with the Greek cause, of the two he preferred the Turk as by far the
best to deal with.

It will be seen that he had to go round visiting the chief islands,
Corfu, Cephalonia and Zante, and ascertain from the governors if they
had any grievances to be remedied. He had no positive orders for his
guidance, but only 'act as you think most fit.' Often he found himself
in difficulties without even an interpreter, and so obliged to make
himself understood, if he could, in French. His short but graphic
description of Lord Byron at Missolonghi and his rencontre with Colonel
Leicester Stanhope will interest many readers.

From a journal kept by Commander Yorke during this service, which he
heads 'A few Miscellaneous Remarks. H.M. Sloop _Alacrity_,'
beginning in 1823, and now with the Hardwicke MSS. at the British
Museum, I find a few facts which supplement those of the letters. He
records receiving much civility from Lord Chatham at Gibraltar, and
sailed from that port on December 2 in company with the _Sybella_
for Malta, a passage which occupied about fourteen days. After ten days
at Malta refitting, he was ordered to proceed to the Ionian station. He
describes with great admiration the beauty of the scene at sunrise on
New Year's Day of 1824 as the _Alacrity_ made the coast of Epirus,
the snow-covered mountains of Albania contrasting with the green and
fertile shore of Corfu with its olive gardens reaching down to the
water's edge. At Corfu he dined with commissioners, generals, and at
messes; and records meeting Lord Byron's 'Maid of Athens,' 'who is now
rather _passee_, but certainly has remains of a fine face and a bad
figure; large feet, of course, that all the Greeks have,' he writes.
There are accounts of other diversions, including a week's shooting with
a Mr. P. Steven and the officers of the 90th Regiment, which he