and refused to give it up on a fair review of the case, to take "vi et
armis" an equivalent or the vessel that committed the act. Thus armed
with his opinion it was not long before an opportunity offered, and one,
take it all in all, which was to me most interesting. A vessel of the
Greek fleet had captured an Ionian vessel coming from Patras to Zante
with a cargo "_as the Petition stated_" worth 400 Dollars, and
having plundered her and ill used the crew, permitted the vessel herself
to depart. This petition is put into my hands by Col. Sir F. Steven the
resident of Zante, for here a Capt. of a man of war is a species of
Penang Lawyer, and whenever a petition comes to any of these gentlemen
they always say "Oh! give it the Capt. of the Brig or Frigate, &c. he
will soon settle it, and do it by _Club Law_." However away I went
to Missolonghi, and anchored off the Town on the 23rd of Jany. observing
ten sail of Turkish men of war to leeward, went on shore, and with much
difficulty we poked our way through the narrow channels of this
extraordinary place, there being a low flat of sand turning out from the
land about seven miles; it seems to be the only defence the town has.
Had an interview with Mavrocordato who received me of course, with
civility, on Divan, supposing that I came to do him no good, having with
me two or three officers and an arm'd boats crew. When I landed I met
with a face that put me in mind of Hyde Park, Balls, Parties, Almacks,
&c. This was no one more or less than Col. Leicester Stanhope come out
with Jeremy Bentham under his arm to give the Greeks a constitution.

'Powerful in strength must he be who can manage this; long in pocket,
with a head filled up with every talent that man is capable of
possessing and a pair of loaded pistols in his belt, with no more words
than are absolutely necessary to warn people, if they do not do this,
that they will have a chance of being sent to sleep with their Fathers.