADALIA 241 
 
 distance from them. A boat at once put off from the ship 
 flying the flag of Lykourgos, to demand who they were and 
 with what intentions they were there. 
 
 "We fly, as you see, the flag of Greece," Air. Beveridge 
 replied to the officer, "and we have the authority of the Greek 
 government to fight against its enemies. I do not, however, 
 recognize any authority on the part of your commander, unless 
 he is acting at the present time under the explicit orders of 
 Prince Mavrocordatos, who is now President of Greece, and 
 shall therefore consult only my own feelings as to whether or 
 not I take any part in the proceedings on shore." 
 
 " Our admiral will know how to make you obey orders," the 
 officer said angrily. 
 
 "Is he an admiral?" Air. Beveridge asked, as if for infor- 
 mation. " I was not aware that he had received any commis- 
 sion that would authorize him to use that title either from the 
 last president or from the present one. When I am well 
 assured that this is the case it will naturally modify my views; 
 as to compelling me, you can look round at the armament of 
 this craft. Three months ago we destroyed a Turkish frigate, 
 and I fancy that if we were interfered with we could give a 
 good account of many of those vessels anchored there. If, 
 therefore, Lykourgos is really bent upon the capture of Chios, 
 I should advise him to set about it without wasting his time 
 in meddling with us. You may mention to him that I am an 
 English gentleman who has fitted up this vessel for the pur- 
 pose of aiding Greece to achieve her independence, and that 
 in all honourable warfare I am ready to take my part. If I 
 see that the object of your expedition is honourable warfare 
 I shall lend all assistance in my power. If I find that it is 
 merely plunder and destruction, I shall also do all in my power 
 to prevent the Greek flag from being disgraced by acts only 
 worthy of pirates; and, moreover, I will take care that my 
 countrymen and the various nations of Europe shall obtain a 
 fair account of what has been done here." 
 
 The Greek was completely cowed by the calmness and con- 
 
242 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 fidence of the owner of the schooner, and returned to his boat 
 without any of the swagger with which he had quitted it. 
 Horace translated his father's speech to Martyn and the other 
 two officers as soon as Mr. Beveridge had returned to his 
 cabin. 
 
 "The chief is a perfect brick," Martyn said enthusiasti- 
 cally. " Fancy sending off such a message as that from this 
 schooner to a fellow commanding sixty or seventy sail. Sir 
 Richard Grenville could hardly have sent from the deck of 
 the Revenge a more defiant message to the Spanish fleet." 
 
 Miller rubbed his hands. "Shall I get the men in readiness 
 for making sail and casting off the guns, Captain Martyn?" 
 
 "There will be time enough," Martyn said, "when we make 
 out a movement among them. We can get up sail in half the 
 time they can. I should not be surprised if this fellow Ly- 
 kourgos knuckles down. Did you see how his officer came 
 down from his stilts? If this fellow had any pluck he would 
 be sailing to meet the Turkish fleet instead of landing to pil- 
 lage here, for, from what Mr. Beveridge said, that can be his 
 only motive. Still, we will keep a sharp look-out on them. 
 If we see the flag-ship signalling to the others, or her boats 
 putting off to them, we shall know what to expect. You may 
 as well get a buoy on the anchor-chain and have everything 
 ready to slip. We are too near them to be pleasant if they 
 open fire. Once under way and out of close range we can 
 talk to them as we like." 
 
chios 243 
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 CHIOS 
 
 A QUARTER of an hour after the Greek officer left the 
 schooner Miller said: "They are lowering a large boat 
 from the Greek flag-ship, sir." 
 
 Martyn brought his glass to bear upon it. 
 
 "There is a stir on board," he said. "It looks as if the 
 commander were going on shore," 
 
 "Yes, there is some officer of importance being handed 
 down the ladder. Now she is putting off. By Jove ! I be- 
 lieve she is coming here; at any rate she is heading straight 
 for us. Perhaps Lykourgos himself is coming to blow us out 
 of the water." 
 
 "Quite as likely he is coming to pay his respects, " Miller 
 said. "The betting is ten to one the fellow is a coward; and 
 that if the officer gave the message as he got it, he is impressed 
 with the idea that the chief is an Englishman of great impor- 
 tance, possessed, perhaps, of unknown powers of destruc- 
 tion." 
 
 "Horace," Martyn said, "you had better tell your father. 
 I can make out that the fellow in the stern is got up in gor- 
 geous uniform. I expect it is Lykourgos himself." 
 
 Mr. Beveridge came up on to the quarter-deck just as the 
 boat came alongside. Martyn went to the gangway as a Greek 
 officer came up and announced that Admiral Lykourgos had 
 come to pay a visit to the English lord. Lykourgos mounted 
 to the deck. 
 
 "I am the commandant of this craft, sir," Martyn said. 
 "This is Mr. Beveridge, the owner." 
 
 Lykourgos advanced with an air of great pleasure and with 
 outstretched hand. 
 
 " I am delighted to make the acquaintance of an English 
 friend of Greece," he said. 
 
244 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 Mr. Beveridge bowed and shook hands with the Greek. 
 
 "What a contrast there is between them!" Miller whis- 
 pered to Horace. "This theatrical-looking Greek with his 
 oily manners, and your father in his quiet blue serge ! Ah ! 
 he is asking him to go down into the cabin." 
 
 The interview lasted about ten minutes, and then the two 
 men returned on deck. Lykourgos entered his boat and rowed 
 away. 
 
 "Well, sir, is it peace or war?" Marty n asked. 
 
 "Peace, as far as we are concerned," Mr. Beveridge said. 
 "The fellow made no allusion to my message to him, paid 
 me a large number of absurd compliments, expressed bound- 
 less admiration at the result of Miller's action with the frigate, 
 of which he had heard, and hoped that he would have our 
 assistance against the Turks. I told him what I thought of 
 his enterprise, and that he was bringing destruction upon the 
 heads of the unfortunate Christians. He assured me that I 
 had been misinformed, that the Christians would join him to 
 a man, and that he should make short work of the lurks, and 
 should at once besiege them in their citadel. I said that I 
 wished him success in that part of his undertaking, and that 
 there would be no time to waste, as the Turkish fleet might, I 
 understood, appear any day. But that, if he undertook siege 
 operations, and his own force proved inadequate, we would 
 land a party to assist him. He hinted that money might be 
 required to support the siege. I told him that I had arranged 
 with the central government that any assistance I had to give 
 in that way should be given through them ; but that, if the 
 people of the island really did rise, I should be happy to fur- 
 nish a thousand muskets and ammunition for their use. See- 
 ing that nothing was to be got out of me he took his leave. 
 He said the landing was to take place in half an hour." 
 
 " Shall we send a party on shore with him, Mr. Beveridge? " 
 Martyn asked. 
 
 " No, Martyn. He says he has got two thousand five hun- 
 dred fighting men ready to land, and that being the case we 
 
chios 245 
 
 should be powerless to interfere in any way. Besides, for the 
 present I think it would be best to keep the men on board. I 
 don't trust the fellow in the slightest; and if he thought the 
 vessel was left weak-handed, he is perfectly capable of making 
 a sudden attack on her. No doubt he thinks we have money 
 untold below, and I should say a great proportion of his vessels 
 are no better than pirates, who have merely joined him in the 
 hope of booty. I know that he has none of the Psara ships 
 with him, for Chios lies so near their island that they would 
 have no wish to draw the vengeance of the Turks upon them- 
 selves; and I know that they, as well as the Chiots, sent to 
 Corinth to protest against the expedition. I don't think he 
 has any of the Hydriot ships with him either. They only sail 
 under their own admirals, and do, to a certain extent, respect 
 the orders of the central government. His ships, I fancy, all 
 belong to the smaller islands, and are the sort of craft that are 
 honest traders one day and pirates the next if they see a 
 chance — the riffraff of the islands, in fact. If they really do 
 besiege the Turks in the citadel, and I see that we can be of 
 any assistance, we will land a party; but at any rate we will 
 take matters quietly until we see how things go." 
 
 "The vessels are all lowering their boats, Captain Martyn," 
 Tarleton reported. 
 
 "Very well, Mr. Tarleton. Let the men go to their quar- 
 ters, unloose the guns and load with grape. It is quite upon 
 the cards that these fellows may make a sudden dash upon us, 
 thinking to catch us napping." 
 
 The boatswain's whistle was heard, and then Tom Burdett 
 shouted out: "All hands to quarters! Cast loose the guns 
 and load with grape ! " And in a moment a scene of animated 
 bustle succeeded the quiet that had reigned on board the 
 schooner since her anchor had been dropped. In a few min- 
 utes, however, the crowded boats left the ships and rowed 
 towards shore. 
 
 "That will do, boatswain; you can call the men away from 
 the gums," said Martyn. 
 
246 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Shall we take the cartridges out, sir? " 
 
 "No, leave them as they are. Put a fold or two of sail- 
 cloth over the touch-holes. It is just as well to be on guard 
 as long as we are in the neighbourhood of these slippery gentry. 
 Horace, you take my glass and go aloft, and see if you can 
 make out any Turks in the neighbourhood. It is four or five 
 hours since the Greek fleet first hove in sight, and there is 
 ample time for the Turks to have come down to oppose their 
 landing if they thought themselves strong enough to fight in 
 the open." 
 
 Horace ascended the shrouds, and sitting on the cap of the 
 mainmast examined the shore. 
 
 "There are half a dozen horsemen riding about, a short 
 distance from the shore, sir," he called down, "but I can see 
 no signs of troops anywhere." 
 
 "Then it is evident they don't mean to fight," Martyn said 
 to the first lieutenant. "Between ourselves, Miller, I am very 
 glad they are not here to oppose a landing; for if they had 
 been, no doubt the chief would have wanted to fire a few 
 shots to help cover the operations, and I should be sorry to 
 lift even a finger to help in this wretched business. It is like 
 a landing from one of the old buccaneer fleets on the Spanish 
 Main. They used to pretend they went to attack the Span- 
 iards, while in reality they simply fought for plunder. Still, 
 those fellows had courage — plenty of it, which is more, I 
 fancy, than these Greeks are likely to exhibit when they once 
 get in front of the Turks." 
 
 Lykourgos, with his twenty-five hundred men, marched 
 without opposition into the town of Chios, where they burnt 
 the custom-houses, destroyed two mosques, and plundered 
 generally the houses of the inhabitants. They occupied the 
 houses nearest the citadel, and placing riflemen in them 
 opened fire, while a party began to throw up a battery on a 
 commanding position known as Turloti. 
 
 The following morning Mr. Beveridge landed, and, accom- 
 panied by Miller and Horace, and a party of twenty sailors 
 
chios 247 
 
 armed with rifle, cutlass, and pistol, proceeded to Chios. He 
 found the streets of the town in disorder, the troops — or 
 rather the armed men, for they were under neither discipline 
 nor control — were wandering about, occasionally going within 
 sight of the citadel, and discharging their muskets two or 
 three times in that direction. They looked with surprise at 
 the orderly little party of British sailors; but as they supposed 
 these had come to help them, they received them with excla- 
 mations of good-will. They visited Turloti, where a score or 
 two of men were working lazily, and then went down to the 
 port, where another battery had also been begun. 
 
 "What on earth are they putting up a battery here for!" 
 Miller said. "At this distance they might as well fire pota- 
 toes at the citadel. Ask that officer, Horace, what they are 
 up to?" 
 
 The Greek replied that they were going to run their trenches 
 forward against the citadel from this point. 
 
 "Well, then, they are fonder of work than I gave them 
 credit for," Miller said when he understood the reply. "If 
 the whole of them were to set to work in earnest, it would take 
 them a month to run their trenches from here up to the 
 citadel, and, at the rate at which they are working now, it 
 would take them a couple of years." 
 
 Returning to the town Mr. Beveridge called upon Lykourgos, 
 who had taken up his quarters in the bishop's palace. The 
 Greek received him with an air of much greater pomposity 
 than he had shown at their first meeting. He evidently 
 believed that the work was almost accomplished, and that he 
 was already the conqueror of the island. 
 
 "I have been doing some good work this morning," he 
 said. " I have deposed the Demogeronts (the Municipal 
 Council). You know they were poor creatures and lukewarm, 
 and I have appointed a Revolutionary Committee." 
 
 "Indeed!" Mr. Beveridge said gravely. "And what mili- 
 tary work have you in hand? It seems to me that the men 
 would be much better employed in working at the batteries 
 than in idling about the streets." 
 
248 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "The citadel will soon fall," Lykourgos said loftily. "Cut 
 off from all succour and surrounded by my army they must 
 speedily surrender." 
 
 "Undoubtedly they must, if they were so situated," Mr. 
 Beveridge said; "but, so far as I see, there is nothing what- 
 ever to prevent the Turks from sending reinforcements from 
 the mainland." 
 
 " I am writing to ask the government at Corinth to order 
 the fleet here to blockade the island and oppose the Turkish 
 fleet when they come in sight." 
 
 "That would be excellent," Mr. Beveridge said; "but the 
 central government are not famous for speed, nor are the ships 
 of Hydra and Psara very apt to obey orders unless these hap- 
 pen to suit their own views. Could you not send a few of 
 those vessels of yours to prevent the Turks from sending 
 reinforcements? " 
 
 "That would be quite impossible," Lykourgos said decid- 
 edly. " In the first place, they are mere transports, the greater 
 proportion carrying no guns, and those that do have guns of 
 such light calibre that they could not oppose the Turkish 
 cruisers that would no doubt convoy any vessels bringing 
 Turkish troops across. In the second place, I could not 
 spare a ship, for, were the Turkish fleet to arrive before the 
 Greek fleet comes to my assistance, I should have to re-embark 
 my army at once. I shall soon be in a position to press the 
 siege more vigorously. I have already received messages 
 saying the peasantry among the hills are about to join me." 
 
 Mr. Beveridge, seeing that there was no prospect of any 
 vigorous efforts to restore discipline among the Greeks, 
 returned to the schooner. Day after day passed and nothing 
 whatever was done. A few soldiers, when the fancy took 
 them, worked for an hour or two at the batteries, or fired away 
 their ammunition in the direction of the citadel. Neither 
 Lykourgos nor his committee made any attempt to introduce 
 either discipline among the troops or order in the town. 
 
 No news came from Corinth as to the movements of the 
 
chios 249 
 
 Greek fleet, but a vessel arrived with a few heavy guns for 
 siege purposes, and also brought several Philhellenes — as for- 
 eigners who had come to assist the Greeks were called — to 
 direct the service of the guns. 
 
 In consequence of the disorder in the town the position of 
 the better class of Christians became intolerable. Mr. Bever- 
 idge landed but seldom. He saw that nothing could be done, 
 and that the expedition must certainly end in disaster, and 
 accordingly preferred to remain on board and await events. 
 
 Two of the officers generally landed every day. Some of 
 the men were also allowed to go on shore, but were forbidden 
 to approach the neighbourhood of the town lest they should 
 become involved in quarrels with the Greeks. One day, when 
 Horace was ashore with Tarleton, he spoke sharply to a 
 drunken Greek soldier who ran against him. Presently Tarle- 
 ton said : 
 
 "There has been a Greek following us since you spoke to 
 that drunken man, Horace. He looks a respectable old card. 
 I fancy he wants to speak to you, having heard you talking 
 Greek." 
 
 "Why doesn't he speak then?" Horace said. 
 
 "Perhaps he wants to talk to you in quiet, Horace." 
 
 " Very well. Let us turn down this narrow street. There 
 is no one about, and that will give him a chance of speaking 
 if he wants to." 
 
 The Greek, indeed, quickened his steps as soon as they 
 turned down, and was soon alongside of them. 
 
 "You speak Greek, sir?" he said to Horace. "I have 
 been wanting to speak to some of you officers, but this is the 
 first time I have heard one of you speaking Greek." 
 
 "Yes, I speak the language. Is there anything I can do 
 for you, sir? " 
 
 " I)o you belong to an English ship-of-war, may I ask? " 
 
 "No; I belong to an armed ship, which is the property of 
 my father, who is a Philhellene, and has fitted it out at his 
 own expense for the service of Greece, whose flag we now fly." 
 
250 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Your sailors are taking no part in the siege of the cita- 
 del?" 
 
 " No, sir. My father does not think the expedition a 
 useful one, and we are only remaining here to see what takes 
 place, and perhaps to give assistance to any who may need it." 
 
 "We all need it, sir," the man said eagerly. "We have 
 been robbed and plundered by these ruffians, who call them- 
 selves our friends, and when they run away, which they will 
 do directly the Turks come, we shall be held responsible for 
 all their misdeeds, and a terrible vengeance will fall upon us. 
 I was a wealthy man, sir, a fortnight ago; now I would give 
 all I possess to save the lives of my family and myself, and 
 there are eight or ten of my friends in the same position. We 
 have jewels and money, and are ready to pay any sum to be 
 taken off the island before the Turks come. You have but to 
 name a price, and if it is within our means we shall be happy 
 to pay it." 
 
 "We are not Greeks," Horace said angrily, "to make 
 money out of the miseries of others." And then, seeing the 
 depressed look of the merchant, he went on more mildly: 
 "We do not wish to make money out of your misfortune, sir; 
 but I will speak to my father, and I think I can answer for 
 him that he will be ready to afford you and your friends and 
 families shelter on board his ship. We lately took five hun- 
 dred Christians off from Cyprus and landed them on the 
 Ionian Isles. We came out to fight, but my father has since 
 named his ship the Misericordia, and his desire is to help 
 persons in distress, whether they be Turks or Christians. I 
 will speak to him when I return on board, and if you will be 
 here to-morrow at eleven o'clock in the morning I will give 
 you his answer." 
 
 The merchant overwhelmed Horace with thanks. 
 
 "What is the old chap so excited about, Horace?" Tarle- 
 ton asked as they resumed their walk. 
 
 Horace repeated the conversation. 
 
 "Poor beggars!" Tarleton said. "A nice position they 
 
chios 251 
 
 are in! I wish we had the crew of a man-of-war here; we 
 would clear out the town pretty sharply of these ruffians who 
 call themselves soldiers, and send these peasants who are 
 swarming about the streets back to their mountains. I see 
 they have got the muskets your father sent on shore yesterday. 
 Much good will they do them ! The men had far better be 
 at home looking after their vineyards and orchards." 
 
 Mr. Beveridge agreed at once to afford shelter to the mer- 
 chants and their families. 
 
 "I thought it would come to this," he said, " and expected 
 some of them would come off and ask to be taken on board 
 before ; but I suppose they did not know our real character. 
 We shall have plenty more applying before this matter is con- 
 cluded; but I doubt whether Lykourgos and his crew will 
 allow them to come on board so long as they have a penny 
 left to be wrung out of them. The scoundrel ought to be 
 hung, if it was only for being named as he is. It is down- 
 right profanation to hear such names as Ulysses, Lycurgus, 
 Leonidas, and Miltiades applied to men who do not seem to 
 possess one single good quality, not even that of courage. 
 Tell them, Horace, that we will carry out any arrangements 
 for getting them off that they may suggest, and that at any 
 hour by night or day the boats shall be at the spot they 
 appoint, and that a strong body of men shall be sent on shore 
 to cover their embarkation." 
 
 Martyn himself accompanied Horace the next morning to 
 shore, as he thought it would be better that he should hear 
 what were the plans of the merchant, and might be able to 
 make suggestions as to their being carried out. The Chris- 
 tian merchant was awaiting them. When they approached he 
 entered the house by the door of which he was standing, and 
 invited them also to enter. 
 
 "I know the owner of this house," he said, "and arranged 
 with him to have a room where we could speak undisturbed. 
 Did any of the officers or soldiers happen to come down the 
 lane when I was speaking to you, suspicion would be at once 
 
252 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 roused that some plot or other was on foot. Well, sir, what is 
 your father's answer? " 
 
 " He cordially invites you and your friends and their families 
 to take refuge on board his vessel, and he will land you at 
 Athens, Corinth, or in the Ionian Isles, as you may desire." 
 
 The Greek clasped his hands in delight. " Oh, sir, you can- 
 not tell what a load you have taken off my mind, or what we 
 have been suffering of late, with the certainty that ere long 
 the Turks will return." 
 
 "This is Captain Martyn, who commands the vessel," Hor- 
 ace said ; " he has come ashore to concert measures for getting 
 you on board, that is, if you think that there will be any ob- 
 stacle in the way of your coming off openly." 
 
 " Certainly there will. I am sure they would not allow us 
 to leave. Three of my friends went to Lykourgos yesterday 
 and said they desired to go with their families on board the 
 Greek ships. He got into a fury and threatened to have them 
 thrown into prison as traitors, fined them a thousand piastres 
 each, and said that anyone leaving the island would be deemed 
 a traitor to the cause of Greece and all his property confis- 
 cated." 
 
 Horace translated this to Martyn. 
 
 "Then they must get off quietly, Horace; ask him if they 
 have formed any plans. Tell him that I will land thirty men 
 and bring them up close to the town, if they can slip off and 
 join us." 
 
 Horace put the question. 
 
 "We were talking it over last night," the merchant said; 
 "it is not easy, because we all have men who call themselves 
 officers quartered in our houses. We think that the best way 
 will be for our daughters and servants, with the exception of 
 one or two, to slip off as soon as it becomes dark, going in 
 pairs and carrying with them all the valuables they can. We 
 ourselves and our wives will remain for two or three hours, so 
 that the men seeing us will suspect nothing. Some of our 
 servants, after escorting the ladies and children beyond the 
 
CHIOS -06 
 
 town, can return and take with them another load. It would 
 not do to take large bundles, but the men can carry casks or 
 barrels on their shoulders filled with valuable clothes and 
 stuffs, and as there would be nothing unusual in a man carry- 
 ing a cask of wine or a barrel of flour, they might pass without 
 exciting suspicion. Then, at the moment agreed, we our- 
 selves might slip away and join the rest." 
 
 "That seems a likely plan," Martyn said when he under- 
 stood the details. "Now it is for them to name some spot 
 where we can be awaiting them." 
 
 "We have arranged that," the Chiot said. "One of my 
 friends has a large farm-house where he and his family take 
 up their residence in summer; it stands half a mile from the 
 town, on the brow looking down upon the sea; it is a white 
 house with two large store-houses for wine and produce stand- 
 ing behind it." 
 
 "I know the house," Horace said; "the road passes a hun- 
 dred yards behind it." 
 
 "That is the house, sir. It will be dark by seven o'clock, 
 and at that hour our servants will begin to start. It is prob- 
 able that most of the children will be sent on there during the 
 day. This could certainly be done without exciting atten- 
 tion. We ourselves will leave our houses as the clock strikes 
 ten." 
 
 "I should think, Martyn," Horace said when he had trans- 
 lated this, "that we might manage to make things more easy 
 for them if we send Marco on shore with half a dozen men 
 directly we get back to the ship. We can tell him to hire a 
 couple of carts and then to come to these people's houses. At 
 one they could take into the carts a dozen barrels of wine, 
 that is to say, wine barrels filled with valuables; at another a 
 dozen barrels of flour, at another a cask of currants or olives, 
 and so on. I will go round with them, and it will merely 
 seem as if we were buying stores for the ship. These rich 
 merchants are certain to have the best of everything, and it 
 will be natural that we should choose a time like the present 
 
254 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 to lay in a stock, and that they would be glad to sell cheaply. 
 Marco and half the men could go with one cart and I could 
 go with the rest with the other. That way we should attract 
 less attention than by both going about in a crowd." 
 
 "I think that is a capital plan, Horace; explain it to him, 
 and get the names and addresses of the people who are going 
 and the houses that each cart should go to, so that they may 
 not cross each other on the way." 
 
 Horace explained the matter to the merchant. 
 
 "That is kind indeed," he exclaimed, "and will enable us 
 to save all our most precious goods without fear of detection. 
 I will go round at once to my friends and tell them to pack 
 up their things. There are ten of us who have agreed to make 
 the attempt together, which will make five houses for each 
 cart to call at." And taking out his pocket-book he wrote the 
 addresses on two slips of paper. 
 
 There was nothing more to arrange. 
 
 " It will take us an hour and a half to get on board," Hor- 
 ace said. "That will be one o'clock. At two we will start, 
 and you may expect the carts to be at the houses somewhere 
 about four." 
 
 He and Martyn walked briskly back to the landing-place, 
 where a boat met them, having put off as soon as they were 
 seen approaching. Mr. Beveridge warmly approved of the 
 plan, and at two o'clock ten sailors were landed. Zaimes 
 as well as Marco accompanied them, and Miller also went to 
 take charge of one party, as it was thought that they were less 
 likely to be questioned if an officer went with them. They 
 stopped at a farm-house by the way and hired two carts. It 
 was arranged that the two Greeks should purchase in the town 
 several carcasses of sheep and a quantity of fruit and vege- 
 tables to place on the carts with the other goods, so as to carry 
 out more completely the idea that they were laying in stores for 
 consumption on board, and on their way Zaimes suggested 
 they should also get a small cask or two of currants and a cask 
 of wine for each cart. In packing the goods these should be 
 
CHIOS lOO 
 
 placed most conspicuously, so that if necessary they could 
 knock in the head of the cask with currants, or bore holes 
 in that with the wine, and show that the contents were what 
 they seemed to be. 
 
 The operation was carried out without difficulty. At each 
 place they visited, casks and barrels were at once rolled out 
 from the warehouses and placed in the carts. There had evi- 
 dently been an arrangement between the various families as to 
 quantity, and by the time the last houses were visited the carts 
 were filled to their full capacity, and the meat, vegetables, 
 and fruit piled on the top of all. There was some joking from 
 the soldiers as the carts passed down the streets, but the sight 
 of the meat and vegetables dispelled any suspicions, and the 
 Greeks joked back in return. Neither party knew how the 
 other was getting on, as they had not caught sight of each 
 other after separating before entering the town. Horace was 
 first to reach the spot, a mile out, where they had agreed that 
 whichever came first should await the other. In ten minutes 
 the second party was seen coming in the distance, and when 
 it arrived within a quarter of a mile Horace moved forward 
 again. 
 
 Tarleton with the three largest boats was awaiting their 
 coming on the beach abreast of the schooner, and by the time 
 the contents of the first cart were transferred to the boats the 
 second arrived. As soon as everything was on board the drivers 
 of the carts were paid the sum agreed upon, and the boats 
 rowed off to the schooner. 
 
 "Have you had any difficulty? " Mr. Beveridge asked as 
 they came alongside. 
 
 "Not the slightest, father," Horace replied. "We were 
 chaffed a little about our stores, but no one had the least sus- 
 picion that they were not what they seemed." 
 
 The casks were soon got on board and were slung down 
 into the hold. 
 
 "What do you suppose they contain, father?" Horace 
 asked. 
 
256 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Well, of course all their jewels and money are in them, 
 and no doubt all their valuable dresses. I expect that the 
 bulk is made up of silk and brocades, most of which is ex- 
 tremely costly. Then there will be embroidered stuffs, some 
 of the more valuable of which are worth almost a fortune in 
 themselves. Chios is an extremely rich island and its revenues 
 are a special appanage of the Sultan and his harem, and 
 doubtless the merchants here supply the ladies of the court 
 with many of their most valued robes and embroideries." 
 
 While the boats had been ashore the sailors had again rigged 
 up the screen across the main-deck for the use of the ladies 
 and children, and had also made a smaller compartment for 
 the use of the merchants. "There is one comfort," Miller 
 said, " as these people are swells they are not likely to turn 
 the ship into such a pig-stye as that last lot did. How many 
 do you suppose there will be, Horace? " 
 
 " 1 suppose they will run seven or eight to a family, that is 
 seventy-five, and likely enough they may bring five or six men 
 and women servants with each family; so I suppose you may 
 calculate on a hundred and fifty, Miller." 
 
 "Ah! well, we can manage that. I should like to see the 
 face of that fellow Lykourgos to-morrow morning when he 
 finds that some of the men out of whom he had expected to 
 make most money have slipped through his fingers." 
 
 As soon as it became dark thirty men were landed, armed 
 to the teeth. Miller took command, and Horace accompa- 
 nied him with the two Greeks to assist to look after the fugi- 
 tives. When they reached the farm-house they found about 
 thirty young children with their nurses assembled there with 
 some eight or ten older girls. They were evidently in a state 
 of great alarm, but their spirits rose when Horace and the 
 Greeks entered and told them that a guard of English sailors 
 were without and that there was no longer a fear of their being 
 discovered by any straggling soldiers who might chance to 
 visit the house. In a short time the servants, accompanied 
 by young women and boys, began to arrive. Most of them 
 
CHIOS ZOi 
 
 carried bundles, and their bulky appearance suggested that 
 they had put on a large quantity of clothes under the plain 
 dresses they wore. The men all carried barrels or boxes. 
 These all returned to the town and came back by half-past 
 nine with another load. 
 
 Some excellent wine was served out to the sailors by the 
 man who was in charge of the house, who told Horace that 
 he had received orders from his master that the sailors were 
 to carry away as many barrels of wine as they could take for 
 the use of the schooner; and as it was certain that its owner 
 would never have an opportunity of drinking it, Horace did 
 not hesitate to accept the present, and thirty barrels of wine, 
 each containing about five gallons, were brought out and placed 
 in readiness for the sailors to take up. 
 
 "'What are you going to do about your loads?" Horace 
 asked one.of the servants. 
 
 "We have orders, sir, to carry one of them as we go with 
 you, and then when the others go off to the ship to return here 
 for the second, if you will consent to our doing so." 
 
 "Certainly," Horace said. "There can be no possible 
 objection to that, providing we all get down to the beach 
 without any alarm being given, and of that I do not think 
 there is any likelihood. The soldiers will have all returned 
 to their quarters before this. The only chance is of our com- 
 ing across parties of sailors returning to their ships. None of 
 these would be strong enough to interfere with us, and even 
 if they reported the matter when they got on board, I should 
 say that none of the captains would feel sufficient interest 
 in the news to take any steps about it." 
 
 Soon after ten o'clock the merchants with their wives and 
 grown-up sons began to arrive, and by half-past the last of 
 the party were in. No further time was lost. Fifteen of the 
 sailors, each with a barrel of wine on his shoulder, led the 
 way under Lieutenant Miller. The merchants and their 
 families followed, then came the servants with Horace and 
 the rest of the sailors as rear-guard. The road was entirely 
 
258 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 deserted, and they reached the shore without encountering a 
 single person. As soon as they did so, Horace told the ser- 
 vant men to set down their burdens and start back at once. 
 The merchants with their wives and families were first trans- 
 ferred to the schooner, the sailors on shore taking charge of 
 the rest of the fugitives and the baggage. Another trip con- 
 veyed the remaining Chiots to the vessel. When the boats 
 returned the casks and barrels of wine were placed on board, 
 and the sailors then took their places and rowed off. Horace 
 found that the first party had already retired. Hammocks had 
 been slung for the women and children, the female attendants 
 sleeping on the deck. The merchants and their sons occu- 
 pied a compartment screened off for them. The men-servants 
 coiled themselves away between the guns on deck. 
 
 The two Greeks had gone off in the first boat, and already 
 prepared some supper, to which Martyn and Horace sat down. 
 
 "I did not wait for you," Mr. Beveridge said, "as f knew 
 that it must be half-past eleven by the time you reached the 
 shore, and another good half-hour before you were off. Poor 
 people! their gratitude was quite distressing; the men con- 
 sidered that it was certain they would be massacred by the 
 Turks, and their women carried off as slaves. I was obliged 
 at last in self-defence to pack them off to bed. The women 
 all wanted to kiss my hand, which would have been well 
 enough for you young fellows, for some of the girls are lovely. 
 The Chiots are celebrated for their good looks ; but for a man 
 my age it would have been simply embarrassing." 
 
 "Perhaps they will renew the demonstrations to-morrow," 
 Miller laughed. "If so, I shall get Horace to explain to 
 them delicately that our English custom is to salute on the 
 face and not on the hand. I did not see any of the girls. I 
 left it to Horace to do the polite indoors, while I kept a look- 
 out with the men outside. I don't know whether he came in 
 for any kisses; if so, he kept it to himself." 
 
 "No," Horace laughed. "They were all too anxious about 
 their parents' safety to think of doing the civil thing to me; 
 
A WHITE SQUALL 259 
 
 but, as you say, Martyn, there will be time enough to-morrow 
 when we see what they are like. I expect to-morrow we shall 
 have Lykourgos or some of his officers off here to protest." 
 
 "That we sha'n't," Martyn said, "for we will get up the 
 anchor at daybreak and be off before anyone knows what has 
 happened. Your father agrees with me that the best plan will 
 be to get rid of this cargo at once, and then we can come back 
 again for another." 
 
 "I have asked them where they would like to be landed," 
 Mr. Beveridge said, "and they had already agreed among 
 themselves to go to Corfu. In the first place they have no 
 love for the Greeks of the mainland, with whom they are 
 furious for bringing destruction upon the island by coming 
 here without a sufficient force to hold the citadel even if they 
 captured it, and they would vastly rather be landed under the 
 protection of the British flag. They will have time to settle 
 afterwards where thev will make their homes." 
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 A WHITE SQUALL 
 
 \ LL hands were called at five o'clock, when daylight was 
 A *■ beginning to break in the east; the anchor was got up, 
 sail set, and the decks washed down, the usual scrubbing 
 being for once omitted in order to avoid disturbing their 
 passengers. 
 
 "What are we going to do about feeding them, Miller?" 
 Horace asked. " It was all very well for the people we had 
 on board before to get their meals anyhow they could, but 
 these have been accustomed to wealth and luxury, and, as the 
 leading merchants of Chios, were people of importance." 
 
 "Your father and the two Greeks were talking it over yester- 
 
2G0 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 day evening before you landed, Horace. Of course it is out 
 of the question that they could all take their meals in the 
 cabin, which your father at first proposed to give up to them. 
 Marco suggested that a table should be rigged on the quarter- 
 deck. We reckoned that there would be about fifty grown up 
 or nearly so, that was allowing five for each family. Of course 
 the children would have their meals with their nurses below." 
 
 "That would certainly be the pleasantest way, Miller. 
 There is plenty of room for two tables, and as far as length 
 goes twelve or fourteen could sit on each side easily enough 
 without the tables extending forward of the mainmast. I see 
 Tarleton is getting the awning rigged up already. But the 
 tables will want to be cleared away after each meal, or there 
 will be no room for anything." 
 
 "Oh, yes, five minutes will be enough for that. The men 
 will bring up all their mess tables, they can be rigged and 
 unshipped in no time. The order is that the men are all to 
 get into their white ducks at eight bells, as your father means 
 to show these Greeks what an English yacht is. Your men 
 have rigged up another stove in their cooking place, and have 
 borrowed a couple of the sailors, I suppose to wash and cut up 
 vegetables, and to act as kitchen-maids." 
 
 At seven o'clock the Chiots began to come up. Mr. Bever- 
 idge was already on deck, and requested Horace to assist him 
 to set them at their ease. The men were all of the best Greek 
 type, courtly and gentle in manner, with refined faces. The 
 older women were all more or less inclined to corpulence, 
 while some of the young ones fully deserved the terms of 
 praise in which Mr. Beveridge had spoken of them the even- 
 ing before. At first they looked timid at finding themselves 
 in scenes so strange to them, but they were soon chattering 
 and laughing with each other. They were immensely aston- 
 ished at the exquisite neatness and cleanliness of the vessel 
 and her fittings. 
 
 "Are all English ships as white and clean as this? " one of 
 them asked. 
 
A WHITE SQUALL 2G1 
 
 "All ships of war and yachts. A yacht is a vessel kept by 
 a gentleman simply for his own amusement and not for trade. 
 This is a yacht, though we have mounted guns, and have come 
 out prepared to fight." 
 
 " It would be a great pity to fight and spoil everything," the 
 girl said. 
 
 "Oh, we can fight without spoiling everything; though of 
 course sometimes a shot may knock things about a bit, the 
 damage would soon be repaired." 
 
 "But you can't have been fighting yet," one of the younger 
 men said, looking round. 
 
 " We have only had one fight, and that was when most of us 
 were ashore. That officer, whom you see there, was on board, 
 and he only had ten men with him ; but for all that he engaged 
 two Turkish frigates, and destroyed one of them." 
 
 There was an exclamation of astonishment, mingled with a 
 little incredulity, from the group round Horace, some of whom 
 thought he was trying to make fun of them. 
 
 "I can assure you that it is a fact," Horace said. "He first 
 crippled her, and then set her on fire by firing red-hot balls 
 into her." 
 
 "Was that near Cyprus? " one of the young men asked. 
 
 "Yes; the rest of us were on shore there, and we brought 
 off five hundred Christians from a village that was besieged 
 by the Turks." 
 
 "Yes, that is true," the young fellow said. "I was told 
 about it by one of the officers who lodged in our house. He 
 said it was wonderful, and so it was; and the men you have 
 here all look so quiet too." 
 
 "They are on their best behaviour now," Horace .aughed; 
 "but they are all picked men, and have all served in British 
 men-of-war." 
 
 As eight bells rang out a party of sailors came along to the 
 quarter-deck, bringing with them half a dozen mess tables, 
 which they arranged together, according to the direction of 
 Zaimes. 
 
2G2 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "But these are nothing like enough, Zaimes," Horace said, 
 going over to him. 
 
 "We are not going to sit down, Mr. Horace. We shall have 
 two meals — -one at eleven and one at six. We shall put things 
 on the table now, and let them eat standing." 
 
 The cloth was soon spread, and upon it were placed fruit, 
 bread and butter, and eggs, a great tureen filled with coffee, 
 and another with hot milk; the whole of the cabin tea and 
 coffee cups, and a score of the men's mugs. 
 
 "Now, ladies and gentlemen," Mr. Beveridge said, "you 
 must help yourselves. I am sorrry to say that our breakfast 
 service is quite insufficient for our needs, and that the gentle- 
 men will have to put up with the sailors' mugs." 
 
 Everyone seemed to enjoy the meal; the women sat about 
 on the deck in little groups, and the men waited upon them, 
 the three officers making themselves very busy in this work. 
 
 "It is disgusting, Horace," Miller said, "to hear you jab- 
 bering away with these girls, while we poor beggars can't say 
 a word to them." 
 
 "But you speak a little Italian, don't you, Miller?" 
 
 "Yes, I picked up a little when I was on the Mediterra- 
 nean station." 
 
 "Oh well, a little will go a long way sometimes, Miller, 
 and some of them are sure to know something of Italian. I 
 will soon find out which they are, and introduce them spe- 
 cially to you." 
 
 Five or six of the girls knew a little Italian, and most of the 
 young men could speak it, Italian being the general language of 
 commerce in the Mediterranean, and Miller was soon engaged 
 in conversation with some of them. Martyn had broken the 
 ice for himself with a mixture of French and Italian; but 
 Tarleton, who knew no language but his own, kept away from 
 the quarter-deck. 
 
 "What's the odds," he said, when Horace tried to induce 
 him to go aft. " If they were going to be on board for a year, 
 I would try to get hold of a few Greek words, and do what I 
 
A WHITE SQUALL 263 
 
 could; but as it is, it is not worth while bothering one's self. 
 It is no use my trying to make myself agreeable to girls when 
 I haven't a word to say to them. On the whole I am rather 
 glad I can't talk to them. I never had any practice at that 
 sort of thing; and if I ever do fall in love, I hope it will be 
 with an Englishwoman. Look at Miller there," he laughed, 
 "jawing away with five or six girls at once, and I don't be- 
 lieve one of them has the least idea of what he is saying, 
 though they all try to look interested." 
 
 "They understand he is trying to make himself agreeable, 
 Tarleton, and I have no doubt they are grateful and pleased. 
 I daresay some of them don't understand any more Italian 
 than he does. Still they are just as much amused, if not 
 more, as if they understood him perfectly." 
 
 After the meal was over some chairs and benches were 
 brought up, but the ladies all preferred sitting on the deck, 
 and were much pleased when a number of the men's ham- 
 mocks were brought up, unrolled, and laid down for them to 
 sit upon. Mr. Beveridge chatted with the merchants, the 
 younger men smoked and lounged about, Martyn and Miller 
 and Horace devoting themselves to the ladies, until eleven 
 o'clock, when two long tables were set. Zaimes arranged 
 them tastefully with flowers and silver, and a very excellent 
 meal was served. After the meal was finished, and the decks 
 cleared, the men were exercised at cutlass drill and in getting 
 down and setting the sails, and the Chiots were astonished at 
 their discipline and activity. 
 
 " I have seen vessels get up sail at Chios hundreds of times," 
 one of the young men said to Horace, "and everyone shouts 
 and bustles about; but with all the noise they take five or six 
 times as long to get them up as your men do, and, except 
 when the officer gives orders, there is no more sound than 
 there would be if they were all dumb." 
 
 "Captain Martyn says that he will have gun drill to-mor- 
 row," Horace said, "and you will see that they are just as 
 quiet at their work then as now. You see the three officers 
 
264 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 have all served in our navy as well as the men, and we have 
 just the same discipline as there would be in a king's ship." 
 
 "One would scarcely think," Horace remarked to his father 
 that evening as they were standing together looking at the 
 groups scattered about the deck, " that these people were 
 fugitives who have just left their native land, probably for 
 life." 
 
 "I don't think they quite realize that at present, Horace. 
 One or two of the men have been telling me what anxiety they 
 have suffered at Chios since the revolution broke out. When 
 the news came of some of the massacres of the Greeks, they 
 were in constant fear of a retaliation upon them by the Mus- 
 sulmans, and they made sure that sooner or later, if the war 
 went on, Chios would become involved in it. Of course they 
 did not suppose that such a mad-brained expedition as that 
 of Lykourgos would be undertaken, but supposed that a suffi- 
 cient force would be sent to ensure the capture of the island, 
 accompanied by a fleet that would protect it from that of the 
 Turks; but even that was greatly dreaded by them. 
 
 "They knew that the Turkish provinces governed by Greek 
 officials were much more heavily taxed and oppressed than 
 those in which the Turks collected the taxation, and knew 
 that the change would be, for them, very much for the worse. 
 Except that they have the same religion, they have little in 
 common with the Greeks in the mainland, and dreaded the 
 thought of the Albanians, who would be sure to send over 
 armed bands, who would harass and oppress them. Of course 
 they have been for centuries under Turkish rule, and the 
 island has certainly nourished exceedingly under it. Their 
 trade has been almost entirely with Constantinople, and all 
 their connections are Turkish. I can quite understand, there- 
 fore, their repugnance to a change which would ruin their 
 trade and vastly increase their burdens; while, as to masters, 
 I should imagine that no one in their senses could prefer 
 Albanians to Turks. 
 
 " Seeing the storm coming, most of the wealthy Chiots have 
 
A WHITE SQUALL 265 
 
 prepared in some way for it by sending much of their avail- 
 able capital, for safety, to correspondents abroad, or by invest- 
 ing in foreign securities. I believe that all these merchants 
 have done so; and as the greater part of their money and 
 valuables that remained are at present down in the hold, they 
 will be able to live, if not in as great luxury as before, at any 
 rate in comfort at Corfu, or wherever they may settle them- 
 selves; while several of them have told me that they intend 
 again to embark in trade, and, if possible, under our flag. 
 They have been asking me a good many questions about our- 
 selves, and don't seem at all able to comprehend the interest 
 that the Greek revolution has created in Europe; still less 
 that an Englishman like myself, who could live comfortably at 
 home, should come out here to take part in a struggle that in 
 no way concerns him." 
 
 "What did you answer, father?" Horace asked with a 
 slight smile. 
 
 " I told them that I was but half an Englishman, and that 
 my mother was Greek, and that I was devoted to the study of 
 the language and customs of the ancients." 
 
 "I suppose they knew nothing about the ancients, father?" 
 
 "No," Mr. Beveridge admitted reluctantly. "They had 
 heard of the name of Homer, and had a vague sort of knowl- 
 edge of the early history of Greece — about as vague as the 
 ordinary Englishman has of King Arthur and the Knights of 
 the Round Table. An English school-boy of twelve knows 
 more about ancient Greece than do nineteen Greeks out of 
 twenty; though, seeing the interest felt by civilized Europe 
 in the matter, it is the fashion among them now to pretend to 
 feel great enthusiasm on the subject. No; I am not surprised 
 at these poor people being cheerful, Horace. They have 
 escaped the risk of a terible fate; and as to patriotism, it is a 
 feeling of which people who have been under foreign masters 
 hundreds of years know absolutely nothing. They may regret 
 their easy, quiet life in Chios; but beyond that, I think they 
 have little feeling in the matter." 
 
