determined him to prefer the town of Missolonghi, which already showed
for its glory the tombs of Normann, Kyriakoulis, and Botzaris. Alas! that
town was destined, four months later, to reckon another mausoleum!

Towards the month of November a Hydriote brig of war, commanded by the
nephew of the brave Criézy, sailed to Cephalonia to take him on board,
and bring him to Missolonghi; but the Septinsular government, not
permitting ships bearing a Greek flag to come into its harbours, Byron
was obliged to pass to Zante in a small vessel, and to join the Greek
brig afterwards, which was waiting for him near Zante. Hardly was Byron
on board when he kissed the mainmast, calling it "_sacred wood_." The
ship's crew astonished at this whimsical behaviour, regarded him in
silence; suddenly Byron turned towards the captain and the sailors, whom
he embraced with tears, and said to them, "It is by this wood that you
will consolidate your independence." At these words the sailors, moved
with enthusiasm, regarded him with admiration. Byron soon reached
Missolonghi: the members of the Administrative Council received him at
the head of two thousand soldiers drawn up in order. The artillery of the
place, and the discharge of musquetry announced the happy arrival of this
great man. All the inhabitants ran to the shore, and welcomed him with
acclamations. As soon as he had entered the town, he went to the hotel of
the Administrative Council, where he was complimented by Porphyrios,
Archbishop of Arta, Lepanto and Etolia, accompanied by all his clergy.
The first words of Byron were, "Where is the brother of the modern
Leonidas?" Constantine Botzaris, a young man, tall and well made,
immediately stepped forward, and Byron thus accosted him:--"Happy mortal!
Thou art the brother of a hero, whose name will never be effaced in the
lapse of ages!" Then perceiving a great crowd assembled under the windows
of the hotel, he advanced towards the casement, and said, "Hellenes! you
see amongst you an Englishman who has never ceased to study Greece in her