THE FRANK DOCTOR IN GREECE. 



IN the spring of 1826,, I took my passage for Napoli di Romania, 

 in the good ship Tiber, Romi, master, and on the fourth of April 

 with a favourable breeze sailed from the harbour of Valetta. The 

 wind being right aft, we soon lost sight of Malta with her oranges 

 I mention these as the only things on the Island worthy of commen- 

 dation, except the Maraschino, which I believe comes from Naples 

 her dead knights, living friars, and mongrel population. Early on 

 the eighth we passed Cape Matapan, and in the Gulph of Colokythia 

 fell in with a squadron of the Greek fleet going to the relief of Mis- 

 solonghi. They were all small vessels, carrying from six to sixteen 

 guns each, most of them schooner-rigged, and the rest polacca 

 brigs. They were the most beautifully modelled vessels I had ever 

 seen, and a gay and gallant appearance they made with their blue and 

 white stripes at the peak. Our bit of bunting was streaming, and as 

 the Commodore neared us he luffed up in order to pass under our 

 stern and hail. He was a fine old man with a thick moustache as 

 white as driven snow, and as he stood boldly out on the bulwarks of 

 his little vessel, his trumpet in his hand, he looked as if " native 

 there and to the manner born." He sent his salutation across the 

 waters in a clear strong voice, and after inquiring who we were, told 

 us he was going to the relief of his brave countrymen in Missolonghi. 

 We gave him a British huzza, to which he and his crew replied by 

 loud "vivas " till we were out of hearing. 



Towards evening it fell calm, and we lay the whole of that night 

 and the following day, between Cerigo, the southernmost of the seven 

 Islands and the main, without moving a foot. We were near in 

 with Cape Malea, a black sterile inhospitable looking mass of rock, 

 whose base is hewn out into innumerable creeks and inlets just large 

 enough to afford hiding places to the misticos and small piratical 

 vessels that infest the Ionian waters. We kept a bright look-out the 

 whole of the night, but never imagined we were in any danger. 

 The secret of our unbounded confidence lay in the possession of a three 

 pounder swivel gun, one round shot, two charges of grape, and 

 half a dozen French fusils de chasse, among twice as many men. 

 The Captain said there were a hundred musquets on board, but as 

 they had been judiciously made to serve as durmage to a cargo 

 of Newcastle coal, they were not very easy to come at. We escaped, 

 however, miraculously ; for though we saw on the following day the 

 misticos crawling in and out of their holes at the foot of Malea, like 

 snakes, yet they did not venture to attack us : this might have been 

 owing to their having been informed that there was nothing on board 

 worthy their attention. 



In the night w r e doubled Cape Malea and made some distance up 

 the Gulph, but at noon it again fell dead calm, when, having nothing 

 better to do, I, with two other passengers and the Captain, manned 

 the jolly-boat and rowed ashore. Dry jagged precipitous rocks 

 form for the most part the shores of ancient Sparta, now called Maina, 

 and we were obliged to coast along for a mile or two ere we could 



