ground by a heavy chain bound round his hands and feet and neck. In the mean time his house was rifled, his fine furniture broken to pieces or thrown into the public streets, and his afflicted family bolted and barred in a small inner room, were screened from the insults of the Albanian guards only by the efforts of a venerable and benevolent priest. In the mean time terror and despair took possession of the inhabitants of Ioannina. Persons of all ranks and religions came to console the wretched family and alleviate their sorrows, if possible: many went to the serai to intercede with the vizir, but like a hunted lion he was too indignant to be approached, and he saw no one during the day.

This occurrence happened to take place during Mr. Foresti's absence from Ioannina, who had accompanied an officer of the Porte sent with dispatches, on his road towards the Pindus. He returned to the city late in the evening, and found a deputation of the chief Greeks at his house to inform him of the treatment which poor Michelachi had suffered. It was impossible to see the vizir that night, but next morning he rose with the sun, and made his appearance at the seraglio as soon as Ali had performed his morning ablutions. Even at this hour he found the court-yard and anterooms of the palace crowded with persons, expecting the result and expressing all the marks of fear and anxiety on their countenances.

Mr. Foresti having sent in his name, was immediately admitted to the presence of the pasha, and entered upon a conversation in the ordinary routine of business, in order that he might not appear to come for the purpose of counteracting his designs. At last he casually observed, "I see a vast number of people about the serai this morning, and the city also is quite in an uproar: I inquired the cause, but no one would explain it to me till my cook* informed me

* His cook was a Frank, and not a subject of the pasha.

468

παιδί

ANECDOTE OF MICHAEL MICHELACHI.

that you have put to death my friend Michelachi. As I knew him to be an excellent and an innocent man, I have to thank your highness for not committing this act whilst the dragoman was here, who might have spread very disgraceful intelligence about us at Constantinople." (V.) in a quick tone, "Ah! but I have not killed him, he is alive at present." (F.) "Then God be praised, I am heartily glad of it.” (V.) "But he has treated me shamefully; he has cruelly deceived me; raidí μg*, my very heart burns within me at his conduct; if you could see it, it would appear at this moment in a flame! How could a man whom I have brought up from his infancy in my own bosom make me this return!" (F.) " Indeed if he has treated you so, I shall be the first to condemn him; but has any opportunity been given him to prove his innocence? and who are his accusers ?" (V.) "Oh! a great many persons, both men and women, came here, and before the archbishop took solemn oaths, after kissing the Christian crucifixes, to the truth of their accusation." (F.) "That may be; but are these accusers people of credit? and can you even believe their oaths against the word of such a man as you know Michelachi to be? Consider what people will say at the Porte, and what my government will think, when they hear that you have put to death or ruined one of your best friends upon such kind of evidence!" (V.) "But raidí μs, what can I (V.) now do, implicated as I am in this affair?" (F.) "Why order instantly an examination concerning it to be instituted." (V.) “Will you then take it into your hands and examine it?" (F.) "To be sure I will do so, for your sake, even more than that of Michelachi: but you must release him on security, for he is at this time in chains, and may perish before his innocence can be proved." (V.) "Take him then to the chamber over the treasury, station there a guard to prevent escape, and God prosper you in the business."

* "My son," a familiar expression, which he uses to an intimate acquaintance.

Mr. Foresti having gained this point, had little more to do. Taking with him the two primates of the city and the archbishop, they released the prisoner, and proceeded to his mansion, where they found his young and beautiful wife surrounded by her children and some friends in the greatest agony: they comforted her with the assurance that her husband was safe, and for form's sake searched every part of the house for a treasure which they well knew had no existence. They then interrogated Michelachi and his accusers, which last were of course unable to substantiate any part of their charge: upon this they returned to the vizir, and reported the prisoner guiltless of the accusation. The tyrant then pretended to fall into a terrible rage against the abandoned wretches whom he had himself suborned, and declared that they should suffer the cruelest of deaths; and it was only at the special entreaties of Michelachi, who threw himself at the vizir's feet, joined by those of Mr. Foresti, that this sentence was not executed immediately. By a compromise, made to save the vizir's credit, they were thrown into prison for a few months, and then released. Ali restored Michelachi again to favour, and has since more than once expressed his thanks to Mr. Foresti for saving him the disgrace and pain of putting an innocent person to death.

After we left the house of the French consul, Mr. Cockerell occupied himself in sketching some scenery, whilst Mr. Parker and myself went to shoot wild ducks upon the lake, in one of the small caiques, or monoxyla, which are paddled along by a man who sits at the stern with a pair of sculls.

The day being clear, we found it impossible to get within range of the immense flocks of water-fowl that covered great part of the surface. We then had recourse to stratagem, and by rowing up the channels which intersect the reeds that line the banks, we had excellent sport. In the afternoon we were surprised and gratified by the appearance of one of the vizir's kaivasi or chamberlains, who stand at the door of his audience-chamber with golden-knobbed sticks in their hands. He came for the purpose of residing in our

470

A KAIVASI SENT TO RESIDE AT OUR HOUSE.

house as long as we should remain at Ioannina, to see that all due respect and attention was paid us, to walk before us with his staff of office in the city, and to accompany us on our expeditions, and to provide horses, food, and lodging, free of all expence. A more faithful and obliging man could not have been selected for this office than Mustafà. During our long connexion, he became, I really believe, most sincerely attached to us, and in spite of his original Mahometan apathy, degenerated at length into a perfect antiquarian: he understood all the distinctions of Greek masonry, would hunt out an ancient ruin with singular sagacity, and shout with rapture at the sight of a palaio-castro*.

We now began to think of commencing our Dodonæan researches: but before our departure we thought ourselves bound to pay a visit of ceremony at the serai, and make our acknowledgments for the munificence of the vizir.

This is the title by which the ruins of an ancient Greek town are designated, the reason of which is obvious to the classical reader. If the site be occupied by modern habitations, it generally takes the name of Castri.

Visit to the Vizir in the Fortress-Description of the Castron-Old Serai -Conversation with Ali-Mosques of the Castron, &c.-Visit to Mouchtar Pasha-Description of the Lake-Katabothra-Ruins at Gastrizza-Fish of the Lake, &c.-Excursion to the supposed Site of Dodona-Village of Velchista-Reappearance of the Waters of the Lake there-Ancient Remains-Molossian Dogs-Climate.

JANUARY 12th, 1814.-This morning we sent the kaivasi to signify a wish of paying our respects to his highness, who returned for answer that he would gladly receive us in his old serai, which is within the castron. Accordingly, preceded by Mustafà in state, and accompanied by Nicolo as interpreter, we directed our steps towards the fortress. At one entrance of its deep fosse we observed an old brig, which had been built for the vizir's excursions upon the lake, but