otwithstanding these orders, there was not at the beginning
of April, two months after the attempted assassination of Pacho Bey, a
single soldier ready to march on Albania. Ramadan, that year, did not
close until the new moon of July. Had Ali put himself boldly at the head
of the movement which was beginning to stir throughout Greece, he might
have baffled these vacillating projects, and possibly dealt a fatal blow
to the Ottoman Empire. As far back as 1808, the Hydriotes had offered to
recognise his son Veli, then Vizier of the Morea, as their Prince, and
to support him in every way, if he would proclaim the independence of
the Archipelago. The Moreans bore him no enmity until he refused to help
them to freedom, and would have returned to him had he consented.

On the other side, the sultan, though anxious for war, would not spend
a penny in order to wage it; and it was not easy to corrupt some of the
great vassals ordered to march at their own expense against a man in
whose downfall they had no special interest. Nor were the means of
seduction wanting to Ali, whose wealth was enormous; but he preferred to
keep it in order to carry on the war which he thought he could no longer
escape. He made, therefore, a general appeal to all Albanian warriors,
whatever their religion. Mussulmans and Christians, alike attracted by
the prospect of booty and good pay, flocked to his standard in crowds.

He organised all these adventurers on the plan of the Armatous, by
companies, placing a captain of his own choice at the head of each, and
giving each company a special post to defend. Of all possible plans this
was the best adapted to his country, where only a guerilla warfare can
be carried on, and where a large army could not subsist.

In repairing to the posts assigned to them, these troops committed
such terrible depredations that the provinces sent to Constantinople
demanding their suppression. The Divan answered the petitioners that it
was their own business to suppress these disorders, and to induce the
Klephotes to turn their arms against Ali, who had nothing to hope from
the clemency of the Grand Seigneur. At the same time circular letters
were addressed to the Epirotes, warning them to abandon the cause of
a rebel, and to consider the best means of freeing themselves from a
traitor, who, having long oppressed them, now sought to draw down on
their country all the terrors of war. Ali, who everywhere maintained
numerous and a