2G6 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 The next morning, after breakfast, the sailors were exer- 
 cised at the guns, three rounds being fired from each piece. 
 Scarcely were the men dismissed from their quarters, and the 
 guns secured, before the boatswain went up to Martyn. 
 
 " I beg your pardon, captain, but look over there. Do you 
 see that white cloud? — how quick it rises. I know these 
 seas, sir; and that is a white squall, or I am a Dutchman. 
 We sha'n't have more than three or four minutes before it is 
 on us." 
 
 " By Jove, you are right, Tom ! All hands get off sail. 
 Look smart, my lads; there is a bit of a squall coming down 
 on us. Down topsails; in jibs. Miller, take six hands and 
 get this awning off. Horace, get the ladies below at once." 
 
 As Martyn began to give his orders, Tarleton had run for- 
 ward to see them carried out; but Miller and Horace had 
 continued their conversation without paying much attention 
 to them, believing that he was only giving the orders as an 
 exercise to the crew, and to show the passengers how quickly 
 they could get off sail. His sharp, decided tone, however, 
 soon showed them that he was in earnest. Horace looked 
 round almost bewildered, for there was scarcely a breath of 
 wind; the sky was a deep blue overhead. Miller's experience 
 in the Mediterranean, however, told him which way to look. 
 
 "White squall, by Jove!" he muttered, as his eye fell on 
 the cloud that had attracted the boatswain's attention. Spring- 
 ing forward he called six of the men, and ran aft with them 
 again. Horace, still in ignorance of the reason for the order 
 given him, at once proceeded to carry it out. 
 
 Calling out in Greek, "Please go below at once, ladies; " 
 and then to the men, " Escort the ladies below as quickly as 
 you can, please." Then, running forward, he shouted to the 
 Greek servants, "All below, all below! Take the children 
 with you; you are in the way here. Hurry down." 
 
 His orders on the quarter-deck were more quickly obeyed 
 than he had expected, for the Chiots, accustomed to these 
 sudden and tremendous squalls of the yEgean, glancing round 
 
A WHITE SQUALL 267 
 
 when they heard the order, perceived the reason for it at once, 
 and hurried the ladies below with all speed. 
 
 With so strong a crew it took but a minute to lower the 
 gaff topsail from the mainmast and to get the foretop gallant 
 sail and topsail down on the caps, and almost before the 
 halliards had been let go a dozen men were aloft furling the 
 sails. The foresail came down with a run, and the jibs flew 
 in from the bowsprit. Martyn himself saw to the lowering of 
 the mainsail. 
 
 "Belay there!" he called when it was half-way down. 
 "Reef it down fully, Mr. Tarleton," as the young officer, with 
 twenty men, sprang to the reef-points. " Now haul on the 
 reef-earing. That is it. Well together, lads. Harden it 
 down; that will do. Now a pull on the main halliards; that 
 is enough. Belay. Lower the peak a bit more ; that will do. 
 Now we are ready for it. Boatswain ! " 
 
 "Ay, ay, sir," came from forward. 
 
 "Lower that fore-staysail down, and reef it fully." 
 
 He looked to windward. A white bank of clouds extended 
 half-way up the sky, in front of which were white streamers 
 blown out ahead of it. The schooner had already been brought 
 round with her head in the direction of the wind, and an 
 extra hand had been placed at the wheel. 
 
 "Starboard a little," Martyn cried to the men at the wheel. 
 "Slack off the mainsheet a bit, Mr. Miller. I don't want to 
 be taken aback." 
 
 A minute later a white line was seen approaching them on 
 the water with the speed of a race-horse, and then with a 
 shriek the squall was upon them. Stripped as the vessel was 
 of all her canvas, save the diminished fore-staysail, the main- 
 sail being too far over to draw, she lay down until the water 
 poured in over the lee gunwale from the pressure of wind on 
 her masts and rigging. Her head payed off. 
 
 "Now haul on the mainsheet," Martyn shouted to a dozen 
 sailors who had hold of it, and dragged it in hand over hand. 
 As the sail fluttered in her head again came up into the wind. 
 
268 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "That will do. Belay there! keep her at that, lads," Martyn 
 said, taking his place by the side of the men at the helm. 
 "Keep the staysail full, but nothing more." 
 
 The schooner had now begun to move fast through the water 
 as close-hauled to the wind as her sails would stand. Though 
 still heeling over, her deck was now free of water, as that 
 which she had taken on board had rushed out through the 
 port-holes. 
 
 "She will do nicely now," Martyn said to his first lieuten- 
 ant. "You can get the peak up again, Mr. Miller; she will 
 stand it now." 
 
 The schooner was now retracing the course she had before 
 been sailing on. 
 
 " It is lucky it came when it did, Miller. Another couple 
 of hours and we should have been in the thick of the islands. 
 As it is now, we have clear water, and at any rate, if we are 
 obliged to change our course, we can run down south compar- 
 atively clear of everything. It is lucky we saw it coming in 
 time. It was the boatswain warned me. If we had not got 
 the sail off her we should have lost our spars, and perhaps 
 been dismasted, and with all these islands down to leeward 
 we should have been in an awkward fix." 
 
 "Yes, indeed;" Miller agreed. "We are all right now. 
 Of course we shall get some sea soon, but these squalls don't 
 last many hours. It is only the first blow that is to be feared." 
 
 " Do you think, Miller, you could get that pivot-gun sent 
 down below? It is a big weight on deck, and when the sea 
 gets up she will feel it." 
 
 " I think so, sir. There is no sea on yet to speak of." 
 
 The gun was amidships, half-way between the fore and 
 mainmasts, and there was a hatchway just beyond the frame- 
 work on which it travelled. Calling the crew together, Miller 
 got tackles on the mainmast, and these with the blocks of the 
 throat halliards of the foresail were hooked on to strops round 
 the gun. Ropes were attached to it and manned to prevent 
 it from swinging away to leeward when hoisted from the car- 
 riage. 
 
A WHITE SQUALL 269 
 
 "Now all ready," Miller said. "Hoist on the falls hand- 
 somely, inch by inch. Stand fast to those stay-ropes; that is 
 right. Now haul her aft. Lower away a little forward and 
 let her swing gradually aft; that does it. Now she is over 
 the hatchway. Lower away a little aft. Let her go down, 
 breech foremost; that will do. Now a dozen of you go down 
 to the main deck. You go down with them, Mr. Tarleton, 
 and steer her clear through the lower hatchway." 
 
 Gradually the muzzle of the heavy gun sank below the deck, 
 and in five minutes it was safely stowed in the bottom of the 
 hold. Then the hatches were put on again and battened down 
 securely, and Miller went aft. 
 
 "That is a good job, Miller," Martyn said. "The sea is 
 getting up fast, and in another five minutes it would not have 
 been safe to do it. It will make all the difference to us in 
 such a short choppy sea as we shall be having." 
 
 For six hours the wind blew with unabated force. A heavy 
 sea got up, and, buoyant as she was, the schooner shipped 
 water heavily over the bow, the seas being too short to give 
 her time to rise and fall regularly over them. At the end of 
 that time the wind fell almost as suddenly as it had risen, and 
 half an hour later the schooner was on her course again, with 
 all her lower sails set. It was not until evening that the sea 
 had gone down sufficiently for the passengers to begin to make 
 their appearance again on deck, looking worn out and ex- 
 hausted by sea-sickness. 
 
 By this time the schooner was among the islands, and was 
 passing through the Mykonos Channel, between the island of 
 that name and Tenos. Syra rose above the water almost 
 ahead, while Rhenea and Delos lay on her beam to the south. 
 Her topsails were set now, and she was running fast through 
 the water, her course being laid to pass between Seriphos and 
 Siphnos, beyond which it was a straight course to Cape 
 Malea, at the southern point of the Morea. A sharp look-out 
 was kept at night for Anti-Melos on the one hand, and Fal- 
 conera on the other. The former was made out, the land 
 
270 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 being high; but Falconera, a mere rock, was passed unob- 
 served. In the morning the schooner was running through 
 the Cervi Channel, between Cythera and Cervi, which island 
 almost touches the mainland. A quiet night's rest had com- 
 pletely restored the passengers, who came on deck early, and 
 watched with interest the rocky shore of the Morea as they 
 coasted along it. 
 
 Three days later the Misericordia dropped her anchor in 
 the harbour of Corfu. 
 
 Mr. Beveridge was again overwhelmed with thanks by the 
 grateful Chiots. Upon the way they had inquired of him if 
 he had a wife or daughters, and were quite disappointed at 
 hearing that he had no near female relatives, as they had 
 intended to send a consignment of choice stuffs and embroid- 
 eries to them in token of their gratitude. Before landing they 
 handed to Martyn a hundred pounds to be divided among the 
 crew, and on the day after landing sent off a very handsome 
 case of pistols to each of the officers. As their goods were 
 being got up from the hold they pointed out four barrels 
 which were to remain behind. 
 
 "We brought them off specially for you, Mr. Beveridge," 
 they said. "They are the very choicest vintage of Chios, and 
 we do hope that though you have refused to accept any sub- 
 stantial proof of our gratitude, you will not refuse to take 
 these." 
 
 The decks of the Misericordia seemed curiously still and 
 deserted after the departure of their guests. It had been a 
 very pleasant week while the Chiots had been on board, and 
 Martyn and Miller both looked out of spirits, having tempo- 
 rarily lost their hearts to two of the Greek girls. 
 
 "We have the best of it now," Tarleton laughed to the 
 doctor. "What is the use of a week's flirtation? Look at 
 the parting at the end of it. The girls were pretty enough, 
 no doubt; but what good would it be to take home a wife 
 who did not speak your language, who was ignorant of English 
 ways, and would be miserable in our climate, besides being 
 
A WHITE SQUALL 271 
 
 of a different religion. I think it is just as well that the 
 voyage was not longer; as it is, they will soon get over it." 
 
 The captain and first officer had indeed but little time to 
 think over it, for on the evening of the day after their arrival 
 sail was again set on the schooner, and she started on her 
 return to Chios, where, as Mr. l>everidge said, they were likely 
 to find plenty more opportunities for doing good. The wind 
 held steady, and they made a quick passage. Scarcely had 
 they dropped anchor when a boat came off to them bearing an 
 angry message from Lykourgos. 
 
 "You have assisted deserters to escape from the island," he 
 said, "and if any of you set foot on shore you will at once be 
 arrested." 
 
 They learned shortly afterwards from a boat that came along- 
 side to sell fish that many of the richer inhabitants had been 
 arrested and very heavily fined upon the accusation that they 
 also intended to desert, and that all who had property had 
 been compelled to pay considerable sums for protection against 
 the excesses of the troops who had come, as they pretended, 
 to deliver them. The officers were furious at the message 
 from Lykourgos, and proposed going ashore with a strong 
 party of armed sailors. Mr. Beveridge, however, decided 
 that no steps should be taken for a day or two. 
 
 "We don't want to become actually embroiled with these 
 people unless it is necessary," he said. "The Turkish fleet 
 is expected here every day now, and Lykourgos and his crew 
 will, we may be sure, take flight as soon as they appear, and 
 we shall then have plenty of scope for our work. At any rate 
 we will wait two or three days and see how matters turn up. 
 If necessary we can then do as you propose, seize half a dozen 
 of the ships, and tell the rest we will sink them if they don't 
 put to sea; that will bring the fellow to his senses at once. I 
 don't want to do it if 1 can help it, because we should after- 
 wards be liable to attack at any of the islands we might hap- 
 pen to put into." 
 
 A few hours later a fast Greek felucca came up and 
 
AT& IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 anchored between the schooner and the other vessels. A boat 
 was lowered and rowed at once towards the transports. 
 
 " I fancy that fellow must have brought some news," Martyn 
 said. " Horace, will you go on board of him and find out 
 where he comes from, and whether he has heard anything of 
 the Turkish fleet?" 
 
 In ten minutes Horace reported: 
 
 " The Turks are only a few miles from the north of the 
 island. The felucca has been watching them for the last 
 week. They have been taking troops on board at all the ports 
 on the mainland as they came down." 
 
 Already the fleet had diminished by at least two-thirds 
 since Lykourgos landed; but a small proportion of the plunder 
 had fallen to the sailors, and as it was for this alone that the 
 craft had taken part in the expedition, the greater portion 
 soon became discontented and sailed away. As the Turkish 
 fleet approached the island, a Turkish sloop, which had gone 
 on ahead to ascertain the position of the Greeks, ran ashore 
 and fell into the hands of the Greeks, who at once put to 
 death every soul on board — the fate that had befallen every 
 prisoner they had taken. Having thus done their utmost to 
 exasperate the Turks, and to imperil the safety of the Chris- 
 tian inhabitants of the island, the Greeks made no effort to 
 oppose the landing of the Mussulmans, but retired precipi- 
 tately on their approach, and the Turks entered Chios, plun- 
 dering the town of everything that had escaped the bands of 
 Lykourgos, the irregulars who formed part of the army mur- 
 dering every Christian they met. 
 
 Lykourgos had retreated to the village of St. George, whence, 
 after a feeble attempt at defence, he escaped with his followers 
 on board some Psarian ships that had, fortunately for him, 
 arrived. These islanders had strongly opposed the expedition 
 to Chios, and had taken no part in it, fearing to bring down 
 the Turkish fleet upon themselves, as Psara lay but a short 
 distance north of Chios. They maintained their fleet in port 
 to aid in its defence should the Turks attack them. As soon, 
 
A WHITE SQUALL 273 
 
 however, as they saw the Turkish fleet sail past Psara on its 
 way to Chios they at once put to sea with the intention of 
 harassing the Turks and rendering some assistance to the 
 Christians. 
 
 The vengeance of the Turks now fell upon the unfortunate 
 Chiots, who had been perfectly innocent of all share in the 
 proceedings of Lykourgos, and who had already suffered so 
 heavily at the hands of him and his robber bands. In the 
 citv the wealthier class generally succeeded in purchasing the 
 protection of Turks in authority by paying large sums of 
 monev, but the rest were either slaughtered or seized to be 
 sold into slavery. Three thousand Chiots, mostly the peas- 
 antry that had come down from the hills, retired to the monas- 
 tery of Aghios Minas, five miles south of the city. The Turks 
 surrounded them and summoned them to surrender. They 
 refused to surrender, and the building was carried by storm, 
 and all within it put to death. Two thousand persons were 
 similarly slain at the capture of the monastery of Nea Alone; 
 most of them were put to death by the sword, and the rest 
 perished in the conflagration of the monastery. 
 
 Kara Ali, the capitan-pasha, did all in his power to save 
 the island from being laid waste, knowing that the loss of the 
 revenue derived from the island would greatly vex the sultan 
 and his seraglio, to whom this revenue was specially appro- 
 priated. The regular troops were kept fairly in order, but 
 the Bashi-Bazouks, that is the volunteers who had flocked to 
 his standard, scattered over the island, plundering and slay- 
 ing, but more especially carrying off women and children for 
 sale in the slave-markets. The sultan, determined to strike 
 terror into the hearts of the Greeks of the island, executed at 
 Constantinople some Chiot hostages that had been sent there, 
 and ordered the archbishop and seventy-five other Chiots to be 
 executed by the capitan-pasha. During the whole time Ly- 
 kourgos had been there the vessels from Psara they had been 
 carrying off the Chiots from small ports and quiet bays round 
 the island, and it was estimated that some fifteen thousand had 
 
274 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 been taken off in this way either before the arrival of the 
 Turks or during the continuance of the massacres by them. 
 The work was carried on with great vigour by the Psarians 
 who reaped a rich harvest from their operations, demanding 
 and receiving all the valuables of the unfortunate fugitives as 
 the price for their passage to another island. Thus large 
 numbers of wealthy Chiots were reduced to the most abject 
 poverty by the avarice and extortion of those who professed to 
 save them. 
 
 The Afisericordia was very busy during the three weeks that 
 followed the Turkish re-occupation of the island. Cruising 
 round and round she carried off large numbers of fugitives, 
 conveying them across to the nearest Greek islands. After 
 making three such trips, and carrying over some twelve hun- 
 dred fugitives, she left the work of rescue to the Psarians, and 
 took up her station between the island and the mainland to 
 cut off the craft that were, as they learned, conveying the 
 women and children to the slave-markets of Smyrna. As 
 speed was here of the greatest utility, vessel after vessel was 
 overhauled and compelled to bring to by her guns. Then the 
 boats went alongside, forced the Turkish sailors and Bashi- 
 Bazouks to take to their boats, and then after transporting the 
 rescued women and children to the schooner, set fire to the 
 ships. 
 
 No less than eighteen were overhauled and destroyed in the 
 course of a week — fourteen hundred women and children being 
 rescued, the first two batches being landed at Psara as the 
 nearest Greek island, while the last batch was taken to Athens. 
 On returning from that trip they found that the destruction 
 they caused had so alarmed the ship-owners of Smyrna that 
 the traffic by sea had almost entirely ceased, and that the 
 slaves were now carried across in boats or small vessels to the 
 mainland opposite the island, which was but six or seven miles 
 away. Here it was difficult to interrupt it, for the Turkish 
 fleet lay off the town of Chios, and the smaller ships cruised 
 about in the channel. 
 
A WHITE SQUALL 275 
 
 Trusting to her superior sailing power, the Misericordia 
 entered by the southern, which was the broader end of the 
 straits, and kept hovering about between the island and the 
 mainland. She was frequently chased by the Turks, and 
 several times engaged their cruisers at a distance, the supe- 
 rior rapidity of her fire, and the ease with which she manoeu- 
 vred, giving her a great advantage over her clumsy opponents. 
 Two of the Turkish corvettes were so severely handled that 
 they had to retire under the shelter of the guns of the fleet. 
 Over a score of small craft were intercepted and destroyed, 
 and two hundred and fifty more slaves rescued. At night she 
 generally ran across and anchored in some indentation on the 
 Turkish side, going in after nightfall, knowing that the Turkish 
 cruisers always retired before dark to their anchorage off Chios. 
 
 One night they were at anchor in a deep bay near the narrow 
 and northern mouth of the straits. At about three in the 
 morning Horace was on the watch with Miller, and was walk- 
 ing up and down the quarter-deck with him, when one of the 
 quarter-masters came aft. 
 
 "It seems to me, sir," he said to the first lieutenant, "that 
 I can hear some sort of noise out seaward." 
 
 Miller stopped in his walk and listened intently. "There 
 is some sort of noise, sure enough, quarter-master." 
 
 It was a quiet night, not a breath of wind was stirring, but 
 a confused sound was audible like that of small waves break- 
 ing on a stony beach. "What do you make it out to be?" 
 he asked the quarter-master. " It is too irregular and con- 
 fused for oars." 
 
 "I don't know, sir; it ain't the sound of the oars of one 
 boat or of two, but I should say that it might be the sound of 
 a dozen." 
 
 "I think you are right," Miller said after listening for a 
 while. " I don't see what else it can be. Go down and call 
 Captain Martyn." 
 
 In two or three minutes Martyn was on deck. "You make 
 out oars, I hear, Miller?" 
 
276 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "I am not sure that it is the sound of oars, but it may be." 
 
 Martyn listened attentively. 
 
 "I have very little doubt it is that," he said. "It is possi- 
 ble some boat may have gone over from this side with the 
 news that we are here, or they may have arranged some fire 
 signal and given notice in that way, and they have sent the 
 boats of the fleet across to cut us out. Well, if so, we have 
 got to fight; there is not a breath of wind. Call the other 
 watch on deck, quarter-master." 
 
 The men soon tumbled up. 
 
 "Will you see to getting the boarding nettings up, Mr. 
 Miller. Mr. Tarleton, get a boat put in the water, ship a 
 light anchor, and drop it a cable length of her quarter. Get 
 springs into both cables, so that we can work her round and 
 keep her broadside on to an attack. Horace, will you call 
 up your father in the first place, and go down with the two 
 Greeks to the lower deck and get all that mob of women and 
 children down into the hold. Call the men to quarters, boat- 
 swain; open the magazine, get up canister and grape; let the 
 men muster with muskets and boarding-pikes." 
 
 The guns were run in and loaded, and when everything was 
 in readiness a dead silence reigned fore and aft. The noise 
 was now much louder, and there could be no doubt any longer 
 that it was caused by the approach of a large number of boats; 
 then Martyn spoke in a clear voice that could be heard from 
 end to end of the schooner. 
 
 "As you can hear for yourselves, men, it is evident that we 
 are about to be attacked by a flotilla of boats. Well, we have 
 got to beat them off. You know, without my telling you, that 
 there is no mercy to be expected at the hands of the Turks if 
 they become the masters of this ship, so we have got to beat 
 them off; and as it is a choice between doing so and of being 
 murdered afterwards, I am sure I need not tell you that we 
 must fight to the last, and I for one have very little fear of 
 what the result will be. We have done good work as British 
 sailors in saving life up to this point, and now we have got to 
 
FIRE-SHIPS Zl i 
 
 show them what British sailors can do when they are fighting 
 for their own lives. Don't cheer, lads, they might hear it 
 across the water, and they may as well think they are going to 
 take us by surprise; we will cheer when we have beaten them 
 off." 
 
 A hum of approval ran round the ship, and then the men 
 stood to their guns with their pistols in their belts, and their 
 muskets and boarding-pikes ready at hand. Mr. Beveridge 
 with the two Greeks had taken their positions, armed with 
 rifles, near the wheel. 
 
 "They must be coming very slowly, Tarleton," Miller mut- 
 tered impatiently. "They must be a mile away still." 
 
 " I expect the boats are crowded with troops, Miller, and I 
 daresay they are rowing easily so as to keep well in a body." 
 
 "I suppose that is it; but I wish the beggars would make 
 haste. I hate this waiting." 
 
 "So do I," Tarleton agreed. "Well, we shall give them a 
 hot reception when they do come. If it were anyone but 
 Turks, I should say we were going to have very hot work of it. 
 The Turk? are good fellows to fight on shore, but they are no 
 good on the water, and I expect they will attack us pell-mell 
 without the least plan or order. Well, we shall soon know; 
 another ten minutes, and they will be near enough to begin." 
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 FIRE-SHIPS 
 
 HPHE time passed slowly as they were waiting for the attack 
 * by the Turkish boats. The men muttered and growled to 
 each other at the delay. In order to give them something to 
 do, Miller sent all those who were not stationed at the guns 
 down below to fetch up a number of 3 2 -pound shot and place 
 
278 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 them in the racks, and some of the men were told off to jump 
 up on to the rail as soon as the boats came alongside, and to 
 throw the shot over the top of the boarding-netting down into 
 the boats. 
 
 "I wish it was not so confoundedly dark, Miller, and that 
 we could make the fellows out," Martyn said. 
 
 " I have got rockets and blue lights, sir. Shall I send a 
 rocket up ? They are sure to find us, so we lose nothing by 
 showing them where we are." 
 
 "Yes, they are sure to find us. I don't like their being 
 such a long time in getting to us." 
 
 "They do come wonderfully slow," Miller agreed. 
 
 " Do you know, Miller, I have been thinking for some time 
 that there must be some cause for it, and the only reason I can 
 see is that they may be towing." 
 
 "By Jove, so they may! I did not think of that. It will be 
 awkward if we have got a ship to fight as well as the boats." 
 
 "Very awkward. Send up a rocket, we may as well settle 
 the question. Pass the word round for the men to train their 
 guns as nearly as they can in the direction in which we can 
 hear the oars, and to fire when they get light. " 
 
 A minute later a rocket shot up in the air. As it burst a 
 number of boats were seen crowded together, towing behind 
 them two large brigs. There was a moment's pause while the 
 men at the guns adjusted their aim, then the pivot-gun roared 
 out, and the four on the broadside followed in quick succes- 
 sion. The distance was about six hundred yards, and the 
 crashing of wood, followed by a chorus of shouts and cries, 
 arose as the storm of grape swept down upon the boats. 
 
 "Load again, lads, as quick as you can," Martyn shouted. 
 "Show a couple of blue lights, quarter-master. Boatswain, 
 load the pivot with ball, and fire as fast as you can at the 
 brigs; never mind the boats, we will attend to them." 
 
 The blue lights were lit and a rocket sent up, so as to burst 
 over the enemy, and again a broadside of grape was poured 
 in, while a shot from the pivot-gun crashed into the bows of 
 
KLPtLUN'i IHE TUKKlall HOARDERS 
 
FIRE-SHIPS -(9 
 
 one of the brigs; these had apparently been lashed together, 
 so that the boats could tow them on a broad front. A con- 
 fused din came across the water; shouts, cries, and orders 
 mingled together. As far as could be seen everything was in 
 confusion. Some of the boats had sunk, and the occupants 
 were being pulled on board of the others. Some had thrown 
 off their tow-ropes and were heading for the schooner, others 
 lay helpless in the water. 
 
 "Keep the rockets going, quarter-master," Martyn said; 
 "the more light we have the better. Horace, tell the men at 
 the aft and forward guns to aim at the boats rowing towards 
 us; let the two midship guns keep on at the crowd in front of 
 the brigs. They have sent a pretty strong force against us. 
 There must have been fully twenty of these boats at first; 
 there are about sixteen of them now, and they are all large 
 ones. Depress the guns on the other broadside as far as they 
 will go, Mr. Tarleton, we shall have some of them round on 
 that side presently. Cant them down as much as you can." 
 
 Two more of the boats towing were disabled by the next 
 broadside, and the rest, throwing off the ropes, rowed straight 
 for the schooner. 
 
 "Aim steadily, men!" Martyn shouted. "Pick out your 
 boats before you fire." 
 
 Two of the boats were sunk as they approached, three 
 others fell behind crippled; but the others, with loud shouts, 
 made straight at the vessel. As they approached her they 
 opened a fire of musketry, which was answered by the rifles 
 and muskets of the sailors. As they swept up alongside shots 
 were heaved down into them, and the crashing of planks told 
 that they had done their work. The guns on the starboard 
 side were silent at first, as the first boats came up so close 
 alongside that they could not reach them; but those that fol- 
 lowed were further out, and two were instantly sunk. 
 
 As the Turks strove to climb up the side and cut their way 
 through the boarding-netting, they were shot down by pistols 
 or run through by boarding-pikes. A few managed to climb 
 
280 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 over or force their way through the netting, but these were 
 cut down before they could obtain a footing on deck. For 
 ten minutes the fight went on by the flare of the blue lights, 
 and then eight Turkish boats, which alone floated, rowed 
 away, crowded with the survivors from the others. A loud 
 cheer broke ffom the schooner. 
 
 "Never mind them, my men," Martyn shouted; "load with 
 ball now and aim at the brigs." 
 
 These had taken no part whatever in the fight. Left 
 by the boats head on to the schooner, and almost without 
 steerage-way, they had in vain endeavoured to get broadside 
 on so as to bring their guns to bear. The lashings had been 
 cut, and the rudders been put in opposite directions; they 
 had drifted a little apart with their heads outwards, and as 
 the boats rowed away from the schooner they opened fire with 
 their bow-guns. The boatswain, with the men working the 
 pivot-gun, had from the first continued steadily at their work 
 regardless of the din around them, Horace taking his place 
 beside them, in order to call them off to aid in repelling the 
 Turks should they gain a footing anywhere on the deck. 
 When the boarding-netting had been triced up, a gap had been 
 left opposite the gun, and the fire at the brigs had been kept 
 up without intermission, every shot raking one or other of 
 them fore and aft. 
 
 As soon as the boats were fairly away, the guns from the 
 starboard side were run across, the spare ports being thrown 
 open, and the eight guns all brought into play to aid the pivot- 
 gun. As soon as the boats reached the brigs they took shelter 
 behind them, and in a short time both craft began to swing 
 round, their guns firing as they were brought to bear. 
 
 "Eight guns a side," Miller said; "but it would not matter 
 if there were twenty, if they did not aim better than that;" 
 for not a single shot had struck the schooner. One or two 
 passed overhead, but the rest went wide. 
 
 Instead of the brigs being left broadside on as they had 
 expected, their heads swept round until they were stern on to 
 the schooner, then they began slowly to glide away. 
 
FIRE-SHIPS 281 
 
 "They have had enough of it," Miller exclaimed, and 
 another cheer broke from the schooner. 
 
 "Cease firing!" Martyn said. "If they leave us alone we 
 are content to leave them alone; they must have suffered 
 tremendously as it is." 
 
 An examination was now made as to the casualties. Four 
 men had been killed, all were shot through the head, as they 
 had fired over the bulwark at the boats as they came alongside ; 
 six others were wounded more or less seriously, by pistol shots 
 that had been fired by the Turks as they tried to climb on 
 board — a small total indeed, considering the nature of the 
 attack. When morning dawned the brigs could be made out 
 near the opposite shore, they were still being towed by the 
 boats; but as they were looking at them, sail was made as a 
 light breeze sprang up. When the wind reached them, the 
 mainmast of one was seen to go over the side, having doubt- 
 less been wounded by the raking fire, and carrying in its fall 
 the fore top-gallant mast and topmast. A quarter of an hour 
 later the breeze reached the schooner. The decks had been 
 already washed down, and everything had resumed its ordinary 
 aspect, and before getting up the anchor the four men who 
 had fallen, and who had already been sewn up in hammocks, 
 were committed to the sea, Mr. Beveridge reading the funeral 
 service over them. Mr. Macfarlane reported that the wounded 
 were all likely to do well. 
 
 As soon as the fight was over the women and children, who 
 had been suffering agonies of terror while it had been going 
 on, had been brought out from the hold and allowed to sleep 
 as usual on the lower deck, which had been entirely given up 
 to them; and when the schooner got under weigh they were 
 permitted to come up on deck. Although they had been 
 assured by Zaimes and his brother that all danger was over, 
 their first action on coming up was to look round timidly, and 
 they were evidently greatly relieved when they saw that the 
 sea was clear of enemies. They looked much surprised at 
 seeing everything going on as usual, and at the absence of 
 
282 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 any signs of the terrible conflict they had heard raging round 
 them the night before — the bullet marks in the bulwarks 
 being the only evidences of what had passed. It had already 
 been decided to sail for Greece in the course of a day or two, 
 as they had as many fugitives on board as they could carry, 
 and it was now determined to do so at once. As they sailed 
 west they made out a large number of ships approaching, and 
 were soon running through the Greek fleet. 
 
 "I am sorry we left now," Miller said; "we shall miss a 
 fight." 
 
 " I expect we shall be back in time," Macfarlane remarked; 
 "the Greeks are in no great hurry to fight. It is two months 
 since they were sent for, when the landing was made at Chios; 
 and after taking all this time to make up their minds about 
 it, they are likely to take a few days before they make up their 
 minds to have a tussle with the Turks. The Greek mind, I 
 observe, is full of contradictions; sometimes, especially if 
 there is plunder to be got, their eagerness is just wonderful; 
 but when it is a question of fighting, their caution is very 
 remarkable." 
 
 Miller laughed. "I daresay you are right, doctor, and I 
 don't feel at all confident that there will be a fight. So far 
 the Greek fleet has done nothing, and their only idea of fight- 
 ing a Turkish ship has been to launch a fire-ship against it." 
 
 "Fire-ships are no good against enemies who know what 
 they are doing," Martyn said. "A couple of boats can always 
 tow a fire-ship clear; but the Turks are lubberly sailors, and 
 these fire-ships seem almost to paralyse them." 
 
 " I can't make it out," Miller put in, " why the Turks should 
 manoeuvre their vessels so badly, considering that their sailors 
 are for the most part Thessalians, drawn from the Mohamme- 
 dan sea-side villages, Albanians by blood, just as the Hydriots 
 are." 
 
 "They want British officers," the doctor said. "Officers 
 are always the weak point with the Turks. There are no 
 braver soldiers in the world when they are well led. But they 
 
FIRE-SHIPS 283 
 
 never are well led now; their pashas seem to be chosen for 
 stupidity and obstinacy. It is a great pity that we did not 
 make up our minds to take Turkey instead of India. Eh, 
 man ! we should have made a grand country of it when we 
 had once got it into order." 
 
 "We shall make a grand country of India some day, doctor. 
 I have never been out there; but there is no doubt that just 
 what you say about the Turks is true of the natives there, and 
 they make very good soldiers when they have British officers 
 to lead them." 
 
 "So they say, Captain Martyn; but you must remember that 
 they have only fought against other natives without British 
 officers to lead them. We must wait till we see them fighting 
 against European troops of some other nation before we can 
 say that they are fine soldiers." 
 
 " If we wait till then, we are likely to wait a long time, 
 doctor. Besides, you must remember they did fight well against 
 the French troops under Dupleix." 
 
 " So they did, but not till they got the idea that our soldiers 
 were better than the French. But, as you say, it will be a long 
 time before they get the chance again. The French are no 
 longer a power in India; nor are the Dutch; and the distance 
 is too long for either ever to send out an army big enough to 
 wrest India from us; and as to marching by land — well, it 
 could not be done." 
 
 The next day they reached the port of Athens, and got rid 
 of their cargo of passengers, and then, with every sail set, 
 hurried back to Chios, touching at Psara on the way, as, from 
 the direction in which the Greeks were steering, they thought 
 it probable they might have made a stay there. A small 
 Psariot vessel had just come in from the fleet, and Horace, 
 who had gone ashore with Marco, learned that Miaoulis, the 
 Greek admiral, had coasted along the north of Chios, and that 
 the Turks had at once weighed anchor and gone out to engage 
 him. The Greeks, not caring to fight in the narrow waters, 
 where their power of manoeuvring would be thrown away, 
 
284 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 had stood out, and an engagement had taken place at the 
 mouth of the Gulf of Smyrna." 
 
 "We fought most valiantly," the Greek said, "and it was a 
 drawn battle." 
 
 "But what was done?" Horace asked. " How many ves- 
 sels were sunk on each side? " 
 
 " Oh, there were no vessels sunk. They fired at us, and 
 we fired at them." 
 
 "Were there many killed and wounded? " 
 
 "No; I don't think there were any killed and wounded. 
 You see we manoeuvred round the Turks. We could not go 
 near, because their guns were much heavier than ours. We 
 sent down a fire-ship among them; but unfortunately they 
 evaded it, and some of our most daring captains ventured so 
 close that their ships were struck by the Turkish shot. Yes- 
 terday the combat was renewed again. The cannonading was 
 like thunder, and this morning we again fought. Then we 
 needed rest, and to get fresh meat we sailed back." 
 
 Horace had difficulty in restraining his expressions of dis- 
 gust at the conduct of the fleet that had, after two months' 
 delay, at last sailed to annihilate the Turks; and as they 
 walked back to their boat Marco poured out, in an undertone, 
 volumes of execrations in choice Greek. 
 
 As they reached the schooner the doctor looked over the 
 side. "We are not too late, Horace; there's the Greek fleet 
 rounding the point. As we can't make out with our glass a 
 shot-hole in their sails or a splinter on their bulwarks, it is 
 evident that I was right, and that we are in plenty of time to 
 see the engagement." 
 
 "You are mistaken, doctor," Horace said as he reached 
 the deck. " There has been a great naval battle, lasting three 
 days. There are no killed or wounded; but one or two ships, 
 commanded by daring captains, ventured within gun-shot of 
 the Turks, and were struck. That is the exact history of the 
 affair, as I learned it from one of the heroes." 
 
 "Is that really the story you have heard, Horace?" Mr. 
 Beveridee asked. 
 
FIRE-SHIPS 285 
 
 "It is, father; almost in the words that it was told to me." 
 
 "I really think," Martyn said, seeing how depressed Mr. 
 Beveridge looked at the news, "that much more could hardly 
 be expected from the Greeks. Their ships are for the most 
 part small, and their metal very light. They have not the 
 slightest idea of discipline or of working in concert. A 
 Turkish broadside would sink half a dozen of them if they 
 ventured to close quarters ; and of course their superior sea- 
 manship is not of the slightest avail as long as they fight at a 
 distance." 
 
 "It would avail if they had pluck," Horace said bitterly. 
 "The English ships that went out to engage the great galleons 
 of the Spanish Armada were as inferior in tonnage and in 
 weight of metal as the Greeks are; but for all that they gave 
 a good account of them." 
 
 "Yes, Horace; but you must remember that the English 
 sailors had been fighting and thrashing the Spaniards for years 
 before, and had come almost to despise them; while the 
 Greeks have never fought before, have no confidence in them- 
 selves, and hold the Turks in high respect." 
 
 "You can't expect," the doctor put in, "that bulldogs are 
 going to be manufactured out of mongrels in one generation, 
 Horace. A fighting race grows up little by little. The Greeks 
 fought just as pluckily in the old days, against big odds, as 
 we ever did, and may do it again in time; but they have got 
 to be built up to it." 
 
 "Thank you, doctor," Mr. Beveridge said. "We keep on 
 forgetting that the Greeks have been slaves, and that slaves 
 lose all their military virtues. It was just the same thing with 
 the Britons. Their valour excited the admiration of Caesar; 
 but after being under the domination of the Romans for gen- 
 erations, they completely lost all their manhood, and fell easy 
 victims to the Saxons. We must not be too hard on the 
 Greeks, Horace, or expect them to behave as men whose 
 fathers have been free and independent." 
 
 In the evening Miller went ashore with Mr. Beveridge and 
 
286 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 had a talk with some Philhellenes who had joined the expe- 
 dition. They all agreed that Miaoulis had manoeuvred his 
 ships well, always keeping the weather-gauge of the Turks; 
 but there was no shadow of discipline among the ships, and 
 their fire was as wild and inefficient as that of the Turks, the 
 men loading and firing as quickly as they could, quite regard- 
 less of the direction or distance of their shot, the great part 
 of which entered the sea half-way between the combatants. 
 
 " Kanaris is here," they said, "and you will see that he at 
 least will attempt something against the Turks before he is 
 done." 
 
 It was not, however, until fifteen days later that any move 
 was made. Kanaris had paid a visit to the Misericordia, and 
 was greatly struck by the order and discipline that prevailed. 
 
 " Our men will not submit to it, Mr. Beveridge. It is in 
 vain to assure them that nothing can be done unless we can 
 introduce discipline such as prevails on ships of war of other 
 nations. Unfortunately they have been accustomed to an- 
 other state of things. The sailors are always paid by a share 
 in the profits of our voyages, and everyone has a say as to 
 the ports to be visited and the course to be steered. Be- 
 fore any change is made there is always a general council of 
 all on board, and the matter is decided by vote. Such being 
 the habit, you can understand the difficulty of getting these 
 men to submit to anything like discipline. Another thing 
 is, that the ships belong to private persons, and not to the 
 state, although they may receive pay from government. They 
 are therefore very chary of exposing their vessels to the risk 
 of loss, for which, more likely than not, they would never 
 receive a penny from the central government, which has plenty 
 of objects of much greater interest to its members to spend 
 its money upon. Until some total change takes place in the 
 organization and manning of our fleet, I can see no hope of 
 any improvement." 
 
 On the 1 8th of June two ships got up anchor and sailed. 
 On board the schooner their progress was watched with inter- 
 
FIRE-SHIPS 287 
 
 est. Kanaris had confided to Mr. Beveridge that the ships 
 were loaded with combustibles, and that he was going to 
 attempt to set fire to the Turkish fleet. The wind was con- 
 trary, and the two craft tacked backwards and forwards off 
 the north of Chios as if intending to beat up the Gulf of 
 Smyrna. Four hours after they had started the schooner also 
 got under way, as all were anxious to see what would take 
 place, and Mr. Beveridge had told Kanaris that he would go 
 within a short distance of the Turkish fleet and burn a blue 
 light, so that the boats on leaving the fire-ships could row off 
 to him and be taken back to Psara. 
 
 It was the last day of the Ramazan, and a number of the 
 principal officers of the Turkish fleet had been invited by the 
 Capitan Pasha to dine with him on board his flag-ship to 
 celebrate the feast of Bairam. The night was a dark one, but 
 the whole of the Turkish vessels were illuminated in honour 
 of the festival, and their outlines were clearly visible. The 
 Misericordia had entered the northern passage an hour after 
 nightfall; the two Greek ships being, when last seen, about 
 three miles ahead. The schooner lay-to a couple of miles 
 distant from the anchorage. They had scarcely done so when 
 they made out the sails of two vessels between them and the 
 lines of light on the Turkish war-ships. 
 
 "There they go," Martyn said, "steering straight in. One 
 of them is making straight for the Capitan Pasha's own ship. 
 No doubt that is Kanaris himself. The other is making for 
 that seventy-four that carries the flag of the Reala Bey. You 
 can tell them by the variegated lamps along their yards. The 
 Turks evidently have not caught sight of them yet or they 
 would open fire. On such a dark night as this I don't suppose 
 they will make them out till they are close alongside." 
 
 Kanaris, a man of the greatest calmness and courage, was 
 himself at the helm of his craft. Running straight before 
 the wind, he steered down upon the eighty-gun ship of the 
 Capitan Pasha. Not until he was within a ship's length was 
 he observed, when a startled hail sounded from the deck of 
 
288 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 the Turkish ship. Steering straight on he ran his bowsprit 
 through one of her port-holes. The sailors instantly threw some 
 grapnels to retain her in her position, and then jumped into 
 their boat lying alongside. As soon as they did so Kanaris 
 fired his pistol into the train. The fire flashed along the 
 deck, there were a series of sharp explosions, and then the 
 flames ran aloft, the riggings and sails being soaked with tur- 
 pentine; and Kanaris had scarcely stepped into his boat 
 before the ship was in a mass of flames. 
 
 Lying to windward of the Turk the flames were blown on 
 to her, and pouring in at the open port-holes at once set fire 
 to a quantity of tents stowed on the lower deck, rushed up the 
 hatches, and, mingling with the flames from the sails which 
 had ignited the awning extending over the deck, ran up the 
 rigging and spars of the man-of-war. The most terrible con- 
 fusion instantly prevailed throughout the ship. The few boats 
 alongside were sunk by the crowds who leapt into them. The 
 crews of the ships lying round at once began to haul them 
 farther away from the blazing vessel, and the boats that were 
 lowered feared to approach it because of the falling spars and 
 the flames that poured from the lower port-holes. 
 
 In addition to her crew, the soldiers on board, and the 
 Pasha's guests, were a great number of prisoners who had been 
 brought off from the island to be taken to Constantinople, 
 and the shrieks and cries as they were caught by the flames, 
 or sprang overboard to evade them, were terrible. Kara Ali 
 himself sprang from the ship into a boat that approached near 
 enough for the purpose of saving him; but before it could 
 put off a blazing spar fell on it, and the Capitan Pasha was so 
 severely wounded that he died shortly after being carried on 
 shore. 
 
 His loss was a severe one for the Turks, for he was their 
 most skilful naval officer. A few of those who leapt over- 
 board were picked up by boats, or swam to the other ships; 
 but with these exceptions the whole of those on board the 
 vessel perished. The other fire-ship had been less calmly 
 
FIRE-SHIPS 2S9 
 
 and skilfully managed. In his haste and excitement the com- 
 mander, after running her alongside the ship of the Reala 
 Bey, fired the train and made off without attaching her to it, 
 consequently the fire-ship drifted away without the flames 
 communicating to the Turk, and burned out harmlessly. 
 
 As soon as it was seen that Kanaris had succeeded, a blue 
 light was burned on board the schooner, and in twenty min- 
 utes the two boats rowed alongside. Not a shot had been fired 
 at either, the Turks being too much occupied with the danger 
 of fire to pay any attention to them. Kanaris was heartily 
 congratulated on his success when he reached the schooner, 
 which at once set sail and was back at Psara in the morning, 
 where the news of the destruction of the Turkish man-of-war 
 was received with the wildest enthusiasm. 
 
 The Turkish vessels, leaving a strong garrison on the island, 
 sailed north a few days later. They were pursued by the 
 Greek fleet, which, however, did not venture to interfere with 
 them, although they stopped at two ports on the way, and 
 finally anchored under the guns of the forts of the Darda- 
 nelles. The Misericordia took no part in harassing the 
 Turkish fleet. Martyn had asked Mr. Beveridge's opinion 
 upon the subject, he himself being in favour of doing so. 
 
 " I think we could give the Greeks a lesson or two in this 
 sort of thing, sir, and show them what can be done, even 
 against a fleet, by a craft that means business." 
 
 " I am sure you could do all that, Martyn, but I do not 
 think we should be justified in running the slightest risk of 
 loss of life among the men merely for that purpose. We could 
 do no more than the Greeks do unless we were willing to 
 expose ourselves more. You could not hope either to capture 
 or sink one of the Turkish ships in the face of their whole 
 fleet. I know you would give them a great deal of trouble, 
 but more than that you could not do. When the Greeks show 
 themselves willing to fight we will fight by their side, but not 
 before." 
 
