of his captain whether it was the fact. He assured me that it was a mere boast, but that he really remembered his killing one of his own countrymen. The Maniotes are represented to be in the perpetual practice of depredation, not only on strangers but even on each other. They follow the plough with fire-arms attached to their person, uncertain when an attack may be made on them by the possessor of the adjoining field. I have heard the following anecdote related by Greeks. It is one of the most singular combinations of superstition and crime which can well be imagined; and, whether true or false, it proves that the persons accused are deemed capable of such an action. A bishop, on a journey through the district of Maina,1 was waylaid and plundered. He had scarcely been permitted to proceed, when the robbers became uneasy, from the apprehension that he would excommunicate them, as soon as he had arrived at a place of safety. Alarmed by such a danger, they saw no means of averting it, but by the death of the bishop. Influenced by this consideration, they went in pursuit of the unhappy prelate. overtook, and actually put him to death. On the amazing extent to which piracy was carried in the Archipelago, I shall offer no remarks, as the subject is well known. But the sur 1 The Greeks call this district, Manyee; and the inhabitants Manyotes. Maina is unintelligible to them. prising manner in which it was entirely quelled, on the arrival of Capo d'Istria, is worthy of notice. Men-of-war, of all sizes and nations, had been scouring the Ægean to no purpose; but I question if more than one single instance of piracy occurred after his coming. This circumstance is to be attributed in part, to a strict examination of boats and vessels of every description, which were registered, and obliged to sail with proper credentials; in part, to the idea which universally prevailed, that Capo d'Istria had as many bayonets of the three Powers (to use their own expression) at command as he thought proper; and, in part, to the general restoration of internal order and public credit, which diminished the temptations to a life of rapine. When I made my principal tour in the Morea, at this period, I took with me an armed Pallikari, in compliance with the advice of friends; but I found such perfect tranquillity in all directions, that his protection was wholly needless. CHAPTER VII. MORAL CHARACTER OF GREEKS. Falsehood of Greeks not superior to Turkish-Turkish False-witnessesConduct of Sir Thomas Maitland to Greek Judges-Illustration of St. Paul's Character of the Cretans-Disadvantages under which the Oriental Clergy have laboured-Excellent Character of two Greek Ecclesiastics, and interesting Adventure with one of them in the Island of Cefalonia. No charge is more frequently and loudly urged against the Greeks than their want of truth. This accusation appears to derive strength from a similar characteristic of their ancestors; and "Mendax Græcia" (Lying Greece) is deemed as applicable to modern as to ancient times. I am obliged to acknowledge, that there is too much justice in the imputation; but I have never been convinced that the Greeks are more culpable in this respect than the Turks. I have never met with an instance of superior honesty in Turks, though others profess to have done so; and it is difficult to say what kind of falsehood can exceed that which is practised in Turkish courts of justice. The employment of false witnesses, even before the Grand Vizir or any other public functionary, is so fre quent and well known, that it might almost seem as if no shame were felt in consequence. I have been positively assured that no difficulty ever exists in hiring as many false-witnesses as are needful for any purpose whatsoever. To such a pitch is this practice carried, that occurrences of the following kind are often heard of. A man brings forward a false-witness, who swears that he lent a certain sum of money; and that, in consequence, he demands repayment. The judge is bribed by the defendant. How then must he act, that the formality of justice may be maintained? The defendant produces a false-witness; who swears, that true enough, the plaintiff lent him the money, but that it was repaid at a time specified. If instances of superior good faith in Turks could actually be discovered, might they not be explained, on the ground that the Turk, owing to his superior rank, has generally more to lose, and less to gain by duplicity than the Greek? It was a sense of the force of this principle which led Sir Thomas Maitland to assign to the Greek Judges in the Ionian Islands what some judged salaries too great. "He would make it worth their while to be honest men." This was his answer, as is reported. It deserves to be mentioned, that the Candiotes of the present day are precisely what they were in the days of St. Paul: The Cretians are always F liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. They are notoriously, whether Turks or Greeks, the worst characters in the Levant. Ask at Smyrna, Who were the Turks that perpetrated the principal atrocities when the Moollah was assassinated, and so many Greeks massacred? The answer is, The Candiotes. Ask in the Archipelago, Who were the Greeks that kept the islands of the Ægean in constant alarm, and were most notorious for murders and piracies? The reply is, The Candiotes. The following story is illustrative of the same truth. The Greek Admiral Miaoules happening to be in company with a Candiote, joked him on the character of his island. "Ah, you Cretans, we know what sort of men you are. St. Paul has given you your character, long since: "The Cretians are always liars." The Candiote attempted to parry the satire, by urging the reply: "Yes; but David says, in the book of Psalms, All men are liars." rejoined Miaoules; "but David does not say, All men are ALWAYS liars; whereas St. Paul says, The Cretians are ALWAYS liars." "True," That the Greeks consider each other guilty of duplicity, is evident from the following distich ; which is rhyme, according to Modern-Greek pronunciation: Οἱ ̓Αθηναῖοι, καὶ Θηβαῖοι, καὶ κακοὶ Μιτυληναίοι, |