52 JOURNEY THROUGH MAINA, 



marks of three bullets in the breast ; the scars of two more upon his 

 face, besides slighter wounds in his legs and arms : in fact his 

 life was a constant scene of piracy by sea and feuds at home. He was 

 about forty-five years of age, and showed us with much satisfaction 

 the spoil he had amassed in his expeditions. He was friendly and 

 hospitable to us, and lively and intelligent in his conversation. He 

 had recently captured at sea a small French merchant ship, and re- 

 lated with just indignation the following trait of the captain who com- 

 manded it. After seizing on the men, money, and merchandize, 

 which the vessel contained, he told the captain he would land him on 

 the shore of the Morea, and offered him at his request any favour he 

 might ask, out of the prize. The captain, regardless of the freedom 

 of his men, or the property consigned to him, solicited only an ena- 

 melled snuff-box, with a lady's hair on the outside, and a very inde- 

 cent design within the lid. Christeia, who, though a pirate, was 

 enraged at his unmanly and heartless levity, retracted his offer, and 

 left the captain with only a shirt and a pair of trowsers in the boat, to 

 shift for himself He set the crew on shore, and brought his prize 

 to Platsa, where he showed us the snuff-box with great satisfaction. 

 He had also been engaged the year before we were there in hostilities 

 with a neighbouring chief, and had taken the field with a company of 

 eighty men, and thirty women, of whom his sister had the command. 

 A peace had been since made after several skirmishes, but not until 

 some of his Amazons had fallen, and his sister had been wounded 

 as well as himself In the tower to which we were shown, we lived in 

 a neat and comfortable room, but the walls were thick and strong, 

 the windows barricadoed with iron bars, and barrels of gunpowder 

 were arranged along the shelves below the ceiling. The men who 

 attended in the castle had an air of military service, and the whole 

 place bore in its appearance the character of the master. 



April 15. — We staid a day at this singular mansion, and were 

 prevented in the morning by a heavy rain from extending our rambles 

 beyond the castle. We dined with the family at twelve o'clock, and 

 after dinner went to the great room of the castle. In it, and on the 