 They were indeed glad that they so decided, for on the 
 
290 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 evening before the Greeks set sail a boat arrived at Psara with 
 six fugitives from Chios. They reported that the destruction 
 of the Capitan Pasha's ship with all on board had brought 
 fresh misfortunes upon the Christians, for that the Mussulmans, 
 infuriated by the details of the disaster, had fallen upon the 
 Christians all over the island, even in the villages where 
 hitherto there had been no trouble. 
 
 The second massacre was indeed far more fatal than the 
 first, the women and children being, as before, spared as slaves, 
 many thousands being carried away. Small craft from Psara 
 hovered round the island and succeeded in taking off num- 
 bers of fugitives, while the schooner returned to her cruising 
 grounds between the island and the mainland, or up the Gulf 
 of Smyrna, where she captured and burnt large numbers of small 
 craft laden with slaves. They had to make four trips to the 
 islands to clear her crowded decks of the hapless Chiots. 
 
 The news of the massacres of Chios, which, unlike those 
 committed by themselves, the Greeks spread sedulously over 
 Europe, excited deep and general horror and indignation. 
 The numbers of those killed or sold into slavery were never 
 known. The estimates varied considerably, some putting 
 them down at twenty thousand while others maintained that 
 those figures could be doubled without exaggeration. It is 
 probable, however, that they really exceeded thirty thousand. 
 
 The details of the terrible massacres, which they learnt from 
 the women they rescued, aroused among the officers and crew 
 of the Misericordia a far deeper feeling of enthusiasm for the 
 cause of Greece than they had hitherto felt. Since they came 
 out their interest in the cause had been steadily waning. 
 The tales of wholesale and brutal massacre, the constant vio- 
 lation of the terms of surrender, the cowardice of the Greeks 
 in action and their eagerness for plunder, the incessant dis- 
 putes between the various parties, and the absence of any 
 general attempt to concert measures for defence, had com- 
 pletely damped their sympathy for them: but the sight of 
 these hundreds of women and children widowed and orphaned, 
 
FIRE-SHIPS 291 
 
 and torn away from their native land and sold into slavery, 
 set their blood boiling with indignation. The two Greeks 
 took care to translate the narratives of the weeping women to 
 the sailors, and these excited among them a passionate desire 
 to punish the authors of these outrages; and had any of the 
 craft they overhauled made an active resistance little mercy 
 would have been shown to the Turks. As it was they were 
 bundled headlong into their boats with many a hearty kick 
 and cuff from the sailors, and the destruction of their vessels 
 was effected with the alacrity and satisfaction of men per- 
 forming an act of righteous retribution. 
 
 "The poor creatures seemed terribly cast down," Martyn 
 said one day at dinner as they sailed with the last batch of 
 Chiots for Corfu. They had transported the three previous 
 cargoes to the Ionian Islands, as the former ones had been 
 most unwillingly received in the Greek ports, the authorities 
 saying that they had no means of affording subsistence to the 
 fugitives who were daily arriving. In the Ionian Islands 
 committees had been formed, and these distributed money sent 
 out from England for their support, while rations were issued 
 to them by the British authorities of the islands. 
 
 "One can't wonder at that," Miller said. "Still, I must 
 say that the women even at first don't seem as delighted as 
 one would expect at getting out of the hands of the Turks." 
 
 "I am not so very sure, Miller, that they are delighted at 
 all," Macfarlane said quietly. "You think you are doing them 
 the greatest service possible, but in my opinion it is more than 
 doubtful whether they see it in the same light." 
 
 "What! not thankful at being rescued from being sold as 
 slaves to the Turks?" 
 
 "That sounds very terrible, and no doubt it would not be a 
 pleasant lot for you, seeing that they would set you to work, 
 and your life would be worse than a dog's. But you have got 
 to put yourself in the position of these unfortunate women and 
 girls, and then you would see that you might think differently 
 about it. To begin with, till now there has been no animosity 
 
292 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 between them and the Turks. It is admitted that the Turks 
 have been gentle masters to Chios, and the people have been 
 happy, contented, and prosperous. Their misfortunes have 
 been brought upon them, not by the Turks, but by the Greeks, 
 who came to the island contrary to their entreaties, plundered 
 and ill used them, and then left them to the vengeance of the 
 Turks. So if they have any preference for either, it will cer- 
 tainly not be for the Greeks. 
 
 "As to their being sold as slaves, I do not suppose they 
 view it at all in the same way we do. They are not going to 
 be sold to work in the fields, or anything of that sort, and the 
 Turks treat their domestic slaves kindly. To one of these 
 Chiot girls there is nothing very terrible in being a slave in 
 the household of a rich Turk. You know that the Georgian 
 and Circassian girls look forward to being sold to the Turks. 
 They know that the life at Constantinople is vastly easier and 
 more luxurious than that at home. I do not say for a moment 
 that these women would not prefer a life of ease among their 
 own people and friends. But what is the life before them 
 now? — to have to work for their own living in the fields, or to 
 go as servants among Greek and Italian families. A dark and 
 uncertain future. I tell you, man, we think we are doing them 
 a mighty service, but I doubt whether there is one of them 
 that thinks so. The Chiots are celebrated for their docility 
 and intelligence, and these women and children would fetch 
 high prices in the market, and be purchased by wealthy Turks, 
 and their lot would be an enviable one in comparison to that 
 which awaits most of them. 
 
 "The word slavery is hateful to us, but it is not so many 
 years since we were sending people out in hundreds to work as 
 slaves in the plantations of Virginia. The word slavery in the 
 East has not the same terror as it has with us, and I doubt if 
 the feelings of a Chiot peasant girl on her way to be sold are 
 not a good deal like those of a girl who goes up from a Scotch 
 or English village to Edinburgh or London, to go into service 
 in a grand family. She thinks she is going to better herself, 
 
FIRE-SHIPS 293 
 
 to have fine clothes, and to live among fine people; and, as it 
 turns out, maybe she is better off than she was before, maybe 
 she is worse." 
 
 "You are a most disagreeable man, Macfarlane," Martyn 
 said after a pause. " Here have we been thinking that we 
 have been doing a good action, and you put us altogether out 
 of conceit with ourselves." 
 
 "We have been doing a good action," the doctor said. 
 "We have been acting according to our lights. To us it is 
 an abominable thing that a Greek woman or child should be 
 sold as a slave to the heathen Turk. I am only pointing out 
 to you that from their point of view there is nothing so ter- 
 rible in their lot, and that we have no reason to expect any 
 very lively gratitude from them; and that, looking at the 
 matter only from a material point of view, they are not likely 
 to be benefited by the change. I know that, if I were a Greek 
 woman, I would rather be a slave in the family of a rich Turk 
 than working as a drudge, say, in the family of a Maltese 
 shopkeeper, though, if I were a Scotch girl, I should cer- 
 tainly choose the other way." 
 
 They all sat silent for a minute or two. The idea was a 
 wholly new one to them, and they could not deny that, ac- 
 cording to the point of view of these Chiot captives, it was 
 a reasonable one. Mr. Beveridge was the first to speak. 
 
 "What you say has certainly given me a shock, doctor, but 
 I cannot deny that there is some truth in it. Still, you 
 know there is something beyond mere material advantages." 
 
 "I do not deny it, sir, and, as I say, we, as Britons and 
 Christians, feel that we are doing a good work. Still, we 
 can hardly be surprised that these Chiots naturally view it 
 differently. Their Christianity is, like that of all Eastern 
 Christians, of a very debased form; and living so long among 
 the Turks, they have no very great horror of Mohammedan- 
 ism. You know, on the mainland, tens of thousands of the 
 Albanians have become Mohammedans. We think that we 
 are justified in inflicting what one cannot but see is, from 
 
294 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 the material point of view, a distinct injury to these people, 
 because, as Christians, we feel it is for their moral advan- 
 tage; but then, that is just the same feeling that caused the 
 Spaniards to exterminate the natives of the West Indian 
 Islands who declined to become Christians." 
 
 "Oh, I say, doctor, that is too strong altogether," Miller 
 exclaimed indignantly. 
 
 "Well, prove it by argument, " the doctor replied calmly. 
 " I am not saying that from our point of view we are not more 
 than justified. I am simply explaining why these Chiots do 
 not feel any extraordinary gratitude to us. We are benefit- 
 ing them, if they did but know it. We are saving them, body 
 and soul; but that is not the light in which they see it." 
 
 "You are right, doctor," Mr. Reveridge said. " And now 
 you put it before us, I am really not surprised that these poor 
 creatures do not feel any very lively gratitude. They are fond 
 of ease and comfort, and have been accustomed to it, and to 
 them the utter uncertainty of their life among strangers is not 
 unreasonably more terrible than the prospects of an easy life 
 as a favoured slave in a Turkish household. It is sad that 
 it should be so; but it is human nature. Still, the considera- 
 tion must not weigh with us in carrying out what we know to 
 be a good work. We have saved in all more than three thou- 
 sand souls from Turkish slavery, and can only trust that in the 
 long run most of them will recognize the inestimable service 
 we have rendered them." 
 
RESCUING THE GARRISON OF ATHENS 295 
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 
 RESCUING THE GARRISON OF ATHENS 
 
 1TELL you what it is, Mr. Beveridge," the governor said 
 when the latter went up to call as usual upon his arrival at 
 Corfu, " I quite begin to dread the appearance of that smart 
 schooner of yours; during the last five weeks you have added 
 a thousand mouths to my anxieties. What we are to do with 
 all these poor creatures I have not the slightest idea. We 
 can't go on feeding them for ever; and what with the volun- 
 tary fugitives and those brought over to us, there are at pres- 
 ent some forty or fifty thousand strangers in the islands, and 
 of these something like half are absolutely dependent on us 
 for the means of living." 
 
 •"It is a very difficult problem," Mr. Beveridge said. "Of 
 course, when the war is over the great proportion of them will 
 return to their homes in Greece ; but the fugitives from the 
 Turkish islands and mainland are in a different position. 
 Doubtless, when peace is made, there will be some arrange- 
 ment by which those families which have men among them can 
 also return to their homes without being molested; but those 
 consisting only of women and children could not do so. Some 
 of the women and girls can find employment in Greek fami- 
 lies, and I suppose the rest will finally become absorbed as 
 servants in the towns on the Adriatic." 
 
 " I see nothing else for it, Mr. Beveridge ; unless you choose 
 to continue your good work, and transport them in batches 
 across the Atlantic. I believe there is a great dearth of women 
 in Canada and the United States." 
 
 "You will have to set up schools and teach them English 
 first, sir," Mr. Beveridge laughed, "or they would not be wel- 
 comed there. When they can all speak our language I will 
 tli ink over your suggestion." 
 
 "Do you think that Greece ever will be free, Mr. Bever- 
 idge?" 
 
296 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 " I think so. Certainly I think so. These terrible mas- 
 sacres on both sides seem to render it absolutely impossible 
 that they should return to their former relations. The Turks 
 have not yet made their great effort, and I believe that when 
 they do they will reconquer Greece. But I do not think they 
 will hold it. The hatred between the races is now so bitter 
 that they can never live together in peace; and I believe that 
 the Greeks will continue their resistance so long that Europe 
 at last will come to their assistance, and insist upon a frontier 
 line being drawn. This terrible affair of Chios, dreadful as 
 it is, will tend to that. The Christian feeling of Europe will 
 become more and more excited until, if the governments hold 
 back, the people will force them forward, and England and 
 France at least will, if necessary, intervene by force. I be- 
 lieve that they would do so now were it not for jealousy of 
 Russia. It is Russia who fomented this revolution for her 
 own purposes, and it is solely the fear that she will reap the 
 whole benefit of their action that causes England and France 
 to look on this struggle with folded arms." 
 
 " I fancy you are right, and that that will be the end of 
 it," the governor said. "I need not say how earnestly I wish 
 the time would come. I can assure you I have a very anxious 
 time of it. What with providing for all these people, what 
 with preventing breaches of neutrality by the Greeks, and 
 what with the calumnies and complaints that the Greeks scatter 
 broadcast against us, I can assure you that my task is not an 
 enviable one." 
 
 " I can quite imagine that. The Greeks make it very hard 
 for their well-wishers to assist them; indeed, if they were bent 
 upon bringing obloquy upon their name they could hardly 
 act otherwise than they are doing. The one man they have 
 hitherto produced who goes his» way regardless of intrigue 
 and faction, fighting bravely for the country, is Constantine 
 Kanaris, who has destroyed two Turkish ships with his own 
 hand. A hundred of such men as he is, and Greece would 
 have achieved her independence without foreign assistance; 
 
RESCUING THE GARRISON OF ATHENS 297 
 
 and yet, even in his own ship, he is unable to maintain even 
 a shadow of what we should consider discipline. He himself 
 acknowledged as much to me at Psara." 
 
 " I hear you took him off after he had burned the Turkish 
 war-vessel." 
 
 "Yes; we were lying off the port and saw it. I am glad 
 we were not nearer, for it was a terrible business. It is a 
 barbarous war altogether." 
 
 "Then why do you mix yourself up in it, Mr. Beveridge? " 
 
 " My mother was a Greek, and I have always lived in Greek 
 thought rather than in English. I desire not only the inde- 
 pendence but the regeneration of the Greeks. They have 
 lost all the virtues of their ancestors save their intelligence; 
 but once free they will, I hope and trust, recover their lost 
 virtues and become, if not a great people — which they can 
 hardly do, their numbers being comparatively so few — at least 
 a worthy one." 
 
 " I hope they may. They certainly have enthusiastic 
 friends. Only a week or two since, a young fellow named 
 Hastings, a lieutenant of our navy, came out. He has a fort- 
 une of some seven or eight thousand pounds, which he in- 
 tends to devote to buying and fitting out a ship for their 
 service. There are scores of English and French officers 
 kicking their heels at Corinth, vainly asking for employment. 
 And I hear they are organizing a corps, composed entirely of 
 foreign officers, who will fight as private soldiers without pay, 
 simply for the purpose of endeavouring to shame the Greeks 
 into a feeling of patriotism. 
 
 "Where are you thinking of sailing now? If you have no 
 fixed plans, I should advise you to go round to Athens. They 
 say the Turkish garrison is at the last extremity. I have had 
 a message from the consulate there, asking me to send a 
 British ship of war round to insist upon the conditions of 
 surrender being observed; but unfortunately the insane rage 
 for retrenchment at home has so diminished the strength of our 
 fleet that we haven't a single ship in these waters at a time 
 
298 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 like this. I hear that the French consul has also sent urgently 
 asking for ships of war. At any rate, your influence might do 
 something." 
 
 "I fear not," Mr. Beveridge said gravely. "However, my 
 men and guns might have some weight, and at any rate I will 
 go round at once and do my best. If possible, I am even more 
 anxious to save Turks from massacre by Greeks, than Greeks 
 from massacre by Turks." 
 
 "I can understand that," the governor said cordially. 
 "Well, I wish you every good fortune, Mr. Beveridge; but I 
 say honestly that I do not wish to see your saucy schooner 
 again unless she comes in with empty decks. Give them a 
 turn at Malta next time, my dear sir, and I shall feel really 
 grateful towards you." 
 
 Four days after leaving Corfu the schooner dropped anchor 
 in the port of Athens. Learning from the first boat that put 
 off to them that the capitulation of the Turks was to be signed 
 on the following morning, Mr. Beveridge determined to land 
 at once, in order that he might see as many of the leading 
 officials as possible, and urge upon them the necessity of 
 preventing any repetition of the breaches of faith which had 
 brought such disgrace to the Greek name. 
 
 "I shall take Zaimes with me," he said to Martyn, "and 
 should I see any signs of an intention upon the part of the 
 populace to commence a massacre of the Turks I will send 
 him off instantly. In that case, Captain Martyn, you will at 
 once land the whole of the crew fully armed, with the excep- 
 tion, say, of five men, and march them to the British consul- 
 ate in Athens. You know where it is. Take a Greek flag 
 with you, for two reasons; in the first place, if you were to 
 go without it the Greeks would spread the report that the crew 
 of an English ship of war had landed; and in the second 
 place, it may quieten and appease the mob if they see that 
 we are in the service of Greece." 
 
 "Very well, sir, I will carry out your instructions. I don't 
 think that rascally mob will venture to interfere with us." 
 
RESCUING THE GARRISON OF ATHENS 299 
 
 "I hope not, Martyn; but at any rate we must risk that. 
 Any other message I may have to send off to you I shall send 
 by an ordinary messenger; but if you are wanted, I shall trust 
 no one but Zaimes." 
 
 Late in the evening a Greek came off with a letter. All 
 would, Mr. Beveridge hoped, be well. The Turks had agreed 
 to surrender their arms, and the Greeks had bound themselves 
 to convey them to Asia Minor in neutral ships. By the terms 
 of capitulation the Turks were to be allowed to retain one-half 
 of their money and jewels, and one-half of their movable 
 property. 
 
 "I have every hope that the treaty will be respected," Mr. 
 Beveridge wrote. " I am happy to say that the Bishop of 
 Athens, who is a man of high character, and President of the 
 Areopagus, has insisted upon all the civil and military authori- 
 ties taking a most solemn oath to observe strictly the terms 
 of capitulation, and so far to redeem the good faith of the 
 nation, which has been so deeply stained by the violation of 
 so many previous treaties." 
 
 The next morning the Mussulmans marched out from the 
 Acropolis. Out of the 1150 remaining only 180 were men 
 capable of bearing arms, so stoutly and obstinately had they 
 defended the place, yielding only when the last drop of water 
 in the cisterns was exhausted. They were housed in some 
 extensive buildings in the town. Three days passed quietly. 
 Two ephors, who had been ordered by the Greek government 
 to hasten the embarkation of the Turks, took no steps what- 
 ever to do so. On the morning of the fourth day, Horace, 
 who had been twice on shore to see his father, saw a boat 
 rowing off to the ship. He turned a glass upon it and ex- 
 claimed : 
 
 "There is Zaimes on board that boat, Captain Martyn. I 
 am sure my father would not send him on board unless there 
 is trouble in the town." 
 
 Martyn did not wail for the boat to arrive, but instantly 
 mustered and armed the crew, and the boats were in the water 
 
oOO IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 by the time Zaimes arrived alongside. He handed a note to 
 Martyn; it contained only the words: 
 
 "Land instantly, they are murdering the Turks." 
 
 With a hearty execration upon the Greeks, Martyn ordered 
 the men to take their places in the boats, and gave his final 
 orders to Tarleton, who was to remain in charge. 
 
 "Get all the guns loaded with ball, Mr. Tarleton. For 
 aught I know we may have to fight our way down to the beach. 
 Fire the first shot over their heads. If that does not frighten 
 them, plump the others into them." 
 
 The three boats pushed off, the doctor taking his place by 
 the side of Horace, who was in command of one of them. 
 
 "Have you got your instruments, doctor?" Horace asked 
 smiling. 
 
 "I have got these instruments," Macfarlane said, tapping 
 the butts of a heavy pair of pistols. "Just for once I am 
 going as a combatant. I thought there was a limit to every- 
 thing, but there really doesn't seem to be any limit to the 
 faithlessness of the Greeks. I should like very much to help 
 to give them a little lesson as to the sanctity of an oath." 
 
 The .sailors marched in a compact body from the port to 
 the town. They had been told the errand upon which they 
 had come, and from the pace at which they marched, and the 
 expression of angry determination on their faces, it was evi- 
 dent that they entered thoroughly into the business. They 
 were met at the entrance to the town by Mr. Beveridge. 
 
 "It is of no use going to the British consulate," he said; 
 "there are no English officials there, the place is simply in 
 charge of a Greek, who dare not, if he would, move in the 
 matter. The Turks are taking refuge in the French, Austrian, 
 and Dutch consulates. It is more than doubtful whether the 
 flags will be respected. You had better place say eight men 
 at each, with orders to defend the places till the last if the 
 mob attacks them; while with the rest of the men you can 
 endeavour to escort the fugitive Turks to the consulates. 
 Don't let the men use their arms till the last extremity, 
 Martyn." 
 
RESCUING THE GARRISON OF ATHENS 301 
 
 "Very well, sir. Where will you be? " 
 
 " I will go to the French consulate and aid them there in 
 pacifying the mob. My son had better go to one of the 
 others. Harangue them from the windows, Horace; point 
 out to them that they are disgracing Greece in the eyes of all 
 Europe, and implore them not to bring Austria on their backs 
 by insulting her flag. At the same time see that all the lower 
 shutters are barred, and be ready to sally out with your men 
 to bring in any fugitives who may approach." 
 
 " Mr. Miller, do you take eight men to the Dutch consul- 
 ate," Martyn said, "and follow the instructions Mr. Bever- 
 idge has given to his son." 
 
 "Zaimes shall go with you, Mr. Miller." 
 
 "Thank you, Mr. Beveridge; if he will do the haranguing 
 I will look after the fighting if there is any to be done." 
 
 The three parties, each of eight men, at once started for 
 the consulates. Martyn waited till they had gone, and then 
 turned to the remainder. " Boatswain, you take ten men and 
 go one way, I will go another way with the rest. You heard 
 Mr. Beveridge's instructions, that the men were not to use 
 their arms unless absolutely attacked. At the same time, if 
 you come upon any of the Greeks engaged in murdering 
 women and children you will remember there are no orders 
 against your using your hands, and that there are windows as 
 well as doors by which a Greek can be made to leave a house." 
 
 "Ay, ay, sir! " Tom Burdett replied with a grin; "we will 
 be as gentle with them as possible." 
 
 Martyn had provided several small Greek flags which had 
 been fastened to boat-hooks, and each party, taking one of 
 these, proceeded on its way. They had gone but a little dis- 
 tance when shrieks and cries were heard, and, bursting into 
 the houses from which they proceeded, the sailors came upon 
 Greeks engaged in the diabolical work of torturing women 
 and children. With a cheer they fell upon them, striking 
 right and left with their lists, and levelling the astonished 
 Greeks to the ground. Then the Turks were placed safely in 
 
302 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 their midst, and with a few hearty kicks at the prostrate ruf- 
 fians they marched out. The scene was repeated again and 
 again; the punishment inflicted upon the Greeks being more 
 and more severe each time. 
 
 When some twenty fugitives had been collected they were 
 marched through a yelling rabble to one or other of the con- 
 sulates, to which a large number of fugitives had made their 
 way when the massacre began. Several times the leaders of 
 both bands had to call upon their men to present arms, the 
 mob falling back and flying the moment they did so. After 
 a time the two bands joined, Martyn considering it imprudent 
 to venture out among the enraged populace in smaller force. 
 The aspect of the crowd became more and more threatening, 
 but it still confined itself to execrations and curses, being 
 overawed by the determined attitude of the men with their 
 muskets, cutlasses, and pistols, and with the apparent fact that 
 the sailors were only prevented from using their arms by the 
 exertions of the two officers, for the doctor kept close by 
 Martyn's side. At two o'clock the boom of a cannon was 
 heard from the port; again and again it sounded at regular 
 intervals. 
 
 "That is a ship of war saluting," Martyn said. 
 
 The crowd fell away rapidly, many of them hurrying down 
 to the port, and Martyn, taking advantage of it, was able to 
 bring in a good many more fugitives to the consulates, the 
 sailors from within rushing out when they approached, and 
 clearing the way through the crowd with the vigorous use of 
 their elbows and sometimes of their fists. 
 
 "We shall have help up soon," Mr. Beveridge said, the first 
 time Martyn brought in a party of fugitives after the guns 
 fired. 
 
 An hour later a strong party of French sailors and marines 
 with loaded muskets and fixed bayonets marched up to the 
 French consulate from two French vessels, a corvette and a 
 schooner, which had come from Syra in response to the con- 
 sul's earnest appeals for assistance. They placed in their 
 
RESCUING THE GARRISON OF ATHENS 303 
 
 midst three hundred and twenty-five Turkish fugitives who 
 had found refuge there, escorted them down to the port, and 
 placed them on board their ships. On the way they were sur- 
 rounded by a menacing crowd of Greek soldiers and by a great 
 mob, yelling, shouting, and brandishing their arms; but their 
 valour went no further, and the fugitives were taken off in 
 safety. The sailors of the Misericordia were now divided 
 between the Austrian and Dutch consulates, and their appear- 
 ance at the windows with loaded muskets intimidated the mob 
 from making an attack. During the night the bishop and 
 some of the better class exerted themselves to the utmost in 
 calming the passions of the mob; and they themselves in the 
 morning accompanied the crew of the Misericordia, who, 
 guarding the fugitives, were allowed to proceed down to the 
 port and embark on board the schooner without molestation 
 from the people. Some seven hundred and fifty persons were 
 saved by the French and the crew of the schooner. Four 
 hundred were massacred in cold blood by the Greeks. 
 
 The French vessels had sailed away during the night, and 
 the question arose what was to be done with the rescued 
 Turks. Of these there were some forty soldiers, ten or twelve 
 Turks of superior rank, military and civil officials; the rest 
 were women and children. Two or three of the Turks spoke 
 Italian, and four or five of them Greek. Mr. Beveridge held 
 a consultation with these, and it was finally agreed that they 
 should be landed at the Isle of Tenedos close to the mouth of 
 the Dardanelles, as from thence they would have no difficulty 
 in making their way to Constantinople. 
 
 " If there are no ships of war in the port we will hoist the 
 white flag and sail straight in; but if there are, we must land 
 you in the boats somewhere on the island. We have been in 
 action with your ships of war and would at once be recog- 
 nized, and the white (lag would not be respected." 
 
 "We owe you our lives, sir, and the lives of all these 
 women and children," a bimbashi or major of the Turkish 
 garrison, a fine soldierly-looking man, said earnestly; "for 
 
304 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 had it not been for you and your brave crew even the flags of 
 the consulates would not have sufficed to protect us. Assuredly 
 my countrymen would never fire at you when engaged in such 
 a work of mercy." 
 
 " They might not in cold blood, " Mr. Beveridge said; " but 
 we have just been saving Chiot prisoners as cruelly treated, 
 and for every Turk who has been massacred in Athens, well- 
 nigh a hundred Chiots have been murdered. I do not defend 
 them for breaking their pledged faith to you, but one cannot 
 be surprised at their savage thirst for vengeance." 
 
 Martyn had got up the anchor and set sail on the schooner 
 directly the fugitives were on board, and as soon as he learned 
 that Tenedos was their destination her course was laid north. 
 Then came the work, to which they were now becoming 
 accustomed, of stowing away the unfortunate passengers. The 
 screened partition was allotted to the women and children of 
 the officers and officials, most of whose husbands had fallen 
 during the siege, and the rest of the women and children 
 were stowed down on the main-deck, while the male passen- 
 gers stayed on deck, where the women remained for the most 
 part during the day. Those who had been rescued from the 
 hands of the Greeks had been plundered of everything; but 
 those who had at the first alarm fled to the consulates had 
 carried with them jewels and money. The women of the 
 upper class were all closely veiled, but the rest made but little 
 attempt to conceal their faces, and all evinced the deepest 
 gratitude to the crew of the schooner; murmuring their thanks 
 whenever an officer or sailor passed near them, and trying to 
 seize their hands and press them to their foreheads. 
 
 The fugitives of the upper class, both men and women, 
 were more restrained, but there was no mistaking the expres- 
 sion with which their eyes followed their protectors. Many 
 of the women and children were worn out with the sufferings 
 they had sustained during the last days of the siege, and some 
 of the soldiers were so weak as to be scarce able to stand. 
 The doctor attended to many of the children, while the Greeks 
 
RESCUING THE GARRISON OF ATHENS 305 
 
 and the ship's cook were kept busy all day in preparing 
 nourishing soups. The next day they were off Tenedos. 
 No Turkish ship of war was lying near the town. A boat was 
 lowered, and Miller, accompanied by Horace as interpreter, 
 took his place in her with one of the Turkish officers. A white 
 flag was hoisted in her stern, and six men rowed her ashore. 
 
 Their movements had been watched, and a body of Turkish 
 soldiers were drawn up at the landing-place with several 
 officials. The Turkish officer mounted the steps and explained 
 to the governor of the island, who was among those at the 
 landing-stage, the purpose for which the Misericordia had 
 arrived at the port. There was a rapid conversation as the 
 officer, frequently interrupted by exclamations of indigna- 
 tion, and questions from the Turks, narrated what had taken 
 place. Then the governor and his officers ran forward, seized 
 Miller and Horace by the hand, patted them on the shoulder 
 with the liveliest demonstrations of gratitude and friendship. 
 The Turk who had come ashore with them translated to Hor- 
 ace, in Greek, the governor's earnest request that the owner 
 of the ship and his officers would come ashore to visit him. 
 
 " The governor says that he himself would at once come off 
 to visit the ship and return his thanks, but that, as she is flying 
 the Greek flag, he cannot do so, much as he desires it; but 
 that if the flag were lowered, and a white flag substituted, he 
 would come off instantly. He has heard of the fight between 
 the Greek ship with an English crew and the boats of the 
 Turkish fleet, and of the many craft she has taken and de- 
 stroyed, always sparing the crews and sending them ashore, 
 and he has great esteem for so brave an enemy; now he cannot 
 view them but as friends after their noble rescue of so many 
 of his countrymen and women and children." 
 
 Horace in reply said that he would give the governor's 
 message to his father, and that the fugitives should at once be 
 landed. 
 
 " Do you think that he really meant that he would come on 
 board if we hoisted the white flag, Horace?" 
 
306 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 " I think so, father. He and the officers with him certainly 
 seemed thoroughly in earnest. What do you think, Martyn? 
 There can be no objection to our lowering the Greek flag, I 
 should think, while acting as a neutral." 
 
 "I should think not," Martyn said, "and I should not care 
 a snap of the fingers if there was. The Greek flag is all well 
 enough, Mr. Beveridge, when we see an armed Turk of supe- 
 rior size in sight, but at other times I don't feel proud of it." 
 
 "We will lower it down then, Martyn." 
 
 The Greek flag was lowered from the peak and a white one 
 run up. Then the work of debarkation commenced, the Turks 
 insisting upon shaking hands with Mr. Beveridge and the 
 officers, thanking them in the most fervent way, and calling 
 down the blessing of Allah upon them; while the women, 
 many of them weeping, threw themselves on their knees and 
 poured out their thanks, some of them holding up their infants 
 to gaze on the faces of those to whom they owed their lives. 
 The sailors came in for their share of thanks, and were quite 
 embarrassed by the warmth with which they were greeted. Just 
 as the first batch left the ship, a large boat flying the Turkish 
 flag was seen putting out from the shore, and in a few minutes 
 the governor with seven or eight civil and military officials 
 came on board. 
 
 They brought with them a merchant who spoke English to 
 act as interpreter. Martyn drew up the whole of the crew 
 who were not engaged in boat service as a guard of honour to 
 receive them, while he, with Mr. Beveridge, met the governor 
 as he mounted the gangway. The governor, who was a tall 
 and dignified Turk, expressed to them his warmest thanks in 
 the name of the Sultan for the rescue of so many of his sub- 
 jects from the fury of the populace of Athens. Mr. Beveridge, 
 through the interpreter, explained to the pasha that, although 
 an Englishman he had Greek blood in his veins, and had 
 therefore joined them in their attempt to achieve indepen- 
 dence, and was prepared to fight on their side but that, as an 
 Englishman, he revolted against the barbarity with which the 
 
I III GOVERNOR COMES ON BOARD 
 
RESCUING THE GARRISON" OF ATHENS 307 
 
 war was carried on by both combatants; that his vessel was 
 named the Misericordia, and that while he had saved a great 
 number of Christian fugitives on the one side, he was equally 
 ready and pleased at being able to render the same service to 
 Mussulman fugitives on the other side. 
 
 "Your errand is a noble and merciful one," the Turk said, 
 " and must have the approval of Allah as well as of the God 
 of the Christians. We have heard of your terrible vessel, how 
 she destroyed a frigate off Cyprus, beat off the boats of our 
 fleet at Chios, and played havoc among the shipping from 
 Smyrna. We knew her when we saw her, for we had heard of 
 her white sails and tall masts; but we had heard too that no 
 prisoner was injured by you. I never thought to set foot on 
 the deck of the ship that had become the dread of the traders 
 of Smyrna and other ports, but I am glad to do so since those 
 who sail her, although our enemies in battle, have proved 
 themselves indeed our friends in the time of distress." 
 
 When this had been translated, Mr. Beveridge invited the 
 governor and his companions into the cabin, where coffee and 
 chibouks were served; then they were conducted round the 
 ship. The governor conversed for some little time with two 
 or three of the principal Turks from Athens, and learned the 
 full details of the surrender and the subsequent events as he 
 watched the debarkation of the fugitives; and then, after 
 obtaining a promise from Mr. Beveridge that he and his offi- 
 cers would come on shore at sunset to dine with him, he 
 entered his boat and was rowed back. 
 
 At -unset Mr. Beveridge and all the officers, with the excep- 
 tion of Tarleton, who remained in charge of the ship, went 
 ashore. They were received at the landing-place by a guard 
 of honour of Turkish soldiers in charge of one of the princi- 
 pal officers of the governor, and were conducted to his house 
 through a crowd of people cheering and shouting. 
 
 The governor received them at his door. The dinner was 
 served in Turkish fashion, all sitting on cushions round a 
 table raised about a foot from the floor. A band of music 
 
308 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 played without, and a great number of dishes, of most of 
 which Horace could only guess at the ingredients, were served; 
 and after the meal, which was of great length, was concluded, 
 slaves brought round ewers of water, in which all dipped their 
 fingers, wiping them on embroidered towels. A variety of 
 sweetmeats were then handed round, followed by coffee. 
 Three or four interpreters had stood behind the guests, who 
 were all placed between Turks, and thus conversation was 
 rendered possible. At ten o'clock they took their leave with 
 many cordial expressions on both sides, and were again 
 escorted by a party of soldiers to their boats. 
 
 "There is no gainsaying," Macfarlane said as they rowed 
 off, " that there seems to be a good deal livelier feeling of 
 gratitude among the Turks than there is among the Greeks. 
 We have come all the way out from England to fight for the 
 Greeks; we have sunk a Turkish ship, beaten off their boats 
 with very heavy loss, and rescued nearly three thousand 
 women and children from their hands, and yet there isn't a 
 Greek official who has said as much as thank you. They seem 
 to consider that it is quite sufficient reward for us to have 
 been of service to so great a people as they are. Upon the 
 other hand, here are these Turks, though we have done them 
 a great deal of damage, putting aside all enmity and treating 
 us like gentlemen because we have saved a ship-load of their 
 people. He was a very fine old heathen that governor." 
 
 "The Turks, too, were a" deal more grateful than any of 
 the Greeks have been, except that batch from Cyprus," Hor- 
 ace said. 
 
 "They were in better heart for being thankful, Horace," 
 Mr. Beveridge replied. " We have taken them back to their 
 native land, and they will soon rejoin their friends and fami- 
 lies; whereas the Chiots were going into exile and had lost 
 everything that was dear to them, and the lot before them 
 was, as the doctor pointed out, little if anything better than 
 that we had saved them from. Still, I will do them the justice 
 to say that the Turks were really grateful to us; and though 
 
RESCUING THE GARRISON OF ATHENS 309 
 
 we are not working for the purpose of obtaining gratitude, it 
 is pleasant t© see that people do feel that one has done some- 
 thing for them." 
 
 " I suppose you won't get up sail until morning, Martyn? " 
 Mr. Beveridge said as they went down into the cabin. 
 
 "Yes, sir, if you have no objections I shall get up the anchor 
 as soon as we are on board. You see we are not many miles 
 from the mouth of the Dardanelles, and with a good glass they 
 could make out our colours from the mainland; and if word 
 were sent to their admiral that a Greek craft is at anchor here, 
 he might send two or three ships out to capture us. I don't 
 give the Turks credit for such enterprise, but it is just as well 
 not to run any risk. What is to be our course next, Mr. Bev- 
 eridge ? " 
 
 " There is likely to be a regular battle in a short time be- 
 tween the Greek army and the Turks. Indeed the Greeks 
 will have to fight if they really mean to gain their indepen- 
 dence. Dramali Pasha has some twenty thousand men col- 
 lected on the banks of the Spercheus. Of these they say eight 
 thousand are cavalry drawn from the Mussulman clans of 
 Macedonia and Thrace, and he may move forward any day to 
 reconquer the Morea and relieve Nauplia. If he is suffered 
 to do this there is virtually an end of the war. I have not a 
 shadow of faith in any of the Greek leaders, or in the Areopa- 
 gus, but I still do believe in the vast bulk of the people. The 
 Morea consists almost wholly of hilly and broken country, just 
 the ground where an armed peasantry, knowing every pass 
 and place of advantage, ought to be able to render the passage 
 of a regular army with their wagons and baggage well-nigh 
 impossible. 
 
 " In such a country the Turkish cavalry would be of little 
 use, and there are only the infantry to cope with. The 
 artillery would probably have to be left behind altogether. If 
 ever an effort is to be made by the Greeks it must be made 
 now. I propose therefore, Martyn, to sail down to Nauplia 
 and to land there. The Turks, of course, still command the 
 
310 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 harbour with their guns, but the Greek vessels land supplies 
 and ammunition for the besiegers, so there can be.no difficulty 
 about that. We have still a good many thousand muskets in 
 the hold, and ammunition for them. I shall see what spirit 
 prevails among the peasantry, shall issue arms to all who need 
 them, and help with money if required. The peasantry will 
 not want it, but the patriotism of their primates and captains 
 may be a good deal strengthened by a little judicious expen- 
 diture of money. The Morea is the key of the whole posi- 
 tion, and the present will be the critical moment of the 
 revolution. If the Turks succeed, Greece is at their feet; if 
 the Turkish army is defeated, Greece may conquer. Now, 
 therefore, is the time for me to do my utmost to aid them." 
 
 "Very well, sir; then I will lay her course to-morrow morn- 
 ing for the south-eastern point of Eubcea." 
 
 On the voyage down Mr. Beveridge discussed with the 
 others the course that he intended to take. He had quite 
 determined himself to leave the coast and go into the inte- 
 rior, where, if the Turkish army was to be checked, the 
 decisive battle must be fought. It was decided that Horace 
 and the two Greeks should accompany him. The question 
 most at issue was whether he should take with him any por- 
 tion of the crew of the schooner; he himself was somewhat 
 averse to this. 
 
 "I need hardly say, Martyn, that I have no intention what- 
 ever of mixing myself up in any fighting that may take place. 
 I go simply to rouse the enthusiasm as much as possible of 
 the peasantry, and to get the small local leaders to stir. If I 
 can do nothing I shall simply come back to the schooner 
 again. If the Greeks dispute the passage of the Turks I 
 shall, if I can, take up my position where I can see what takes 
 place, and if the Greeks are beaten, retire across the hills. 
 What good then would it be for me to take any of the sailors 
 with me? You may want them all on board, for it is possible, 
 indeed it is probable, that the Turkish fleet will come round 
 to Nauplia with supplies for the Turkish army when it arrives 
 there." . 
 
RESCUING THE GARRISON OF ATHENS 311 
 
 "Well, sir, I shouldn't require the whole crew to get up sail 
 and make off if I see them coming, and I do think that it 
 would be very much better for you to have some men with 
 you. In the first place, your having a guard of that sort would 
 add to your importance in the eyes of the Greeks, and give 
 more weight to your counsels. In the second place, if you are 
 going to take arms and money on shore you will certainly 
 require a guard for them, or run the risk of getting your throat 
 cut. And lastly, if there should be a fight, and the Greeks get 
 beaten, if you have fifteen or twenty men with you your chance 
 of getting off safely would be very largely increased, for they 
 could beat off any small party of horsemen that happened to 
 overtake you. What do you think, Horace?" 
 
 "I certainly think so too. After what we have seen of the 
 Greeks, father, I do think it would be better in every way to 
 have a party of sailors with us. If it were known that you 
 were going about the hills with a considerable sum of money 
 you might be safe enough among the peasants, but I should 
 say there were any number of these miserable primates and 
 captains who would think nothing of cutting our throats to 
 get it." 
 
 Mr. Beveridge gave way at once, and it was arranged that 
 a party of fifteen men, under the command of Miller, should 
 land from the schooner and accompany him. 
 
 "Don't you think, Mr. Beveridge," Macfarlane said, "that 
 it would be as well for you to take your medical attendant 
 with you ? " 
 
 Mr. Beveridge smiled. "I have scarcely regarded you 
 hitherto, doctor, in the light of my medical attendant, but as 
 the attendant of the ship's company, and I don't think that 
 Horace or I, or any of the landing party, are likely to take 
 any fever among the hills of the Morea." 
 
 "I hope not, sir, but you see there may be some prelimi- 
 nary skirmishes before the regular battle you expect will take 
 place, and I don't suppose the Greeks will have any surgeons 
 accustomed to gunshot wounds or capable of amputations 
 
312 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 among them, and therefore, you see, I might be of some 
 service." 
 
 "In addition to which, doctor," Martyn laughed, "you 
 think you would like a ramble on shore a bit." 
 
 "Well, what do you think, Martyn?" Mr. Beveridge said; 
 "it is for you to decide. The doctor may be, as he says, 
 useful on shore; but then again his services may be required 
 on board." 
 
 "We are not likely to do any fighting, sir, and if he will 
 mix up a gallon or two of jalap, and such other medicines as 
 he thinks might be useful for ordinary ailments on board, I 
 daresay Tarleton will see to their being administered as re- 
 quired." 
 
 "Oh, yes, I will see to that," Tarleton said. "Make them 
 as nasty as you can, doctor, so that I sha'n't have any unnec- 
 essary applications for them." 
 
 And so it was settled that Dr. Macfarlane should form one 
 of the landing party. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 A TURKISH DEFEAT 
 
 THE town of Nauplia stood on a projecting point at the 
 head of the gulf which was in old times known as the 
 Gulf of Argos, but was now more generally known as the 
 Gulf of Nauplia, that town being the most important port in 
 Greece, carrying on a large trade in sponges, silk, oil, wax, 
 wines, and acorns. It was the seat of government of the 
 Venetians at the time they were masters of the Morea, and 
 had been very strongly fortified by them. The Acropolis, or 
 citadel, stood on a craggy hill where the point on which the 
 town stood joined the mainland. The Venetians had taken 
 the greatest pain! in fortifying this rock, which was well-nigh 
 
A TURKISH DEFEAT 313 
 
 impregnable, and was considered the strongest position in the 
 Morea. 
 
 The Turks had long been besieged here. Negotiations had 
 at one time been carried on with a view to its surrender, and 
 had the Greeks acted in good faith they could have gained 
 possession of the place before Dramali advanced to its relief. 
 Six weeks before, the Turks, having entirely consumed their 
 provisions, signed the capitulation. The Turks had little 
 faith in the Greeks observing its conditions, but were of 
 opinion that it would be better to be massacred at once than to 
 slowly die of hunger. By the terms of capitulation the Turks 
 were to deliver up their arms and two-thirds of their movable 
 property, while the Greeks were to allow them to hire neutral 
 vessels to transport them to Asia Minor; and bound them- 
 selves to supply them with provisions until the vessels arrived 
 to take them away. 
 
 The Greek government at once sent some of its members to 
 Nauplia to register the property of the Turks. These imme- 
 diately pursued the usual course of endeavouring to enrich 
 themselves by secretly purchasing the property of the Turks, 
 and by selling them provisions. The Greek ministers took 
 no steps to charter neutral vessels, professing that they were 
 unable to raise money for the purpose, but really delaying to 
 enable their secretaries at Nauplia to make larger gains by 
 bargaining with the wealthy Turks there. The Turks having 
 now got provisions enough to enable them to hold on, were 
 in no great hurry to conclude the surrender, as they knew that 
 Dramali was advancing. Such was the state of things when 
 the schooner arrived in the Gulf of Argos, and landed the 
 party on the opposite side of the gulf. 
 
 They at once proceeded into the interior, stopping at every 
 village. At each place they came to messengers were sent out 
 to summon the peasantry of the neighbourhood to come in. 
 When they had assembled Mr. Beveridge harangued them, 
 pointing out that now or never was the time to win their 
 independence; that if the Turkish invasion were rolled back 
 
ol4 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 now they might hope that the enemy would see that such a 
 country could not be conquered when the inhabitants were 
 determined to be free, for that if they thoroughly established 
 their hold of it, and occupied all the fortresses, there would 
 be no chance of their ever again shaking off the yoke. He 
 said that he himself, an Englishman and a stranger, had come 
 to aid them as far as possible, and that all unprovided with 
 arms, or lacking ammunition, would receive them on going 
 down to the ship anchored in the bay. 
 
 At each place, previous to addressing the assembly, he had 
 distributed money among the local leaders and priests. These 
 seconded his harangues, and numbers of the men went down 
 to the coast and obtained guns and ammunition. 
 
