344 APPENDIX. 



few pages of this letter may have the desired effect, and 

 call the drowsy god to your assistance. 



It was about the 20th January, 1839, 1 received orders 

 to take the command of a party, consisting of about 

 thirty men, to defend her Majesty's subjects in that 

 island of the Ionian republic, called Paxo, on which 

 attacks had been made several times within a few 

 months, by the lawless banditti inhabiting the opposite 

 Albania. 



On landing, I had the pleasure of meeting, amongst 

 the authorities and inhabitants, many former acquain- 

 tances, all of whom evinced much good feeling towards 

 British officers, engendered through the mild and pa- 

 ternal government exercised throughout all the islands 

 by his Excellency Sir Howard D . 



I immediately called upon the resident, a most re- 

 spected officer, who had served during the whole of 

 the Peninsular war with great distinction to himself, 

 and was received by him with his usual kindness. 



In the course of different conversations I had with him 

 and other of my friends there, I picked up the following 

 accounts of some of the before-mentioned attacks on the 

 island previous to my arrival. 



It is a custom, of long standing among the Greeks, 

 to hide whatever treasure they possess in secret places 

 in their houses. This practice, from the confidence 

 inspired in them since we have had the management of 

 the Ionian republic, is very fast getting into disuse. 

 Report said that an old man, who lived about three miles 

 from the principal town in the island, had, by a life of 

 most penurious habits, become possessed of a sum of 



