12
captains of 1827.
on board a Greek schooner of war, the captain of which offered to accompany us. We sailed together, and arrived off Scardamoula in the evening; I sent Pasqualigo on shore to demand the restitution of the plunder taken from the English and Austrian vessels, and say if they did not deliver it up, I would fire on the town in the morning; – recommending them to send their women and children out of the way. Pasqualigo returned about ten, to say the Governor was absent in the mountains, and no decisive answer could be obtained that night. On the following morning, the 13th, I sent him again, giving the inhabitants two hours more to retire, as I observed the women had not left the place, at the expiration of which time I opened a fire on the houses, but had scarcely discharged six shot, and the Greek schooner one, when a party came running to the beach with a white flag, which I answered, and ceased firing; – the object of the flag was to say that the governor had not yet returned; a letter had been sent to him, but no answer was come. I gave them another hour, then hauled down the truce and recommenced firing, when a letter was brought from Governor Dionysio Murzius, one of the Ephori of Sparta, acknowledging that Siutto had landed his plunder at Scardamoula; that it was not in his power to prevent him, and that it was all sold, or sent into the interior of the country; begging me to desist from firing into the place. Having been informed, however, that some of the English goods were actually in his own house, which was pointed out to me, where three guns were planted with their tompions out, all ready to fire. I opened on that particular spot, and with such precision that every shot told; – one, a 32-pounder, went through the small room in which the plunder was lying. Upon this, he sent off again, to consent to deliver up all that remained; but on landing, I am sorry to say, 36 small bales of Manchester cotton was all that could be found. I afterwards sent Lieutenant Smith, with Signor Pasqualigo, to examine the custom-house, at some distance on the beach, where they could see nothing but a small quantity of corn. I have little doubt, Dionysio Murzius has an interest in the plunder that is brought to Scardamoula, though he declares he has not, and that he has not sufficient force to prevent their landing and sending it into the interior. I am sorry to add, from Pasqualigo’s information, that Nicolo Siutto’s vessel is now gone to sea, with regular papers from the Greek senate, at Poros, by which means it will be difficult for any man-of-war to recognise her, unless from precise information, or plunder found on board. Notwithstanding the warning I had given, I regret to say one boy was wounded by our fire, and some of the houses are very much shattered. The cotton was put on board an Ionian vessel; and as the masters of others lying at Kitries declared it impossible to leave the port, for fear of pirates, I offered them convoy to Zante. On arriving off Kitries, on the 14th, I was told that a piratical mistico had taken an Ionian schooner into Petuladi, and that the crew had escaped with their plunder, after running both vessels on shore, and entirely dismantling them. I proceeded to that place, and
