e indemnity granted to the Christians was
reduced by the English to the sum of 276,075 sterling, instead of the
original 500,000. And as Ali's agents only arrived at the sum of 56,750,
a final conference was held at Buthrotum between Ali and the Lord
High Commissioner. The latter then informed the Parganiotes that the
indemnity allowed them was irrevocably fixed at 150,000! The transaction
is a disgrace to the egotistical and venal nation which thus allowed the
life and liberty of a people to be trifled with, a lasting blot on the
honour of England!

The Parganiotes at first could believe neither in the infamy of their
protectors nor in their own misfortune; but both were soon confirmed by
a proclamation of the Lord High Commissioner, informing them that the
pacha's army was marching to take possession of the territory which, by
May 10th, must be abandoned for ever.

The fields were then in full bearing. In the midst of plains ripening
for a rich harvest were 80,000 square feet of olive trees, alone
estimated at two hundred thousand guineas. The sun shone in cloudless
azure, the air was balmy with the scent of orange trees, of pomegranates
and citrons. But the lovely country might have been inhabited by
phantoms; only hands raised to heaven and brows bent to the dust
met one's eye. Even the very dust belonged no more to the wretched
inhabitants; they were forbidden to take a fruit or a flower, the
priests might not remove either relics or sacred images. Church,
ornaments, torches, tapers, pyxes, had by this treaty all become
Mahommedan property. The English had sold everything, even to the Host!
Two days more, and all must be left. Each was silently marking the door
of the dwelling destined so soon to shelter an enemy, with a red cross,
when suddenly a terrible cry echoed from street to street, for the Turks
had been perceived on the heights overlooking the town. Terrified and
despairing, the whole population hastened to fall prostrate before the
Virgin of Parga, the ancient guardian of their citadel. A mysterious
voice, proceeding from the sanctuary, reminded them that the English
had, in their iniquitous treaty, forgotten to include the ashes of those
whom a happier fate had spared the sight of the ruin of Parga. Instantly
they rushed to the graveyards, tore open the tombs, and collected the
bones and putrefying corpses. The beautiful olive trees were felled, an
enormous funeral pyre arose, and in the general excitem