embarkation of the Egyptian succours, and to impede, at all events, the complete blockade of Missolonghi by the Turkish fleet. He fell in with a large division of it, off Chiarenza, near the mouth of the gulph, on the 25th of November, which attacked him both on that and the following day. On both occasions he repelled them, with no other loss than that of a vessel which accidentally took fire; but his inferiority in point of strength, his force amounting to little more than half of that of the enemy, and especially the absence of the Spezziot fire-ships, rendered it impossible for him to make any impression upon their fleet, or prevent it from entering the gulph. It reached Patras, and re-inforced Ibrahim's army by landing six thousand fresh troops. With part of these succours, Ibrahim immediately sailed up the gulph, and, effecting a landing on its northern shore, marched to oppose a Greek force under Goura and Draco, which the government, on learning the arrival of the Egyptian fleet, had ordered to advance from Salona to the relief of Missolonghi. His troops, under Mohanem Bey, met, and defeated them, although without any serious loss, while his naval armament destroyed a number of small vessels, and captured a considerable quantity of provisions and ammunition. He then returned with his booty to Patras, and, having re-inforced the Seraskier, who had again advanced, they proceeded together to press the siege of Missolonghi, while the fleet blockaded the entrance to its harbour.

1826, stood out a siege of eight months. Its garrison was small, but determined, or rather, despe rate; the failure of so many attacks, and their long resistance to so many Turkish bombardments, had given them confidence: want of provisions was the greatest danger which they had to appre hend. The approaches on the land side were in the hands of the besiegers; the harbour was blockaded by the Egyptian fleet; and, if the latter were allowed to remain masters of the gulph, Missolonghi could not be saved from being starved into a surrender. Miaulis, who had found himself too weak to prevent the enemy's fleet from entering the gulph, or to undertake any thing decisive against it when there, had returned to the south, leaving his fleet cruizing between Zante and Chiarenza, to clear away the difficulties which had prevented him from being joined by the Spezziote and Ipsariote vessels. In this he succeeded, and the united fleet appeared off the gulph of Lepanto on the 20th of January. On the 22nd, an engagement took place between divisions of both fleets, but they separated without damage on either side, the violence of the easterly winds making it impossible for them to keep the line of battle. On the 27th, the Turkish fleet, which was generally at anchor off Patras, again bore down upon the Greek squadron; the latter stood out to sea, to gain a more advantageous position; then engaged, and, after a sharp action of some duration, compelled the Turks to return to Patras, with the loss of a frigate and a corvette.

These partial engagements, however, were of little lasting effect

in relieving the besieged town, for they failed in the only thing by which they could assist it, the raising of the blockade of the harbour. The Turkish fleet was too strong to be driven from the gulph, although, so long as Vassiladi, a small fortified island, commanding the mouth of the harbour, was in the hands of the Greeks, the enemy could not entirely stop the entrance of provisions into the town. On the land side, no more vigorous attack was made during the month of January, than what consisted in throwing a few shells, or firing a few shots from the batteries. Ibrahim, with his usual caution, from the landing of his Egyptian reinforcements, had been preparing for a vigorous and general attack, in which he trusted for success to the European discipline of his own troops, and the talents of the European officers, principally French, Neapolitans, and Piedmontese, who directed his artillery. By the end of the month, every thing was nearly in readiness; but, before the attack took place, the captain of a British ship of war, the Rose, was made the bearer of a message from the capitan pacha to the garrison, in which he informed them that, in eight days, the preparations for the assault would be completed, but that, desirous to save the effusion of blood, which would necessarily ensue if the city should be taken by storm, he wished to know, whether the garrison was willing to capitulate, and if so, what terms they demanded? The answer was, "The capitan pacha knows that the Greeks have suffered losses without end, have

shed much of their blood, have seen their habitations destroyed, and their country laid waste; for all which nothing can indemnify them but liberty and independence. With regard to the assault which he threatens to make within eight days, we are ready to receive it; and, fighting with God on our side, we trust we shall be able to frustrate and repel it, as we did that of the Seraskier, in July last.

"For the rest, he is well aware that we have a Government, in obedience to whose orders we fight and die:-to that government, therefore, he may address himself, whenever he is disposed to negociate peace or war."