 While Mr. Beveridge was travelling over the country the 
 army of Dramali was advancing unopposed. The troops which 
 the central government had placed to defend the passes fled 
 without firing a shot, and Dramali occupied Corinth without 
 resistance. The Acropolis there was impregnable, but the 
 commander, a priest named Achilles Theodorides, in spite of 
 his Christian name and the fact that the citadel was amply sup- 
 plied with provisions, murdered the Turkish prisoners in his 
 hands, and fled with the garrison as soon as Dramali approached 
 the place. 
 
 The ease with which the Turkish general had marched 
 through Eastern Greece and possessed himself of Corinth, 
 raised his confidence to the highest point. It had been 
 arranged that the Turkish fleet should meet him at Nauplia, 
 and he therefore determined to march with his whole army 
 there, obtain possession of the stores brought by the fleet, 
 relieve the town, and then proceed to the conquest of the 
 Morea. Two of his officers alone disagreed with him. 
 Yussuf Pasha and Ali Pasha, the latter of whom was a large 
 land-owner of Argos, and both of whom knew the country well, 
 proposed that Corinth should be made the head-quarters of 
 the army, and great magazines be formed there; that the 
 army should be divided into two divisions, one of which, 
 
A TURKISH DEFEAT 315 
 
 under Dramali, should march to Nauplia and then recover 
 Tripolitza, while the other should march along the Gulf of 
 Corinth to Patras, recovering possession of the fertile province 
 of Achaia. Dramali, however, confident in his power to over- 
 come any opposition that might be made, determined to carry 
 out his own plan, and started with his own army for Nauplia. 
 
 Owing to the fact that Dramali had met with no opposition, 
 and had advanced with much greater rapidity than was ex- 
 pected, the preparations for resistance were altogether incom- 
 plete at the time he moved forward from Corinth, though the 
 people were firmly determined to resist his advance from 
 Nauplia. Accordingly, to the great disappointment of Mr. 
 Beveridge, he moved without opposition through the narrow 
 defile of Dervenaki, where a few hundred men could have 
 successfully opposed the advance of an army, and arrived 
 without firing a shot at Argos, almost within sight of Nauplia, 
 sending forward Ali Pasha with five hundred cavalry to take 
 the command at Nauplia. 
 
 Had the Turkish fleet now arrived with supplies, as had 
 been arranged, it is probable that Dramali would have over- 
 run the Morea, and that the revolution in Greece would have 
 been stamped out: but instead of doing this it passed round 
 the Morea to Patras in order to take on board Mehemet, who 
 had just been appointed Capitan Pasha. Dramali therefore 
 found himself at Argos without provisions, as, relying upon 
 obtaining supplies from the fleet, he had not encumbered 
 himself with a baggage train. 
 
 The members of the Greek government whose head-quar- 
 ters had been at Argos, had fled precipitately at the approach 
 of Dramali. Argos had been crowded with political leaders 
 and military adventurers who had gathered there in hopes of 
 sharing in the plunder of Nauplia. All these fled in such 
 haste that the national archives and a large quantity of plate 
 that had just been collected from the churches and monas- 
 teries for the public service, were abandoned. A wild panic 
 had seized the inhabitants, whose numbers had been vastly 
 
316 IX GREEK WATERS 
 
 increased by refugees from Smyrna, Chios, and other places, 
 and thousands deserted their houses and property, and fled in 
 frantic terror. As soon as they had left, the town was plun- 
 dered by bands of Greek klephts, who seized the horses, 
 mules, working oxen, and carts of the peasantry round and 
 loaded them with the plunder collected in the city, and the 
 Turks, when they entered Argos, found that it had already 
 been sacked. 
 
 While, however, the ministers, senators, and generals of 
 Greece were flying in panic, the spirit of the people was ris- 
 ing, and a body of volunteers took possession of the ruined 
 castle where the ancient Acropolis of Argos had stood, and 
 defended the position successfully against the first attack of 
 the Turks. Of all the Greek leaders, Prince Demetrius Hyp- 
 silantes alone showed courage and presence of mind. Hasten- 
 ing through the country he addressed energetic harangues to 
 the people, who responded enthusiastically to his impassioned 
 words, and took up arms without waiting for the call of their 
 nominal leaders. The work of the little English party now 
 bore fruit, and the peasants, with arms in their hands, some 
 without leaders, some commanded by their captains and pri- 
 mates, flocked from all parts of the Morea towards the scene 
 of action. 
 
 Having seen the work well begun, Hypsilantes hastened 
 back to Argos, and, accompanied by several young chiefs, 
 threw himself with some eight hundred men into the ruined 
 castle, raising the force there to a thousand men. The place 
 was, however, badly supplied with provisions and water, and 
 the Turks closely invested it. The object with which the first 
 volunteers had occupied the place had been gained : the ad- 
 vance of the Turks had been arrested, and time had been given 
 to the people of the Morea to rise. Hypsilantes and the 
 greater portion of the garrison accordingly withdrew during 
 the night; but a small band held it for three days longer, 
 cutting their way out when their last loaf was finished on the 
 i st of August, having occupied it on the 24th of July. 
 
A TURKISH DEFEAT 317 
 
 By this time the Greeks had five thousand men assembled 
 at Lerna, the port of Argos, where the cowardly leaders had 
 embarked, and they held a very strong position where the 
 ground rendered it impossible for the Turkish cavalry to act. 
 Other large bodies of Greeks occupied all the mountains 
 surrounding the plain of Argos. Had Dramali, when he first 
 found that the fleet had gone past with the supplies, returned 
 to Corinth, he could have done so without a shot being fired; 
 but it was not until the 6th of August, after wasting a fort- 
 night, that he prepared to move. He had brought with him 
 from Corinth ten thousand men, of whom half were cavalry, 
 and already much greater numbers of Greeks were gathered 
 round him. Kolokotronis was nominally in command, but 
 the villagers obeyed their local leaders, and there was no 
 order or system among them. Had there been, they could 
 have occupied strong positions on the various roads leading 
 up to the hills, and compelled the surrender of the whole 
 Turkish army. Instead of doing this, each of the local chiefs 
 took up the position that seemed to him to be best. 
 
 The advance guard of the Turkish army consisted of a 
 thousand Albanians, trained and seasoned troops. These were 
 allowed to go through without even a skirmish. A body of 
 cavalry were then sent forward along the road by which they 
 had come, and ordered to occupy the Dervenaki defile, which 
 Dramali had left unguarded behind him. They found the 
 Greeks intrenched there. The first Turkish division there- 
 fore moved by another pass. Niketos, one of the bravest of 
 the Greek commanders, with two thousand men barred the 
 valley and fell on their left flank, while another body of 
 Greeks, under Hypsilantes and Dikaios, attacked them on 
 the right. The Turkish cavalry charged forward and tried to 
 clear the valley, but a picked body of marksmen, on a low hill 
 overlooking a ravine, shot them down and blocked the ravine 
 wkh the bodies of the horses and their riders. 
 
 The pressure from behind increased, and a body of well- 
 mounted horsemen managed to dash through and reach Cor- 
 
318 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 inth in safety. Behind them the slaughter was terrible. The 
 Turks were shot down in numbers, and fled in every direction. 
 Many were killed, but more succeeded in escaping, for the 
 Greeks directed their whole attention to plundering the great 
 baggage-trains, consisting of mules and camels laden with the 
 valuables of the pashas and the rich spoil that had been gath- 
 ered in their advance. The news of the destruction of the 
 first division of his army astounded Dramali; but it was 
 impossible for him to remain at Argos, and the following day 
 he moved forward by another road up the steep hill known as 
 Kleisura. Dikaios opposed them in front; Niketos and Hypsi- 
 lantes fell on their left flank. 
 
 As on the previous day, the baggage-train proved the salva- 
 tion of the Turkish soldiers. The Greeks directed their entire 
 attention to it; and while they were occupied in cutting it off, 
 a brilliant charge by a chosen band of Turkish horsemen 
 cleared the road in front, and Dramali, with the main body 
 of his cavalry, was enabled to escape to Corinth. His mili- 
 tary chest, and the whole of the Turkish baggage, fell into 
 the hands of the Greeks. The troops under the immediate 
 command of Kolokotronis took no part whatever in either 
 day's fighting, the whole of which was done by the two 
 thousand men under the command of Niketos, under whom 
 Dikaios and Hypsilantes acted. As Kolokotronis, however, 
 was the nominal commander, the credit of the defeat of Dra- 
 mali was generally ascribed to him. 
 
 The Moriots returned to their native villages, enriched by 
 the spoil they had gathered. The party from the schooner 
 had been spectators of the fight. They had scarcely expected 
 so good a result, for the disorder, the want of plan, the neglect 
 of any attempt to seize and occupy the roads, and, above all, 
 the utter incapacity of Kolokotronis, seemed to render suc- 
 cess almost hopeless; and, indeed, out of the fourteen thou- 
 sand Greeks assembled but two thousand fired a shot. 
 
 Fortunately the brunt of the Turkish attack fell upon the 
 one little division that was ably commanded. Had the main 
 
A TURKISH DEFEAT 319 
 
 body aided them, not a soldier of Dramali's army would have 
 escaped. As it was, their loss in men was comparatively 
 small; but the total destruction of their baggage-train, and, 
 still more, the disorganization and depression which followed 
 the disaster, inflicted upon them by an enemy they despised, 
 completely paralyzed them, and no forward move was again 
 attempted. Dramali himself was utterly broken down by the 
 humiliation, and died at Corinth two months later. 
 
 Mr. Beveridge was well contented with the success, which 
 was due partly to his efforts. He had expended upwards of 
 five thousand pounds, and eight thousand muskets and a large 
 quantity of ammunition had been distributed from the schooner 
 to the peasants. The victory ought, he felt, to have been 
 much more conclusive; but the spirit awakened among the 
 Moriots, and the confidence that would be engendered through- 
 out Greece at this victory over an army that had expected to 
 overrun the whole country without difficulty, immensely im- 
 proved the chances that Greek independence would be finally 
 established. 
 
 There was, however, one unfortunate consequence of the 
 affair. The success of these armed peasants at Argos con- 
 firmed the Greeks in their idea that discipline was wholly 
 unnecessary, that regular troops were a mistake, and that all 
 that was needed to conquer the Turks was for the people to 
 muster under their local leaders whenever danger threatened. 
 This absurd idea was the cause of many heavy disasters which 
 subsequently occurred. When the second day's fighting was 
 over the English party made their way back to the schooner. 
 
 " I congratulate you heartily, sir, on the success the Greeks 
 have gained," Martyn said: for the news of the victory had 
 already reached him. 
 
 "Thank you, Martyn. It might and ought to have been a 
 great deal better. Still, I am very thankful that it is as good 
 as it is. I can feel now that, come what may, my mission out 
 here has not been altogether a failure. We have done much 
 good work in the cause of humanity. My work during the 
 
320 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 last three weeks has been exactly what I pictured it would be 
 before I left home. By my personal efforts I did a good deal 
 to arouse the enthusiasm of the peasants. My money increased 
 my influence, and the arms we brought out contributed largely 
 to the success of the fight. I am pleased and gratified." 
 
 "What sort of time have you had, Miller? " Martyn asked 
 his comrade as they walked up and down the quarter-deck 
 together, as Mr. Beveridge descended to his cabin. 
 
 " It has been good enough, for we have done a lot of 
 tramping up hill and down. The chief bought a horse the day 
 he landed, or I am sure he never could have stood it; it was 
 pretty hard work even for us. You should have seen him, 
 day after day, haranguing crowds of villagers. Of course I 
 could not understand a word he said; but I can tell you he 
 worked them up into a regular frenzy; and the way they 
 shouted and waved their hands, and, as I imagine, swore ter- 
 rible oaths that they would kill and eat every Turk they saw, 
 was something tremendous. It quite electrified our fellows, 
 who have been accustomed, I suppose, to consider the chief 
 as a quiet, easy-going gentleman, and they cheered and 
 shouted as loudly as the Greeks. Zaimes and his brother went 
 off on expeditions, on their own account, to villages we could 
 not spare time to go to. We were all right as to quarters and 
 grub. The primates and captains, or whatever the leaders 
 call themselves, naturally made a lot of us — and no wonder, 
 considering how the chief scattered his money among them 
 all. The mule that carried the money was pretty heavily laden 
 when he went up, but the boxes were emptied before we 
 returned. The food, of course, was pretty rough, though it 
 was the best they had; but one has been spoiled for roughing 
 it by our living here." 
 
 " I found a difference, I can tell you, Miller, since you 
 went, and I am heartily glad that Marco is back again. How 
 has the doctor got on? " 
 
 " I think he has found it harder than he expected," Miller 
 laughed. " He confided to me to-day that he shall not vol- 
 
A TURKISH DEFEAT 321 
 
 unteer for another expedition. But I was very glad he was 
 with us; for Horace, of course, was always in the thick of it, 
 with his father, jawing away with the village notables, and I 
 should have had a dull time of 'it if it had not been for the 
 doctor, whose remarks upon the real enthusiasm of the peas- 
 antry and the bought enthusiasm of their leaders were very 
 amusing. The doctor does not say much when we are all 
 together; but he is not at all a bad companion, and there is 
 a lot of dry humour about him. And now I sha'n't be sorry 
 when supper is ready, for we have been on our legs since day- 
 break, and I have had nothing to eat but some bread we 
 carried with us and some wine with which we had all filled 
 our water-bottles." 
 
 After this, for a time, the Misericordia had a quiet time of 
 it cruising idly about among the Ionian Islands, and then 
 crossing to Venice, where they stayed for three weeks. Then 
 they crossed the Adriatic again, and put in at the port of 
 Missolonghi. Mr. Beveridge was very anxious to hear the 
 result of the battle that was expected between the Greek army, 
 under Mavrocordatos, and the Turks advancing south. He 
 had himself strongly wished to go with the Greek army, but 
 had been dissuaded by Horace. 
 
 "My dear father, if we do any fighting at sea, we assuredly 
 do our share without taking part in fighting on shore. When 
 we have once seen the Greeks make a successful stand it will 
 surely be time enough for us to take any share in the matter. 
 The Philhellenes will fight, that is quite certain; but I think 
 the odds are all against the Greeks doing so. Besides, as 
 you have often said, Mavrocordatos is no more fit to com- 
 mand an army than any old woman in the streets of Athens 
 would be. He knows nothing whatever of military matters, 
 and will take no advice from those who do. I think there 
 would be a tremendous risk in joining the Greek army, and 
 no advantage to be gained from it. Of course, if you wish 
 to go I will go with you, and we can take some of the men if 
 you like; but I certainly think we had better keep away from 
 it altogether." 
 
322 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 And so, instead of joining the Greek army, they had sailed 
 to Venice. As soon as they dropped anchor off Missolonghi 
 Horace was rowed ashore to get the news. He returned in 
 an hour. 
 
 " It is lucky indeed, father, that we went to Venice instead 
 of with Mavrocordatos." 
 
 "What, have the Greeks been beaten?" 
 
 " Completely smashed up, father. I have been talking to 
 two or three of the Philhellenes who were lucky enough to 
 escape. Mavrocordatos sent the army on to Petta, and estab- 
 lished himself some twenty miles in the rear. His chief of 
 the staff, General Normann, felt the position was a very bad 
 one, but could not fall back when the Turks advanced, as he 
 had no orders. The regular troops, that is, the one regular 
 regiment, the hundred Philhellenes, and a body of Ionian 
 volunteers, were stationed in a position in front. The Greek 
 irregulars, two thousand strong, were placed some distance 
 in the rear, and were to cover the regulars from any attack 
 from that direction. Two leaders of the irregulars were in 
 communication with the Turks; when these advanced, the 
 eight hundred men in front, who had two guns with them, 
 repulsed them ; but Reshid Pasha sent round six hundred 
 Albanians, who advanced against a strong position in the 
 rear. The whole body of the Greek irregulars bolted like 
 rabbits, and then the Turks in front and the Albanians from 
 the rear attacked the front division on all sides. They fought 
 gallantly. Of the hundred Philhellenes, seventy-five were 
 killed, the other twenty-five broke their way through the 
 Turkish ranks. The Greek regiment and the Ionians were 
 cut up by the Turkish infantry fire, followed by charges of 
 their cavalry. Half of *"hem were killed, the others broke 
 their way through the Turks. So out of the eight hundred 
 men over four hundred were killed. They say that not one 
 surrendered. So I think, father, it is very well that we did 
 not go up to see the fight, for you would naturally have been 
 somewhere near the Philhellenes." 
 
A TURKISH DEFEAT 323 
 
 "This is bad news indeed, Horace.'' 
 
 "It is, father; but how the Greeks could suppose that it 
 was any use getting up a regular army, consisting of one regi- 
 ment of six hundred men, to fight the Turks, is more than 
 I can imagine. As to their irregulars, except for fighting 
 among the mountains, I do not see that they are of the slight- 
 est good. 
 
 " I am awfully sorry for the foreign officers. After coming 
 here, as they did, to fight for Greece, and then forming them- 
 selves into a corps to encourage the natives to fight, to be 
 deserted and left to fight a whole army is shameful. Those I 
 spoke to are terribly cut up at the loss of three-quarters of 
 their comrades. The Turks are advancing against Misso- 
 longhi. The Suliots have made terms, and are to be trans- 
 ported to the Ionian Islands. The British consul at Prevesa 
 guarantees that the terms shall be honourably kept on both 
 sides." 
 
 .Mr. Beveridge went ashore later, and returned completely 
 disheartened by his conversation with the leading inhabitants. 
 He learned that, so far from the defeat at Petta convincing 
 the Greeks that it was only by submitting to discipline and 
 forming regular regiments that they could hope to oppose the 
 Turks, they had determined, on the contrary, that there was no 
 hope of fighting in that way, and that henceforward they must 
 depend entirely upon the irregulars. 
 
 "Their blindness is extraordinary," he said. "They saw 
 that, few as the disciplined men were, they repulsed the attack 
 of the Turkish troops in front, and were only crushed when 
 totally surrounded; while, on the other hand, two thousand 
 five hundred irregulars were unable even to attempt to make 
 a stand against six hundred Albanians, but deserted their 
 comrades and tied after scarcely firing a shot; and yet in the 
 future they intend to trust solely to these useless bands. 
 
 "At present everyone is quarrelling with everyone else. 
 While Reshid Pasha is preparing to invade Greece the captains 
 and primates, instead of uniting to oppose them, are quarrel- 
 
324 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 ling and fighting among themselves for their share of the 
 national revenues. The district of Agrapha is being laid 
 waste by civil broils; the province of Vlochos is being 
 devastated by the bands of two rival leaders; Kravari is pil- 
 laged alternately by the bands of two other scoundrels: Gogos 
 and half a dozen other captains have openly gone over to the 
 Turks. There is only one hope I can see," he added bitterly. 
 
 "What is that, Mr. Beveridge?" Martyn asked. 
 
 " It is, that the Greeks will continue their civil broils until 
 they make their country a complete desert; and that the Turks, 
 finding that they can obtain no food whatever, will be obliged 
 by starvation to quit the country. One thing I am resolved 
 upon, and that is, that until the Greeks fight for themselves I 
 will do nothing further whatever in the matter. I will still 
 try to save women and children, but I will do nothing else. 
 I will neither interfere with Turkish commerce nor fire a gun 
 at a Turkish ship of war. We will lower our long gun and 
 four of the others down into the hold, Captain Martyn, and 
 we will cruise about and enjoy ourselves for a bit." 
 
 "Very well, sir. It is just a year since we arrived out here, 
 and a little peace and quiet and amusement will do us no 
 harm. I don't know how it would be with our flag, and 
 whether we can sail into Malta or into the Italian ports with 
 it, or whether we can hoist our own again." 
 
 "The papers are all right, I believe," Mr. Beveridge said. 
 "You see, she was nominally sold to the agent here of a Greek 
 firm in London, and is therefore registered as the property of 
 a Greek subject. I have papers signed by them selling the 
 vessel again to me, with blanks for the dates, which can be 
 filled in at any time; but these, of course, I could only fill in 
 and use in the event of my deciding to leave Greece alto- 
 gether and return to England. So that, at present, we are 
 simply a Greek ship, owned by natives of that country, and 
 holding letters of marque from the Greek government to act 
 as a privateer. I do not think that the transaction would be 
 recognized by any European power in the case of two Euro- 
 
A TURKISH DEFEAT 325 
 
 pean belligerents; but this is an exceptional case, as the 
 sympathies of all the Christian powers are with the Greeks. 
 As far as the Turks are concerned, it makes no difference; 
 whether Greek or English, they would hang us if they caught 
 us. But I don't think any very close inquiries are likely to 
 be made in any European port. Our Greek papers are all 
 correct, and as we know that the account of our having saved 
 large numbers of fugitives from Chios has been in the Eng- 
 lish papers, and doubtless our interference to save the Turks 
 at Athens has also been published, I think that we should be 
 received well by the sympathizers of either party." 
 
 The next morning they sailed to Corinth, where they 
 remained a few days. John Iskos, Mr. Beveridge's agent at 
 Athens, came across to see him. He informed him that he 
 had sold but a very small portion of the goods consigned to 
 him in the prizes, but had shipped the great bulk in neutral 
 vessels and consigned them to the firm in London; the vessels 
 themselves he had disposed of to Hydriot merchants. He 
 recommended Mr. Beveridge to hand over to him the store of 
 silks and other valuables that had been retained on board the 
 schooner, and he would put them at once on board an Italian 
 ship at present in the port, and consign them to a Greek house 
 in Genoa, as he certainly would not obtain anything like fair 
 prices for them in Greece. 
 
 The operation occupied two days, but all the most valuable 
 goods were retained, as the prizes might have been recaptured 
 by Turks on their way to Athens. The prizes had been 
 brought in by Miller and Tarleton alternately, Marco or 
 Zaimes accompanying them to interpret, the crews being 
 taken back in native boats to Naxos, to which island the 
 schooner had made several trips to pick them up. 
 
 For the next two months the schooner cruised in Italian 
 waters, from Venice round to Genoa, putting in to many ports, 
 making a circuit of Sicily, and paying a short visit to Malta; 
 then learning that the Turks were about to besiege Missolonghi, 
 and that the town was going to resist until the last, they crossed 
 
326 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 over there in the second week in November. They found 
 that the port was blockaded by some Turkish ships from 
 Patras, but that some Hydriot vessels were expected to arrive 
 shortly. Mavrocordatos was himself in the town organizing 
 the defence, and taking really vigorous measures for holding 
 out to the last. 
 
 A week later seven Hydriot brigs arrived ; the Misericordia, 
 which had again mounted all her guns, joined them; but as 
 they approached the port the Turkish vessels got up all sail and 
 made for Patras, and the Greeks entered the port. Misso- 
 longhi was protected by a low mud wall, with a ditch six feet 
 deep by sixteen feet wide. It contained but a foot of water, 
 but at the bottom was a deep clay, rendering it quite impassa- 
 ble. There were eight guns mounted on the ramparts, and 
 Mr. Beveridge landed at once six more of those still lying in 
 the hold, with a supply of ammunition for the whole. 
 
 As soon as the port was open a thousand men crossed over 
 from the Morea under the command of partisan chiefs, and 
 from time to time others came in, until the garrison, origi- 
 nally but six hundred strong, was increased to two thousand 
 five hundred. For some weeks nothing was done; but on the 
 eve of the 6th of January, which was the Greek Christmas-day, 
 a Greek fisherman brought in news that the Turks were pre- 
 paring to assault the next morning at daylight, when they 
 believed the Christians would generally be in their churches. 
 Forty men were landed from the schooner to take part in the 
 defence. At daybreak the defenders were all in their places, 
 hidden behind the rampart or concealed in the houses near. 
 
 The storming party was led by eight hundred Albanian 
 volunteers. One division was intended to scale the wall on 
 its eastern flank, while another was to endeavour to penetrate 
 the town by wading through a shallow lagoon at its eastern 
 extremity. The whole Turkish army turned out, and suddenly 
 opened a tremendous fire of musketry against the ramparts, 
 while the storming parties moved forward. The defenders 
 remained in their concealment until the Albanians were close 
 
A TURKISH DEFEAT 327 
 
 at hand, and then, leaping up, poured their fire into them. 
 Expecting to take the defenders by surprise, the Albanians 
 were astounded at the sudden and heavy fire poured into them, 
 and at once broke and fled in confusion. For some hours the 
 Turks kept up a heavy fire, but did not renew their attack in 
 earnest. Tons of ammunition were fired away on both sides, 
 and then the Turks fell back to their camps, and on the fol- 
 lowing day raised the siege. 
 
 The wildness of the fire was evidenced by the fact that only 
 four Greeks were killed. The blue-jackets from the schooner 
 joined in the fire upon the storming parties, but when it was 
 evident that the Turks had no idea of renewing the attack 
 they returned on board ship. Their remarks upon the com- 
 batants were the reverse of complimentary. 
 
 " It is well-nigh enough to make a man sick, Tom," one 
 man said to another in Horace's hearing. "To see them both 
 blazing away good powder and lead like that, I reckon to be 
 downright sinful." 
 
 " You are right there, mate. It is a downright waste of the 
 gifts of Providence. Why, there was powder and ball enough 
 to have killed a good five thousand Englishmen and French- 
 men thrown away in accounting for four or five of them yelling 
 fellows. It is more like play-acting than fighting. Why, if 
 you was to arm a couple of gals' schools and put 'em to fire 
 at each other they would do ever so much better than that. 
 And to think them Greeks calls themselves Christians and 
 don't know how to aim a musket no better than that; they 
 might just as well be heathen." 
 
 While Missolonghi had been resisting successfully, the 
 Turkish garrison of Nauplia had at last surrendered. After 
 Dramali's army had abandoned it the only hope that remained 
 to them was that the fleet might return. The Greeks retained 
 possession of a small fort that had been given up to them at 
 the time that the first negotiations for surrender were going 
 on. From this fort combustible missiles were fired into the 
 town, and a brisk cannonade kept up with its defences, but 
 
328 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 without much damage being done on either side. On the 
 20th of September the Turkish fleet appeared off the entrance 
 to the gulf, and the Greek fleet from the islands of Hydra and 
 Spetzas stood out to meet them. 
 
 Unfortunately Admiral Kanaris was not present. For four 
 days the two fleets remained in sight of each other, firing at 
 such distances that no harm was done on either side. There 
 was nothing to have prevented the Turkish admiral relieving 
 Nauplia and landing the troops and provisions in his trans- 
 ports; but he feared to enter the gulf, while the Greeks shrank 
 equally from an attack upon him. After thus exhibiting for 
 four days his cowardice and incapacity, the Turkish capitan- 
 pasha abandoned Nauplia to its fate. The resistance only 
 continued because the Turks could put no reliance upon the 
 oaths of the Greeks. Women and children dropped dead 
 from hunger in the streets; the soldiers were so weak from 
 starvation that but few were able to carry their arms. The 
 citadel was at last abandoned simply because the soldiers who 
 went down into the town to fetch the scanty rations for its 
 defenders were too weak to climb the hill again; and the 
 Greeks, as soon as they learned that it was abandoned, occu- 
 pied the position. Kolokotronis and a number of other 
 leaders, attracted by the prospect of booty, hurried to the 
 spot like vultures round a carcass. 
 
 Negotiations were again opened, and the Turks surren- 
 dered on the terms of the Greeks engaging to transport them 
 to Asia Minor, allowing each to retain a single suit of clothes, 
 a quilt for bedding, and a carpet for prayer. As soon as the 
 terms were signed, Kolokotronis and the captains entered the 
 town with their personal followers and prevented all others 
 from entering. The soldiers assembled before the gates, de- 
 claring that they would not allow the chiefs to appropriate 
 to themselves everything valuable, threatening to storm the 
 place, murder the Turks, and sack the town. Greece was 
 saved from fresh dishonour by the timely arrival of the Eng- 
 lish frigate Cambrian, commanded by Captain Hamilton. He 
 
A TURKISH DEFEAT 329 
 
 was a strong friend of Greece, and was known to many of the 
 Greek leaders. 
 
 He at once held a conference with them, and in the strongest 
 language urged upon them the necessity of taking measures 
 for the execution of the capitulation, for that another breach 
 of faith, another foul massacre, would render the name of 
 Greece despicable in civilized Europe and ruin the cause of 
 the country. Hamilton's character was greatly respected, and 
 his words had their effect. He insisted upon their chartering 
 ships to embark the Turks. He himself took five hundred 
 of them on board the Cambrian, and nine hundred were 
 embarked in the Greek transports. This interference of Cap- 
 tain Hamilton excited great anger in Greece. 
 
 The Turkish fleet did not escape absolutely scathless after 
 its inglorious departure from Nauplia. Although unmolested 
 by the Greeks, it sailed north, and anchored inside the island 
 of Tenedos. 
 
 Kanaris persuaded the people of Psara to fit out two fire- 
 ships. He took the command of one, and both sailed for the 
 Turkish fleet, which they approached at daybreak. Two line- 
 of-battle ships were anchored to windward of the rest of the 
 fleet. Kanaris undertook the destruction of the ship to lee- 
 ward, that being the most difficult operation. He succeeded 
 as well as he had done on two previous occasions. He ran 
 the enemy aboard to windward, lashed the fire-ship there, and 
 fired the train. The Turk was at once enveloped in flames, 
 and the whole of the crew, eight hundred in number, perished. 
 
 But Kanaris seemed to be the only Greek naval officer who 
 had the necessary courage and coolness to manoeuvre success- 
 fully with fire-ships. The other captain ran his fire-ship along- 
 side the man-of-war which carried the flag of the capitan-pasha. 
 The position of the fire-ship was, however, ill chosen, and after 
 being set on fire it drifted away without doing injury to the 
 Turk. The rest of the Turkish fleet cut their cables and made 
 for the Dardanelles, while one corvette ran ashore on Tenedos. 
 Another was abandoned by her crew. Kanaris and the crews 
 of the two fire-ships returned safely to Psara in their boats. 
 
330 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 
 PRISONERS 
 
 ONE day, after cruising along the coast inside the island of 
 Euboea or Negropont, the Misericordia entered the Gulf 
 of Zeitouni, the Sinus Maliacus of the ancients. When they 
 were nearly at the head of the gulf Horace asked Captain 
 Martyn to let him go ashore to a little village at the water's 
 edge to get some vegetables and fruit, of which the supply 
 had run out. 
 
 " Just as you like, Horace. A boat-load of green stuff of 
 some sort or other would be very welcome, and if you can 
 pick up half a dozen kids so much the better." 
 
 "I am thinking I will go with you, Horace," Macfarlane 
 said; " it does a man good to stretch his legs ashore once in 
 a way." 
 
 The gig was at once lowered, and on Horace and the doctor 
 taking their seats in the stern, four sailors rowed them ashore. 
 
 " I sha'n't take the trouble to anchor," Martyn said as they 
 left the ship. " I expect you will be back in an hour, and I 
 shall keep her standing off and on till I see you put out." 
 
 Leaving two of the men in charge of the boat, Horace 
 told the other two to take some of the baskets they had 
 brought ashore and follow him. Some women looked out 
 timidly at the doors of the houses, but no men were to be seen 
 about. 
 
 "We are friends, " -Horace said; "do you not see we are 
 flying the Greek flag? Where are all the men? " 
 
 "They have gone away with Vriones. He came with an 
 armed band and said that every man must go with him to 
 fight." 
 
 "Who have they gone to fight? " 
 
 "Ah! that we don't know. He talked about fighting the 
 Turks, but we think it more likely that he is going to fight 
 
PRISONERS 331 
 
 Rhangos. They are at war with each other. Oh, these are 
 bad times ! What with the war with the Turks, and the war of 
 one captain with another, and what with bands of klephts who 
 plunder everyone, there is no peace nor quiet. They say 
 Rhangos is going to join the Turks, as many other klepht 
 leaders have done. To us it makes little difference who are 
 masters, so that we know who they are. In the time of the 
 Turks we had peace; we had to pay taxes, but we knew what 
 they were. Now everybody wants taxes. These are evil 
 days." 
 
 "We want some vegetables and some fruit," Horace said. 
 "We do not wish to rob you, and are ready to pay a fair price 
 for everything." 
 
 "Those we can sell you," the woman said, "it is nearly all 
 we have left. There are vegetables everywhere, and they are 
 not worth stealing." 
 
 The news soon spread, and the women and children of the 
 village were soon engaged in gathering and tying up vege- 
 tables. The sailors made several trips backwards and forwards 
 to the boats with laden baskets, while the doctor and Horace, 
 seated upon a low wall, watched the women at work in the 
 gardens, and paid the sum agreed upon for each basketful that 
 was carried off. Suddenly, without the slightest warning, 
 there was a rush of men behind them, and before they could 
 draw their pistols they were seized, thrown down, and bound. 
 
 " What is the meaning of this? " Horace asked indignantly. 
 " We are officers of that ship there, which is in the service of 
 Greece. As you are Greeks, what do you mean by molesting 
 us? " 
 
 No reply was given. There was a sudden outburst of firing 
 down by the boat, and the screams of women rose in the air. 
 The men who had bound them moved away at the order of an 
 officer, leaving two with muskets standing over the prisoners. 
 
 "This is a nice business, doctor; I expect we have fallen 
 into the hands of Rhangos, the fellow the women were speak- 
 ing about, and the men of this village have gone out with some 
 
332 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 other scoundrel to fight. I suppose he had spies about, and 
 came down to plunder the place in their absence. She said 
 she heard Rhangos was going to join the Turks; his capturing 
 us certainly looks as if at present he was hostile to the Greeks. 
 If he takes us away and hands us over to the Turks it is a bad 
 look-out." 
 
 " He will have to be quick about it," the doctor said, "they 
 are still firing occasional shots down by the water. That 
 looks as if the boat has got away, and you may be sure Martyn 
 won't be long before he sends as many men as he can spare 
 ashore to find us. There, do you hear?" and as he spoke 
 there was the deep boom of a gun, followed by the rush of a 
 shot overhead. 
 
 Orders were shouted angrily directly afterwards. Some 
 men ran up, cut the cords that bound the prisoners' legs, and 
 then, seizing them by the arms, hurried them away, threaten- 
 ing them with instant death if they did not keep up with 
 them. As they mounted the high ground behind the village 
 Horace glanced round. Three boats were just leaving the 
 schooner. A blow from one of the Greeks that, bound as he 
 was, nearly threw him down, compelled him to turn his head 
 and hurry forward again. For hours they hastened along. 
 When about a mile from the village a sharp fire was heard to 
 break out in that direction. As they had only eight men with 
 them, they doubted not that Rhangos was with the main body 
 opposing the landing. 
 
 "Our fellows will soon clear them out of the village," 
 Horace said to the doctor. " I only hope that, as they retire, 
 the Greeks will follow us, for you may be sure that Martyn 
 and Miller will press hard on them, and may perhaps over- 
 take us." 
 
 Up to nightfall, however, none of the band came up. The 
 country had been getting more and more hilly, and at sunset 
 they halted far up on the side of a mountain. Here a fire was 
 lit, and some portions of a kid that had evidently been part 
 of the plunder of the village were put over it to roast. The 
 
PRISONERS 333 
 
 fire was kept blazing, and the doctor and Horace agreed that 
 it was probably intended as a signal to their comrades. A 
 lump of meat was thrown to each of the captives, their cords 
 being loosed sufficiently to enable them to use their hands, 
 their legs being tightly bound again as soon as they had halted. 
 At eight o'clock a sound of voices was heard, and presently a 
 party of Greeks, fully a hundred strong, came up. They were 
 evidently in an ill temper, and replied sulkily to the questions 
 of the guard of the prisoners. Horace gathered from their 
 answers that they had fired a volley upon the boats as they 
 approached ; then, seeing they came on without a pause, had 
 at once run from the village and scattered, reuniting some 
 miles on. 
 
 "We lost everything we had taken," one of the men said. 
 " We had it all packed and ready to carry away, when those 
 confounded sailors came. Some of us did start with our 
 bundles, but they came so fast up to us that we had to throw 
 everything away, and even then we had a lot of difficulty in 
 keeping away from them. I expect they caught some. It 
 was lucky we started off when we did; if we had waited till 
 they landed very few would have got away." 
 
 "Didn't they shoot? " one of the guards asked. 
 
 "No, they never fired a shot. I don't know whether they 
 came ashore without powder, but from first to last they never 
 fired." 
 
 "They knew we had these two in our hands," the guards 
 said, "and they were afraid if they killed any of us we should 
 take it out of our prisoners, and I think they were about right. 
 Ah ! here comes Rhangos. He had to take to a farmhouse 
 before he had gone half a mile, and I suppose if any of them 
 looked in they would have seen him feeding pigs or something 
 of that sort, with his finery and arms hidden away." 
 
 The klepht had now come up to the fire. He was a spare 
 man, some fifty years old, with a keen hungry face. 
 
 "Are all here?" he asked briefly. 
 
 "We are six short of our number," a man, who by his dress 
 had evidently the rank of an officer among them, replied. 
 
334 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Killed?" 
 
 "No, there was no firing; I expect those sailors ran them 
 down." 
 
 "Then we must march in half-an-hour, they will make them 
 lead them here. Now, then, who are you?" he asked the 
 doctor as the elder of the prisoners. 
 
 "My friend does not speak Greek," Horace replied. "As 
 you must be well aware we are officers of that schooner that 
 was lying off the village. This is the doctor, I am third lieu- 
 tenant. We are friends of Greece, we have been in action 
 against the Turkish ships of war, we have saved great num- 
 bers of Greek fugitives from the Turks, now this is the treat- 
 ment that we receive at the hands of the Greeks." 
 
 Horace's reticence as to the fact that he was the son of the 
 owner of the schooner was the result of a conversation with 
 the doctor. 
 
 "These scoundrels have no doubt carried us off either for 
 the purpose of getting a ransom for us or of handing us over 
 to the Turks as an acceptable present. I expect the idea of 
 ransom is at the bottom of it. We have heard of this fellow 
 Rhangos before. He is a noted klepht, and more Albanian 
 than Greek. Whatever you do, Horace, don't you let out you 
 are the owner's son. If you do there is no saying how much 
 ransom they might ask for you. They think that an English- 
 man who fits out a ship at his own expense to come out here 
 must be rolling in money. As long as they think that they 
 have only got hold of a doctor and a third lieutenant they 
 cannot ask a high price for them, but for an owner's son 
 there is no saying what figure they might put him at. Have 
 you got a second name? " 
 
 "Yes, I am Horace Hendon Beveridge. Hendon was my 
 mother's name." 
 
 "That is lucky; you can give them Horace Hendon. It is 
 likely they may know your father's name, for the Misericordia 
 and her doings have been a good deal talked about. I am 
 not in favour of anyone telling a lie, Horace, but as it is no 
 
PRISONERS 335 
 
 lie to give your two first names without giving your third, I 
 cannot see that there is harm in it." 
 
 "The ship belongs to the Lord Beveridge? " Rhangos asked 
 next. 
 
 "Yes, that is his name," Horace replied. 
 
 "What is your name and that of your companion? " 
 
 Horace gave his two Christian names and the name of his 
 companion. 
 
 "Have you paper? " the klepht said. 
 
 "I have a note -book in my pocket." 
 
 "That will do. Now write in Greek: My Lord Beveridge, 
 This is to give you notice that — now write the two names " — 
 " ' Donald Macfarlane and Horace Hendon, ' " Horace repeated 
 as he wrote them, " surgeon and third lieutenant of your ship, 
 are captives in my hands, and that unless three hundred 
 pounds in gold are paid to me as ransom for them they will 
 be put to death. If there is any attempt to rescue the pris- 
 oners they will at once be shot. The messenger will arrange 
 with you how and where the ransom is to be paid." 
 
 The klepht added his own name in scrawling characters at 
 the bottom of the note, then called one of the men and gave 
 him instructions as to where and how the ransom was to be 
 paid, and then sent him off. As soon as the band had satis- 
 fied their hunger the march among the mountains was con- 
 tinued for another two hours. Then they threw themselves 
 down by the side of a stream in a valley surrounded on all 
 sides with craggy hills, and two men with muskets were placed 
 as sentries over the prisoners. 
 
 "Well, this is not so bad," Horace said. "It is certainly 
 very lucky you gave me that hint about my name. Three 
 hundred is not very much to pay to get out of such a scrape 
 as this. I suppose there is no fear about their giving us up 
 when they get the money." 
 
 " I think not," the doctor replied. "They would never get 
 ransoms if they did not keep their word. I only hope that 
 no one may let out before the messenger who you are. If 
 they do, there will be a very serious rise in prices." 
 
336 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 " Fortunately none of them speak Greek but my father, and 
 probably he would read the note before he would ask any 
 questions." 
 
 "Maybe yes, and maybe no," the doctor said. "He is as 
 like as not to say when he sees a messenger, 'Is my son alive 
 and well? ' and then the cat would be out of the bag. Still, 
 your father is a prudent man, and may keep a still tongue in 
 his head, especially when he sees that the note is in your own 
 handwriting. However, we will hope for the best." 
 
 Morning had dawned some time before there was any 
 movement among the band. Then their fires were lighted 
 and breakfast cooked. 
 
 "Will the English lord pay the ransom for you, do you 
 think?" Rhangos asked, sauntering up to Horace. 
 
 Horace shrugged his shoulders. 
 
 " It is a large sum to pay for two officers," he said. 
 
 "He is rich, it is nothing to him." 
 
 "He is well off, no doubt," Horace said; "but it is not 
 everyone who is well off who is disposed to part with money 
 for other people." 
 
 "Well, it will be bad for you if he doesn't pay," the klepht 
 said significantly. 
 
 Three hours later the messenger was seen coming up the 
 valley. Horace looked at him anxiously as he approached, 
 and was pleased to see that, as he spoke to Rhangos, there was 
 no expression of surprise or exultation in the latter's face. 
 He nodded when the other had finished, and then went to the 
 fire where two or three of his lieutenants were sitting, saying 
 briefly to Horace as he passed him, "He will pay." Horace 
 could hear what he said to the others. 
 
 " Demetri says the Englishman did not like paying the 
 money. There was a good deal of talk between him and his 
 officers before he came back to him and said, that though the 
 demand was extortionate he would pay it. He said he should 
 complain to the central government, and should expect them 
 to refund it and settle with you." There was a general laugh 
 among his hearers. 
 
PRISONERS 337 
 
 "I ought to have asked more," the klepht went on; "but I 
 don't know these English. Of course if any of you were taken, 
 my dear friends, I would give all I have to ransom you." 
 The assertion was received with mocking laughter, as he went 
 on calmly : " But you see other people are not animated by 
 the same generous feeling as we Greeks, and I don't suppose 
 this milord sets any particular value on the lad, or on that 
 long-shanked doctor. He can hire more of them, and I 
 expect he only agreed to pay the money because his other 
 officers insisted on it. They are rolling in wealth these Eng- 
 lish, but they are mean; if not, how is it that our pockets are 
 not filled with English gold when we are fighting for a sacred 
 cause? " 
 
 His hearers were highly tickled by this sentiment. 
 
 "When are they to be delivered up, Rhangos? " 
 
 " At mid-day to-morrow at Pales, the village halfway between 
 the foot of the hills and the sea. Four men are to take them 
 down to within a quarter of a mile of the village; then 
 Demetri will go in and get the gold; then when he returns 
 with it to the others the prisoners will be freed." 
 
 " I should have thought the matter might have been arranged 
 to-day," one of the men said. 
 
 "So it might have been," the klepht replied; "but I could 
 not tell that. I thought that Demetri would not be able to go 
 off to the ship this morning. He had six hours' walking, and 
 would not be there until two hours past midnight; then he 
 would have to rest for an hour or two after he had seen them, 
 and then six hours to walk back. It would have been too late 
 to deliver them up before dark, and I should never think of 
 sending them in the dark — their guards might fall into an 
 ambush. As it was, Demetri found them in the village. 
 They had not returned, as I thought they would do, on board 
 their ship. He walked in, thinking the place was empty, 
 when two of those sailors jumped out on him with cutlasses. 
 Thinking that they were going to cut his throat he showed 
 them the letter. They led him to the principal house in the 
 
338 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 village, and one went in while another held him fast outside. 
 He heard a great talking and excitement in the house, and 
 presently he was taken in. Then, as I told you, there was a 
 great talk, and at last they agreed to pay the ransom. As 
 soon as he got his answer he started on his way back, lay down 
 for an hour or two in an empty cottage, and then came on 
 here. We will stay where we are until to-morrow morning; 
 then, Kornalis, you shall start with four men, and Demetri 
 and the captives, and we will go on our way. We will deal 
 another blow to Vriones, and then we will be off. We will 
 fix on some place where you can join us after you have got 
 the ransom." 
 
