48 ALBANIAN PIRATES. 



hastily manning and arming a boat, part went in 

 her, to attack, or threaten, or quiet them ; whilst 

 those who remained on board prepared for a skir- 

 mish with the four Albanians who had taken the 

 circuitous route to come upon our rear. The boat 

 pulled towards them in a determined but not 

 threatening manner, and the tact and diplomacy 

 of Giovanni brought them to comprehend that we 

 were ready to fight if occasion required ; but that 

 if they really were in. distress, we were very will- 

 ing to assist them. Seeing our boat well armed, 

 they wisely became very humble, and said they 

 wished only to beg some bread, which we gave 

 them, and we parted excellent friends. They 

 then recalled their detached party, and we met 

 with no further molestation from them. 



It appears that the Albanians who inhabit the 

 villages nearest the coast, are pirates in the full- 

 est sense of the word, whenever they think they 

 can rob or murder with impunity; and on this 

 occasion, seeing three small vessels at anchor, 

 which of course they imagined to contain some 

 harmless and peaceable Ionian fishermen, who 

 are terrified out of their lives at tlie very mention 

 of an Albanian, thought they had only to threaten 