The Turkish army now before Missolonghi exceeded 20,000 men, 8,000 of whom were Egyptian troops, trained to regular warfare, and supported by a numerous artillery, well managed by European engineers. The garrison which resisted this overwhelming force did not amount to 2,000 men, under the command of Noto Bozzaris; and if the enemy had only perseverance, escape seemed to be impracticable, for their very numbers could weary out the useless bravery of the besieged. Ibrahim opened his batteries on the town about the middle of February, and continued a furious bombardment, without making any assault, till the 28th. On that day he led his men to a general and simultaneous attack; the Greeks received him with their usual desperate bravery, having previously excited themselves into enthusiasm, by taking the holy sacrament, as if moving to mevitable death. The contest was long and doubtful, and the carnage dread

ful; but the despair of the Greeks prevailed, and Ibrahim was repulsed upon every point, with a loss which, according to some, amounted to three thousand men. On the 2nd of March he made a similar attempt, and was again repulsed; while the Greeks, sallying from the town, drove in his out-posts, and insulted his entrenchments.

Ibrahim, while he allowed his troops to recover from the conse.. quences of these unsuccessful assaults, now directed his attention with greater earnestness to the project of starving the town, and thus compelling the garrison either to surrender at discretion, or expose themselves, in a desperate attempt to break through the circle which surrounded them, to almost certain destruction, from his immense superiority of force. To gain this end, it was essential to make himself master of the small island of Vassiladi, the guns of whose fortress prevented his fleet from establishing a perfect and actual blockade, and preventing a frequent entrance of small vessels laden with provisions, from Zante and Cephalonia. It had already resisted several attacks, but, on the 9th of March, he succeeded in carrying it, in consequence, it is said, of a shell having fallen in the powder magazine during the assault, and at once produced confusion in the garrison, and deprived them of their means of defence. On the 13th, he was equally successful against the fortified island of Anatolico. His ships of war could now anchor where it suited them; his armed boats could prevent a single plank from entering the harbour: the Greek fleet, though

cruizing in the neighbourhood, was too weak in force to risk a battle; and the fate of Missolonghi was sealed. Ibrahim could assault both on the sea and on the land side; and, between the 18th of March, and the end of the month, he made several furious attacks, combining all his preparations in a manner which seemed to promise decisive success. Ibrahim himself, in the last of these assaults, led on his men. While the attack was made on the land side, a numerous flotilla of boats, crowded with troops, made a simultaneous attack from the sea. On the latter point the attack, at first, succeeded; the Egyptians surmounted all the difficulties presented by the nature of the ground, and made their way as far as the custom-house. But the Greeks had formed a rampart of hogsheads filled with sand, and surmounted with cannon; behind this they entrenched themselves, and kept up so destructive a fire, that the Egyptians and Turks were again driven back in disorder, leaving behind them two thousand of their bravest troops.

Ibrahim had now learned the temper of the garrison, and wisely resolved not hastily again to squander his men in such costly attacks upon opponents, who seemed to be as immovable as the walls which they defended. Keeping within his entrenchments, and maintaining, by his occupation of Vassiladi, a strict blockade of the harbour, he patiently awaited the issue which his very position, and the failure of provisions in the town, could not fail soon to produce. Abundance and repose reigned in his camp; the Greeks.

in relieving the besieged town, for they failed in the only thing by which they could assist it, the raising of the blockade of the harbour. The Turkish fleet was too strong to be driven from the gulph, although, so long as Vassiladi, a small fortified island, commanding the mouth of the harbour, was in the hands of the Greeks, the enemy could not entirely stop the entrance of provisions into the town. On the land side, no more vigorous attack was made during the month of January, than what consisted in throwing a few shells, or firing a few shots from the batteries. Ibrahim, with his usual caution, from the landing of his Egyptian reinforcements, had been preparing for a vigorous and general attack, in which he trusted for success to the European discipline of his own troops, and the talents of the European officers, principally French, Neapolitans, and Piedmontese, who directed his artillery. By the end of the month, every thing was nearly in readiness; but, before the attack took place, the captain of a British ship of war, the Rose, was made the bearer of a message from the capitan pacha to the garrison, in which he informed them that, in eight days, the preparations for the assault would be completed, but that, desirous to save the effusion of blood, which would necessarily ensue if the city should be taken by storm, he wished to know, whether the garrison was willing to capitulate, and if so, what terms they demanded? The answer was, "The capitan pacha knows that the Greeks have suffered losses without end, have

