rs on horseback
in a country so miry after the rains, that every hundred yards brings
you to a ditch, of whose depth, width, colour, and contents, both my
horses and their riders have brought away many tokens."

LETTER 558. TO ME. BARFF.

"March 26.

"Since your intelligence with regard to the Greek loan, P.
Mavrocordato has shown to me an extract from some correspondence of
his, by which it would appear that three commissioners are to be
named to see that the amount is placed in proper hands for the
service of the country, and that my name is amongst the number. Of
this, however, we have as yet only the report.

"This commission is apparently named by the Committee or the
contracting parties in England. I am of opinion that such a
commission will be necessary, but the office will be both delicate
and difficult. The weather, which has lately been equinoctial, has
flooded the country, and will probably retard our proceeding to
Salona for some days, till the road becomes more practicable.

"You were already apprised that P. Mavrocordato and myself had been
invited to a conference by Ulysses and the Chiefs of Eastern Greece.
I hear (and am indeed consulted on the subject) that in case the
remittance of the first advance of the Loan should not arrive
immediately, the Greek General Government mean to try to raise some
thousand dollars in the islands in the interim, to be repaid from the
earliest instalments on their arrival. What prospect of success they
may have, or on what conditions, you can tell better than me: I
suppose, if the Loan be confirmed, something might be done by them,
but subject of course to the usual terms. You can let them and me
know your opinion. There is an imperious necessity for some national
fund, and that speedily, otherwise what is to be done? The auxiliary
corps of about two hundred men, paid by me, are, I believe, the sole
regularly and properly furnished with the money, due to them weekly,
and the officers monthly. It is true that the Greek Government give
their rations; but we have had three mutinies, owing to the badness
of the bread, which neither native nor stranger could masticate (nor
dogs either), and there is still great difficulty in obtaining them
even provisions of any kind.

"There is a dissension among the Germans about the conduct of the
agents of _their_ Committee, and an examination amongst themselves
instituted. What the result may be cannot be anticipated, except that