 " It could not have happened better for us," Horace said to 
 his companion after he had translated the klepht's story. 
 "As it turned out, you see, my father got the note before he 
 could say a word to the messenger. That was a capital move 
 their pretending to hesitate about paying the ransom. If 
 they had jumped at it this scoundrel is perfectly capable of 
 raising his terms. As it is, he thinks he was clever enough to 
 hit upon just the maximum sum that could be got for us. 
 Well, it is all right now." 
 
 " It will be all right when we are among the others, Horace; 
 there is never any saying what may happen in this country. 
 Some of the peasants these fellows have been robbing may fall 
 on us, seeing we are but a small party. This Vriones with 
 his bandits, who I daresay are just as bad as these fellows, 
 may happen to meet us. No, we won't calculate too confi- 
 dently. Things have gone on very well so far. We will just 
 hope they will go on to the end." 
 
 Now that the affair was considered to be settled, but little 
 attention was paid to the prisoners. Their cords were taken 
 off, and they were permitted to move about, two men keep- 
 ing an eye upon them, but not following them closely. They 
 congratulated themselves that the sailors had withheld their 
 fire, for undoubtedly their position would have been very 
 different had some of the brigands been killed. So far from 
 
PRISONERS 339 
 
 bearing any animosity now, the men chatted with them in a 
 friendly manner, asked questions about their ship, and their 
 encounters with the Turks. 
 
 "We would rather fight for the Greeks than the Turks," 
 one said: "but we follow our captains. There is neither pay 
 nor plunder to be obtained with the Greeks; and as Odysseus 
 and all the other chiefs play their own game, and think only 
 of making money, why should poor devils like us be particu- 
 lar? All Albanian tribes have had their wars against each 
 other as long as we or our fathers can remember. We know 
 nothing about the Greece that they talk so much of now. 
 There were the Morea and other provinces, and so there have 
 always been so far as we know, and it is nothing to us whether 
 they are ruled by Turks or by their own captains. As to relig- 
 ion, many of our tribes are Mussulmans, many are Chris- 
 tians. We do not see that it makes any difference. 
 
 " Everyone plunders when he gets a chance. Why should 
 I want to cut a man's throat because he is a Mussulman? His 
 father was a Christian before him; my son may be a Mussul- 
 man after me. What does it matter? Since the fight at 
 Petta many chiefs have gone over to the Turks, and if the 
 Greeks win a battle most of them will go back again. The 
 affair is nothing to us. On the mountains we hunt where we 
 are most likely to get game. You like to hunt for amusement, 
 and so you have come out here on a matter which does not 
 at all concern you. We hunt to live, and don't much care 
 whether we take a sheep out of one flock or another." 
 
 Horace smiled at the man's avowal of the want of any prin- 
 ciple whatever. 
 
 " I was a schoolmaster," one of the lieutenants of the band, 
 who was stretched at full length smoking and listening to the 
 conversation, remarked. " I know about the old time, but I 
 don't know anything of this Greece you speak of. Where 
 was it? What did it do? It was just then as it is now. 
 There were a number of little tribes under their own captains. 
 Athens, and Corinth, and Sparta, and Argos, and Thebes, and 
 
340 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 the rest of them always fighting against each other just as our 
 Albanian clans do; not even ready to put aside their own 
 quarrels to fight against an invader. Pooh ! There never was 
 a Greece, and I neither know nor care whether there ever will 
 be. Why should we throw away our lives for a dream? " 
 
 "Yes; but at any rate the Greeks have a common language, 
 which shows they are one people." 
 
 "Families fall out more than strangers," the man replied 
 with a laugh. " You English and the Americans have a common 
 language, and yet you have been fighting against each other, 
 and they refuse to remain one nation with you. These things 
 signify no more than the smoke of my pipe. A Christian's 
 money, and a Christian's goods and cattle, are worth just as 
 much to me as a Turk's; and my captain, who pays me, is 
 more to me than either Mavrocordatos or the Sultan. I dare- 
 say that English milord is a worthy man,- though he must be a 
 fool, and yet the wine I shall buy out of my share of his money 
 will be just as good as if it had grown in my father's vineyard." 
 
 Horace laughed. He was not skilled in argument, even 
 had he any inclination to indulge in it at the present time; 
 and he sauntered off and sat down by the doctor, who, not 
 beinp able to talk with the Greeks, found the time hang heavy 
 on hand. Horace repeated to him his conversation with the 
 two brigands. 
 
 " I own I did not know how to answer the last fellow, 
 doctor." 
 
 " There is no answer to be made, Horace. To argue, men 
 must have a common ground to start from. There is no 
 common ground between you and him. His argument is the 
 argument of the materialist everywhere, whether he is Briton, 
 Frenchman, or Greek. To a man who has neither religion 
 nor principles there remains only self-interest, and from that 
 point of view there is no gainsaying the arguments of that 
 Albanian scamp any more than it would have been of use for 
 a lowland merchant carried off by Highland caterans to urge 
 upon them that their conduct was contrary to the laws both 
 
PRISONERS 341 
 
 of morality and political economy- They would have said 
 that they knew nothing about either, and cared less, and that 
 unless his goodwife or fellow citizens put their hands in their 
 pockets and sent the ransom they demanded, his head would 
 be despatched to them in a hamper with small delay. He 
 certainly had you on the hip with what he said about ancient 
 Greece, for a more quarrelsome, cantankerous, waspish set of 
 little communities the world never saw, unless it were the 
 cities of Italy in the middle ages, which at any rate were of a 
 respectable size, which was, by the way, the only respectable 
 thing about them. Religion and principle and patriotism are 
 the three things that keep men and nations straight, and 
 neither the Greek nor Italian communities had the least 
 glimmering of an idea of either of them, except a love for 
 their own petty states may be called patriotism." 
 
 "A good deal like your Highland clansmen, I should say, 
 doctor," Horace laughed. "The head of the clan was a much 
 greater man in the eyes of his followers than the King of 
 Scotland." 
 
 "That is so, Horace; and the consequence was, that while 
 there was peace and order and prosperity in the lowlands, the 
 Highlands scarcely made a step forward until the clans were 
 pretty well broken up after Culloden. It was a sore business 
 at the time, but no one can doubt that it did good in the long 
 run. And now, lad, I think that I will just take a sleep. It 
 was not many hours we got of it last night, and you see most 
 of these fellows have set us an example." 
 
 The next morning they started at daybreak. The main 
 body of the band had moved off hours before, leaving the 
 Lieutenant Kornalis, Demetri, and four of the men. Three 
 hours' walking took them out of the mountains. There was 
 little talking. The Greeks would have preferred going with 
 their leader to plunder another village, for although the booty 
 taken was supposed to be all handed over to the chief for fair 
 distribution, there were few who did not conceal some trinket 
 or money as their own special share of the plunder. They 
 
342 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 were but a mile or two beyond the hills, when, from a wood 
 skirting the road, four or five shots rang out. 
 
 Two of the Greeks fell; the rest, throwing away their guns, 
 fled at the top of their speed. Before the prisoners had time 
 to recover from their surprise a number of men rushed out, 
 and with the butts of their muskets and pistols struck them to 
 the ground. When they recovered their senses a group of 
 men were standing round them, while at some little distance 
 they could hear the sound of firing, showing that the pursuit of 
 their late captors was being closely maintained. By this time 
 they had become sufficiently accustomed to the various cos- 
 tumes to know that they had now fallen into the hands of men 
 of one of the Albanian tribes, probably Mussulmans acting as 
 irregulars with the Turkish army, engaged upon a raiding 
 expedition. One of them asked Horace a question, but the 
 dialect was so different to that of the Greeks of Athens and 
 the Morea that he was unable to understand it. Presently the 
 men who had gone in pursuit returned, and the whole party 
 set off to the north, placing their prisoners in their midst, and 
 warning them by pointing significantly to their knives and 
 pistols that they had better keep up with them. 
 
 "Eh! man," the doctor said; "but it is dreadful. Just as 
 we thought that everything was settled, and that in another 
 couple of hours we should be with our own people, here we 
 are in the hands of a pack of villains even worse than the 
 others." 
 
 " You said that we should not shout until we were out of the 
 wood, doctor, and you have turned out a true prophet ; but at 
 present I am thinking more of my head than of anything else, 
 I am sure I have got a couple of lumps on it as big as eggs." 
 
 " It shows the folly of man," the doctor said philosophically. 
 " What good could they expect to get from knocking us down? 
 We were neither fighting nor running away. We had not our 
 wits about us, lad, or we should have just taken to our heels." 
 
 " I expect they would have caught us if we had. We have 
 neither of us had much walking lately, and those fellows are 
 
PRISONERS 0-43 
 
 always climbing among their mountains. Do you think it is 
 of any use trying to make them understand that if they will 
 take us a few miles farther they will find three hundred pounds 
 waiting for them? " 
 
 "You might try, Horace; but I don't think that it will be 
 of any use. I expect they are just skirting along at the foot 
 of the hills to see what they can pick up. There are not 
 above thirty of them, and they would not like to go far out 
 upon the plains; besides, I don't know that it would turn out 
 well. If they were to go on in a body, Martyn would as likely 
 as not fire at them, and then they would think that we had led 
 them into an ambush, and shoot us without waiting to ask any 
 question. Still, you can try if you like; we might be sorry 
 afterwards if we didn't." 
 
 But when Horace tried to speak to the men he was threat- 
 ened roughly, and he lapsed into silence. For three hours 
 they ascended a great range of hills running east and west. 
 AYhen they gained the crest they could see stretched away far 
 in front of them a flat and fertile country. 
 
 "The plains of Thessaly," the doctor said; "the fairest and 
 richest portion of the Greece of old. There is little chance 
 of its forming part of the Greece of the future, at least not 
 until a complete overthrow of the Turkish Empire. If Greece 
 attains her independence the frontier line will be somewhere 
 along the crest of these hills, for Thessaly, although there was 
 some slight trouble there at first, has not joined the move- 
 ment. There are no mountains and fortresses where they can 
 take refuge, and a troop of Turkish cavalry could scour the 
 whole country. There is where we are bound for, I expect ; " 
 and he pointed to a large clump of white tents far out on the 
 plain. " I expect that is the camp of the Pasha of the prov- 
 ince. I suppose he is going to operate on this side when the 
 main force advances to the west." 
 
 It took them another four hours' walking before they ap- 
 proached the camp. When within a short distance of it their 
 captors turned off and entered a village where numbers of 
 
344 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 their countrymen were sitting in the shade smoking or dozing. 
 The band went on until they reached the principal house in 
 the village, and four of them entering took their prisoners 
 into a room where a tall old chief was sitting on a divan. 
 They talked for some minutes, evidently explaining the cir- 
 cumstances of their capture. When they had done, the chief 
 asked the prisoners in Greek who they were. 
 
 "We are Englishmen,'' Horace replied; "we belong to a 
 ship lying off a village whose name I don't know. We had 
 landed to buy fruit and vegetables, and then we were suddenly 
 seized and carried away to the mountains by some Greek 
 brigands led by a fellow named Rhangos. We had arranged 
 for a ransom and were on our way under a guard to the village 
 where the money was to be paid when your band put the 
 Greeks to flight and made us prisoners." 
 
 " How much ransom was to be paid? " the Albanian asked. 
 
 "Three hundred pounds, and if you will send us there now 
 our friends will be glad to pay it to your people. I tried to 
 explain that to them on the way, but they would not listen to 
 me." 
 
 "They are fools," the chief said decidedly; "and besides, 
 they don't speak Greek. It is too late now. I must take you 
 to the Pasha, who will deal with you as he chooses." Then 
 rising, and followed by a group of his officers and the pris- 
 oners in charge of four men, he walked across to the Turkish 
 camp. » 
 
 " They are a picturesque-looking set of cut-throats," Mac- 
 farlane said. 
 
 "That they are. People at home would stare to see them 
 with their white kilted petticoats and gaudy sashes, with their 
 pistols inlaid with silver, and their embroidered jackets and 
 white shirt sleeves. Well, what are we to say if we are asked 
 about the ship?" 
 
 "We must tell the truth, lad; I doubt not they have had 
 news before now that the schooner is cruising about on the 
 coast; and even if we were disposed to tell a lie, which we 
 
PRISONERS 345 
 
 are not, they would guess where we had come from. No 
 English merchantman would be likely to be anchored off the 
 coast here to buy vegetables; and, indeed, there are very few 
 British vessels of any sort in these waters now. You need not 
 just tell them that the schooner is the craft that has been play- 
 ing the mischief over on the other coast and robbed them of 
 their Chiot slaves; nor is it precisely necessary to enter into 
 that affair near Cyprus. We need simply say, if we are asked, 
 that we are Englishmen in the naval service of Greece; I 
 don't expect they will ask many questions after that, or that 
 we shall have any occasion to do much more talking." 
 
 "You think they will hang us, doctor." 
 
 " It may be hanging, Horace, or it may be shooting, and 
 for my part I am not very particular which it is. Shooting is 
 the quickest, but then hanging is more what I may call my 
 family way of dying. I should say that as many as a score of 
 my ancestors were one way or another strung up by the Stuarts 
 on one miserable pretence or other, such as cattle-lifting, 
 settling a grudge without bothering the law-courts, and trifles 
 of that sort." 
 
 Horace burst into a fit of laughter, which caused the Alba- 
 nian chief to look round sharply and inquiringly. 
 
 " It is all right, old chap," Macfarlane muttered in English; 
 "we are just laughing while we can, and there is no contempt 
 of court intended." 
 
 The Pasha was in a tent considerably larger than those that 
 surrounded it. The Albanian went in, leaving the prisoners 
 in charge of their guard. In five minutes he came out and 
 signed to them to follow him in. The Pasha was an elderly 
 man with a snow-white beard. He looked at the prisoners 
 with some interest. 
 
 "I hear that you are Englishmen," he said in Greek. 
 
 "That is so, sir." 
 
 "And that you are in the Greek service." 
 
 "We were in the Greek service, but after being carried off 
 by Greek brigands 1 do not know that we shall have any 
 inclination to remain in it." 
 
340 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 " If you had been taken fighting against us I should have 
 ordered you to be shot," the Pasha said ; " but as it is I do 
 not know. Do you belong to that schooner with white sails 
 that has been cruising off the coast some days? " 
 
 "We do," Horace admitted. 
 
 " I am told," the Pasha went on, "that she is the ship that 
 did us much harm at Chios." 
 
 "We were attacked, and we beat off the boats," Horace 
 said. "That is fair warfare. Our principal object has been 
 to rescue people in danger or distress, whether Christian or 
 Turk. We rescued numbers of Chiot slaves. And on the 
 other hand we saved numbers of Turks at the surrender of the 
 Acropolis at Athens, and conveyed them safely to Tenedos, 
 where we landed them ; and the governor there recognized 
 our service to his countrymen, and came off to the ship and 
 invited us on shore to dine with him." 
 
 " Yes, I have heard about that," the Pasha said. " We 
 have all heard of the white schooner. She has been a dan- 
 gerous enemy to us, and has done us more harm than the 
 whole of the Greeks together ; but after your humanity at 
 Athens I cannot feel animosity against you. It was a noble 
 deed and worthy of brave men. Thus it is that nations should 
 fight, but the Greeks began by massacre, and have been false 
 to the oaths they swore twenty times. How can you fight for 
 men who have neither courage nor faith, and who are as cruel 
 as they are cowardly? " 
 
 "There have been cruelties on both sides," Horace said, 
 " though I own that the Greeks began it ; but in England we 
 love freedom, and it is not long since we drove the French 
 out of Egypt and preserved it for you. Our sympathies are 
 with the Greeks, because they were oppressed. We have never 
 killed a Turk save in fair fight, and the crews of every ship 
 we have taken we have permitted to return to shore in their 
 boats without injuring one of them." 
 
 "This also I have heard," the Pasha said, "and therefore I 
 will do you no harm. I will send you to Constantinople, 
 
PRISONERS 347 
 
 where the Sultan will decide upon your fate. He has given 
 orders that all foreigners taken in arms against us shall at 
 once be put to death for interfering in a matter in which they 
 have no concern; but as you were not taken in arms I do not 
 feel that the order applies to you, and will therefore take upon 
 myself to send you to him." 
 
 " I thank you, sir," Horace said, "though I fear it will only 
 be a reprieve." 
 
 " I cannot say," the pasha replied gravely. "The Sultan 
 strikes hard when he wishes to give a lesson. You see, his 
 people were massacred wholesale by the Greeks, and at Chios 
 he taught them that he could retaliate; but he is not cruel by 
 choice. He is unswerving when his mind is made up. 
 Whether he will make an exception in your case or not is 
 more than I can say. I can only send you to him, and hope 
 that he will be as merciful in your case as I would be had I 
 the power." 
 
 Then he ordered one of his officers to take charge of the 
 prisoners, to see that they had a comfortable tent and were 
 well cared for, and that none molested them. Four soldiers 
 were to be always on guard at the tent, and to answer for the 
 safety of the prisoners with their lives. In a short time they 
 were placed in a tent among those allotted to the officers, and 
 four sentries were placed round it. After sunset two soldiers 
 brought large trays with meat, vegetables, and sweets from the 
 pasha's own table, and also a bottle of raki. 
 
 "The Turk is a gentleman, Horace," the doctor said as, 
 after having finished dinner, he mixed himself some spirits 
 and water. " I am not saying, mind you, that I would not 
 have mightily preferred a bottle of good whisky; but I am 
 bound to say that when one has once got accustomed to it, 
 raki has its virtues. It is an insinuating spirit, cool and mild 
 to the taste, and dangerous to one who is not accustomed to 
 it. What do you think of it, Horace?" 
 
 " 1 don't care for it, but then I don't care for any spirits," 
 Horace said; "but I thoroughly agree with you that the pasha 
 
348 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 is a good fellow, only I wish he could have seen his way to 
 have let us go. The Sultan is a terrible personage, and the 
 way he has hung up hostages at Constantinople has been awful. 
 If he has made up his mind that he will deter foreigners from 
 entering the Greek service by showing no mercy to those who 
 fall into his hands, I have no very great hope that he will make 
 any exception in our case." 
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 AT CONSTANTINOPLE 
 
 UPON the following morning horses were brought round and 
 they were ordered to mount. An officer with twelve 
 Turkish troopers took charge of them. The pasha came out 
 from his tent. 
 
 "I am sending a letter to the Porte saying what I know of 
 the doings of your ship, and of the service you rendered by 
 saving our countrymen at Athens. I have also given direc- 
 tions that the vessel conveying you shall touch at Tenedos, 
 and have written to the governor there asking him also to send 
 on a letter in your favour." 
 
 After an hour's riding they reached the town of Larissa, 
 and then followed the river on which it stands down to the 
 sea. 
 
 "What a lovely country! " Horace exclaimed as he looked 
 at the mountains to the right and left. 
 
 "We are travelling on classical ground," the doctor replied. 
 "This is the vale of Tempe, that hill to the right is Mount 
 Ossa, that to the left is Mount Olympus." 
 
 "They are grand," Horace said, "though I should certainly 
 enjoy them more under other circumstances. Fancy that 
 being the hill that Jove used to sit on. It would be a grand 
 place to climb, wouldn't it?" 
 
AT CONSTANTINOPLE 349 
 
 " I should be quite content to look at it comfortably from 
 the deck of the schooner, Horace, and should have no desire 
 whatever to scale it." 
 
 "Where is the schooner now, do you think, doctor?" 
 
 "Where we left her. They would wait at the village where 
 they expected us to be handed over to them till late in the 
 afternoon, and then most likely march back to the shore. 
 This morning they will be trying to get news of us. It is 
 possible that one of the Greeks has taken down the news of 
 our capture by the Turks, in hopes of getting a reward. He 
 would not know whether we were killed or captured — they 
 bolted too fast for that; but if a fellow does take news of the 
 fight he will probably offer to show the spot. Martyn will 
 take out a strong party, and when he finds the bodies of the 
 two Greeks and no signs of us, he will arrive at the conclusion 
 that we have been carried off. The Greeks probably recog- 
 nized the men who attacked them as being a band of Alba- 
 nians. The white petticoats alone would tell them that; and 
 as the Christian Albanians would certainly not be likely to be 
 plundering on this side at the present time, they will be sure 
 they are Mohammedans either raiding on their own account 
 or acting with the Turkish forces in Thessaly. 
 
 " No doubt they will offer a reward for news of us, and will 
 probably learn from some peasant or other that a party of 
 Albanians crossed the range into Thessaly about mid-day. 
 Then when they hear that the pasha's force was lying in the 
 plain, not far from the foot of the hills, they will arrive at the 
 truth that we were taken there. What their next step will be 
 I cannot say, but I should fancy they will sail round the 
 promontory and try and open communication with some small 
 village, and get someone to visit the camp and try and pick 
 up news of what has become of us. It must be days before 
 they can do all this, and by the time they find we have been 
 put on board ship we shall be at Constantinople. 
 
 "At any rate, Horace, I regard the idea of there being a 
 chance of their rescuing us as out of the question. What they 
 
350 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 will do is, of course, beyond guessing. It is vexing to think 
 that if they did but know at the present moment we were 
 being put on board ship, they might cut us off at the mouth of 
 the Dardanelles. It is little farther from the Gulf of Zeitouni 
 than it is from the mouth of this river, and the schooner 
 would probably sail twice as fast as any craft we are likely to 
 be put on board. It is annoying, but it is of no use being 
 annoyed. They don't know we are going to be embarked, and 
 they can't learn it for four or five days at the very earliest, so 
 don't let us worry about that. We have reasonable cause for 
 worry in knowing that we are going to be taken to Constantino- 
 ple, for not improbably we will be executed when we get there." 
 
 "You think that it is probable, doctor? " 
 
 " I do, indeed. The Sultan is not the man to stand on 
 niceties. He has decided not to give quarter to foreigners 
 who fight against him, and as a matter of policy he is perfectly 
 right. We knew all along what our fate would be if we fell 
 into the hands of the Turks. We have done them an immense 
 amount of mischief : we have destroyed a frigate and beaten 
 off their boats; we have taken a lot of prizes, and delivered 
 some two or three thousand valuable slaves from their hands. 
 The only set-off to this is that we assisted to save some three 
 hundred Turkish women and children, as to whose fate the 
 Sultan was probably perfectly indifferent. The balance is 
 very heavy against us." 
 
 Horace could not but admit that this was so, but in this 
 beautiful valley, and with Constantinople still in the distance, 
 the idea that ere long a violent death might befall him there 
 was not sufficiently vivid to depress his spirits greatly. 
 
 After four hours' riding they came down upon the little port 
 at the mouth of the river. Two or three craft were lying 
 there under the guns of the battery. 
 
 "That is our vessel, you will see, Horace. It is a man-of- 
 war brig. I expect she is placed here on purpose to enable 
 the pasha to communicate direct with Constantinople, instead 
 of having to send up through the passes to Salonika." 
 
AT CONSTANTINOPLE 351 
 
 Leaving the prisoners under charge of the guard, the officer 
 took a boat and rowed off to the brig. In a few minutes a 
 large boat lying beside her was manned by a dozen sailors 
 and rowed ashore. The officer was on board of her. Two of 
 the men who had brought their valises strapped behind their 
 saddles had already removed them, and stepped into the boat 
 forward, while their comrades took charge of their horses. 
 The officer then signed to Horace and the doctor to step on 
 board, and they were rowed out to the brig. Half an hour 
 later the anchor was got up, the sail set, and the vessel left 
 the port. 
 
 There was no attempt at restraint of the prisoners. A 
 young lieutenant who spoke Greek informed them, in the 
 name of the captain, that the orders of the pasha were that 
 they were to be treated as ordinary passengers, and he requested 
 them to take their meals with him in the cabin. They would 
 be entirely at liberty, except that they would not be allowed 
 to land at Tenedos, or at any other port at which the vessel 
 might touch. 
 
 The brig proved a fairly fast sailer; the wind was favour- 
 able, and late on the afternoon of the day after they had sailed 
 they dropped anchor off Tenedos, and the officer in charge of 
 the captives at once went ashore with the pasha's letter to the 
 governor. He returned late at night, after the prisoners had 
 turned in in one of the officers' cabins that had been vacated 
 for their use. There was not a breath of wind in the morning, 
 and the captain accordingly did not attempt to weigh anchor. 
 
 "It would be a fine thing if this calm would last for a fort- 
 night," the doctor said as they came on deck in the morning. 
 
 " Yes, but there is no chance of that, doctor. We have 
 never had a dead calm for more than three days since we 
 came out." 
 
 " Well, we might do equally well with a light breeze from 
 the north. That would help the schooner across the gulf, 
 and at the same time would not enable the brig to work up 
 the Dardanelles; there is a strongish current there. Still, I 
 
352 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 am not at all saying it is likely; I only say that I wish it could 
 be so." 
 
 When the officer came on deck he informed them, through 
 the lieutenant, that the governor had given him a strong letter 
 to the Porte speaking in the highest terms of the humanity 
 they had shown towards the Turks they had rescued from 
 Athens. An hour later two or three boats came off. Among 
 those on board them were several women. When these saw 
 the doctor and Horace leaning over the bulwark, they broke 
 into loud cries of greeting. 
 
 " I expect they are some of those poor creatures we brought 
 over," Horace said. " I don't remember their faces, we have 
 had too many on board for that, and I don't understand what 
 they are saying, but it is evidently that." 
 
 Some of the boatmen understood both Greek and Turkish, 
 and these translated the expressions of the women's gratitude, 
 and their regret at seeing him a prisoner. They were not 
 allowed to set foot on the brig, but they handed up baskets of 
 fruit and sweetmeats. One of the women stood up in the 
 boat and in Greek said in low tones to Horace, as he leant 
 over the rail : 
 
 "There are but few of us here, and we are poor. Our hearts 
 melted this morning when the news spread that you were pris- 
 oners on board a ship on her way to Constantinople. We can 
 do nothing but pray to Allah for your safety. My husband 
 was one of the soldiers you brought over, the one who had 
 lost his arm, and who was tended by the hakim. As he was 
 of no more use they have discharged him, and he has remained 
 here, as I am a native of the island and have many friends. 
 He will start in an hour with some fishermen, relations of 
 mine. They will land him above Gallipoli, and he will 
 walk to Constantinople. Then he will see the bimbashi and 
 his former comrades, and find out Osman and Fazli Beys, 
 who were with us, and tell them of your being prisoners, so 
 that they may fise their influence at the Porte, and tell how 
 you risked your lives for them, and all — May Allah protect 
 you both, effendis I " 
 
AT CONSTANTINOPLE 353 
 
 Her story terminated abruptly, for the captain at this mo- 
 ment came up and ordered the boat away from the side. 
 
 "What is all that about, Horace?" Macfarlane asked as 
 Horace returned the woman's last salutation with two or three 
 words of earnest thanks. "Why, what is the matter, lad? 
 there are tears in your eyes." 
 
 "I am touched at that poor woman's gratitude, doctor. As 
 you can see by her dress she is poor. She is the wife of a 
 discharged soldier, that man who lost his arm. You dressed 
 the stump, you may remember. I know you said that it had 
 been horribly neglected, and remarked what a splendid con- 
 stitution the Turk had; you thought that had he been an 
 Englishman the wound would probably have mortified long 
 before." 
 
 " Of course I remember, Horace. And has he got over it? " 
 
 " He has." And Horace then told him what the woman had 
 said. 
 
 "It does one good to hear that," Macfarlane said when he 
 had finished. "Human nature is much the same whether it 
 is in the wife of a Turkish soldier or of a Scottish fisherman. 
 The poor creature and her husband are doing all they can. 
 The bimbashi and the beys were great men in their eyes, and 
 they doubtless think that they are quite important persons at 
 Constantinople. Still, it is pleasant to think that the poor 
 fellow, whose arm must still be very far from healed, is under- 
 taking this journey to do what he can for us. It minds me of 
 that grand story of Effie Deans tramping all the way from 
 Scotland to London to ask for her sister's pardon. 
 
 " I don't say that anything is like to come of it, but there is 
 no saying. If these Turks are as grateful as this soldier and 
 his wife they might possibly do something for us, if it were 
 not that the Sultan himself will settle the matter. An ordinary 
 Turkish official will do almost anything for money or favour, 
 but the Sultan is not to be got round; and they say he is a 
 strong man, and goes his own way without asking the advice 
 of anyone. Still it is, as I said, pleasant to know that there 
 
354 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 are people who have an interest in us, and who are doing 
 all in their power to help us." 
 
 An hour later a small boat was seen to put out from the 
 port and to row away in the direction of the mainland. 
 
 For three days the brig lay at her anchorage. Then a gentle 
 breeze sprang up from the south. Making all sail, the brig 
 was headed to the entrance of the Dardanelles. 
 
 "Unless there is more wind than this," Horace said, "I 
 should hardly think she will be able to make her way up, 
 doctor. She is not going through the water more than two 
 knots an hour." 
 
 "No, she will have to anchor again as soon as she is inside 
 the straits unless the wind freshens, and I don't think it is 
 likely to do that. To my mind it looks as if it would die out 
 again at sunset." 
 
 This proved to be the case, and before it became dark the 
 brig was anchored in a bay on the Asiatic side a short distance 
 from the entrance. 
 
 The next morning the breeze again blew, and somewhat 
 fresher than before. All day the captain strove to pass up 
 the straits. Sometimes by keeping over out of the force of 
 the current he made two or three miles, then when they came 
 to some projecting point the current would catch the vessel 
 and drift her rapidly down, so that when the breeze again sank 
 at sunset they had gained only some four miles. Next day 
 they were more fortunate and passed the castle of Abydos, 
 and the third evening came to anchor off Gallipoli. On the 
 following morning the wind blew briskly from the east, and 
 in the afternoon they dropped anchor off Constantinople. 
 
 " Eh, man, but it is a wonderful sight ! " Macfarlane said, 
 as they looked at the city with the crenellated wall running 
 along by the water's edge, the dark groves of trees rising 
 behind it, and the mosques with their graceful minarets on 
 the sky-line. Ahead of them was Pera with its houses cluster- 
 ing thickly one above the other, and the background of tall 
 cypress. Across the water lay Scutari, with its great barracks, 
 
AT CONSTANTINOPLE 355 
 
 its mosques, and the kiosks scattered along the shore. Caiques 
 were passing backwards and forwards across the water; heavy 
 boats with sailors or troops rowing between the ships of war 
 and the shore; native craft with broad sails coming up astern 
 from Broussa and other places on the Sea of Marmora; pleas- 
 ure boats, with parties of veiled women rowing idly here and 
 there: and occasionally a long caique, impelled by six sturdy 
 rowers, would flash past with some official of rank. 
 
 "I have seen many places,'' the doctor went on, "but none 
 like this. Nature has done more for Rio, and as much per- 
 haps for Bombay, but man has done little for either. We 
 may boast of our western civilization, and no doubt we can 
 rear stately buildings; but in point of beauty the orientals are 
 as far ahead of us as we are ahead of the South Sea Islanders. 
 Who would think that the Turks, with their sober ways, could 
 ever have even dreamed of designing a thing so beautiful as 
 that mosque with its graceful outlines. See how well those 
 dark cypresses grow with it; it would lose half its beauty were 
 it to rise from the round heads of an English wood. 
 
 " Just compare the boats of light-coloured wood all carved 
 and ornamented with their graceful lines, and the boatmen in 
 their snow-white shirts, with their loose sleeves and bare arms, 
 and their scarlet sashes and fezzes with the black tub of an 
 Engli>h or Scottish river. Look at the dresses of the peasants 
 in that heavy boat there, and compare them with those of our 
 own people. Why, man, we may be a great nation, intelli- 
 gent, and civilized, and all that; but when it comes to an 
 appreciation of the beautiful we are poor bodies, indeed, by 
 the side of the Turk, whom we in our mightiness are accus- 
 tomed to consider a barbarian. I know what you are going 
 to say,"' he went on, as Horace was going to speak. "There 
 is tyranny and oppression, and evil rule, and corruption, and 
 other bad things in that beautiful city. I grant you all that, 
 but that has nothing to do with my argument. He may be a 
 heathen, he may be ignorant, he may be what we call unciv- 
 ilized; but the Turk has a grand soul or he never would have 
 imagined a dream of beauty like this." 
 
356 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 As the sun set half an hour after the anchor was dropped the 
 officer sent with them by the pasha did not think it necessary 
 to land until the following morning, as the offices would all 
 be shut. At eight o'clock he was rowed ashore and did not 
 return until late in the evening. Business was not conducted 
 at a rapid rate in the offices of the Porte. The lieutenant 
 interpreted to the prisoners that the letter of the governor of 
 Tenedos had been laid before the grand vizier, who would 
 deliver it with that of the pasha to the Sultan at his audience 
 in the evening. 
 
 "Did he see the grand vizier himself? " Horace asked. 
 
 The answer was in the affirmative. 
 
 " Did he gather from him whether it was likely that the 
 Sultan would regard the matter favourably? " 
 
 The two Turks spoke together for some time. " I am sorry 
 to say," the lieutenant replied when they had done, "that the 
 vizier was of opinion that the Sultan would be immovable. 
 He has sworn to spare none of those who have stirred up his 
 subjects to rebellion, and who, without having any concern in 
 the matter, have aided them against him. He regards them 
 as pirates, and has resolved by severity to deter others from 
 following their example. The vizier said that he would do 
 his best, but that when the Sultan's mind was once made up 
 nothing could move him; and that having himself received 
 the reports of the destruction of one of his war-ships, and the 
 very heavy loss inflicted on the boats of the fleet at Chios, 
 and having, moreover, received memorials from the merchants 
 at Smyrna as to the damage inflicted on their commerce by 
 what was called the white schooner, he felt that he would be 
 deaf to any appeal for mercy to two of her officers." 
 
 At eight o'clock next morning a boat with twelve soldiers 
 and an officer came off to the brig. The officer, mounting 
 on the deck, handed to the captain an order for the delivery 
 to him of the two prisoners sent from Thessaly. 
 
 " Things look bad, I am afraid, " Horace said as they stepped 
 into the boat. "I saw the officer exchange a word or two 
 
AT CONSTANTINOPLE 357 
 
 with the cavalry man who brought us here and the captain, 
 and I am sure, by the expression of their faces, that the news 
 was bad. I am sure, too, from the way they shook hands with 
 us at parting." 
 
 "Some of these men's faces seem familiar to me," the 
 doctor said as they were being rowed towards a landing to the 
 east of the palace gardens. "I can't say that they were 
 among the men we brought from Athens, but I have a strong 
 idea that two or three of them were. Do you recognize 
 them I 5 " 
 
 "I can't say that I do. You see they were only on board 
 one day, and I thought more of the women and children than 
 of the soldiers and sailors." 
 
 "I am almost sure of them, Horace; yet it is curious, that 
 if they are the men we saved they did not make some sign of 
 recognition when we came down the ladder. Turkish disci- 
 pline is not very strict. They did not seem to look up much. 
 They were all sitting forward of the six oarsmen, and I noticed, 
 that till we pushed off they seemed to be talking about some- 
 thing together, and were so intent on it that they did not look 
 up until after we had pushed off. I did notice that the oars- 
 men looked a little surprised when the officer, as we pushed 
 off, gave an order to the man steering, and they saw which way 
 the boat's head was turned. 
 
 " I don't suppose they knew that we were prisoners, Horace, 
 and were expecting to go back to the place they came from. 
 I suppose the landing they are taking us to is the nearest one 
 to the prison." 
 
 There were no boats lying at the broad steps alongside which 
 the boat drew up. Six of the soldiers took their places in 
 front of them, the officer marched between them, and the 
 other six soldiers followed behind. The road, which was a 
 narrow one, ran between two very high walls, and rose steeply 
 upward. 
 
 "Evidently this landing-place is not much used," the 
 doctor said. "I suppose it leads to some quiet quarter." 
 
358 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 A hundred yards from the landing-place the officer gave the 
 word to halt, and then another order, upon which one of the 
 men, who carried a bag, began to open it. 
 
 " Quick, gentlemen ! " the officer said in Greek ; " you must 
 change here. Quick! there is not a moment to lose." 
 
 Astonished at the order, the doctor and Horace obeyed it. 
 
 "I suppose," the former muttered, "they don't want it 
 known they have got two European prisoners. I don't see 
 what else they can be up to." 
 
 The change was quickly made. Two long baggy Turkish 
 trousers were pulled over their own, their jackets were thrown 
 into the bag, and they were enveloped in Turkish robes. 
 Their caps were thrown beside their jackets, and turbans 
 placed on their heads, while their shoes were pulled off and 
 their feet thrust into Turkish slippers. The officer and two 
 of the soldiers aided in the work, and in a couple of minutes 
 the metamorphosis was complete. 
 
 "Allah be praised ! " the officer exclaimed fervently; and 
 the words were echoed by the soldiers. These for a moment, 
 regardless of discipline, gathered round the prisoners. One 
 after another seized their hands, and bending over them 
 pressed them to their forehead; then the officer gave an order, 
 and one or two at a time — the soldiers carried only their side- 
 arms — left the group and hurried on ahead, until the officer 
 remained alone with the astonished Englishmen. 
 
 "What does this all mean? " Horace asked the officer in 
 Greek. 
 
 "It means that you are free, my friends," he said, shaking 
 each of them cordially by the hand; "at least, so far free. 
 Now let us follow the others." 
 
 Still, almost thinking they were dreaming, the doctor and 
 Horace accompanied their companion up the narrow lane, 
 and emerged into a quiet street behind a great mosque; skirt- 
 ing the wall of this, they entered a wider street. 
 
 "Be careful," the officer said in Greek; "walk along care- 
 lessly, and seem to be conversing with me. " 
 
AT CONSTANTINOPLE OU ( J 
 
 Horace translated the remark to the doctor. 
 
 There were not a great many people about, but as they went 
 along the number increased. They crossed a busy street, 
 turned down a lane on the other side, and then walked for 
 upwards of half an hour, turning frequently, and as far as 
 Horace could guess, making a wide detour, and again ap- 
 proaching the busy part of the town. Presently the officer 
 stopped near the corner of a lane in a quiet street, and began 
 to talk in an animated tone about the size of the town and 
 other matters, until he saw that the street was for a moment 
 empty; then he turned sharply down the lane, which ran 
 between the backs of two sets of houses, went for a hundred 
 yards, and then stopped at a door in the wall; opened it with 
 the key, hurried them in, and locked the door behind him. 
 
 "Allah be praised!" he again said; "you are safe thus far. 
 Now come in, they are anxiously expecting us." 
 
 He entered the house, which stood in a small inclosure, 
 and led the way into a room. They were received at the 
 door by a Turk, whom both recognized at once as Osman Bey, 
 one of the principal Turks they had carried from Athens. He 
 repeated the officer's pious exclamation: 
 
 "Allah be praised for his mercies! " and then in Greek he 
 said, "Truly I am rejoiced, my friends, that Allah has granted 
 me an opportunity of showing that I am not ungrateful, and 
 that as you saved me and mine from death, so have I been 
 able to save you; and I am doubly glad in seeing, what I 
 knew not before, that one of you is the son of the Englishman 
 to whom principally we owed our escape." 
 
 "We are grateful, indeed," Horace said; "but at present 
 we understand nothing. This officer has told us nothing 
 whatever." 
 
 "This officer is my son, and is only an officer for the occa- 
 sion," Osman Bey said. "But come into the next room; my 
 wife and daughters are eagerly expecting you." 
 
 Three ladies rose from a divan on which they were sitting 
 when the bey entered the room. They were lightly veiled, 
 but the bey said: 
 
360 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Lay aside your veils. These are as my sons, and you can 
 unveil as if they were members of the family." 
 
 The ladies unveiled. Horace had not seen their faces 
 before on board ship, for the women of the upper class had 
 remained closely veiled. The mother was a stout, elderly 
 woman, with a kindly face. Her daughters were girls of four- 
 teen or fifteen, with dark hair, somewhat colourless faces, and 
 lovely eyes. The bey's wife expressed her pleasure at the 
 arrival of the Englishmen. The girls shrank rather timidly 
 behind her, embarrassed at being thus unveiled before stran- 
 gers. 
 
 "Now sit down," the bey said. "Zuleika, do you bring 
 in coffee and sweetmeats yourself. I do not wish your attend- 
 ant to enter while these gentlemen are here." 
 
 "I have sent her down the town on a message," the bey's 
 wife said, while the younger girl rose and left the room. "She 
 is faithful, but girls will chatter. Mourad, we know, we can 
 trust." 
 
 The girl soon returned with a tray with coffee, cakes, and 
 sweetmeats. Then the bey said : 
 
 "Now I will tell you all about this. Ahmed, the sooner 
 you get rid of that uniform the better. Give it to Mourad at 
 once, and let him take it back to its owner, he may want it." 
 
 The young man left the room. 
 
 "Now this is how it happened," the bey began. "Three 
 days ago came the messenger from Tenedos. Did you know 
 of his being sent hither? " 
 
 "Yes; his wife told us he was leaving — a soldier who had 
 lost his arm." 
 
 " That was the man. He went to Hassan Bimbashi, who 
 brought him first to Fazli Bey, and then to me. We had a 
 consultation. It was clear to us all that it would be intoler- 
 able that men who had behaved with such humanity to us 
 should be put to death, if we could possibly save them. It 
 took us a long time to arrange the matter, and we three sat in 
 the next room there debating the matter all night. We took 
 
AT CONSTANTINOPLE 361 
 
 Ahmed into our council at once, for he was, of course, as 
 anxious to aid the men who had saved his parents and sisters 
 from massacre as we were. Naturally, we at first thought of 
 getting you out of prison by bribing the guards; but though 
 this would have been comparatively easy, it was doubtful 
 whether there would be time to carry it out. There are sev- 
 eral prisons here, and there was no saying which you might 
 be sent to, or who would be the men in charge of you; there- 
 fore, time would be needed after you arrived here, and we 
 saw that it was probable that no time would be given us. The 
 Sultan might, of course, view your case favourably; but, on 
 the other hand, if he ordered you to execution, there would 
 be no delay. 
 
 " When a thing has to be done, especially when foreigners 
 are in the case, it is better to do it at once; otherwise, the 
 Porte would be pestered by the foreign representatives. It 
 was agreed, therefore, that if you were to be rescued, it must 
 be done between the time of your arrival and your being put 
 in prison. We divided the work into four parts. Fazli, who 
 has most interest at the Porte, was to try all in his power to 
 influence the ministers, and to get the grand vizier to repre- 
 sent the matter favourably to the Sultan. He was to give us 
 the earliest news of whatever decision might be arrived at, 
 and above all, he was to get some minor official there to fol- 
 low the officer to whom the order for bringing you ashore 
 should be given. 
 
 "The soldier who had brought the message from Tenedos 
 was to find out a dozen of those who had been rescued with 
 us, and to enlist them in the business. The bimbashi under- 
 took the work of seizing the officer bearing the order. He 
 could not very well take the command of the soldiers. Their 
 faces would not be noticed by the sailors in the dockyard 
 boat, nor by those on board the ship; but Hassan's would be 
 fully seen by both. My son, therefore, volunteered to under- 
 take this part of the affair, dressed in Hassan's uniform. He 
 was to meet the twelve men at some spot agreed upon, near 
 
362 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 the dockyard gate ; to march in with them, produce the order, 
 and go out in one of the dockyard boats to the vessel; bring 
 you ashore, and lead you here. My part of the business was 
 to conceal you as long as necessary, and to arrange for your 
 escape from Constantinople. Thus, you see, the risk was 
 slight in each case. Fazli would be suspected, because he 
 had urged your case at the Porte; but nothing could be proved 
 against him. His servants might be examined, and his house 
 searched. He would be able to prove that he spent the even- 
 ing with several of his friends, to whom he gave an entertain- 
 ment; and this morning, at the time the boat came for you, 
 he was to be at the ministry again, trying what could be done 
 on your behalf. 
 
 "None of the soldiers would know that the bimbashi was 
 mixed up in the affair at all. Their one-armed comrade was 
 to be furnished with money in case their gratitude required 
 stimulating. My son ran no risk, because it is among the 
 officers of the garrison that the search will be made for the 
 man who commanded the party. As for myself, there is noth- 
 ing to connect me in any way with it. Ahmed will take you 
 off this evening to a small kiosk of mine ten miles away on 
 the coast. The bimbashi 's share was the most dangerous. 
 He was to take three men of his regiment on whom he could 
 thoroughly rely. They would be three of those he had com- 
 manded at Athens and who had wives and children who had 
 .been rescued by you. He was much loved by his soldiers, 
 for he lived and starved as they did, and did all in his power 
 for their comfort. 
 
