completely above trifling passions, being able to strengthen by his union
with it the party which appeared to him the most patriotic, he might
without any doubt, with time and experience, have played a part the most
magnificent and salutary to Greece. At first he had constructed, at his
own expense, a fort in the little isle of Xéclamisma, the capture of
which would have given great facilities to the enemies to attack by sea
Missolonghi or Anatoliko. Missolonghi gave to this important fort the
name of "Fort Byron." This nobleman conceived afterwards, studied and
prepared an expedition against the strong place of Lepanto, the capture
of which would have produced consequences singularly favourable. Once in
possession of the means of regularly paying the soldiers, he would have
been able to form a choice body, and take the town, which did not present
any difficulty of attack, either on account of the few troops shut up
there, or the weakness of its fortifications. Byron only waited the
arrival of the loan, to begin his march.

Thus he led an agreeable life in the midst of a nation which he aimed at
saving. Enchanted with the bravery of the Souliots, and their manners,
which recalled to him the simplicity of Homeric times, he assisted at
their banquets, extended upon the turf; he learnt their pyrrhic dance,
and he sang in unison the airs of Riga, harmonizing his steps to the
sound of their national mandolin. Alas! he carried too far his benevolent
condescension. Towards the beginning of April he went to hunt in the
marshes of Missolonghi. He entered on foot in the shallows; he came out
quite wet, and, following the example of the _pallikares_ accustomed to
the _malaria_, he would not change his clothes, and persisted in having
them dried upon his body. Attacked with an inflammation upon the lungs,
he refused to let himself be bled, notwithstanding the intreaties of his
physician, of Maurocordato and all his friends. His malady quickly grew
worse; on the fourth day Byron became delirious; by means of bleeding he