shed much of their blood, have seen their habitations destroyed, and their country laid waste; for all which nothing can indemnify them but liberty and independence. With regard to the assault which he threatens to make within eight days, we are ready to receive it; and, fighting with God on our side, we trust we shall be able to frustrate and repel it, as we did that of the Seraskier, in July last.

"For the rest, he is well aware that we have a Government, in obedience to whose orders we fight and die:-to that government, therefore, he may address himself, whenever he is disposed to negociate peace or war.

The Turkish army now before Missolonghi exceeded 20,000 men, 8,000 of whom were Egyptian troops, trained to regular warfare, and supported by a numerous artillery, well managed by European engineers. The garrison which resisted this overwhelming force did not amount to 2,000 men, under the command of Noto Bozzaris; and if the enemy had only perseverance, escape seemed to be impracticable, for their very numbers could weary out the useless bravery of the besieged. Ibrahim opened his batteries on the town about the middle of February, and continued a furious bombardment, without making any assault, till the 28th. On that day he led his men to a general and simultaneous attack; the Greeks received him with their usual desperate bravery, having previously excited themselves into enthusiasm, by taking the holy sacrament, as if moving to inevitable death. The contest was long and doubtful, and the carnage dread

ful; but the despair of the Greeks prevailed, and Ibrahim was repulsed upon every point, with a loss which, according to some, amounted to three thousand men. On the 2nd of March he made a similar attempt, and was again repulsed; while the Greeks, sallying from the town, drove in his out-posts, and insulted his entrenchments.

Ibrahim, while he allowed his troops to recover from the conse.. quences of these unsuccessful assaults, now directed his attention with greater earnestness to the project of starving the town, and thus compelling the garrison either to surrender at discretion, or expose themselves, in a desperate attempt to break through the circle which surrounded them, to almost certain destruction, from his immense superiority of force. To gain this end, it was essential to make himself master of the small island of Vassiladi, the guns of whose fortress prevented his fleet from establishing a perfect and actual blockade, and preventing a frequent entrance of small vessels laden with provisions, from Zante and Cephalonia. It had already resisted several attacks, but, on the 9th of March, he succeeded in carrying it, in consequence, it is said, of a shell having fallen in the powder magazine during the assault, and at once produced confusion in the garrison, and deprived them of their means of defence. On the 13th, he was equally successful against the fortified island of Anatolico. His ships of war could now anchor where it suited them; his armed boats could prevent a single plank from entering the harbour: the Greek fleet, though

cruizing in the neighbourhood, was too weak in force to risk a battle; and the fate of Missolonghi was sealed. Ibrahim could assault both on the sea and on the land side; and, between the 18th of March, and the end of the month, he made several furious attacks, combining all his preparations in a manner which seemed to promise decisive success. Ibrahim himself, in the last of these assaults, led on his men. While the attack was made on the land side, a numerous flotilla of boats, crowded with troops, made a simultaneous attack from the sea. On the latter point the attack, at first, succeeded; the Egyptians surmounted all the difficulties presented by the nature of the ground, and made their way as far as the custom-house. But the Greeks had formed a rampart of hogsheads filled with sand, and surmounted with cannon; behind this they entrenched themselves, and kept up so destructive a fire, that the Egyptians and Turks were again driven back in disorder, leaving behind them two thousand of their bravest troops.

Ibrahim had now learned the temper of the garrison, and wisely resolved not hastily again to squander his men in such costly attacks upon opponents, who seemed to be as immovable as the walls which they defended. Keeping within his entrenchments, and maintaining, by his occupation of Vassiladi, a strict blockade of the harbour, he patiently awaited the issue which his very position, and the failure of provisions in the town, could not fail soon to produce. Abundance and repose reigned in his camp; the Greeks.