 " It is always dangerous to trust anyone, but in this case 
 there was the men's loyalty to him and their gratitude to you 
 to bind them. He would learn from Fazli the hour when the 
 Sultan's decision would be given, and he and the three sol- 
 diers were to be upon the spot and to watch for the coming 
 out of an officer followed by the man Fazli was to appoint. 
 The officer was sure to go to one or other of the barracks for 
 some soldiers to accompany him to the vessel. It would 
 
AT CONSTANTINOPLE 363 
 
 depend upon the hour and the orders he received whether to 
 go direct on board or to do it in the morning. It was certain 
 the hour would be late, for the conferences with the Sultan 
 are invariably in the evening. Whether he went to one of the 
 barracks or to his own lodging, he was to be followed until he 
 got to some quiet spot, then seized, bound, and gagged, put 
 into a large -basket two of the soldiers were to carry, and taken 
 to some quiet spot outside the walls. To-night, after it is 
 dark, Hassan will go up and loose his bonds sufficiently to 
 enable him to work himself free after a time. 
 
 "That was the arrangement at which we arrived after talk- 
 ing it over for hours. It was the work of the bimbashi and 
 Ahmed. I am sure that Fazli and I would never have thought 
 of it at all by ourselves. Ever since then we have kept a 
 sharp look-out for the vessel. Everything had been got ready. 
 The one-armed soldier had got the twelve men ready to go off. 
 Hassan said he had made his arrangements, and had found a 
 ruined hut half a mile out of the town beyond the walls, where 
 there was little chance of anyone looking in in the course of 
 the day, and, indeed, if anyone did so after eight o'clock, it 
 would make little matter, as you would be ashore by that hour. 
 After the brig arrived I had messages from Fazli every hour. 
 He told us of the strong letters that had been sent by Ali 
 Pasha and the governor of Tenedos, and he brought all his 
 influence to bear to aid the representations made by them and 
 by the officer who brought you down. 
 
 "The ministers and the grand vizier were all agreed that 
 the kindness shown by those on board the English ship should 
 suffice to save your lives, but the Sultan decides for himself, 
 and he was known to be so enraged at foreigners joining the 
 Greeks in their rebellion against him that they feared nothing 
 would move him. Everything, therefore, was prepared for 
 the attempt. The twelve soldiers were directed to be at a 
 spot near the dockyard at seven in the morning; and the 
 bimbashi, with his three men, took up his post near the 
 entrance to the ministry. I had nothing to do. At twelve 
 
364 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 o'clock last night Hassan came here, bringing the official 
 letter and a suit of his uniform. Everything had gone well. 
 The messenger had been seized in a lonely street leading to 
 one of the barracks, and was overpowered and silenced before 
 he had time to utter a sound. Hassan accompanied the men 
 carrying the basket in case by any accident they should be 
 questioned, and saw the officer placed, securely bound, in the 
 hut. As he had been blindfolded the instant he had been 
 seized he could not have seen that his assailants were soldiers. 
 Ahmed can tell you the rest." 
 
 "There is nothing to tell," the young man said. "I found 
 the soldiers waiting at the spot agreed upon, and gave them 
 the arranged sign. We went into the dockyard. I showed the 
 order, and demanded a large boat, which was at once given 
 me. Then I went off to the vessel, where our friends were 
 handed over to me without a question; rowed to the wharf; 
 the clothes were changed in the lane; and here we are." 
 
 " I cannot thank you sufficiently for your kindness, Osman 
 Bey, on behalf of myself and my friend here, and express our 
 gratitude also to your son, to Hassan Bimbashi, and to Fazli 
 Bey. You have indeed nobly repaid the service that my 
 father and all of us were glad to have been able to render you." 
 
 "Do not talk about gratitude," the bey said. "You saved 
 not only us, but our wives and families, and that at the risk 
 of your lives, for I expected that the Greeks would fall upon 
 you for interfering in their butchery. What you did for us 
 was done for strangers against whom you were in arms. What 
 we have done for you has been done for our benefactors. 
 Therefore let no more be said. My wife and daughters would 
 have despised me had I not done all in my power to rescue 
 their preservers. Now let us return to the next room, where 
 we will have a meal. I think it would be as well, Ahmed, to 
 send Mourad at once down to the bridge to hire a caique 
 there, and tell him to take it to the next landing to that at 
 which you disembarked, and there wait for you. What do 
 you say? " 
 
THE " MISERICORDIA " AGAIN 365 
 
 " I think, father, it would be better to go boldly down to 
 the bridge and take the boat there. I am sure to see some of 
 the men we generally employ, and it will seem natural to 
 them that I should be going with two friends up to our kiosk; 
 whereas the other way would be unusual, and when inquiries 
 are made, as there are sure to be, they might speak of it. But 
 I agree with you that it will be as well not to wait until the 
 evening. Directly the officer gets free there is sure to be a 
 great stir, and there may be janissaries placed at the various 
 landings, as it might be supposed the escaped prisoners would 
 try to get on board a neutral ship." 
 
 " Perhaps that would be better, Ahmed. I think they 
 might boldly go through the crowd with a little more atten- 
 tion to their dress." 
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 THE " MISERICORDIA " AGAIN 
 
 BEFORE starting, the disguises of Horace and the doctor 
 were perfected. They were so bronzed by the sun and 
 air that their skin was no fairer than that of many Turks of 
 the better class; but it was thought as well to apply a slight 
 tinge of dye to them, and to darken the doctor's eyelashes 
 and eyebrows with henna. The hair was cut closely off the 
 nape of the neck, below the line to which the turban, properly 
 adjusted, came down, and the skin was stained to match that 
 of their faces. The garments they wore formed part of 
 Ahmed's wardrobe, and only needed somewhat more careful 
 adjustment than they had at first received. The ladies came 
 up to bid them farewell; but, as it had been arranged that in 
 the course of a few days, when inquiry should have ceased, 
 the bey, with his wife and daughters, should also proceed to 
 their country residence, they would meet again ere long. 
 
366 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 Mourad was to accompany them, and putting a large box on 
 his shoulders, filled with changes of clothes and other neces- 
 saries, he followed them down the street. 
 
 In a short time they were in a busy thoroughfare, the num- 
 ber of people becoming larger and larger as they went down 
 towards the water. Janissaries in their showy uniform swag- 
 gered along, soldiers of the line, merchants, and peasants, 
 while hernials staggering along under enormous burdens swung 
 from bamboo poles, made their way, keeping up a constant 
 shout to the crowd to clear the road. State functionaries 
 moved gravely along on their way to the offices of the Porte. 
 Veiled women, with children in their arms or clinging to 
 them, stopped to talk to each other in the streets or bargained 
 with the traders at the little shops. Military officers and 
 Turks of the upper class rode along on showy horses, pranc- 
 ing and curvetting and scattering the foot passengers right 
 and left. 
 
 Ahmed and his companions kept straight on, paying appar- 
 ently no attention to what was going on around them, Ahmed 
 occasionally making a remark in Turkish, the others keeping 
 silent. 
 
 When they reached the water-side a number of boatmen 
 surrounded Ahmed, who soon found two men whom he had 
 frequently employed. The caique was brought alongside. 
 Ahmed had already told Horace to step in without hesitation 
 with his companion, and to take their seats at the bottom of 
 the boat in the stern, while he and Mourad would sit between 
 them and the boatmen. The latter took their places, and 
 each seized a pair of the sculls. These, which were much 
 lighter than the sculls of an English boat, were round with a 
 long broad blade. They were not in rollocks, but in a strap 
 of leather fastened to a single thole-pin; inside this they 
 thickened to a bulk of three or four inches in diameter, nar- 
 rowing at the extremity for the grip of the hand. This thick 
 bulge gave an excellent balance to the sculls, and was ren- 
 dered necessary by the fact that the boats were high out of 
 
THE (i MISERICORDIA " AGAIN 367 
 
 water, and the length of the sculls outboard disproportionately 
 large to that inboard. 
 
 A few vigorous strokes by the rowers sent the boat out into 
 the open water. Then the forward oarsman let his sculls hang 
 by their thongs alongside, took out four long pipes from the 
 bottom of the caique, filled and lighted them, and passed them 
 aft to the passengers, and then again betook himself to his 
 sculls. Bearing gradually across they reached the other side 
 below Scutari, and then kept along the shore at a distance of 
 a hundred yards from the land. Ahmed chatted to the oars- 
 man next to him, and to Mourad, occasionally making some 
 remark to the others in Turkish in reference to the pretty 
 kiosks that fringed the shore; enforcing what he said by 
 pointing to the objects of which he was speaking. They 
 assumed an appearance of interest at what he was saying, and 
 occasionally Horace, who was next to him, talked to him in 
 low tones in Greek, so that the boatman should not catch the 
 words, Ahmed each time replying in Turkish in louder tones. 
 
 No class of boatmen in the world row with the vigour and 
 strength with which those of the Bosphorus — who are for the 
 most part Albanians — ply their sculls, and both Horace and 
 the doctor were struck with surprise and admiration at the 
 steady and unflagging way in which the men rowed, their 
 breath seeming to come no quicker, though the perspiration 
 stood in beads on their brown faces and muscular arms, and 
 streamed down their swarthy chests, which were left bare by 
 the open shirts of almost filmy material of snowy whiteness. 
 Once only in the two hours' journey did they cease rowing 
 and indulge for five minutes in a smoke; after which they 
 renewed their labours with as much vigour as when they first 
 started. 
 
 "That is the kiosk," Ahmed said at last, pointing to one 
 standing by itself near the water's edge on a projecting point 
 of land, and in a few minutes the caique swept in to the stairs. 
 Ahmed had quietly passed a few small silver coins into Hor- 
 ace's hand, whispering in Greek: 
 
368 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "Give them these as you land; an extra tip is always wel- 
 come." 
 
 Then he paid the men as he got out, saying to them : 
 
 " I expect the ladies in a few days. You had better go up 
 each morning to the house, and then you can secure the job." 
 
 Horace dropped the coins into the boatman's hand, with 
 a nod, as he stepped out, and then they walked up to the 
 house. The boatmen again lighted their pipes for a smoke 
 before starting back on their long row. The kiosk was shut 
 up. Mourad opened the door with a key, and threw the 
 shutters open. 
 
 " I wonder you leave the place entirely shut up," Horace 
 said. 
 
 "There is nothing to steal," Ahmed laughed. "A few mats 
 for the floors and cushions for the divans. The cooking pots 
 and crockery are locked up in a big chest; there is little else. 
 There are a few vases for flowers and other ornaments stowed 
 away in a cupboard somewhere, but altogether there is little 
 to tempt robbers; and, indeed, there are very few of them 
 about. The houses are always left so, and it is an almost 
 unknown thing for them to be disturbed. You see everything 
 is left clean and dusted, so the place is always ready when we 
 like to run down for a day or two. The house has not been 
 used much lately, for my parents and sisters have been two 
 years at Athens, and I have been frequently away at our estates, 
 which lie some fifteen miles west of Constantinople. Now 
 we will take a turn round, while Mourad is getting dinner 
 ready." 
 
 The latter had brought with him, in addition to the box, a 
 large basket containing charcoal, provisions, and several black 
 bottles. 
 
 "There is a village half a mile farther along the shore, 
 where he will do his marketing to-morrow," Ahmed had ex- 
 plained as he pointed to the basket. 
 
 The garden was a rough triangle, two sides being washed 
 by the water, while a high wall running across the little prom- 
 
THE " MISERICORDIA " AGAIN 369 
 
 ontory formed the third side. It was some sixty or seventy 
 yards each way; the house stood nearly in the middle; the 
 ground sloped down on either side of it to the water, and was 
 here clear of shrubs, which covered the rest of the garden, 
 interspersed with a few shady trees. There were seats placed 
 under these, and a small summer-house, surrounded on three 
 sides by high shrubs but open to the water, stood at the end 
 of the point. 
 
 "It is a little bit of a place, as you see," Ahmed said; "but 
 my mother and the girls are very fond of it, and generally 
 stay here during the hot season. It is quite secluded, and at 
 the same time they have a good view of everything going up 
 and down the Sea of Marmora; and if there is any breeze at 
 all, it sweeps right through the house." 
 
 "It is charming," Horace said. "With a boat here, one 
 could not want anything better." 
 
 "We always have a boat, with two men, while we are here," 
 Ahmed said. " The two men who rowed us have been with 
 us two or three seasons. My father often wants to go into 
 Constantinople, and I generally go when he does. We usually 
 sleep at our house there, and come back the next evening. 
 If the ladies want to go out while we are away, they can get a 
 caique at the village." 
 
 After they had taken a turn round the garden they went into 
 the house again. The principal room on the ground-floor 
 was at the end of the house, and occupied its full width. The 
 windows extended entirely round three sides of it, a divan, 
 four feet wide, running below them. 
 
 " You see, on a hot day," Ahmed said, "and with all these 
 windows open, it is almost like being in the open air; and 
 whichever way the wind is, we can open or close those on 
 one side, according to its strength." 
 
 The ceiling and the wall on the fourth side of the room 
 were coloured pink, with arabesques in white. The windows 
 extended from the level of the divan up to the ceiling, and 
 were of unpainted wood varnished, as was the wood-work of 
 
OiV IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 the divan. The floor was very carefully and evenly laid, and 
 the planks planed and varnished. Beyond two or three little 
 tables of green-painted wood, there was no furniture whatever 
 in the room. Outside the windows were jalousies or perforated 
 shutters, which could be closed during the heat of the day to 
 keep the room dark and cool. 
 
 Mourad had already got out the cushions and pillows and 
 spread them on the divan; had placed a small iron bowl full 
 of lighted charcoal in a low box full of sand in the centre of 
 the room, and a brass casket full of tobacco on one of the 
 tables. Half a dozen chibouks, with amber mouthpieces and 
 cherry or jasmine-wood stems, leant in a corner. 
 
 Three of the pipes were soon filled, and a piece of glowing 
 charcoal, taken from the fire with a pair of small tongs lying 
 beside it, was placed on each bowl. A few puffs were taken 
 to get the tobacco alight, then the pieces of charcoal were 
 dropped into the fire again, and shaking off their slippers 
 they took their seats on the cushions of the divan. 
 
 " It is very unfortunate that your friend does not speak 
 Greek," Ahmed began. 
 
 "Yes, it is unfortunate for him," Horace said as he trans- 
 lated the remark to Macfarlane. 
 
 " If I had known that my lot was going to be cast out here," 
 the doctor said, " I would have insisted on learning modern 
 Greek instead of ancient at school — that is, if I could have 
 got a dominie who could have taught me. It is a very serious 
 drawback, especially when you know that people are talking 
 of things that may or may not mean that you are going to get 
 your throat cut in an hour or so. For the last two days I 
 seem to have been just drifting in the dark." 
 
 "But I always translate to you as much as I can, doctor." 
 
 " You do all that, Horace, and I will say this that you do 
 your best; but it is unsatisfactory getting things at second 
 hand. One likes to know precisely how things are said. 
 However, as matters have gone there is nothing to grumble 
 at, though where one's life is concerned it is a natural weak- 
 
THE " MISERICORD LA. " AGAIN 371 
 
 ness that one should like to have some sort of say in the 
 matter, instead of feeling that one is the helpless sport of 
 fate." 
 
 Horace laughed, and Ahmed smiled gravely, when he trans- 
 lated the doctor's complaint. 
 
 "It comes all the harder to me," the doctor went on, 
 "because I have always liked to know the why and the where- 
 fore of a matter before I did it. I must confess that since I 
 have been in the navy that wish has been very seldom grati- 
 fied. Captains are not in the habit of giving their reasons to 
 their surgeons, overlooking the fact altogether that these are 
 scientific men, and that their opinion on most subjects is 
 valuable. They have too much of the spirit of the centurion 
 of old. They say 'Do this,' and it has to be done, 'You will 
 accompany the boats, Dr. Macfarlane,' or 'You will not 
 accompany the boats.' I wonder sometimes that, after an 
 action, they don't come down into the cockpit and say, 'You 
 will cut off this leg, ' or 'This arm is not to be amputated.' 
 The highness-and-mightiness of a captain in His Majesty's 
 navy is something that borders on the omnipotent. There is 
 a maxim that the king can do no wrong; but a king is a poor 
 fallible body in comparison with a captain." 
 
 "Well, I don't think you have anything to complain of with 
 Martyn," Horace laughed. 
 
 " Martyn is only an acting-captain, Horace, and it is not 
 till they get the two swabs on their shoulders that the dignity 
 of their position makes itself felt. A first lieutenant begins, 
 as a rule, to take the disease badly, but it is not till he gets 
 his step that it takes entire possession of him. I have even 
 known a first lieutenant listen to argument. It's rare, lad, 
 very rare, but I have known such a thing; as for a captain, 
 argument is as bad as downright open mutiny. Well, this is 
 a comfortable place that we have got into, at least in hot 
 weather, but I should say that an ice-house would be prefer- 
 able in winter. These windows don't fit anyhow, and there 
 would be a draft through them that would be calculated to 
 
372 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 establish acute rheumatism in the system in the course of 
 half an hour." 
 
 "The house is not used at all in winter," Ahmed said, when 
 he understood the nature of the doctor's criticisms. "Almost 
 all the kiosks along here belong to people in the town, and 
 are closed entirely for four months of the year. We are fond 
 of warmth, and when the snow is on the ground, and there is 
 a cold wind blowing, there would be no living here in any 
 comfort." 
 
 Six days passed. Ahmed went once to Constantinople to 
 learn what was going on. He brought back news that the 
 escape of the two English prisoners had caused a great sensa- 
 tion at the Porte, that all the officers in the regiments there 
 had been paraded in order that the boatmen and the officers 
 of the brig might pick out the one who had brought off the 
 order, but that naturally no one had been identified. The 
 soldiers had also been inspected, but as none of these had 
 been particularly noticed by the boatmen, the search for those 
 engaged had been equally unsuccessful. Fazli Bey had been 
 severely interrogated, his servants questioned, and his house 
 searched, but nothing had been found to connect him in any 
 way with the escape. A vigilant watch had been set upon 
 every European ship in port, and directions had been sent 
 that every vessel passing down the straits was to bring-to off 
 the castles, and to undergo a strict search. 
 
 Ahmed said that his father had heard from Fazli Bey that 
 while the Sultan was furious at the manner in which the pris- 
 oners had been released, it was against those who had taken 
 part in it that his anger was principally directed, and that it 
 was thought he was at heart not altogether sorry that the two 
 men who had befriended the Turks at Athens had got off, 
 although he would not have wavered in his own expressed 
 determination to put to death without exception all foreigners 
 who had aided the Greeks. " My father has not at present 
 thought of any plan for getting you away, " Ahmed said. " The 
 search is too rigorous, and no master of a vessel would dare 
 
THE " MISERICOKDIA AGAIN Old 
 
 to carry you off; but in a short time the matter will be for- 
 gotten, and the search in the port and in the Dardanelles will 
 be slackened. It causes a great deal of trouble and incon- 
 venience, and the officials will soon begin to relax their efforts. 
 It is one of our national characteristics, you know, to hate 
 trouble. My father will be here with the others in a couple of 
 days, and then we will hold a council over it." 
 
 The next day a boat arrived with carpets and hangings for 
 the rooms upstairs, which were entirely devoted to the females 
 of the household; and on the following evening Osman Bey, 
 with his wife and daughters, arrived in the same caique that 
 Ahmed had come in, two female servants with a quantity of 
 luggage coming in another boat. The next few days passed 
 very pleasantly. The ladies took their meals apart upstairs, 
 but at other times sat in the room below, treating Horace and 
 the doctor as if they were members of the family. There 
 were many discussions as to the best method of effecting their 
 escape, and Ahmed went twice to Constantinople to ascertain 
 whether the search for them was being relaxed. 
 
 At last he and his father agreed that it would be the best 
 plan for them to go to Izmid, and to take a passage from there 
 if some small craft could be found sailing for Chios, or one 
 of the southern ports or islands. Ahmed was to accompany 
 them, and was first to go to Izmid to make the necessary 
 arrangements. He knew many merchants in the port, and as 
 some of these were intimate friends they would probably be 
 disposed to assist those who had rendered so great a service 
 to Osman Bey and his family, but at the same time Ahmed 
 said: "You must not be impatient. The news of your being 
 carried off by sham soldiers, as they say, after their having 
 assaulted and robbed the officer who was bearer of the order 
 for your delivery, has made a great talk, and I shall have to 
 be very careful as to how I open the subject." 
 
 "Pray run no risks," Horace said. "You have all done so 
 already, and we should be unhappy, indeed, were any ill- 
 fortune to befall you or your family for what you have done 
 
374 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 for us. We are very comfortable here. I would much rather 
 wait for some really favourable opportunity than hazard your 
 safety, to say nothing of our own, by impatience. It is but 
 a fortnight since we made our escape." 
 
 "I am going up the Bosphorus to-morrow," Ahmed said. 
 "I have to see a bey whose property adjoins ours, and who 
 has a kiosk some distance above Scutari. It is only a ques- 
 tion of business, and I shall not be many minutes. I shall be 
 glad if you will go with me; you can remain in the boat. 
 The rowers are so accustomed to see you that they can have 
 no curiosity about you; besides, now that they are regularly 
 in our service, and sleep and live here, there is no one for 
 them to gossip with, and, indeed, as we are good patrons of 
 theirs I do not think they would say anything about you, 
 whatever they might suspect." 
 
 "I suppose you can take us both, Ahmed? " 
 
 " Certainly I meant that, of course. Your friend would find 
 it dull indeed alone here." 
 
 Accordingly the next morning they started. When they 
 neared Scutari they saw on the other side of the water a brig 
 making her way in from the Dardanelles. 
 
 "That is a slovenly-looking craft, doctor, with those dirty 
 ill-fitting sails; rather a contrast that to our schooner. I 
 wonder where she is and what she is doing. That brig is 
 about her size too, and the hull is not unlike hers, looking at 
 it from here." 
 
 The doctor gazed at the craft intently. "Eh, man," he 
 said in low tones, grasping his companion's arm tightly, "I 
 believe that it is our craft, Horace." 
 
 "What, that dirty looking brig, doctor, with her sides look- 
 ing as rusty as if she had not had a coat of paint for the last 
 year!" 
 
 "It's the schooner disguised. It is easy enough, lad, to 
 alter the rig, and to get hold of dirty sails and to dirty the 
 paint, but you can't alter the shape. No Greek, or Turk 
 either, ever turned out the hull of that brig." 
 
THE " MISERICORDIA " AGAIN 375 
 
 " It is marvellously like the schooner," Horace said. "I 
 should almost have sworn that it was her." 
 
 " It is the schooner, lad. How she got there, and what she 
 is doing, I don't know, but it is her." 
 
 "What is it?" Ahmed asked. "What is there curious in 
 that brig that you are so interested in her? " 
 
 "We both think it is our schooner, Ahmed; the one in 
 which we took your father and mother from Athens in." 
 
 "That!" Ahmed exclaimed incredulously; "why, my sis- 
 ters were always saying what a beautiful vessel it was, with 
 snow-white sails." 
 
 "So she had, Ahmed; but if it is the schooner she is dis- 
 guised altogether. They have taken down her top-masts and 
 put those stumpy spars in instead; they have put up yards and 
 turned her into a brig; they have got sails from somewhere 
 and slackened all her ropes, and made her look dirty and 
 untidy; still we both think that it is her. Please tell the 
 boatmen to cross to the vessel and row alongside." 
 
 Ahmed gave the order, and as the caique shot away from 
 the shore said: "But how could it be your ship? Do you 
 think that she has been captured? If not, she could not have 
 ventured up here." 
 
 " She has not been captured, " Horace said confidently, " and 
 if she had been her captors would not have taken the trouble 
 to spoil her appearance. If that is the schooner they have 
 come up to make inquiries about us, and to try to rescue us 
 if possible." 
 
 It was fully two miles across, and as they approached the 
 brig the doctor and Horace became more and more convinced 
 that they were not mistaken. 
 
 "Please tell the men to pull in behind her," Horace said, 
 "so that we can see her better. There can be no mistake 
 about her if we can catch a sight of her fore and aft." 
 
 When they fell into the brig's wake they were some three 
 hundred yards astern of her, and the last vestige of doubt dis- 
 appeared as they saw her great breadth and fine run. 
 
376 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "That is my father's craft, Ahmed, I could swear to her 
 now. Will you tell the men to row up alongside." 
 
 There were only four or five men visible on deck in the 
 ordinary dress of Turkish sailors. As the caique came along- 
 side a man put his head over the rail and asked in Turkish 
 "what they wanted? " 
 
 "We want to come on board," Ahmed said; "we have 
 business with the captain." 
 
 "I am the captain," the man said; "are you one of the port 
 officers? " 
 
 "Drop astern to the chains," Ahmed said to the boatmen, 
 who were hanging on by a boat-hook. They let the caique 
 fall aft her own length, and then, seizing the shrouds, the 
 doctor and Horace sprang up on to the chains and then leapt 
 on board, Ahmed following them more slowly. There was no 
 doubt that it was the schooner, though her decks were covered 
 with dirt and litter, and the paint of her bulwarks discoloured 
 as if they had been daubed with mud which had been allowed 
 to dry. The sailors looked up as if in surprise at the sudden 
 appearance of the strangers on their deck. Horace glanced 
 at them. He knew none of their faces. 
 
 "Well, sir," the captain said, coming up, "may I again ask 
 what you want with us? " 
 
 "You talk to him, Ahmed," Horace said in Greek. "We 
 will run below; " and at a bound he was at the top of the 
 companion and sprang down into the cabin. "Father," he 
 shouted, "are you here?" 
 
 The door of the main cabin opened, and a Turk with a 
 flowing white beard made his appearance. 
 
 " My dear father, is it you ? " 
 
 "Why, Horace, Horace, my dear boy, where do you come 
 from, what miracle is this?" And in a moment they were 
 clasped in each other's arms. A moment later a tall Nubian 
 rushed out and seized Horace's hand. 
 
 "Why, Martyn, you don't mean to say it is you in this dis- 
 guise?" 
 
THE " MISERICORDIA " AGAIN 377 
 
 "It is indeed, Horace. I am delighted to see you, lad; 
 and you too, doctor. I had never thought to clap eyes on 
 you again; " and he shook hands heartily with Macfarlane, as 
 also did Mr. Beveridge. 
 
 "I seem to be in a dream," the latter said; "how do you 
 come here, what has happened? " 
 
 "I may say the same, father; but first, where are Miller, 
 Tarleton, and the crew? " 
 
 "They are all down in the hold," Martyn said; "they are 
 all in hiding." 
 
 "I have a friend on deck, father; he is the son of one of 
 the Turks we saved at Athens. He and his friends saved our 
 lives, and have been concealing us since they got us away. I 
 expect he is having some difficulty with the man who calls 
 himself captain." 
 
 " Come up with me then, Horace, and we will fetch him 
 down; and I will tell Iskos that it is all right." 
 
 As soon as they reached the deck Mr. Beveridge explained 
 to the supposed captain that these were the friends he had 
 come to find, and that all was well. 
 
 Martyn had also come up. " What had we better do now, 
 Martyn? " 
 
 Martyn looked up at the sails, and at the water, " Fortu- 
 nately the wind is dying out fast," he said. "I don't think 
 we are making way against the current now, and we shall cer- 
 tainly not do so long. Hold on a few minutes longer, Iskos, 
 and then anchor. It will seem as if we could not get up 
 against the stream to the other shipping. If you see a boat 
 coming off, let us know. They will probably be sending off 
 to look at our papers; but perhaps they may not trouble about 
 it till we get up to the regular anchorage. Now, Mr. Bever- 
 idge, we will go down below and gladden their hearts there." 
 
 The main-deck was filled with casks, bales, and merchan- 
 dise of all sorts, and the hatchways of the hold covered with 
 sacks of flour. Macfarlane joined them, and aided Martyn 
 and Horace in removing the sacks. Horace saw as he did so 
 
378 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 that what appeared a solid pile was really hollow, and that the 
 hatchway was only partially closed so as to allow a certain 
 amount of air to pass down below. The bags were but partly 
 removed when there was a rush from below, Miller and Tarle- 
 ton with their cutlasses in hand, followed by the sailors with 
 boarding-pikes dashed through the opening. They paused in 
 astonishment upon seeing only Martyn, Mr. Beveridge, and 
 three Turkish gentlemen, but as they recognized Horace and 
 the doctor, the officers threw down their swords and with a 
 shout of joy seized them by the hand. The sailors close 
 behind them broke into a cheer which swelled into a roar as 
 the men below gathered the news that their two officers had 
 returned. 
 
 "The men can come up between decks, Miller," Martyn 
 said. " Let them have a stiff ration of grog all round. Boat- 
 swain, see that the sacks are piled again as before, leaving two 
 or three out of their place to allow the men to go down again 
 if necessary. If the word is passed that a boat is coming off, 
 let them hurry back again and replace the sacks carefully after 
 them as they go down." 
 
 The sailors continued pouring up through the hatchway, 
 and behind them came the two Greeks, whose joy at seeing 
 Horace was excessive. 
 
 "Now," Mr. Beveridge said, "let us adjourn to the cabin 
 and hear all about this wonderful story." 
 
 On entering the main cabin Horace found that its appear- 
 ance, like that of the rest of the ship, had been completely 
 altered, all the handsome fittings had been removed, and the 
 whole of the woodwork painted with what he thought must 
 have been a mixture of white paint and mud, so dirty and 
 dingy did it appear. 
 
 "Now, father, in the first place I must properly introduce 
 my friend Ahmed to you all. He is the son of Osman Bey, 
 who was one of the principal Turks of the party we took to 
 Tenedos, as no doubt you remember; it is to him and his 
 father, aided by Fazli Bey, and the bimbashi who was in com- 
 
I III'. In >< ■ | i i|; | l.l.l.s rill'. STORY 
 
THE " MISERICORD LA. " AGAIN 379 
 
 mand of the troops, and some of the soldiers, that we owe our 
 lives." 
 
 This was said in Greek, and while Mr. Beveridge was ex- 
 pressing his gratitude to Ahmed, Horace repeated the same 
 in English to the three officers, who warmly shook hands with 
 the young Turk. Marco and his brother placed refreshments 
 of all kinds on the table. 
 
 Ahmed partook of them sparingly, and then said to Horace : 
 "Of course you will not be returning with me now. I think 
 I had better be going on, it will be dark before I have done 
 my business and get back again; and besides, the boatmen 
 will be wondering at my long stay here." 
 
 ■ "I am afraid your father will think us horribly ungrateful 
 if we go off without thanking him and your mother for all 
 their kindness to us," Horace said; "but of course we must 
 be getting out of this as soon as we can." 
 
 "My father and mother will be delighted to hear that you 
 have so suddenly and unexpectedly got out of your difficul- 
 ties," Ahmed said, "and that in a manner from which no 
 suspicion can possibly arise to us. What we have done has 
 been but a small return for the service you rendered us." 
 
 Mr. Beveridge added his warmest thanks to those of Hor- 
 ace, and Ahmed then went up with the others on to the deck 
 and took his place in the caique; Horace making a present of 
 a small gold piece to each of the boatmen. Ahmed said 
 good-bye to him and the doctor in Turkish, expressing the 
 hope that when they got back to Cyprus they would write to 
 him, a message that Iskos afterwards translated to Horace. 
 As soon as he had rowed away the rest of them returned to the 
 cabin. 
 
 "And now for the story," Mr. Beveridge said as they took 
 their places round the table. 
 
 "The doctor shall tell it," Horace said. "He has had no 
 chance of talking for the last fortnight, and it is only fair he 
 should have his turn now." 
 
 The doctor accordingly, in his slow and deliberate way, 
 
380 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 related the whole story of their adventures from the time thev 
 landed from the schooner until their return on board, a narra- 
 tion which lasted nearly two hours. 
 
 Then Martyn related what had happened on board since. 
 "You know," he said, "that directly we heard the firing on 
 shore and saw the boat rowing off we began to get ready to 
 send a strong party off. You can imagine how horrified we 
 were when, on the boat coming alongside, we found you were 
 both missing. The beggars fired away at us as we rowed 
 ashore, but they bolted before we reached it, and when we 
 made a rush into the village, it was empty. We could find no 
 one to ask questions of, for, as we found afterwards, they had 
 all made off while the brigands were firing at us. However, 
 as there were no signs of you it was evident the only thing to 
 do was to follow the ruffians, and off we set. We chased 
 them four miles, but they scattered directly they left the vil- 
 lage and we only came up with two of them. Unfortunately 
 they showed fight, and the sailors cut them down before we 
 could come up. 
 
 " After searching about for some time we thought the best 
 plan was to go back to the village. There we quartered our- 
 selves among the houses, and, as you have been telling us, the 
 man came with a letter. We noticed how you had worded it 
 and had underscored the names, and we saw the fellows did 
 not know that you were the son of the owner, so your father 
 pretended to hang back for a bit. As soon as the man had 
 gone off with the message we thought that it was all right, and 
 everyone was in the highest spirits. Of course there was noth- 
 ing to do next day, but the following morning Mr. Beveridge 
 and Miller went off with thirty men, as the time named for 
 giving you up was one o'clock. 
 
 "We began to expect them back at four, and as the hours 
 went on I was in a regular stew. I did not like to land, and 
 as I had only twenty men I was afraid of weakening her fur- 
 ther, as we should have been in an awkward fix if a Turkish 
 man-of-war had come along; however, at nine o'clock I sent 
 
THE " MISERICORDIA " AGAIN 381 
 
 Tarleton ashore with five men to see if he could gather some 
 news from the villagers, who had all come back again soon 
 after the brigands had left. It was not till after eleven 
 o'clock that he came off, with the news that the party had 
 returned and had heard nothing of you. 
 
 "Next morning one of the boats came off with Mr. Bever- 
 idge. Half an hour before a Greek had come in and stated 
 that he was one of the party bringing you down to the place 
 agreed upon when they were suddenly fired upon from a wood. 
 Two of the party fell dead and the rest ran and were hotly 
 pursued for some distance. He was unable to say what had 
 become of you, nor did he know who the men were who had 
 attacked them, except that they were certainly Albanians. We 
 held a council, and then I started off with Tarleton and ten men 
 and Marco. Mr. Beveridge wanted to go, but I persuaded 
 him not to, for it was morally certain that we should not find 
 you, and all we could hope for was to get some sort of clue, 
 and if the Albanians were still in the neighbourhood Marco 
 would have opened negotiations with them for a ransom. The 
 man who had brought the news acted as guide. We found 
 the bodies of his comrades who had been killed, but no signs 
 of you, which was a comfort in one way. It was pretty evi- 
 dent that you had both been carried off. 
 
 "We had taken with us a dozen men from the village to 
 which you were to have been sent, and we offered what to them 
 must have been a big reward for news as to these Albanians. 
 So after finding the bodies we sent them off in different direc- 
 tions, and went back to their village. Late in the evening 
 they straggled in. They had done their work well, spreading 
 all over the country and getting hold of shepherds and char- 
 coal-burners and wood-cutters; and they were able to tell us 
 for certain that the Albanians had come over the range of hills 
 between us and Thessaly. They had been doing a good deal 
 of plundering and some murdering, had destroyed two small 
 villages at the foot of the mountains, and had been seen soon 
 after the hour at which you must have been captured making 
 
382 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 their way back. They assured us that the troops of AH Pasha 
 lay in the plain beyond the hills, and that, doubtless, the 
 Albanians had taken you to him. We had a good long rest in 
 the afternoon, and as I knew what a state of anxiety your 
 father was in we started at once and got on board at four 
 o'clock in the morning. We had a long talk over what was 
 the best thing to be done, and resolved at any rate to sail out 
 of the bay and round the Cape, and then keep along the coast 
 until we were off Thessaly. 
 
 "As soon as it was daylight we weighed anchor. The wind 
 was so light that it took us two days to get there, and half 
 that time at least, I should say, the men were in the boats 
 tovf ing. Marco had volunteered to land and make his way to 
 the Turkish camp to try to find out what had become of you. 
 We landed him at night; he bought from some of the villagers 
 a suit of their clothes, and in twenty-four hours came down 
 again to the boat we had sent ashore for him with the news 
 that you had been sent to Constantinople; that you had been 
 taken by an escort of cavalry down to the little port at the 
 mouth of the river that flows in between Ossa and Olympus; 
 that he had seen some of the soldiers who formed your escort, 
 who told him that they had seen you go on board a Turkish 
 brig-of-war with their officer and two of their comrades who 
 had accompanied you. 
 
 " This was horrible news, and as the brig had got four days' 
 start there was little chance of our catching her. For another 
 three days we were almost becalmed. We had every stitch of 
 canvas set and yet most of the time we had not even steerage- 
 way. The men behaved splendidly, and all the time, day and 
 night, we had two boats out ahead towing; and on the fourth 
 day we arrived off Tenedos. Then we got a breeze again, and 
 soon afterwards picked up a fishing-boat. From them we 
 learned that the brig had lain becalmed two days off the town, 
 that some of the people that we brought from Athens had gone 
 out with little presents of fruit to you and had seen you. 
 
 " We anchored that night a short distance from the town, 
 
THE " MISERICORDIA " AGAIN 383 
 
 for there were no Turkish ships of war there. At night a boat 
 came off with a woman whom we had brought from Athens, 
 and she told us that her husband, a discharged soldier, had 
 gone to Constantinople to tell some of the people whom we 
 brought from Athens that two of our officers had been capt- 
 ured, and to ask them to do what they could to save your 
 lives. We did not think anything of it, though of course it 
 was pleasant to see that some of the people were grateful, and 
 Mr. Beveridge made her a handsome present, which I will do 
 her the justice to say she refused until he almost had to force 
 it upon her. Knowing how bitter the Sultan is against for- 
 eigners in the Greek service, and that after the harm we had 
 done he was not likely to be specially well disposed towards 
 us, the thing seemed almost hopeless. The two Greeks vol- 
 unteered if we would put them ashore to the west of the straits 
 to make their way to Constantinople, but as it did not seem 
 to us that they could do any good that idea was given up. 
 
 "At last Tarleton proposed that we should disguise the 
 schooner and go up ourselves. He admitted that the betting 
 was a hundred to one against our being able to help you in 
 any way, especially as it was almost certain you would have 
 been hung a few hours after you got there. Still, if that had 
 been put off, and you should be in a prison, there was just the 
 possibility we might land at night, make our way to the prison, 
 blow in the gate, get you out, and make our way across the 
 country to some place where the boats would be waiting for 
 us, and be on board before daylight. It was certainly a des- 
 perate undertaking, but as none of us could think of any other 
 plan, we agreed it would be well to try it, so we sailed at once 
 to Athens. 
 
 "We had a great debate whether it would not be better to 
 buy some Turkish brig that had been brought in as a prize; 
 but we finally agreed to stick to the schooner, for if we were 
 discovered on the way, or if we did get you on board, we 
 should have to sail, and we knew that nothing the Turks have 
 got could outsail the schooner. We worked hard at Athens. 
 
384 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 We sent down the tall spars, got those clumsy poles up in their 
 place, got up yards, and turned her into a brig. Then we 
 bought a lot of old sails, and, as you see, turned her into as 
 lubberly-looking a craft as you will meet even in these seas. 
 Then we filled her up between decks with goods we bought 
 out of some prizes brought in by the Hydriots, dirtied her 
 decks, threw acid down her sides to take off the paint, took 
 down the cabin fittings, as you see, and daubed over the wood- 
 work with dirty paint. It was enough to make one cry to see 
 the Misericordia spoilt. It was like disguising a girl of fash- 
 ion as a dirty gipsy. 
 
 "While we had been at this work the two Greeks had been 
 on shore, and had gathered up eight men who spoke Turkish 
 as well as Greek. The most intelligent we made captain, with 
 two officers under him. We got the papers from a Turkish 
 prize, a brig about the same size which had been captured by 
 the Hydriots on her way from Rhodes to Constantinople. 
 Then it was agreed that your father should disguise himself as 
 a Turk, a respectable land-owner of Rhodes, going as a pas- 
 senger to Constantinople, with myself as his Nubian servant. 
 That way we could stay on deck. When all was ready we 
 started. The crew kept on deck till we got near the Darda- 
 nelles, and then stowed themselves away in the hold as you 
 saw. We were stopped at the castle, but as the papers were 
 all right there was no suspicion excited, and nothing happened 
 till Iskos came down and told us a caique was coming along- 
 side, and then a minute or two later we heard your voice." 
 
ALL ENDS WELL 385 
 
 CHAPTER XXII 
 
 ALL ENDS WELL 
 
 THE hours passed on. It was still a dead calm, and, as 
 Martyn had thought likely, no visit was paid by the Turk- 
 ish port officials, as the brig was lying a good mile below the 
 usual anchorage, and would no doubt move up to the wharves 
 as soon as she got the wind. Horace went to the main deck 
 and gave a sketch of his adventures to Tom Burdett, who he 
 knew would retail them to the crew. 
 
 "Well, Mr. Horace," the boatswain said, "you are cer- 
 tainly a good one at getting out of scrapes." 
 
 "I had nothing to do with getting out of it, Tom; it was 
 all done without any effort on my part." 
 
 "It was mighty well done, sir, and I would not have given 
 them Turks credit for putting such a plan together. I always 
 liked the chaps myself when I served with them as a young 
 fellow in that Egyptian business under Abercrombie. Good- 
 natured sort of coves they was, and wonderful good-tempered 
 considering what shocking bad grub they had; but I never 
 looked upon them as sharp. Still, there you are; you see, one 
 never knows what a chap can do till he is pushed. Well, 
 there is one thing, Mr. Horace, I don't care how many Turk- 
 ish fugitives we may take on board this ship in future, they 
 will be heartily welcome by every man Jack on board for the 
 sake of what these fellows did for you. I wish I had known 
 it when you first came on board. I should have liked to 
 have given that young Turk a hearty shake of the hand, and 
 the men would have given him as good a cheer as ever you 
 heard come from fifty British sailors." 
 
 "It is just as well you didn't know, Tom, for if they had 
 given a cheer together on deck it would have been heard from 
 shore to shore, and everyone who heard it would have known 
 that it never came from Turkish throats." 
 
380 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 As soon as it was dark the anchor was weighed, and the ves- 
 sel drifted down with the current, a boat towing ahead so as 
 to give her steerage-way, while the rest of the crew set to work 
 to unbend her sails. 
 
 "You are not going to put up her own sails, are you, Cap- 
 tain Martyn?" Horace asked, for as soon as it got dusk 
 Martyn had removed the stain from his skin, and exchanged 
 the Nubian attire for his uniform. 
 
 " No, Horace, the white sails would tell their tale at once. 
 We got two suits at Athens, one that miserable lot you saw 
 on us to-day, the other we had cut up to fit us as we are sparred 
 now. They are not very clean, but that won't affect her 
 sailing, and though I don't mean to say she will walk along 
 as she would under her proper canvas, I fancy she is likely to 
 sail as fast as anything we shall meet. I shall only get her 
 foresail, a jib, and that square top-sail on her, as we want to 
 go along as slowly as possible. I want to manage to anchor 
 below Gallipoli after sunset; or if I can't manage that I shall 
 anchor a mile or two this side of the town, so as not to be 
 visited by any of the port officers. Then when it gets quite 
 dark we will get up all sail and run down the straits. It is 
 against the rules to pass through at night, and if the forts 
 catch sight of us no doubt they will send a few shots after us, 
 but we must risk that. It is not easy to hit a moving mark 
 when it is so dark that you can scarcely see her outline. There 
 are half a dozen of their ships-of-war lying abreast of the forts. 
 We must keep as far as we dare over on the other shore. I 
 am not afraid of the ships. We shall be a mile away before 
 the crews wake up and load, but I expect they keep a pretty 
 sharp look-out in the forts, though most likely their attention 
 is chiefly directed below them." 
 
 It took a couple of hours' work to unbend all the sails and 
 bend on fresh ones. Horace spent the evening in the cabin 
 chatting with his father, and when the others came down at 
 ten o'clock for a glass of grog he heard that the boat had been 
 run up and housed, and that the brig was now under easy sail. 
 
ALL ENDS WELL 387 
 
 "There is very little wind," Martyn said, "but there is 
 enough to give steerage-way. I shall not count you in for 
 duty until to-morrow." 
 
 "Oh, I am ready to take my watch as usual. I have been 
 living a very lazy life for the last three weeks, and shall be 
 very glad to be on duty again." 
 
