made himself master of the Castle of Santa Veneranda, of San Donando, of the Gardelina, of the Samonichi, and of the mountains of Cumbolo and Strithozza, from whence they attacked the fortress of Kiafa with two mortars.

A few days afterwards the enemy attempted, by a strong. effort, to make himself master also of the Davarico, from whence the Suliotes supplied themselves with water; but these latter shewing themselves boldly to his forces, opposed them heroically, so that the battle lasted for twenty-one hours; and although all the first and bravest commanders among the Turks were present in the conflict, the Turks turned their backs to the Suliotes, retiring with danger to their camp in the mountains of Strithozza. Of this battle, as well as of the preceding, the History of Suli will give the most faithful and precise account.

The siege which the Turks carried on against the Suliotes was so close, that there only remained to the latter a circumference of seven miles,-a stony, inaccessible, and sterile position. The poor animals, not finding pasture, were deaf to the voice of their masters: they went in numbers towards the enemy, who got possession of above one-third of them some afterwards served for food for the besieged, and the rest perished with hunger, as did all the beasts of burthen. The atmosphere consequently became infected, and a contagious disorder soon made its appearance, the progress of which was so rapid, that from fifteen to twenty persons died each day. The countrymen seeing the destruction of the cattle, the pestilence among the men, the scarcity of their accustomed food, and even in some instances the total want of bread,—and, moreover, being unable to fix any limits to the siege, arrived at such a height of absurd despair, that keeping in their own hands the positions committed to their care, they treated clandestinely with the

enemy, in order to give them up to him; and, what was still more horrid, these same countrymen, in order to render the Turks favourable to them, and to prevent their remembering all the evils which they had committed against them whilst they were united to the Suliotes, promised to give up those situations also which were near to the fortress, and finally to cause the Fortress of Kiafa itself to be delivered up to them. They had it easily in their power to fulfil these promises, their numbers amounting to two thousand, and the Suliotes were scarcely five hundred. The Turks, though they had an opportunity so favourable to their views, were nevertheless so much impressed with the alarm caused by the former and the recent battles, that they supposed that impossible which was perfectly easy to achieve, and gave the countrymen to understand that they would not undertake such an enterprise,-so much did they doubt the promises of these villagers.

The Suliotes, penetrating the sentiments of the countrymen, often assembled them together, representing to them that submission to the Turks could only be ruinous to their families and to themselves,-and this they might judge of from the massacre of so many other Christians. The Suliotes furnished them with as much money and provisions as they could, and begged them to submit to the siege for some months longer, declaring that if in that time the siege should not be raised or some exterior succour arrive, then all would unanimously demand peace, on the condition, however, of honourable capitulations. All these exhortations and prayers to the countrymen were in vain; so that the Suliotes, rendering them responsible towards God for all the evil which might happen to them through their means, consented to let them go out, foreseeing an intestine war if

they any longer opposed their firm resolutions. Even this, however, would not satisfy the countrymen, who insisted that all, without the least exception, and at the same time, should be given up; but the Suliotes answered them, that they should much prefer death to submitting themselves to the Turks.

Being thus forced to try both to escape the danger and to render vain the promises made to the Turks by the countrymen, the Suliotes informed them that they also were desirous of peace, but that they wished to go to the Ionian islands; for which purpose it was necessary to obtain the permission of the British Government.

The Suliotes having thus agreed with the countrymen, proposed this plan to the Turks, who immediately sent emissaries to the British Consul at Prevesa. The consent of the Suliotes to surrender, and to emigrate to the lonian islands, had in view to prolong the time for their surrender, and to drive away the countrymen, hoping during this delay for some succour or some change of circumstances,-also in order to quiet the enemy, and to lull him; and that with good reason, because, being weak in numbers, they could not guard their respective posts from an invasion on the part of the enemy. In the mean time, the emissaries could not succeed in obtaining their demand, because the British Consul had left Prevesa three days before for Zante, there to meet the Governor-General of the Ionian States. The emissaries therefore went on to Zante, and there having a conference with the Governor on the object of their mission, received a flattering but not an affirmative answer.

From the ambiguity of the General's answer, the countrymen felt all their fears renewed, and though they had before taken the resolution of not separating themselves from the Suliotes, they now surrendered themselves.

In consequence, the Turks, still more animated by the diminution of the troops of the Suliotes since the surrender of the countrymen, and impatient at the General's answer, changed their sentiments, resolving on the violation of the treaties. Two days afterwards, therefore, they proposed to the Suliotes, in an imperious manner, that they should surrender the fortress and pass to Suli, to Zieurati, or to Athlanza, with their families,-after, however, having given the guarantee of twenty hostages, which should be delivered up to the Turks. Also, that in one of these places they should wait for the decisive answer of the General, to whom the Suliotes had again sent to demand one, and at the same time to request the ships necessary to transport them. The Suliotes answered them, that, wise and great men as they were, they ought not to break the convention: but the Turks were but little attentive to the words of the Suliotes, concluding that they arose entirely from fear.

The Suliotes, seeing the obstinacy of the Turks in demanding the fortress in the above manner, wrote to them to abide by the treaties already made, or to have recourse to arms; and that the Lord God, who knows the just and the unjust, would reward every one according to his deeds. Moreover, the Suliotes swore unanimously amongst themselves, rather to die with arms in their hands than to go out of the fortress at the order of the Turks. The second day after taking this determination, which was on the 14th of August, they all received the sacrament, preparing themselves for death. This firm and heroic resolution, being made known to the Turks by means of their spies, intimidated them and confirmed the first conventions, which were as follows:

1st. That both sides should send letters and emissaries to the Commander-in-chief of the Ionian Islands, that the Su

liotes might know if they should be received in those islands.

2dly. That all provisions and military stores belonging to the Suliotes, whether public or private property, should be paid for by the Turks according to their price in the neighbourhood.

3dly. That the Turks should be answerable at Noli for the ships which were to convey them, but which should nevertheless be furnished with Ionian flags.

4thly. That the Turks should take care to transport the baggage of the Suliotes, their wives and families.

5thly. That the Turkish troops encamped at Glechi, by which place the Suliotes would have to pass, should retire farther.

6thly. That the Turks should give to the Suliotes, as hostages, the nearest relations of the most notable Pachas, Beys, and Agas, who were present at the siege of Kiafa, until the Suliotes should be all embarked.

7thly. Until the respective ships should have all arrived at Athlanza, and until the Suliotes should have received the hostages, neither men nor baggage should quit the fortress.

All these conditions were scrupulously respected by both sides, until the arrival of the answer of the Most Excellent Arch General and Governor, Adam, who generously permitted the Suliotes to take refuge in the Ionian Islands, and magnanimously acceded to the prayers of both parties; who also, for the complete safety of the Suliotes, sent three ships of war, to secure by their presence the embarkation of the Suliotes, and subsequently accompany them to Asso in Cefalonia, where they are ordered for thirty-one days, to abute their obstinacy.

*Arci Generale.

+ Scontare la contumacia.