before embarking in the
fleet, Hastings repaired to Corinth, which was then the seat of the
executive power. The hostility displayed to the Greek cause by Sir
Thomas Maitland, the lord high commissioner in the Ionian islands, had
rendered the British name exceedingly unpopular at this time, in
Greece, and Alexander Maurocordatos, (called at that period Prince
Maurocordatos,) who was president of the Greek Republic, partook of
the popular prejudice against Englishmen.

On arriving at Corinth Hastings met with a very cool reception, and
spies were placed to watch his conduct; for though the president had
made no progress in organizing the naval, military, or financial
administration, he had already established a numerous and active
secret police. For several days Hastings was unable to obtain an
audience of Maurocordatos; but an American, Mr Jarvis, (afterwards a
lieutenant-general in the Greek service,) to whom Hastings had given a
passage from Marseilles, was received with great attention. Jarvis, as
well as Hastings, observed "that the police was very severe and
vigilant in Corinth;" and on the 15th of April he wrote thus:--"I paid
my respects to the prince, and was invited to come in the evening. I
had a long conversation with him, and he was particularly kind to me,
and liked me the more, as he said, for being an American. He told me
many of the bad actions of the English, and plainly told me he and the
rest took my friend and companion for a spy. I then answered what was
necessary--approved his dislike of the English and his foresight, but
showed him that he was in the wrong in this case."

These suspicions being mentioned to Hastings, he immediately addressed
a letter to the president, demanding that his offer of serving on
board the fleet should be either definitely refused or accepted by the
Greek government. He, at the same time, pointed out to Maurocordatos
the absurdity of suspecting him as a spy. We translate his own letter,
which is in French. "I am suspected by your excellency of being an
English spy. Considering the conduct of the British government to
Greece, I expected to meet with some prejudice against the English
among the ignorant; but I own I was not prepared to find this
illiberality among men of rank and education. If the English
government required a spy in Greece, it would not address itself to a
person of my condition. I am the younger son of Sir Charles Hastings,
Baronet, a general in the ar