 " I shall get the guns up the first thing in the morning, 
 Miller. We will throw a tarpaulin over them when we get 
 into the narrow part of the straits." 
 
 "Will you have the pivot-gun up too? " 
 
 "Yes, I think so; if we have to fight, we may as well fight 
 as hard as we can. When we get it mounted we can put a few 
 barrels along each side of it, cover the whole over with a sail- 
 cloth, and stow one of the gigs at the top of all. No one 
 would have a suspicion that there was a gun there then, and 
 if we wanted to use it we could clear it in a minute." 
 
 "The Turkish custom-house officers will stare in the morn- 
 ing when they see the brig gone," Miller said, "and will 
 wonder what has become of her." 
 
 " If they think of her at all, Miller, they will think she has 
 got up sail at daylight and gone up the Bosphorus on her way 
 to Varna or one of the Black Sea ports." 
 
 " It would require a good deal more breeze than there is 
 now." 
 
 "Yes, I did not think of that. Well, then, perhaps they 
 will suppose that we made a try to go up to the anchorage as 
 soon as the day began to break, but simply drifted back. You 
 see another half a mile astern would take us round that point 
 there and out of sight of them. However, we don't care much 
 what they think. They are not likely to be interested enough 
 in the matter to bother themselves about it one way or the 
 other, and certainly not likely to do the only thing that would 
 be of any consequence to us, I mean send down a messenger 
 to Gallipoli telling them to overhaul us if we came down the 
 straits. Now, then, the watch on deck; the others turn in. I 
 am sure, Mr. Beveridge, you will be all the better for a quiet 
 
388 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 night's rest. You have certainly not slept much for the last 
 month, and you have been getting thinner and thinner daily, 
 while you have also long arrears in the way of food to make 
 up. It has been quite pitiful to see the faces of the Greeks 
 as you sent away plate after plate untouched." 
 
 "I shall soon be myself again, Martyn, and even one good 
 night's rest will, I am sure, do wonders for me." 
 
 "We have been getting quite uneasy about your father," 
 Miller said as he and Horace went up on deck for the middle 
 watch. 
 
 "Yes, he looks sadly broken down, Miller. Directly he 
 had taken off that beard I was quite shocked; he looks years 
 older." 
 
 "We have been really anxious about him. He would turn 
 up three or four times during the night watches and walk the 
 deck for an hour or two talking to one or other of us as if he 
 could not stop alone in his cabin. Neither Martyn nor I ever 
 had the slightest idea of finding you were alive when we got 
 here, and still less of getting you out. But when Tarleton 
 proposed disguising the schooner and coming up, he caught 
 at the idea so eagerly that we fell in with it at once. It 
 seemed to us both rather a mad sort of business, but we should 
 not have cared what it was so that it would but rouse him up; 
 for from the time when we first got word that you had been 
 taken to the Turks, till Tarleton made that proposal at Tene- 
 dos, he had scarcely spoken a word. He cheered up for an 
 hour or two when Marco brought news that at any rate you 
 had not been killed at Ali Pasha's camp, but had been sent 
 on to Constantinople; but that lasted for a very short time, 
 for he soon saw that so far from improving your chances, it 
 had lessened them. Ali might have taken a handsome sum 
 for your ransom, or your guards might have been bribed; 
 anyhow, there would have been a much better chance of get- 
 ting you away from his camp than from a prison in Constan- 
 tinople. 
 
 " Of course we did all we could to cheer him, and, I am 
 
 
ALL ENDS WELL 389 
 
 afraid, told some awful crammers as to the easy job it would 
 be to get you out. Still, the plan did do him good. It gave 
 him something to think about, as at Athens we were constantly 
 thinking of something or other that he could go ashore and 
 see about. Since we sailed from there he has been in a sort 
 of fever, walking restlessly about the deck, going down to the 
 cabin and coming up again twenty times every hour, worrying 
 about the wind, and complaining at the boat's loss of speed. 
 He took to Tarleton most, because he was nearest your age, 
 I think. He talked to him several times about you as a child, 
 and seemed specially unhappy because he had seen so little 
 of you up to the time when he bought you that first craft you 
 had. The two Greeks were terribly concerned about him. 
 They are two fine fellows those. They were as gentle as wo- 
 men. Well, it has been an anxious time for us all. Even the 
 men have felt for him, and it was quite curious to see how 
 silent the ship became when he was on deck. They seemed to 
 speak almost in whispers, and I have not heard a laugh for- 
 ward from the hour that you and the doctor were missed. I 
 was glad he was taken with you, for he is a good fellow, and 
 it was a comfort to know that you were together." 
 
 "It was a great pull," Horace agreed. "He was just the 
 same all the time as he is on board, quiet and slow in his talk, 
 but with an occasional gleam of humour. It has been rather 
 hard on him, too, because, from the day we first landed, there 
 has always been someone with us who could speak Greek, and 
 it is very slow for a man sitting listening to talk that he can't 
 understand, waiting for bits to be translated to him. Still, he 
 never showed that he minded." 
 
 "Yes, that must have been very annoying," Miller agreed, 
 "especially when the talk was about matters that concerned 
 his life. It makes you feel so helpless and baby-like to have 
 everything managed for you and to be able to do nothing 
 yourself. I don't think he took kindly to that Turkish dress. 
 I le dipped away and changed it before he had been on board 
 five minutes, while you kept yours on till you turned in for a 
 nap two hours ago." 
 
390 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 " I was comfortable enough, and never gave the clothes a 
 thought after I had worn them an hour or two," Horace 
 laughed. " Of course one felt very baggy about the legs, and 
 I certainly should not like to go aloft in the things. No 
 wonder the Turks are such clumsy sailors with their legs in 
 bags like that; but I did notice that the doctor never seemed 
 to move about naturally. I expect if he could have talked 
 away as I did he would not have thought of them so much. 
 The wind is heading us a bit." 
 
 "Yes, it is; " and Miller gave the orders for the sheets and 
 braces to be hauled aft. 
 
 " I should not be surprised if it is in the south by morning." 
 
 " That would be all the better, for then we could choose our 
 own time for getting off Gallipoli. We must get up all our 
 sail when it is daylight and make a show of doing our best; 
 but when one is tacking backwards and forwards one can 
 always manage either to keep a little off the wind or so close 
 into it as pretty well to deaden one's way through the water." 
 
 Horace turned in at four o'clock, and an hour and a half 
 later heard a trampling of feet on deck, and knew that the 
 watch was making sail. When he went up at eight o'clock 
 the wind was blowing briskly from the south-east, and the 
 schooner was making a long leg out from the land. He was 
 now able to see the set of the sails that had been bent on the 
 evening before. The lower sails were of the same size as the 
 schooner's original suit, and fitted her well. The upper sails 
 contained less than half the canvas of her old ones, but her 
 spread w r as sufficient to lay her over well and to send her 
 through the water at an encouraging rate of speed. 
 
 "She is not going along so badly, is she, Horace?" Martyn 
 asked. 
 
 " No, indeed. Of course in a light wind the loss of all that 
 upper canvas will tell, but at present she is doing well enough 
 for anything, quite well enough for anything we are likely to 
 meet." 
 
 " We have been holding our own for the last two hours with 
 
ALL EXDS WELL 391 
 
 that felucca on the other tack, and we have been purposely 
 sailing her a good bit off the wind. We could overhaul her 
 soon enough if we liked, and most of those boats are fast; but 
 we don't want to get along too quickly. If the wind freshens 
 any more I shall tow a sail alongside to deaden her way a bit. 
 I want to arrive off Gallipoli about half an hour after sunset." 
 
 Two of the broadside guns had just been brought up and 
 put in position, and by midday the other six and the pivot- 
 gun were in place, and the latter hidden by a screen of barrels 
 and one of the gigs, bottom upwards, laid over it. The decks 
 had been scrubbed, but, as Martyn said mournfully, it would 
 take weeks to get them back to their former colour. The 
 ropes still hung slackly, and although the schooner looked a 
 good deal more ship-shape than when Horace had first seen 
 her on the previous day, she was still as untidy as the average 
 of vessels in Eastern waters. Her course was timed well, and 
 the sun had already sunk some time, when she dropped anchor 
 a short distance outside the craft lying off Gallipoli. 
 
 " I see some of their ships of war have come up from below 
 since we passed three days ago. However, there is no fear 
 of their sending a boat off to-night," Martyn said as they gath- 
 ered in the cabin for dinner, "and they will naturally suppose 
 that we anchored so far out because we were going on down 
 the straits the first thing in the morning." 
 
 Mr. Beveridge had remained in his berth all day. The 
 reaction after the long excitement and anxiety told severely 
 upon him. Although he had got up the first thing, he had 
 been obliged to lie down again, being too weak to stand. The 
 doctor, however, told Horace that this was only to be expected. 
 
 " He will want a week's quiet and plenty of nourishment to 
 set him on his legs again. He has been fairly worn out. But 
 there is no fever about him, and we can trust the Greeks to 
 feed him up. It is just as well that he should keep perfectly 
 quiet to-day and sleep as much as he can. To-morrow I hope 
 I shall be able to get him up on deck. Then chatting with 
 you and taking an interest in things will rouse him." 
 
392 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 At nine o'clock sail was again made and the anchor weighed. 
 The wind had gone down very much, and had veered round 
 to the south, which enabled them to lay their course through 
 the greater part of the straits. Two men were placed in the 
 chains with lead-lines. The lights were all extinguished, with 
 the exception of the binnacle. The tarpaulins were removed 
 from the guns and the barrels and gig from around the pivot- 
 gun. The watch off duty was sent below, and two of the 
 keenest-eyed men on board placed as look-outs at the bow. 
 The European shore, which was comparatively high, could be 
 made out as a dark bank, but the Asiatic shore, which was 
 low, could scarcely be seen. The chart was laid on the cabin 
 table, the port-holes having all been carefully covered with 
 curtains, and a tarpaulin laid over the skylight. 
 
 The men in the chains kept on taking soundings, Horace 
 going backwards and forwards between them and the quarter- 
 deck with the news as to the depth of water. Miller was 
 in charge of the deck, while Martyn paid frequent visits to 
 the cabin to determine their position on the chart according 
 to the depth of the soundings. There was no fear of their 
 meeting with any craft until they approached the forts; but 
 in the darkness it was necessary to be very careful, as the water 
 was shallow on the eastern side, and were they to run on to a 
 shoal, going as they were with the force of the current, there 
 would be little chance of getting off again, unless by lightening 
 the ship. There was just wind enough to give her steerage- 
 way. Men were stationed in readiness to let go the anchor 
 instantly, should it be necessary; while ten men, in the long- 
 boat, paddled gently ahead of her, just keeping a tow-rope 
 taut in readiness to tow her instantly in any direction that 
 might be required. None of them were acquainted with the 
 set of the current, and Martyn had only the depth of water 
 and the dim outline of the banks to direct his course by. 
 .Several times, when the water shoaled, the crew of the boat 
 were directed to row vigorously in the direction of the right 
 bank ; and once or twice there were but a few feet under the 
 
ALL ENDS WELL 393 
 
 keel., and a keen feeling of anxiety was experienced on board 
 until the leads-man announced that the water was deepening. 
 At last, according to Martyn's calculations they could not be 
 far away from the formidable forts. 
 
 The boat was directed to fall astern and hang on to the 
 rope, in readiness either to come on board or to carry out any 
 orders that might be given. The crew on deck were told to 
 take axes and capstan-bars, so that should they drive down 
 against one of the Turkish ships they could fend the schooner 
 off as much as possible, or cut away any rope that might catch. 
 They were directed to stand perfectly still, and not a word 
 was to be spoken whatever happened. The greatest danger 
 lay in the fact that most of the ships of war were lying above 
 the forts, and that, consequently, should an alarm be given by 
 them, the gunners at the batteries would be in readiness to 
 pour in their fire upon her as she passed. 
 
 "The ground to our right looks much higher than it did, 
 Miller. I think we must have been drifting a good deal over 
 towards that side." 
 
 "I think so too," Miller agreed. "I have been fancying 
 that we were getting over that way ever since we stopped 
 sounding." 
 
 "At any rate we must take our chance," Martyn said. "I 
 daren't sound again; the splash would attract attention half a 
 mile away on a quiet night like this. Besides, we could not 
 tow her the other way now; we must take our chance. It is 
 not likely they are keeping much of a look-out on board. We 
 might pass within twenty yards of a vessel without being noticed 
 on such a night as this. I will stay at the helm, Miller. 
 Her sails are still full, and we have got steerage-way. Do 
 you go up into the bow. Let two of the men take their boots 
 off, and if they make out anything ahead, let one of them run 
 to me like lightning with orders whether to port or starboard 
 the helm." 
 
 The conversation was carried on in the lowest tone. Miller 
 stole lightly forward; Tarleton and Horace were already there, 
 one on each bow, straining their eyes into the darkness. 
 
394 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "We are a long way over on this side, Miller, I don't believe 
 that high ground over there is more than two or three hundred 
 yards away." 
 
 "That is just what I have been saying, Tarleton. The 
 current must have set us across tremendously. Martyn is at 
 the helm, and you see we are heading off that shore, but I 
 don't think we are going more than a couple of knots through 
 the water." 
 
 In five minutes Tarleton whispered : 
 
 "I think there is something dark just over the cathead." 
 
 At the same moment Horace stepped from the other side. 
 
 "There is a ship a short way ahead, Miller, unless I am 
 mistaken." 
 
 " By Jove, so there is ! " Miller said, looking out. " We shall 
 never be able to clear her with the current taking us down." 
 
 He had kicked off his own shoes when he reached the bow, 
 thinking it better himself to carry any message. 
 
 "Port your helm, Martyn," he said as he ran up. "There 
 are two craft ahead, and we can never clear the outside one 
 in this current. Our only chance is to run between them." 
 
 Martyn had jammed the helm down as Miller spoke. 
 
 "Keep it there," Martyn said to the helmsman, and sprang 
 to the bulwark to look out himself. "That is enough," he 
 said; "straighten her now, just as she is. You con her from 
 the other side, Miller." 
 
 All on board saw the two vessels now. By their height and 
 bulk they were evidently large frigates or men-of-war. They 
 were not fifty yards away, and were about the same distance 
 apart. Martyn pulled off his jacket and threw it over the 
 binnacle, as its light would have been at once noticed by any- 
 one looking down from the lofty hulls. Noiselessly the 
 schooner passed into the gap between the ships; not the 
 slightest sound was heard from her decks. The two officers 
 looked anxiously up at the sails, for had one of these flapped, 
 or a block rattled, the sleepiest look-out must have noticed 
 it. The silence on the decks of the Turkish ships was as 
 
ALL ENDS WELL 395 
 
 profound as that on the schooner. Rapidly the latter slid 
 between them, the current taking her along faster than the 
 wind. A minute more and she was beyond them; still no 
 hail was heard. Another minute and they loomed dark and 
 indistinct behind her. 
 
 "Thank God for that!" Miller said in a whisper as he 
 crossed the deck to Martyn. 
 
 "Yes, indeed; it was touch and go. I expect they have 
 only an anchor watch. Most likely they are asleep; they 
 would know that nothing could come up the straits with this 
 light breeze. I think, Miller, those are the two eighty-gun 
 ships we noticed as we came up. They were moored a good 
 bit outside the others; in which case we have a clear course 
 before us." 
 
 " Yes; I have no doubt those are the two," Miller agreed. 
 
 "Now we have only the forts; they are about a quarter of a 
 mile further down. Go forward, please, and tell the men not 
 to move till they get orders." 
 
 Another quarter of an hour passed, and Martyn felt sure 
 that they were now well beyond the forts. For a few minutes 
 longer he held on, and then passed the word along the deck 
 that the danger was over. Now that they knew their exact 
 position there was no longer any occasion for sounding. The 
 men in the boat were called up, and the watch off duty ordered 
 below, and when morning broke the land was far behind them. 
 A brisk wind had sprung up from the south-east, and the 
 vessel was just able to lay her course for Athens. 
 
 The doctor had remained below during their passage through 
 the straits. 
 
 " I should only have been in the way if I had been on deck," 
 he said when Horace chaffed him for taking matters so easily. 
 "When a man can do no good, it is always better for him to 
 get out of the way; and after all there is no great pleasure in 
 standing for hours afraid to move, and without any duty to 
 perform; so I just chatted for a bit with your father, and 
 directly I saw the sleeping draught I had given him was 
 
396 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 beginning to take effect I turned in myself, and had as com- 
 fortable a sleep as ever I had in my life. After sleeping on 
 sofas for three weeks, in that heathen sort of way, it was a 
 comfort to get between sheets again." 
 
 "Well, but you went to bed the night before, doctor?" 
 "That was so," the doctor agreed. "But a good thing is 
 just as good the second time as it is the first — better, perhaps. 
 The first time the novelty of a thing prevents you altogether 
 enjoying it. I knew very well that if we ran into any of the 
 Turkish ships, or the forts opened fire at us, I was like to hear 
 it plainly enough." 
 
 "And would you have lain there then, doctor? " 
 "No, lad. I would have had my duties to perform; and I 
 would have dressed and gone into the main deck at once, with 
 my instruments ready to do anything I could for those that 
 required it." 
 
 "Have you seen my father this morning, doctor? " 
 "Yes; and I am glad to say that he is all the better for his 
 two nights' sleep. His pulse is stronger, and I shall get him 
 up here after breakfast. The news that we were fairly out to 
 sea, and that all danger was over, was better for him than any 
 medicine. Well, lad, we did not think eight-and-forty hours 
 ago that we would be racing down the /Egean again, on board 
 the Misericordia, by this time. We have had a wonderful 
 escape of it altogether, and I would not like to go through it 
 again for enough money to set me up for life in Scotland. 
 When we were on board that Turkish brig, on our way to 
 Constantinople, I would not have given a bawbee for our 
 chances." 
 
 When they arrived at Athens the Greek sailors who had per- 
 sonated Turks were landed. Mr. Beveridge was unequal to 
 the exertion of going ashore; but day after day he was visited 
 by politicians, military leaders, and others. After a fortnight 
 spent there, Dr. Macfarlane said to him : 
 
 "It is no use, sir, my giving you medicines and trying to 
 build you up, if you are going on as you are now doing. 
 
ALL ENDS WELL 397 
 
 You are losing strength, man, instead of gaining it. Each 
 morning you seem a little better; each evening you are fagged 
 and worn out by these importunate beggars. I can see that it 
 worries and dispirits you. It is all very good to wish well to 
 Greece, Mr. Beveridge; but unless you have a desire to be 
 buried in Greek soil, the sooner you are out of this the better. 
 It is not so much change of air as change of thought that you 
 require. Go anywhere, so that it is to some place where you 
 will never hear the name of Greece." 
 
 " I think you are right, doctor. The worry and disappoint- 
 ment has, I know, been telling on me for months. Yes, I will 
 definitely decide to go away, at any rate for a time. Will you 
 ask Captain Martyn to come down? " 
 
 "Captain Martyn," he went on when the latter entered the 
 cabin, " the doctor tells me I must absolutely get away from 
 here." 
 
 "I am quite sure that he is right, sir. You have been grad- 
 ually wearing yourself out ever since you came here." 
 
 "I think we will go back to England in the first place, 
 Martyn. I have no doubt more bracing air will do me good. 
 Then we can see how events go on here." 
 
 " Yery well, sir. I think we shall be all heartily glad to be 
 on our way back." 
 
 "You had better go ashore at once, Martyn. Take Horace 
 with you, and go to my agents. You know they have always 
 kept the papers in readiness for a re-sale of the vessel back 
 to me. Go with them to the consulate and have the sale 
 formally registered. 1 will write a note for you to take to my 
 agent." 
 
 Ten minutes later the gig took Martyn and Horace ashore. 
 They returned four hours later. There was a little move of 
 excitement among the crew as they stepped on deck again, for 
 through the Greeks, who had heard the news from Mr. Bever- 
 idge, it had spread forward. On reaching the deck Martyn 
 went to the signal locker. "Now, Miller," he said, "down 
 with that flag." 
 
39<S IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 The Greek flag fluttered down from the peak, and as the 
 British ensign was run up in its place Martyn took off his cap 
 and shouted: "Three cheers for the old flag, lads!" and the 
 shout, given with all the strength of the lungs of officers and 
 crew, showed how hearty was the pleasure that was felt at the 
 change. As soon as the cheers had subsided orders were given 
 to get down the awnings and prepare to make sail. In a few 
 minutes the clank of the anchor chain was heard, and by the 
 evening the schooner was running down past the shores of the 
 Morea. 
 
 A month later they anchored in Portsmouth. Here half 
 the crew were paid off, and as during their absence from Eng- 
 land they had had but small opportunities of spending money, 
 they had nearly two years' pay coming to them, together with 
 ^30 a head, being their share of the prize-money. The re- 
 mainder of the crew also received their pay and prize-money 
 and two months' leave of absence. Mr. Beveridge and Horace 
 had had many discussions on the subject, and it had been 
 agreed that the Misericordia (now again, since she re-hoisted 
 the English flag, the Creole) should for a time be kept up as a 
 yacht, with a complement of two officers and twenty men. 
 Martyn, having been consulted, had chatted the matter over 
 with Miller and Tarleton. Although both these had enjoyed 
 their trip greatly, and had made a comfortable sum in pay and 
 prize-money, both preferred to return to the Royal Navy, if 
 they could do so, rather than remain in a yacht; and Mr. 
 Beveridge promised to use his influence as soon as he returned 
 to get them appointed to ships. This promise he was able to 
 fulfil a few weeks after his arrival at home. 
 
 For home cruising as a yacht, Martyn considered that Tom 
 Burdett would be sufficient for him. If she again went out to 
 Greece there would be no difficulty in obtaining other officers 
 and making up the crew to its full strength. Portsmouth had 
 been chosen instead of Plymouth as their point of arrival, 
 because from there Mr. Beveridge could much more easily get 
 up to town, Dr. Macfarlane insisting that he should go up to 
 obtain the best medical advice. 
 
ALL ENDS WELL 399 
 
 "But there is nothing the matter with me," Mr. Beveridge 
 had urged. 
 
 "That is just it, sir. If you had anything the matter with 
 you I might have a chance of curing it. It is because I can't 
 see any reason why you do not gain strength that I want other 
 opinion about you." 
 
 The doctor had frequently talked it over with Horace dur- 
 ing the voyage. 
 
 " I can see nothing bodily the matter with your father, Hor- 
 ace. I wish I could. There is nothing to account for his 
 being in this feeble state. All that he says is that he feels 
 tired. My opinion is that really this is a sort of reaction 
 after mental excitement, just as there is reaction after great 
 bodily fatigue. Your father has lived a smooth, easy, tranquil 
 life, and the change, the excitement, the worry, and his utter 
 disappointment with the Greeks themselves, have had the same 
 sort of effect upon him as a climb up to the top of Ben Nevis 
 might have on a man who did not stir out of his house for 
 months together. As for that being the cause I have no doubt 
 whatever. It is as to the cure that I want to consult with 
 some big-wig. I don't know whether quiet or movement 
 would be the best for him. He could have had no quiet more 
 complete than that he has had on the way home, and yet it 
 has done him no good. If he were to go down home the 
 inducement to arouse himself would be still less. But what 
 sort of change would really suit him is more than I can say." 
 
 Horace thoroughly agreed with the doctor. If even the 
 cheerful society on board the yacht did not rouse his father, 
 he dreaded what it would be when he was at home, with no 
 one to stir him up in any way. There were two or three con- 
 sultations in town with some of the leaders of the profession. 
 After hearing the whole circumstances they were unanimous 
 in agreeing that there seemed no serious disease of any kind, 
 but at the same time his condition gave cause of anxiety. 
 
 "Your patient is evidently a man of highly nervous organi- 
 zation, and at present his nerves are a wreck. We quite 
 
400 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 agree with you that were he to go down to a lonely house in 
 the country he would probably sink into the grave in a few 
 months at the outside. If you could get him to go in that yacht 
 of his on some expedition in which he feels what I may call a 
 healthy interest, it might do him good. I should say a cold 
 climate would be better for him than a warm one. He has 
 had more than enough of that enervating work in Greek waters. 
 Try and interest him in Polar expeditions. There have been 
 a great many of them just lately. Ross and Parry and Frank- 
 lin have all been trying their best to find the North-west 
 Passage, which is not likely to be of any good if they do find 
 it; but that is nothing to the point. Get him interested in 
 the matter, and let him go and poke about for a bit among the 
 icebergs. If you can get him to do that we see no reason 
 why in time his mind should not recover its tone." 
 
 The matter had to be done cautiously. Horace professed 
 a vast interest in the recent expeditions; the doctor was full 
 of interesting facts, and little by little they kindled an inter- 
 est on the subject in Mr. Beveridge's mind; and when Hor- 
 ace broke out one day, as if the idea had only just struck him, 
 "My dear father, why shouldn't we go up north in the yacht 
 for a few months and become explorers? It would be glorious 
 to see the icebergs and to shoot bears and seals, and would be 
 a splendid change for us all. I am sure you would find it 
 frightfully dull going back to Seaport," — he did not entirely 
 repudiate the idea, but said that he should not like to go away 
 when things were looking so dark for Greece. Fortunately, a 
 week later the news came that all the immense preparations 
 the Sultan had been making for an invasion of Greece with a 
 great army had been arrested by a tremendous fire, supposed 
 to be the work of the janissaries, who did not like the pros- 
 pect of leaving Constantinople. The fire had destroyed all 
 the vast stores collected, the artillery, baggage-trains, and 
 munitions of war of all kinds, and it was probable that at 
 least a year would pass before a fresh effort could be made. 
 
 This news evidently relieved Mr. Beveridge's mind, and 
 
ALL ENDS WELL 401 
 
 when Horace, backed by Macfarlane, returned to the charge, 
 he at once consented. Martyn was written to by Horace the 
 same day. He at once came up to town, and saw some of 
 the officers who had been out with Franklin and Parry. 
 Returning to Plymouth, where the Creole was lying, a body 
 of shipwrights were at once set to work to strengthen her by 
 a network of timber below, and to sheath her with thick plank- 
 ing outside. The captain of a whaler was engaged as first 
 officer. He was to come on board at Dundee, and to bring 
 with him twelve picked hands accustomed to the Polar Seas. 
 With great exertion the schooner was got ready in a month. 
 
 By this time the enthusiasm expressed by Horace and the 
 doctor in the matter had infected Mr. Beveridge, who read 
 up everything that had been written on the subject, and was 
 visibly very much better by the time they went down with him 
 to Portsmouth to join the Creole there. They were away from 
 England eighteen months. They made no discoveries of the 
 slightest importance, but they had numerous exciting advent- 
 ures, had many narrow escapes of being nipped by icebergs, 
 and passed a winter frozen up in Baffin's Bay. The voyage 
 achieved the object for which it was undertaken. The subject 
 of Greece was a forbidden one, and Mr. Beveridge came to 
 take a lively interest in the new scenes with which he was 
 surrounded, joined in the hunting parties, took a prominent 
 part in all the amusements got up for keeping the crew in 
 good spirits and health through the winter, and returned to 
 England a more healthy and vigorous man than Horace had 
 ever before seen him. The Creole had taken out with her 
 barrels and all other appurtenances for whaling, and having 
 been fairly successful in that way, returned with sufficient oil 
 and seal-skins to pay the greater part of her expenses. 
 
 " I feel another man, Horace, to what I was when I started," 
 Mr. Beveridge said as he stepped ashore at Plymouth. 
 
 "You look a different man, father — a different man al- 
 together to what you have been since I first remember you. 
 I don't suppose you have grown, but you are so much more 
 
402 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 upright that you look as if you had, and you walk differently, 
 and even your voice seems changed. Now, you know, you 
 must not go back again." 
 
 "I don't mean to, my boy. It seems to me that I have 
 thrown away twenty years of my life, and what there is remain- 
 ing to me shall be spent differently. Now we have got a long 
 arrear of news to get up." 
 
 Horace felt at first uneasy when his father obtained a com- 
 plete file of the newspapers from the time they had left Eng- 
 land, and read up the history of affairs in Greece. There was, 
 however, little to learn. Two civil wars had taken place, some 
 large loans had been raised in England, but had been entirely 
 frittered away and wasted; and when in June, 1824, the Turk- 
 ish fleet had at last sailed, the Greeks had been as unpre- 
 pared for resistance as they were when they first took up arms. 
 Kasos and Psara had both been captured and their inhabitants 
 either massacred or carried away into slavery, while the sailors 
 of Hydra and Spetzas had not moved a hand to succour their 
 countrymen. 
 
 Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt had sent an army to Greece, and 
 had besieged Navarino and Pylos. The Greek army had 
 advanced to relieve them, but being attacked by half their 
 number of Egyptian troops were routed without the least 
 difficulty at Krommydi. They were beaten again at Sphak- 
 teria, and Pylos and Navarino were forced to surrender; the 
 Egyptians observing faithfully the terms they granted, and 
 allowing the garrisons to depart in neutral ships. Dikaios 
 was defeated and killed at Maniaki, having been deserted by 
 all his troops but fifteen hundred. These fought splendidly 
 although attacked by six thousand men. A thousand of them 
 died on the field after having killed four hundred of their 
 assailants. This was by far the most gallant affair throughout 
 the war. Kolokotronis assembled ten thousand men, but was 
 defeated with the greatest ease with the loss of over two hun- 
 dred men, most of whom were killed in their flight. 
 
 When the Creole returned to England the siege of Misso- 
 
ALL ENDS WELL 403 
 
 longhi had begun. Reshid Pasha's army, ten thousand strong, 
 sat down before it. It was defended with extreme gallantry 
 and resisted for many months, while the rest of Greece did 
 little to assist it. After six months' siege Reshid retired, 
 being straitened for provisions and suffering from the vigorous 
 sorties of the besieged; but in a short time Ibrahim arrived 
 with his army and again besieged the place; throwing up 
 formidable batteries and works against it. Several times terms 
 were offered to the garrison, but were contemptuously refused, 
 and several attacks were beaten off with great loss. At last 
 the provisions were absolutely exhausted. 
 
 The brave defenders of the town resolved upon a step almost 
 unexampled in history, namely, that the whole of the men 
 should sally out, placing the women and children in their 
 centre, and cut their way through the enemy. There were still 
 nine thousand persons in the town, of whom only three thou- 
 sand were men capable of bearing arms, two thousand men, 
 women, and children were too weak from starvation and dis- 
 ease to join the movement; the rest were divided into three 
 divisions. Most of the women dressed themselves in men's 
 clothing and carried arms, and even the children had loaded 
 pistols. Unfortunately the Turks had been informed by a 
 deserter that the attempt was about to be made. 
 
 The three divisions, in spite of the opposition of the Turks, 
 attacked with such fury that they made their way through the 
 lines of the enemy; but the people of Missolonghi itself, who 
 were to form the fourth division and follow the others, were 
 seized with a panic and fell back into the town. Had the 
 Greeks outside fulfilled their promise, and moved forward a 
 body of troops stationed a short distance away to receive the 
 defenders of the place when they reached the open country, all 
 the rest would have been saved; but instead of the fifteen 
 hundred who were to have met them, but fifty were there. 
 The Turkish cavalry and the Albanians harassed and cut them 
 up, and even those who gained the shelter of the hills received 
 no assistance from the irregulars, and many perished from 
 
404 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 hunger and disease, and finally only fifteen hundred escaped. 
 The soldiers left behind in Missolonghi either by wounds or 
 sickness intrenched themselves in stone buildings, and there 
 defended themselves till the last, blowing up the magazines 
 and dying in the ruins when they could no longer hold out. 
 Four thousand Greeks were killed, three thousand were taken 
 prisoners, chiefly women and children, and two thousand alto- 
 gether escaped. The Acropolis of Athens resisted stoutly for 
 a long time, but at last fell. The Greeks were defeated in 
 almost every action upon which they entered, and affairs went 
 from bad to worse, until the European governments at last 
 determined to interfere; and their united fleets destroyed that 
 of the Turks at the battle of Navarino, and forced Turkey to 
 grant the independence of Greece. 
 
 As these events happened Mr. Beveridge followed their 
 course with interest, but it was only with the interest shown 
 by Englishmen in general. His personal feeling in the matter 
 had entirely left him. During the last four years of the strug- 
 gle there was no sign whatever that misfortune and disaster 
 had had any effect in inducing the Greeks to lay aside their 
 personal jealousies and ambitions, or to make any common 
 effort against the enemy. The large sums they had received 
 from the loans raised for the most part in England were spent 
 in the most unworthy uses. They covered their uniforms 
 with gold lace, and the dress of the men on foot often cost 
 fifty pounds; those of horsemen ten times that amount. They 
 affected all through to despise the Turks, and yet, except the 
 fifteen hundred men under Dikaios and the defenders of 
 Missolonghi, they never once opposed anything like an obsti- 
 nate resistance to them, and the last show of resistance was 
 almost crushed out when the intervention of Europe saved 
 them. 
 
 The Creole had been laid up after her return from the 
 Arctic Seas. Mr. Beveridge had purchased a large share in a 
 fine East Indiaman, making the proviso that Martyn should 
 be appointed to the command, he himself buying a share in 
 
ALL ENDS WELL 405 
 
 her with the money he had earned during the four years' ser- 
 vice on board the schooner. Mr. Beveridge had, to the 
 immense satisfaction of his aunt, Mrs. Fordyce, entirely aban- 
 doned the study of Greek, devoted himself to the affairs of 
 his estate, became an active magistrate, and had, three years 
 after his return, stood for Parliament as member for the 
 county, and had won the seat. Horace was twenty when they 
 returned from the north. He had a long talk with his father 
 as to his future prospects and career. He was too old now 
 to take up the thread of his studies again or to go to the uni- 
 versity, and he finally determined, at the advice of his father, 
 to study for the bar. 
 
 "You will never have any occasion to practise, Horace, but 
 a few months every year in London will make a pleasant 
 change for you; and as you may look to be a county magis- 
 trate some day you will find a knowledge of the law very useful 
 to you. You will be in London five or six months every year, 
 then you will have your shooting and hunting in the winter, 
 and we will have two or three months' cruise together in the 
 Creole. I find that our expedition in Greece cost me, one 
 way and another, just fifteen thousand pounds, which is a good 
 deal less than I should have thrown away if it had not been 
 for your advice. I hear that it is likely that Sir James Hob- 
 house's estate will be in the market before long, and I think, 
 as it almost adjoins ours, I shall buy it. I fancy that I shall 
 get it for about thirty thousand pounds. That I should settle 
 on you at once. I am not fifty yet, and feel that I have more 
 life in me than I ever had, and I don't want you to be wait- 
 ing another twenty or thirty years to step into my shoes. Its 
 management will be an occupation for you, and then you can 
 marry whenever you feel inclined." 
 
 This happened four years later; it arose out of a meeting at 
 a dinner party in London. Horace had taken down a very 
 pretty girl to whom he had just been introduced. He thought 
 that she looked at him rather curiously when his name was 
 mentioned. They chatted on all sorts of subjects during 
 dinner, and when the ladies arose to go she said: "Please 
 
406 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 find me out when you come upstairs. I have a question I par- 
 ticularly want to ask you, but I could not very well do it here. 
 Please do not forget, for it is important." A good deal 
 puzzled Horace made his way upstairs as soon as he could and 
 saw that the girl was with another lady sitting in a quiet cor- 
 ner of the drawing-room. He crossed to them at once. 
 "Mother," the young lady said, "this is Mr. Beveridge." 
 
 "You are right, Ada," the lady said, rising and holding out 
 her hand, "I recognize him at once now I see him. Oh, Mr. 
 Beveridge, you do not know how we have longed to see you 
 again, and you don't know us, do you? " 
 
 "No, I can't say that I do, madam," Horace replied, more 
 and more astonished. 
 
 " I am the lady you saved from being sold as a slave at 
 Algiers when you captured the ship we were in off the coast 
 of Asia Minor. This is my daughter. No wonder you don't 
 remember us for I was a strange-looking creature in that Greek 
 dress, and Ada was but a child." 
 
 "I remember you now, Mrs. Herbert," Horace exclaimed. 
 " I ought to have done so before, as we were four or five days 
 on board together." 
 
 "You must have thought us so ungrateful," Mrs. Herbert 
 said; "but we were not so; we never knew where to write to 
 when you were out in Greece. Then two or three years after- 
 wards we heard from someone who had been out there that 
 you had returned, and my husband, who left Smyrna and came 
 back to England after we got back, made all sorts of inquiries, 
 and found out at last that you had gone away again on an 
 Arctic expedition. Then he went out to Malta, where we 
 have been living for the last three years, and only returned a 
 month ago to England. My husband had to return to Smyrna; 
 he had large business connections there that could not be 
 broken off suddenly. Nothing could induce me ever to return 
 there, but it was an easy run for him to Malta, and he was 
 able to come and stay with us for a week or so every two or 
 three months. For the last year he was training the son of 
 the senior partner of the house to take his place at Smyrna, and 
 
ALL ENDS WELL 407 
 
 he himself has now come back altogether, as Mr. Hamblyn has 
 now retired, and he is the head of the firm. He is not here 
 to-night, but will be delighted to hear that we have found you. " 
 
 "We have been back three years," Horace said. 
 
 " Of course we did not know that you were in England. It 
 has been a great grief to us. It seemed so extraordinary that 
 after being saved by you from the most awful of all fates you 
 should have disappeared out of our life as suddenly as you 
 came into it. Of course it was not much to you — you who 
 saved so many hundreds, we heard afterwards thousands of 
 women and girls from slavery; but to us it was everything. 
 And your father, Mr. Beveridge, is he quite well?" 
 
 "Yes, he is far better than I have ever known him to be. 
 I am going down next week to help him; he is going to stand 
 for our part of the county for Parliament. There is a vacancy 
 there, and I fancy that he has a very good chance." 
 
 "Is he, indeed? He did not give me the idea of being a 
 man who would have cared for that sort of thing. Of course 
 we only saw him just for those four days." 
 
 " I am happy to say that he has changed very much since 
 then. He came home very ill from Greece, but our eighteen 
 months among the ice entirely set him up and made a new 
 man of him. I am sure he will be very pleased when he hears 
 that I have met you. And did you recognize me at once, 
 Miss Herbert? " 
 
 "The name helped me," the girl said. "When I heard it I 
 felt sure it was you at once. It was very hard work sitting 
 there talking to you as if you were a stranger." 
 
 " Why did you not tell me at once ? " Horace asked smiling. 
 
 She did not answer, but her mother said for her : " You can't 
 tell how we felt about you and your father, Mr. Beveridge, or 
 you would not ask the question. The chances are that if Ada 
 had told you who she was she would have burst out crying. 
 She told me it was as much as she could do to restrain herself; 
 and I think we have both had a quiet cry in this corner since 
 we came upstairs. Now, please give me your address in town? " 
 
408 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 "I have chambers in Mitre Court Temple, No. 3." 
 
 "My husband will call to see you the first thing in the 
 morning, I am sure. Mr. Beveridge and you must dine with 
 us quietly to-morrow, so that we can talk it all over. You are 
 not, I hope, engaged." 
 
 Horace was not engaged, but if he had been he would 
 probably have thrown it over. 
 
 Under these circumstances it was not very much to wonder 
 at that a few months later the Morning Post contained this 
 announcement : — " We understand that a marriage has been 
 arranged between Mr. Horace Beveridge, the son of Mr. H. 
 Beveridge, M.P., and Ada, only child of Mr. Herbert, of 
 Bedford Square, the head of the firm of Herbert & Sandeson, 
 the well-known firm of Levant merchants. We understand 
 the acquaintance of Mr. Beveridge with the young lady he is 
 now about to lead to the altar commenced under singularly 
 romantic circumstances in the Levant six years ago." 
 
 On the day after their marriage Horace and his wife sailed 
 to spend their honeymoon among the fiords of Norway and in 
 the Baltic on board the Creole. She was commanded by 
 Miller, whose ship had been paid off a month previously, and 
 Tarleton, whose frigate belonged to the Channel squadron, 
 obtained three months' leave to sail in her as first officer. 
 Macfarlane was with them for a fortnight, not being able to 
 get away for a longer time from the practice in which he had 
 purchased a partnership at Plymouth. Tom Burdett went, of 
 course, in his old capacity; but this was his last trip in her 
 though he long remained the commander of the Surf, which 
 was always kept in commission at Seaport, and in which 
 Horace's boys and girls learned to love the sea as much as did 
 their father. 
 
 THE END 
 
gOOKS FOR 
 
 Young People 
 
 BY CAPT. F. S. BRERETON 
 
 THE DRAGON OF PEKIN 
 
 A Story of the Boxer Revolt. Illustrated, 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 In this timely volume the author has been singularly successful in 
 depicting the stirring scenes of the late trouble In China. His hero has 
 an adventurous part in the exciting issue between China and the Allied 
 Powers. 
 
 A GALLANT GRENADIER 
 
 A Tale of the Crimean War. Illustrated, 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 Captain Brereton is now hailed as another " George A. Henty." In 
 this stirring story the history and the real atmosphere of this impor- 
 tant war is strikingly conveyed in a story of really thrilling power. 
 
 WITH RIFLE AND BAYONET 
 
 A Story of the Boer War. Illustrations by Wal. Paget. 
 Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 Jack Somerten is the first Uitlander to find actual evidence that the 
 Boers are importing arms and ammunition in large quantities, but the 
 Boers soon learn that he lias discovered their secret and from that time 
 his life is in constant danger. The account of his adventures and 
 escapes during this time and throughout the war makes one of the 
 best war tales of many years. 
 
 IN THE KING'S SERVICE 
 
 A Tale of Cromwell's Invasion of Ireland. Illustrations by 
 Stanley L. Wood. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 When the Parlirnentary army crosses to Ireland young Dick Gran- 
 ville and his cousin join a body of Royalist horse. They take part in 
 the defense of Drogheda, only escaping from the slaughter there by a 
 miracle, and afterwards go through a series of thrilling adventures and 
 narrow escapes. 
 
 WITH SHIELD AND ASSEGAI 
 
 A Tale of the Zulu War. With G Illustrations by Stanley 
 L. Wood. Crown bvo, $1.25. 
 
 Donald Stewart, at school in England, is wrongfully accused of theft. 
 He runs awav, enlists in the British army, and is sent to Africa. There 
 he learns that his sister anil a friend are in the hands of Cetewayo. 
 Disguised as a Zulu, he rescues, the two girls; and after the attack 
 upon rjlundi, he hears from a dying ollicer a confession of the theft of 
 which In' « :is accused. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BY ROBERT LEIGHTON 
 
 "Mr. Leighton's place is in the front rank of writers of beys' books." 
 
 — Standard. 
 
 THE GOLDEN GALLEON 
 
 Illustrated, crow n 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 This is a story of Queen Elizabeth's time, just after the defeat of the 
 Spanish Armada. Mr. Leighton introduces in his work the great sea- 
 fighters of Plymouth town — Hawkins, Drake, Raleigh, and Richard 
 Grenville. 
 
 OLAF THE GLORIOUS 
 
 With 8 full-page Illustrations by Ralph Peacock. Crown 8vo, 
 olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 This story of Olaf, King of Norway, opens with his being found living 
 as a bond-slave in Esthonia, and follows him through his romantic 
 youth in Russia. Then come his adventures as a Viking, his raids upon 
 the coasts of Scotland and England, and his conversion to Christianity. 
 He returns to Norway as king, and converts his people to the Christian 
 faith. 
 
 WRECK OF "THE GOLDEN FLEECE" 
 
 The Story of a North Sea Fisher-boy. With 8 full-page Illustra- 
 tions by Frank Brangwyn. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The hero is a parson's son who is apprenticed on board a Lowestoft 
 fishing lugger. The lad suffers many buffets from his shipmates, while 
 the storms and dangers which he braved are set forth with intense power. 
 
 THE THIRSTY SWORD 
 
 A Story of the Norse Invasion of Scotland (1262-63). With 
 8 full-page Illust ations by Alfred Pearse, and a Map. 
 Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 This story tells how Roderick Mac Alpin, the sea-rover, came to the 
 Isle of Bute; how he slew his brother in Rothesay Castle; how the earl's 
 eldest son was likewise slain; how young Kennc now became king of 
 Bute, and vowed vengeance against the slayer of his brother and father, 
 and finally, how this vow was kept, when Kenric and the murderous 
 6ea-rover met at midnight and ended their feud in one last great fight. 
 
 THE PILOTS OF POMONA 
 
 A Story of the Orkney Islarjds. With 8 full-page Illustrations 
 by John Leighton, and a Map. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, 
 $1.50. 
 
