“Since I wrote, we have had some tumult here with the citizens and Cariascachi’s people, and all are under arms, our boys and all. They nearly fired on me and fifty of my lads*, by mistake, as we were taking our usual excursion into the country. To-day matters are settled or subsiding; but about an hour ago, the father-in-law of the landlord of
he was given up to the regular police. This example of severity, tempered by a humane spirit, produced the best effect upon our soldiers, as well as upon the citizens of the town. But it was very near causing a most disagreeable circumstance; for, in the course of the evening, some very high words passed on the subject between three Englishmen, two of them officers of our brigade, in consequence of which cards were exchanged, and two duels were to have been fought the next morning. Lord Byron did not hear of this till late at night; but he immediately ordered me to arrest both parties, which I accordingly did; and, after some difficulty, prevailed on them to shake hands.”—Count Gamba’s Narrative. * A corps of fifty Suliotes which he had, almost ever since his arrival at Missolonghi, kept about him as a body-guard. A large outer room of his house was appropriated to these troops; and their carbines were suspended along the walls. “In this room (says Mr. Parry), and among these rude soldiers, Lord Byron was accustomed to walk a great deal, particularly in wet weather, accompanied by his favourite dog, Lion.” When he rode out, them fifty Suliotes attended him on foot; end though they carried their carbines, “they were always,” says the same authority, “able to keep up with the horses at full speed. The captain, and a certain number, preceded his lordship, who rode accompanied on one side by Count Gamba, and on the other by the Greek Interpreter. Behind him, also on horseback, came two of his servants,—generally his black groom, and Tita,—both dressed like the chasseurs usually seen behind the carriages of ambassadors, and another division of his guard closed the cavalcade.”—Parry’s Last Days of Lord Byron. |
| 760 | NOTICES OF THE | A. D. 1824. |
“They are in conclave still with Mavrocordato; and. we have a number of new faces from the hills, come to assist, they say. Gunboats and batteries all ready, &c.
“The row has had one good effect—it has put them on the alert. What is to become of the father-in-law, I do not know; nor what he has done, exactly*: but
‘’Tis a very fine thing to be father-in-law To a very magnificent three-tail’d bashaw,’ |
