capsized all my calculations.

It merely corroborated my view of blockade-running peoples, namely, that
they go for gain (some perhaps for love of enterprise); don't fight
unless very hard pressed, and not always then if they are wise; that is
what it should be. It is outrageous that adventurous persons not engaged
in war should become belligerents, as well as carriers of arms and
provisions to an enemy.

The first night I passed off Syra was one of great anxiety, as I had
promised the Governor of Crete that no blockade-runner should go to the
island.

In the morning a small steamer arrived from Athens with a Turkish
official on board. He came to me pale as a sheet, and told me that as he
left the Piraeus a Greek frigate was on the point of leaving for Syra,
whose captain, officers, and crew had sworn to bring back Hobart Pasha
dead or alive. Half an hour afterwards I got under weigh, and as I
steamed about in the offing I saw the Greek frigate coming round the
point.

It was a moment of intense excitement. The tops of the houses at Syra
were covered with people. It looked like the old story of the
'Chesapeake' and 'Shannon,' where the people turned out to see the fine
sport, and the band played, 'Yankee doodle dandy, oh!'

However, I steamed towards my supposed enemy, went almost alongside of
him, expecting momentarily to receive his broadside, when to my
astonishment and I must say satisfaction he steamed into the anchorage,
and let go three anchors. This didn't look like fighting. I found
afterwards that the Greek frigate had _no powder_ on board. It was a
shame to put her captain in so false a position, as everyone knows what
gallant stuff the Greeks are made of, and swagger is a mistake where
real pluck exists.

I felt for him very much, as he seemed so sorry for himself.

A few days after this I was reinforced by six or seven Turkish
ironclads, and in fact commanded the position in spite of all
remonstrances on the part of foreigners and other declared enemies of
Turkish rule.

We went through the laughable farce of a trial of the 'Enossis' on board
a vessel lying in port (I dare not land), which of course ended in
nothing.

The Governor-General of Crete sent all the insurgents in Turkish ships
to me to deal with, and this was the most difficult thing I had to do.
Poor beggars, they were fine though misguided men. After giving them a
good feed, for they were terribly hungry, I distributed them among th