 Halcro Ericson, the hero, happens upon many exciting adventures 
 and hardy experiences, through which he carries himself with quiet 
 courage. The story gives a vivid presentation of life in these far 
 northern islands. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 AN ANIMAL ABC 
 
 A Humorous Alphabet. By H. B. Netlson. 4to, $1.00. With 
 24 pages of Illustrations in two colors and 24 pages in 
 black and white. Verses by "The Cockiolly Bird." 
 
 A remarkably attractive collection of spirited and original animal 
 pictures by an artist who excels in this line. 
 
 ROUNDABOUT RHYMES 
 
 Written and pictured by Mrs. Percy Dearmer. Beautifully 
 printed. With 20 full-page plates in colors. Small 4to, 
 $1.00. 
 
 This book is unusually attractive in form, and is admirably suited 
 to the youngest readers. The pictures, together with the delightful 
 series of half playful rhymes accompanying them, have a quaint nur- 
 sery air that will render them particularly dear to a child's heart. 
 
 THE LITTLE BROWNS 
 
 By Mabel E. Wolton. With 80 Illustrations by II. M. 
 Brock, and a Colored Frontispiece. Square Svo, gilt edges, 
 $2.00. 
 
 The Little Browns are a delightful set of youngsters, more than 
 usually individual and self-reliant. During their parents' absence they 
 extend hospitality to a stranger, under the belief that he is their uncle 
 from Australia. The supposed uncle is really a burglar, and by their 
 courage and childish resources they outwit him. The Little Browns is 
 the work of a true child-lover. 
 
 BY CARTON MOORE PARK 
 
 A BOOK OF BIRDS 
 
 Profusely Illustrated with full-page plates, vignettes, cover 
 design, etc., etc. Demy 4to (13 inches by 10 inches), $2.00. 
 
 No artist has caught more thoroughly the individualities of the bird 
 world, or has reproduced them with more lifelike vivacity and charm. 
 
 AN ALPHABET OF ANIMALS 
 
 With 20 full-page Plates, a large number of vignettes, and 
 cover design jy Carton Moohe Park. Demy 4to /V S 
 inches by 10 inches), $2.00. 
 
 A strikingly artistic alphabet book, Mr. Park"s drawings are marked 
 by extraordinary boldness and vi^or of treatment ; but they display in 
 addition a rare appreciation of the subtler characteristics of the animal 
 world. Of these individual traits Mr. Park has an intuitive perception, 
 and his pictures may almost, be said to live upon the pac;e. 
 
BOOKS FOR TOUXG PEOPLE 
 
 GOOD BOOKS FOR GIRLS 
 
 BY ETHEL F. HEDDLE 
 
 A MYSTERY OF ST. RULES 
 
 $1.50. 
 
 An absorbing novel for girls, the action of which revolves round the 
 mystery of a stolen diamond, but is full of delightful character 
 sketches, and the background of the gray old city is charmingly filled 
 in. The mystery is well maintained, and the love interest is strong 
 to the end. 
 
 AN ORIGINAL GIRL 
 
 Illustrated. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 A tale of London and English country life. The author is a favorite 
 writer for girls, whose previous books have been unusually popular. 
 
 THINGS WILL TAKE A TURN 
 
 By Beatrice Harradkn, Author of "Ships that Pass in the 
 Night." Illustrated. 12mo, $1.00. 
 
 It is the story of a sunny-hearted child, Rosebud, who assists her 
 grandfather iu his dusty, second-hand bookshop. 
 
 LAUGH AND LEARN 
 
 The Easiest Book of Nursery Lessons and Nursery Games. By 
 Jennett Humphreys. Charmingly Illustrated. Square 
 
 8vo, $1.25. 
 
 "One of the best books of the kind imaginable, full of practical 
 teachings in word and picture, and helping the little ones pleasantly 
 along a right royal road to learning." — Graphic. 
 
 ADVENTURES IN TOYLAND 
 
 By Edith King Hall. With 8 Colored Plates and 72 other 
 Illustrations by Alice B. Woodward. Square 8vo, $2.00. 
 
 The story of what a little girl heard and saw in a toy shop. 
 
 NELL'S SCHOOL DAYS 
 
 A Story of Town and Country. By H. P. Gethen. With 4 
 Illustrations, $1.00. 
 
 VIOLET VEREKER'S VANITY 
 
 By Anntk E. Armstrong. With 6 Illustrations by G. D. Ham- 
 mond. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 GOOD BOOKS FOR GIRLS 
 
 THREE FAIR MAIDS 
 
 Or, The Burkes of Derrymore. By Katharine Tynan. With 
 12 Illustrations by G. D. Hammond. Crown 8vo, olivine 
 edges, $1.50. 
 
 A story of Irish country life. The three fair maids are the daughters 
 of an impoverished Irish lady. Sir Jasper's disinheritance of their 
 father obliged them to give up their great house, but the family 
 is ultimately reconciled with Uncle Peter, who makes Elizabeth his 
 heiress. 
 
 THREE BRIGHT GIRLS 
 
 A Story of Chance and Mischance. By Annie E. Armstrong. 
 
 With 6 full-page Illustrations by W. Parkinson. Crown 
 
 8vo, $1.25. 
 "Among many good stories for girls this is undoubtedly one of the 
 very best." — Teacheri? Aid. 
 
 A NEWNHAM FRIENDSHIP 
 
 By Alice Stronach. With 6 Illustrations by Harold Copping. 
 Crown bvo, $1.25. 
 
 A description of life at Newnham College. Men students play their 
 part in the story, and the closing chapters describe the work of some 
 of t"_ie girls as " social settlers " in the east of London. 
 
 THE LADY ISOBEL 
 
 A Story for Girls. By Eliza F. Pollard. With 4 Illustra- 
 tions by W. Fulton Brown. 12mo, $1.00. 
 
 A Tale of the Scottish Covenanters. 
 
 A GIRL OF TO-DAY 
 
 By Ellinor Davenport Adams. With 6 page Illustrations by 
 Gertrude Demain Hammond, K.I. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 
 
 The boys and a;irls of Woodend band themselves together, and that 
 the}' have plenty of fun is seen in the shopping expedition to purchase 
 stores for their society, and in the successful Christmas entertainment. 
 Max Brenton's fight with Joe Baker, the bully, shows that their work 
 has its serious side as well. 
 
 CYNTHIA'S BONNET SHOP 
 
 By Rosa Miliiolland (Lady Gilbert), With 8 Illustrations by 
 C. D. Hammond, R.I. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 Cynthia, one of three charming, lively sisters of an impoverished 
 Connaught family, desires to make money for the sake of her delicate 
 mother. If she had only capital she would open a millinery establish- 
 ment, in London. The capital is mysteriously supplied, and the secret 
 of the unknown benefactor is kept to the end. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BY DR. GORDON STABLES 
 
 COURAGE TRUE HEART 
 
 A Brilliant New Story of Danger and Daring on the Sea. By 
 Gordon Stables, M.D., CM. Illustrated, crown 8vo, 
 
 $1.25. 
 
 A NAVAL CADET 
 
 A Story of Adventure by Sea. By Gordon Stables, M.D., 
 CM. Illustrated, crown 8vo, $1.25. 
 
 FOR LIFE AND LIBERTY 
 
 A Story of Battle by Land and Sea. By Gordon Stables, 
 M.D., CM. With 8 full-page Illustrations by Sidney 
 Paget. 12 mo, $1.50. 
 
 The story of an English boy who runs from home and joins the South- 
 ern army in the late Civil War. His chum enters the navy, and their 
 various adventures are set forth with great vigor and interest. 
 
 TO GREENLAND AND THE POLE 
 
 A Story of Adventure in the Arctic Regions. By Gordon 
 Stables, M.D., CM. With 8 full page Illustrations by 
 G. C IIindley, and a map. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, 
 $1.50. 
 
 The author is himself an old Arctic voyager, and he deals with deer- 
 hunting in Norway, sealing in the Arctic Seas, bear-stalkiug on the 
 ice-floes, the hardships of a journey across Greenland, and a successful 
 voyage to the back of the North Pole. 
 
 WESTWARD WITH COLUMBUS 
 
 By Gordon Stables, M.D., CM. With 8 full -page Illustra- 
 tions by Alfred Pearse. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The hero of this story is Columbus himself. His career is traced 
 from boyhood onward through the many hazardous enterprises in which 
 he was at various times engaged. The narrative deals chiefly, however, 
 with the great naval venture which resulted iu the discovery of the 
 American continent. 
 
 TWIXT SCHOOL AND COLLEGE 
 
 A Tale of Self-reliance. By Gordon Stables, M.D., CM. 
 With 8 full-page Illustrations by W. Parkinson. Crown 
 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
BOOKS FOE TOUNO PEOPLE 
 
 IN THE DICTATOR'S GRIP 
 
 By John Samson. Illustrated. 12mo, $1.25 
 
 A vigorous and telling story of an Englishman's adventures in the 
 Pampas and Paraguay. 
 
 JONES THE MYSTERIOUS 
 
 By Charles Edwardes. "With 3 Illustrations by Harold 
 Copping. l'2mo, 75 cts. 
 
 A bright story of English schoolboy life, with mysterious happenings 
 to the hero, who has a secret and weird '•power," bestowed upon him 
 by his East Indian bearer. 
 
 THE HISTORY OF GUTTA-PERCHA 
 WILLIE 
 
 The Working Genius. By George Macdonald. With 8 Illus- 
 trations by Arthur Hughes. 2\ew Edition, l^mo, 75 cts. 
 
 WYNPORT COLLEGE 
 
 A Story of School Life. By Frederick Harrison. With 8 
 Illustrations by Harold Copping. Crown 8vo, $1.50. 
 
 The hero and his chums differ as widely in character as in personal 
 appearance. We have Patrick O'Fflahertie, the good-natured Irish 
 boy ; Jack Brookes, the irrepressible humorist ; Davie Jackson, the 
 true-hearted little lad ou whose haps and mishaps the plot to a great 
 extent turns : and the hero himself. 
 
 THE ROVER'S SECRET 
 
 A Tale of the Pirate Cays anil Lagoons of Cuba. By Harry 
 Collingwood. With 6 full-page Illustrations by W. C. 
 Symons. Crown Svo, $1.UU. 
 
 The hero of "The Rover's Secret," a young officer of the British 
 navy, narrates his peculiar experiences in childhood and his subsequent 
 perils and achivements. 
 
 THE PIRATE ISLAND 
 
 A Story of the South Pacific. By Harry Collingwood. 
 Illustrated by 8 full-page Pictures by C. J. Staniland and 
 J.R.WELLS. Olivine edges. Crown 8vo, $1.50. 
 
 This story details the adventures of a lad who was found in his in- 
 fancy on hoard a wreck, and is adopted by a fisherman. Going to sea, 
 he forme one of a party who, after being burned out of their ship, 
 are picked up by a pirate brig and taken to the ''Pirate Island," where 
 they have many thrilling adventures. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN 
 
 DICK O' THE FENS 
 
 A Romance of the Great East Swamp. With 12 full page 
 Illustrations by Frank Dadd. Crown 8vo, $1.50. 
 
 BROWNSMITH'S BOY 
 
 With 6 page Illustrations. Crown, 8vo, $1.00. 
 
 YUSSUF THE GUIDE 
 
 Being the Strange Story of Travels in Asia Minor. With 8 full- 
 page Illustrations. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 
 
 THE GOLDEN MAGNET 
 
 A Tale of the Land of the Incas. With 12 full-page pictures by 
 Gordon Browne. Crown 8vo, $1.50. 
 
 NAT THE NATURALIST 
 
 A Boy's Adventures in the Eastern Seas. Illustrated by 8 full- 
 pace Pictures by George Browne. Crown, 8vo, olivine 
 edges, $1.50. 
 
 QUICKSILVER 
 
 Or, A Boy with no Skid to his Wheel. With 10 full-page Illus- 
 trations by Frank Dadd. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 
 
 DEVON BOYS 
 
 A Tale of the North Shore. With 12 full-page Illustrations by 
 Gordon Browne. Crown 8vo, $1.50. 
 
 MOTHER CAREY'S CHICKEN 
 
 Her Voyage to the Unknown Isle. With 8 full page Illustra- 
 tions. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 
 
 BUNYIP LAND 
 
 The Story of a Wild Journey in New Guinea. With 6 full-page 
 Illustrations by Gordon Browne. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 
 
 IN THE KING'S NAME 
 
 Or, The Cruise of the Kestrel. Illustrated by 12 full-page Pic- 
 tures by Gordon Browne. Crown 8vo, $1.50. 
 
 MENHARDOC 
 
 A Story of Cornish Nets and Mines. With 6 full-page Illustra- 
 tions by C. J. Staniland. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 
 
 PATIENCE WINS 
 
 Or, War in the Works. With 6 full-page Illustrations. Crown 
 8vo, $1.00. 
 
"Wherever English is spoken one imagines that Mr. Henty's 
 name is known. One cannot enter a schoolroom or look, at a 
 boy's bookshelf without seeing half-a-dozen of his familiar 
 volumes. Mr. Kenty is no doubt the most successful writer 
 for boys, and the one to whose new volumes they look forward 
 every Christmas with most pleasure." — Review of Reviews. 
 
 A LIST OF BOOKS 
 FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 ...By... 
 
 G. A. HENTY 
 
 ^£l 
 
 Published by 
 
 CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 
 
 153 to 157 Fifth Avenue J> <* New York 
 
 and by 
 
 BLACKIE & SON, Limited, GLASGOW 
 
THIS YEAR'S BOOKS 
 
 . . . »y . .. 
 G. A. HENTY. 
 
 5$r % % 
 
 " Among writers of stories of adventures for boys Mr. Henty 
 stands in the very first rank." — Academy (London). 
 
 THE TREASURE OF THE INCAS 
 
 A Tale of Adventure in Peru. With 8 full-page Illustrations by 
 Wal Paget, and Map. $1.20 net. 
 
 Peru and the hidden treasures of her ancient kings offer Mr. Henty 
 a most fertile field for a stirring story of adventure in his most engag- 
 ing style. In an effort to win the girl of his heart, the hero penetrates 
 into the wilds of the land of the Incas. Boys who have learned to 
 look for Mr. Henty's books will follow his new hero in his adventurous 
 and romantic expedition, with absorbing interest. It is one of the most 
 captivating tales Mr. Henty has yet written. 
 
 WITH KITCHENER IN THE SOUDAN 
 
 A Story of Atbara and Omdurman. With 10 full-page Illustra- 
 tions. $1.20 net. 
 
 Mr. Henty has never combined history and thrilling adventure more 
 skillfully than in this extremely interesting story. It is not in boy 
 nature to lay it aside unfinished, once begun ; and finished, the reader 
 finds himself in possession, not only of the facts and the true atmos- 
 phere of Kitchener's famous Soudan campaign, but of the Gordon 
 tragedy which preceded it by so many years and of which it was the 
 outcome. 
 
 WITH THE BRITISH LEGION 
 
 A Story of the Carlist Uprising of 1836. Illustrated. $1.20 net. 
 
 Arthur Hallct, a young English boy, finds himself in difficulty at 
 liome, through certain harmless school escapades, and enlists in the 
 famous "British Legion," which was then embarking for Spain to take 
 part in the campaign to repress the Carlist uprising of 1836. Arthur 
 shows bis mettle in the first fight, distinguishes himi-elf by daring work 
 in carrying an important dispatch to Madrid, makes a dashing and 
 thrilling rescue of the sister of his patron and is rapidly promoted to 
 the rank of captain. In following the adventures of the hero, the 
 reader obtains, as is usual with Mr. Henty's stories, a most accurate 
 and interesting history of a picturesque campaign. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 STORIES BY Q. A. HENTY 
 
 " His books have at once the solidity of history and the charm of 
 romance. ''-Journal of Education. 
 
 TO HERAT AND CABUL 
 
 A Story of the First Afghan War. By G. A. Henty. With 
 Illustrations. 12mo, $1.20 net. 
 
 The greatest defeat ever experienced by the British Army was that 
 in the Mountain Passes of Afghanistan. Angus Cameron, the hero of 
 this book, having been captured by the friendly Afghans, was com- 
 pelled to be a witness of the calamity. His whole story is an intensely 
 interesting one, from his boyhood in Persia; his employment under the 
 Government at Herat; through the defense of that town against the 
 Persians; to Cabul, where he shared in all the events which ended in 
 the awful march through the Pa?ses from which but one man escaped. 
 Angus is always at the point of danger, and whether in battle or in 
 hazardous expeditions shows how much a brave youth, full of 
 resources, can do, even with so treacherous a foe. His dangers and 
 adventures are thrilling, and his escapes marvellous. 
 
 WITH ROBERTS TO PRETORIA 
 
 A Tale of the South African War. By G. A Henty. With 12 
 Illustrations. $1.20 net. 
 
 The Boer War gives Mr. Henty an unexcelled opportunity for a 
 thrilling: story of present-day interest which the author could not fail to 
 take advantage of. Every boy reader will find this account of the ad- 
 ventures of the young hero most exciting, and, at the same time a 
 wonderfully accurate description of Lord Roberts's campaign to Preto- 
 ria. Boys have found history in the dress Mr. Henty gives it anything 
 but dull* and the present book is no exception to the rule. 
 
 AT THE POINT OF THE BAYONET 
 
 A Tale of the Mahratta War. By G. A. Henty. Illustrated. 
 12mo, $1.20 net. 
 
 One hundred years ago the rule of the British in India was only partly 
 established. The powerful Mahrattas were unsubdued, and with their 
 skill in iutrigue, ami great military power, they were exceedingly dan- 
 gerous. '1 he story of "At the Point of the Bayonet" begins with 
 the attempt to conquer this powerful people. Harry Lindsay, an 
 infant when his father and mother were killed, was saved by his 
 Mahratta ayah, who carried him to her own people and brought him 
 up as a native-. She taught him as best she could, and, having told him 
 his parentage, sent him to Bombay to be educated. At sixteen he ob- 
 tained a commission in the English Army, and bis knowledge of the 
 Mahratta tongue combined with his ability and bravery enabled him to 
 render great service in the Mahratta War, and carried him, through 
 many frightful perils by land and sea, to high rank. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BY G. A. HENTY 
 
 "Mr. Henty mieht with entire propriety be called the boys' Sir 
 Walter Scott." — Philadelphia Press. 
 
 IN THE IRISH BRIGADE 
 
 A Tale of War in Flanders and Spain. With 12 Illustrations by 
 Charles M. Sheldon. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 Desmond Kenuedy is a young Irish lad who left Ireland to join the 
 Irish Brigade in the service of Louis XIV. of France. In Paris he in- 
 curred the deadly hatred of a powerful courtier from whom he had 
 rescued a young girl who had been kidnapped, and his perils are of ab- 
 sorbing interest. Captured in an attempted Jacobite invasion of Scot- 
 land, he escaped in a most extraordinary manner. As aid-de-camp 
 to the Duke of Berwick he experienced thrilling adventures in Flan- 
 ders. Transferred to the Army in Spain, he was nearly assassinated, but 
 escaped to return, when peace was declared, to his native land, having 
 received pardon and having recovered his estates. The story is filled 
 with adventure, and the interest never abates. 
 
 OUT WITH GARIBALDI 
 
 A Story of the Liberation of Italy. By G. A. Henty. With 
 8 Illustrations by W. Rainey, R.I. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 Garibaldi himself is the central figure of this brilliant 6tory, and the 
 little-known history of the struggle for Italian freedom is told here in 
 the most thrilling way. From the time the hero, a young lad, son of 
 an English father and an Italian mother, joins Garibaldi's band of 
 1,000 men in the first descent upon Sicily, which was garrisoned by one 
 of the large Neapolitan armies, until the end, when all those armies 
 are beaten, and the two Sicilys are conquered, we follow with the 
 keenest interest the exciting adventures of the lad in scouting, in 
 battle, and in freeing those in prison for liberty's sake. 
 
 WITH BULLER IN NATAL 
 
 Or, A Born Leader. By G. A. Hehtt. With 10 Illustrations 
 by W. Rainey. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 The breaking out of the Boer War compelled Chris King, the hero 
 of the story, to flee with his mother from Johannesburg to the sea 
 coast. They were with many other Uitlanders, and all suffered much 
 from the Boers. Reaching a place of safety for their families, Chris 
 and twenty of his friends formed an independent company of scouts. In 
 this service they were with Gen. Yule at Glencoe, then in Ladysmith, 
 then with Buller. In each place they had many thrilling adventures. 
 They were in great battles and in lonely fights on the Veldt ; were 
 taken prisoners and escaped; and they rendered most valuable service 
 to the English forces. The story is a most interesting picture of the 
 War in South Africa. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BY G. A. HENTY 
 
 "Surely Mr. Henty should understand boys' tastes better than any 
 man living.'' — The Times. 
 
 WON BY THE SWORD 
 
 A Tale of the Thirty Years' War. With 12 Illustrations by 
 Charles M. Sheldon, and four Plans. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 The scene of this story is laid in France, during the time of Richelieu, 
 of Mazarin and Anne of Austria. The hero, Hector Campbell, is the 
 orphaned son of a Scotch officer in the French Army. How he at- 
 tracted the notice of Marshal Turenne and of the Prince of Conde ; 
 how he rose to the rank of Colonel ; how he finally had to leave France, 
 pursued by the deadly hatred of the Due de Beaufort — all these and 
 much more the story tells with the most absorbing interest. 
 
 A ROVING COMMISSION 
 
 Or, Through the Black Insurrection at Hayti. With 12 Illus- 
 trations by William Rainey. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 This is one of the most brilliant of Mr. Henty's books. A story of 
 the sea, with all its life and action, it is also full of thrilling adven- 
 tures on land. So it holds the keenest interest until the end. The 
 scene is a new one io Mr. Henty's readers, being laid at the time of the 
 Great Revolt of the Blacks, by which Hayti became independent. 
 Toussaint l'Overture appears, and an admirable picture is given of him 
 and of his power. 
 
 NO SURRENDER 
 
 The Story of the Revolt in La Vendee. With 8 Illustrations 
 by Stanley; L. Wood. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 The revolt of La Vendue against the French Republic at the time of 
 the Revolution forms the groundwork of this absorbing story. Leigh 
 Stausneld, a young English lad, is drawn into the thickest of the con- 
 flict. Forming a company of boys as scouts for the Vendean Army, 
 he greatly aids the peasants. He rescues hi6 sister from the guillotine, 
 and finally, after many thrilling experiences, when the cause of La 
 Vendee is lost, he escapes to England. 
 
 UNDER WELLINGTON'S COMMAND 
 
 A Tale of the Peninsular War. With 12 Illustrations by Wal 
 Paget. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 The dashing hero of this book, Terence O'Connor, was the hero of 
 Mr. Henty'6 previous book, " With Moore at Corunna," to which this 
 is really a sequel. He iH still at the head of the ' Minho " Portuguese 
 regiment. Beinjr detached on independent and guerilla duty with his 
 regiment, he renders invaluable service in gaining information and in 
 harassing the French. His command, being constantly on the edge of 
 the army, is engaged in frequent skirmishes and some mo6t important 
 battles. 
 
BOOKS FOR TO UNO PEOPLE 
 
 BY G. A. HENTY 
 
 " Mr. Henty is the king of story-tellers for boys." — Swjrdand Trowel. 
 
 AT ABOUKIR AND ACRE 
 
 A Story of Napoleon's Invasion of Egypt. "With 8 full-pag,e 
 Illustrations by William Rainey, and 3 Plans. 12mo, 
 
 $1.50. 
 
 The hero - , having saved the life of the son of an Arab chief, is taken 
 into the tribe, has a part in the battle of the Pyramids and the revolt 
 at Cairo. He is an eye-witness of the famous naval battle of Aboukir, 
 and later is in the hardest of the defense of Acre. 
 
 BOTH SIDES THE BORDER 
 
 A Tale of Hotspur and Glendower. With 12 full-page Illus- 
 trations by Ralph Peacock. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 This is a brilliant story of the stirring times of the beginning of the 
 Wars of the Roses, when the Scotch, under Douglas, and the Welsh, 
 under Owen Glendower, were attacking the English. The hero of the 
 book lived near the Scotch border, and saw many a hard fight there. 
 Entering the service of Lord Percy, he was sent to Wales, where he 
 was knighted, and where he wag captured. Being released, he returned 
 home, and shared in the fatal battle of Shrewsbury. 
 
 WITH FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 A Tale of the Seve:i Years' War. With 12 full-page Illustra- 
 tions. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 The hero of this story while still a youth entered the service of 
 Frederick the Great, and by a succession of fortunate circumstances 
 and perilous adventures, rose to the rank of colonel. Attached to the 
 staff of the king, he rendered distinguished services in many battles, in 
 one of which he saved the king's life. Twice captured and imprisoned, 
 he both times escaped from the Austrian fortresses. 
 
 A MARCH ON LONDON 
 
 A Story of Wat Tyler's Rising. With 8 full-page Illustra- 
 tions by W. H. Margetson. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 The story of Wat Tyler's Rebellion is but little known, but the hero 
 of this story passes through that perilous time and takes part in the 
 civil war in Flanders which followed soon after. Although young he 
 is thrown into many exciting and dangerous adventures, through which 
 he passes with great coolness and much credit. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BY G. A. HENTY 
 
 "No country nor epoch of history is there which Mr. FTentydoes not 
 know, and what is really remarkable is that he always writes well and 
 interest in si v." — New York Times. 
 
 WITH MOORE AT CORUNNA 
 
 A Story of the Peninsular War. With 12 full-page Illustra- 
 tions by Wal Paget. 12rno, $1.50. 
 
 Terence O'Connor is living with his widowed father, Captain O'Con- 
 nor of the Mayo Fusiliers, with the regiment at the time when the 
 Peninsular war began. Upon the regiment being ordered to Spain, 
 Terence gets appointed as aid to one of the generals of a division. By 
 his bravery and great usefulness throughout the war, he is rewarded 
 by a commission as colonel in the Portuguese army and there rendered 
 ureat service. 
 
 AT AGINCOURT 
 
 A Tale of the White Hoods of Paris. With 12 full-page 
 Illustrations by Walter Paget. Crown 8vo, olivine 
 edges, $1.50. 
 
 The story begins in a grim feudal castle in Normandie. The times 
 were troublous, and soon the king compelled Lady Margaret de Villeroy 
 with her children to go to Paris as hostages. Guy Aylmer went with 
 her. Paris was turbulent. Soon the guild of the butchers, adopting 
 white hoods as their uniform, seized the city, and besieged the house 
 where our hero and his charges lived. After desperate fighting, the 
 white hoods were beaten and our hero and his charges escaped from 
 the city, and from France. 
 
 WITH COCHRANE THE DAUNTLESS 
 
 A Tale of the Exploits of Lord Cochrane in South American 
 Waters. With 12 full-page Illustrations by W. H. 
 Margetson". Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The hero of this story accompanies Cochrane as midshipman, and 
 serves in the war between Chili and Peru. He has many exciting 
 adventures in battles by sea and land, is taken prisoner and condemned 
 to death by the Inquisition, but escapes by a long and thrilling flight 
 across South America and down the Amazon. 
 
 ON THE IRRAWADDY 
 
 A Story of the First Burmese War. With 8 full page Illus- 
 trations by W. II. Overend. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, 
 11.50. 
 
 The hero, having an uncle, a trader on the Indian and Burmese 
 rivers, goes out to join him. Soon after, war is declared by Burmah 
 against England and he is drawn into it. lie has many experiences 
 and narrow escapes in battles and in scouting. With half-a-dozen 
 men ha rescues his cousin who had been taken prisoner, and in the 
 flight they are besieged in an old, ruined temple. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BY G. A. HENTY 
 
 "Boys like stirring adventures, and Mr. Henty is a master of this 
 method of composition."— New York Times. 
 
 THROUGH RUSSIAN SNOWS 
 
 A Story of Napoleon's Retreat from Moscow. "With 8 full- 
 page Illustrations by W. H. Overend and 3 Maps. Crown 
 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The hero, Julian Wyatt, after several adventures with smugglers, by 
 whom he is handed over a prisoner to the French, regains his freedom 
 and joins Napoleon's army in the Russian campaign. When the terrible 
 retreat begins, Julian finds himself in the rearguard of the French army, 
 fighting desperately. Ultimately he escapes out of the general disaster, 
 and returns to England. 
 
 A KNIGHT OF THE WHITE CROSS 
 
 A Tale of the Siege of Rhodes. With 12 full page Illustra- 
 tions by Ralph Peacock, and a Plan. Crown 8vo, olivine 
 edges, $1.50. 
 
 Gervaise Tresham, the hero of this story, joins the Order of the 
 Knights of St. John, and proceeds to the stronghold of Rhodes. Sub- 
 sequently he is appointed commander of a war-galley, and in his first 
 voyage destroys a fleet of Moorish corsairs. During one of his cruises 
 the young knight is attacked on shore, captured after a desperate 
 struggle, and sold into slavery in Tripoli. He succeeds in escaping, and 
 returns to Rhodes in time to take part in the defense of that fortress. 
 
 THE TIGER OF MYSORE 
 
 A Story of the War with Tippoo Saib. With 12 full-page 
 Illustrations by W. H. Makgetson, and a Map. Crown 
 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 Dick Holland, whose father is supposed to be a captive of Tippoo 
 Saib, goes to India to help him to escape. He joins the army under 
 Lord Cornwallis, and takes part in the campaign againt tippoo. 
 Afterwards he assumes a disguise, enters Seringapatam, and at last 
 he discovers his father in the great stronghold of Savandroog. The 
 hazardous rescue is at length accomplished, and the young fellow's 
 dangerous mission is done. 
 
 IN THE HEART OF THE ROCKIES 
 
 A Story of Adventure in Colorado. By G. A. Henty. With 
 8 full-page Illustrations by G. C. Hindley. Crown 8vo, 
 olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The hero, Tom Wade, goes to seek his uncle in Colorado, who is a 
 hunter and gold-digger, and he is discovered, after many dangers, out 
 on the Plains with some comrades. Going in quest of a gold mine, the 
 little band is spied by Indians, chased across the Bad Lands, and 
 overwhelmed by a snowstorm in the mountains. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BY G. A. HENTY 
 
 " Mr. Henty is one of the best story-tellers for young people." 
 
 — Spectator. 
 
 WHEN LONDON BURNED 
 
 A Story of the Plague and the Fire. By G. A. Henty. With 
 12 full-page Illustrations by J. Fxnnejiore. Crown Svo, 
 olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The hero of this story was the son of a nobleman who had lost his 
 estates during the troublous times of the Commonwealth. During the 
 Great Plague and the Grea'; H ire, Cyril was prominent among those 
 who brought help to the panic -stricken inhabitants. 
 
 WULF THE SAXON 
 
 A Story of the Norman Conquest. By G. A. Henty. With 
 12 full-page Illustrations by Ralph Peacock. Crown 
 Svo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The hero is a young thane who wins the favor of Earl Harold and 
 becomes one of his retinue. When Harold becomes King of England 
 W'ulf assists in the Welsh wars, and takes part against the Norsemen 
 at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. When William of Normandy in- 
 vades England, Wulf is with the English host at Hastings, and stands 
 by his king to the last in the mighty struggle. 
 
 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 A Tale of the Huguenot Wars. By G. A. Henty. With 12 
 full-page Illustrations by H. J. Draper, and a Map. 
 Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The hero, Philip Fletcher, has a French connection on his mother's 
 side. This induces him to cross the Channel in order to take a share 
 in the Huguenot wars. Naturally he sides with the Protestants, dis- 
 tinguishes himself in various battles, and receives rapid promotion for 
 the zeal and daring with which he carries out several secret missions. 
 
 THROUGH THE SIKH WAR 
 
 A Tale of the Conquest of the Punjaub. By G. A. Henty. 
 With 12 full-ptgc Illustrations by Hal Hurst, and a 
 .Map. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 Percy Groves, a spirited English lad, joins his uncle in the Punjaub, 
 where the natives are in a state of revolt. Percy joins the British 
 force as a volunteer, and takes a distinguished share in the famous 
 battles of the Punjaub. 
 
BOOKS FOB YOUNG BEOBLE 
 
 BY G. A. HENTY 
 
 " The brightest of the living writers whose office it is to enchant the 
 boys. — Christian Leader. 
 
 A JACOBITE EXILE 
 
 Being the Adventures of a Young Englishman in the Service 
 of Charles XII. of Sweden. By G. A. Henty. With 8 
 full-page Illustrations by Paul Hardy, and a Map. Crown 
 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 Sir Marmaduke Carstairs, a Jacobite, is the victim of a conspiracy, and 
 he is denounced as a plotter against the life of King William. He flies 
 to Sweden, accompanied by his son Charlie. This youth joins the 
 foreign legion under Charles XII., and takes a,distinguished part in 
 several famous campaigns against the Russians and Poles. 
 
 CONDEMNED AS A NIHILIST 
 
 A Story of Escape from Siberia. By G. A. Henty. With 8 
 
 full-page Illustrations. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The hero of this story is an English boy resident in St. Petersburg. 
 Through two student friends he becomes innocently involved in 
 various political plots, resulting in his seizure by the Russian police 
 and his exile to Siberia. He ultimately escapes, and, after many ex- 
 citing adventures, he reaches Norway, and thence home, after a 
 perilous journey which lasts nearly two years. 
 
 BERIC THE BRITON 
 
 A Story of the Roman Invasion. By G. A. Henty. With 
 12 full-page Illustrations by W. Parkinson. Crown 8vo, 
 olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 This story deals with the invasion of Britain by the Roman legionaries. 
 Beric, who is a boy-chief of a British tribe, takes a prominent part in 
 the insurrection under Boadicea ; and after the defeat of that heroic 
 queen (in A. D. 63) he continues the struggle in the fen-country. 
 Ultimately Beric is defeated and carried captive to Rome, where he is 
 trained in the exercise of arms in a school of gladiators. At length he 
 returus to Britain, where he becomes ruler of his own people. 
 
 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 A Story of the Grecian War of Independence (1821-1827). By 
 
 G. A. Henty. With 12 full-page Illustrations by W. S. 
 
 Stacey, and a Map. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 Deals with the revolt of the Greeks in 1821 against Turkish oppres- 
 sion. Mr. Beveridge and his son Horace fit out a privateer, load it 
 with military stores, and set sail for Greece. They rescue the Chris- 
 tians, relieve the captive Greeks, and fight the Turkish war vessels. 
 
BOOKS FOE YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BY G. A. HENTY 
 
 " No living writer of books for boys writes to better purpose than 
 Mr. G. A. Henty." — Philadelphia Press. 
 
 THE DASH FOR KHARTOUM 
 
 A Tale of the Nile Expedition. By G. A. Henty. With 10 
 full-page Illustrations by John Schonberg and J. Nash. 
 Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 In the record of recent British history there is no more captivating 
 page for boys than the story of the Nile campaign, and the attempt to 
 rescue General Gordon. For, in the difficulties which the expedition 
 encountered, in the perils which it overpassed, and in its final tragic 
 disappointments, are found all the excitements of romance, as well as 
 the fascination which belongs to real events. 
 
 REDSKIN AND COW-BOY 
 
 A Tale of the Western Plains. By G. A. Henty. With 12 
 full-page Illustrations by Alfred Pearse. Crown 8vo, 
 olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The central interest of this story is found in the many adventures of 
 an English lad, who seeks employment as a cow-boy on a cattle ranch. 
 His experiences during a " round-up " present in picturesque form the 
 toilsome, exciting, adventurous life of a cow-boy ; while the perils of a 
 frontier settlement are vividly set forth in an Indian raid. 
 
 HELD FAST FOR ENGLAND 
 
 A Tale of the Siege of Gibraltar. By G. A. Henty. With 
 8 full-page Illustrations by Gordon Browne. Crown 8vo, 
 olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 This story deals with one of the most memorable sieges in history — 
 the siege of Gibraltar in 1779-S3 by the united forces of France and 
 Spain. With land forces, fleets, and floating batteries, the combined 
 resources of two great nations, this grim fortress was vainly besieged 
 and bombarded. The hero of the tale, an English lad resident in 
 Gibraltar, takes a brave and worthy part in the long defence, and it is 
 through hi6 varied experiences that we learn with what bravery, re- 
 source, and tenacity the Rock was held for England. 
 
 Note. — For a list of Henty Books at popular prices, see the 
 following page. 
 
BOOKS FOR TOVXO rEOTLh 
 
 BY G. A. HENTY 
 
 The following copyrighted Henty "Boo%s 
 are also issued in acheap edition 
 
 $■ * & 
 
 A MARCH ON LONDON 
 
 WITH MOORE AT CORUNNA 
 
 AT AGINCOURT 
 
 COCHRANE THE DAUNTLESS 
 
 ON THE IRRAWADDY 
 
 THROUGH RUSSIAN SNOWS 
 
 A KNIGHT OF THE WHITE CROSS 
 
 THE TIGER OF MYSORE 
 
 IN THE HEART OF THE ROCKIES 
 
 WHEN LONDON BURNED 
 
 WULF THE SAXON 
 
 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 THROUGH THE SIKH WAR 
 
 A JACOBITE EXILE 
 
 CONDEMNED AS A NIHILIST 
 
 BERIC THE BRITON 
 
 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 THE DASH FOR KHARTOUM 
 
 REDSKIN AND COW-BOY 
 
 HELD FAST FOR ENGLAND 
 
 & # * 
 
 These booics are fully described in the 
 pages preceding this. 
 
•IS 
 
 A List of Books 
 * for Young People 
 
 . . . BY . . . 
 
 KIRK MUNROE 
 
 A SON OF SATSUMA 
 Or, With Perry in Japan 
 
 BY KIRK MUNROE 
 
 With twelve Illustrations by Harry C. Edwards. $1.00 net. 
 
 THIS absorbing story for boys deals with one of the most in- 
 teresting episodes in our National history. From the 
 beginning Japan has been a land of mystery. Foreigners were 
 permitted to land only at certain points on her shores and nothing 
 whatever was known of her civilization and history, her romance 
 and magnificence, her wealth and art. It was Commodore Perry 
 who opened her gates to the world, thus solving the mystery of 
 the ages, and, in this thrilling story of an American boy in 
 Japan at that period, the spirit as well as the history of this great 
 achievement is ably set forth. 
 
 MIDSHIPMAN STUART 
 
 Or, the Last Cruise of the Essex. A Tale of the War of 1812. 
 Illustrated. 12mo, $1.25. 
 
 This is an absorbing story of life in the American Navy during 
 the stirring times of our war of 1812. The very spirit of the 
 period is in its pa^cs. and m my of the adventures of the Essex 
 arc studied from history. " 
 
 IN PIRATE WATERS 
 
 A Tale of the American Navy. Illustrated by I. W. Taber. 
 12mo, $1.25. 
 
 The hero of the story becomes :i midshipman in the navy just at the 
 time of the war with Tripoli. His own wild adventures among the 
 Turk- and hie love romance are thoroughly interwoven with the stir- 
 ring history of that. time. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BY KIRK MUNROE 
 THE "WHITE CONQUERORS" SERIES 
 
 WITH CROCKETT AND BOWIE 
 
 Or, Fighting for the Lone Star Flag. A Tale of Texas. With 
 8 full-page Illustrations by Victor Perard. Crown 8vo, 
 
 $1.25. 
 
 The story is of the Texas revolution in 1835, when American Texans 
 under Sam Houston, Bowie, Crockett and Travis, fought for relief 
 from the intolerable tyranny of the Mexican Santa Ana. The hero, 
 Rex Hardin, son of a Texan ranchman and graduate of an American 
 military school, takes a prominent part in the heroic defense of the 
 Alamo, and the final triumph at San Jacinto. 
 
 THROUGH SWAMP AND GLADE 
 
 A Tale of the Seminole War. By Kirk Munroe. With 8 full- 
 page Illustrations by V. Perard. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 
 
 Coacoochee, the hero of the story, is the son of Philip the chieftain 
 of the Seminoles. He grows up to lead his tribe in the long struggle 
 which resulted in the Indians being driven from the north of Florida 
 down to the distant southern wilderness. 
 
 AT WAR WITH PONTIAC 
 
 Or, the Totem of the Bear. A Tale of Redcoat and Redskin. 
 By Kirk Munroe. With 8 full-page Illustrations by J. 
 Finnemore. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 
 
 A story when the shores of Lake Erie were held by hostile Indians. 
 The hero, Donald Hester, goes in search of his sister Edith, who has 
 been captured by the Indians. Strange and terrible are his experi- 
 ences ; for he is wounded, taken prisoner, condemned to be burned, but 
 contrives to escape. In the end all things terminate happily. 
 
 THE WHITE CONQUERORS 
 
 A Tale of Toltec and Aztec. By Kirk Munroe. With 8 full- 
 page Illustrations. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 
 
 This story deals with the Conquest of Mexico by Cortez and his 
 Spaniards, the " White Conquerors," who, after mamy deeds of valor, 
 pushed their way into the great Aztec kingdom and established their 
 power in the wondrous city where Montezuma reigned in splendor. 
 
 CHARLES SCRIBNE,R'S SONS 
 153=7 Fifth Avenue New York 
 
A LIST OF NE,W BOOKS 
 
 FOK. 
 
 YOUNG PE,OPLE 
 
 FALL OF 1902 
 
 CHARLES SCRIBNEFJS SONS 
 NEW YORK 
 
 i^ ^ s^ 
 
 THE BOOK OF JOYOUS CHILDREN 
 
 BY JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY 
 
 Profusely Illustrated. 
 
 The sweetness, the grace, the laughter and the tenderness of Mr. 
 Riley's best verse are found to the full in this book of delightful poems 
 for and about children. The illustrations have been made under the 
 author's supervision, and portray the scenes and the little heroes and 
 heroines of the poems with artistic fidelity. 
 
 IN THE WASP'S NEST 
 
 The Story of a Sea Waif. By Cyrus Townsend Brady. Illus- 
 trated. $1.50 net. (Postage, 16 cents.) 
 
 A vigorous story of the War of 1812. The hero, a midshipman, 
 serves gallantly aboard two famous American ships, each bearing the 
 name of Wasp, having many adventures of 6torm, battle and capture. 
 The hero was picked up in an open boat when a baby by the crew of the 
 U. S. S. Boston and adopted by the Captain. The story has the real 
 spirit of the American Navy. 
 
 A CAPTURED SANTA CLAUS 
 
 BY THOMAS NELSON PAGE 
 
 Illustrated in Colors. 
 
 This exquisite story of childhood is one of the most delicate that 
 even Mr. Page has written. It is an episode of the Civil War in which 
 children are the little heroes. The period is the Christmas time, and 
 the set in- ie between the line, of the Union and Confederate Armies. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 JEB HUTTON, A GEORGIA BOY 
 
 By James B. Connolly. Illustrated. $1.20 net. (Postage, 
 13 cents.) 
 
 A thoroughly interesting and breezy tale of boy-life along the 
 Savannah River by a writer who knows boys, and who has succeeded 
 in making of the adventures of Jeb and his friends a story that will 
 keep his young readers absorbed to the last page. 
 
 KING MOMBO 
 
 By Paul Du Chaillu. Author of " The "World of the Great 
 Forest," etc. With 24 illustrations. $1.50 net. (Postage, 
 16 cents.) 
 
 The scene is the great African forest. It is a book of interesting 
 experiences with native tribes, and thrilling and perilous adventures in 
 hunting elephants, crocodiles, gorillas and other fierce creatures 
 among which this famous explorer lived so long. 
 
 A NEW BOOK FOR GIRLS 
 
 By Lina Beard and Adelia B. Beard. Authors of "The 
 American Girl's Handy Book." Profusely Illustrated. 
 
 An admirable collection of entirely new and original indoor and out- 
 door pastimes for American girls, each fully and interestingly de- 
 scribed and explained, and all designed to stimulate the taste and 
 ingenuity at the same time that they entertain. 
 
 SEA FIGHTERS FROM DRAKE TO 
 FARRAGUT 
 
 By Jessie Peabody Frothingham. Illustrations by Reuter- 
 dahl. $1.20 net. (Postage, 14 cents.) 
 
 Drake, Tromp, De Reuter, Tourville, Suffren, Paul Jones, Nelson 
 and Farragut are the naval heroes here pictured, and each is show ■' in 
 some great episode which illustrates his personality and heroism. he 
 book is full of the very spirit of daring and adventurous achievement. 
 
 BOB AND HIS GUN 
 
 By William Alexander Linn. With 8 Illustrations. 
 
 The adventures of a boy with a gun under the instruction of his 
 cousin, an accomplished sportsman. The book : s aim is to interest 
 boys in hunting in the spirit of true sport and to instruct in the ways 
 of game birds and animals.