miles. But of the hundred flourishing cities, which it once contained, scarcely a vestige, with two or three exceptions, now remains, so complete has been the destruction brought on by war and Ottoman barbarism. One of the misticoes ran into the creek, and was followed by the frigate ; the other, finding she could not reach the island without risk of capture, bore up and escaped to leeward. On the approach of the Sybille, Sir John Pechell was informed by the mate of a Greek schooner, which was coming out of the creek, that the position of the pirates was too strong to be attacked with boats only, and that they were determined to defend their vessels to the last extremity. Their position was indeed well chosen, the islet being exceedingly rocky and precipitous, and from two to three hundred armed men awaited the attack under cover of the rocks and artificial stone breast works on the summit, which completely com- manded the creek. From this their " point d'appui" they could espy and pounce upon any unfortunate merchant vessel which approached the coast, and when disengaged, they occasionally sallied forth and committed depredations on the neighbouring Turkish villages. It will soon be seen how resolutely they defended themselves, and how much of the spirit of ancient Greece they exhibited on this unfortunate occasion. The suppression of piracy by British ships of war had hitherto been attended with little loss, being confined to the Greeks of the Morea and Cyclades, not remarkable for courage ; and although the Candiotes of either religion have always been noted as the most daring and ferocious of the Sultan's subjects, there was on this occasion, with so great a disparity of force, no cause to apprehend so serious
�� �� �
