and permitted them to carry entrenching tools to form their
usual numerous positions on the line of their route, the construction of
which wholly defeated the intention of surprise, and enabled the enemy
to surround their advanced guard or van, weakened by the division of the
troops into fourteen garrisons left in a line in their advance, whereas
the whole body might, with perfect safety and in two hours, have reached
the Acropolis. The slaughter which the Turks made in the advanced posts
of the Greeks was horrible, and the panic which took possession of those
who remained on the Phalerum, at three leagues' distance from the scene
of action, was as disgraceful as the conduct of their chief, Zavella,
who made no movement even to create a diversion, but sat coolly looking
at the slaughter of his countrymen. With six thousand men under his
command he remained totally inactive. This expedition to Athens cost
upwards of twenty-five thousand dollars of the naval money and destroyed
most of our provisions. At the same time, I believed it to be my duty to
act as I did, and I have not since regretted any step that I took,
because, if Fabvier and the garrison fall into the hands of the Turks
and are destroyed, I shall at least have the consolation of knowing that
my utmost efforts were made to avert their fate."

CHAPTER XIX.

LORD COCHRANE'S RETURN TO POROS.--HIS ATTEMPTS TO ORGANIZE AN EFFICIENT
GREEK NAVY.--THE WANT OF FUNDS AND THE APATHY OF THE GREEKS.--HIS LETTER
TO THE PSARIANS, AND HIS VISITS TO HYDRA AND SPETZAS.--HIS CRUISE ROUND
THE MOREA.--HIS FIRST ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TURKS.--THE DISORGANIZATION OF
HIS GREEK SAILORS.--HIS CAPTURE OF A VESSEL BEARING THE BRITISH FLAG,
LADEN WITH GREEK PRISONERS.--SEIZURE OF PART OF RESHID PASHA'S
HAREM.--IBRAHIM PASHA'S NARROW ESCAPE.--LORD COCHRANE'S FURTHER
DIFFICULTIES.--HIS EXPEDITION TO ALEXANDRIA.--ITS FAILURE THROUGH THE
COWARDICE OF HIS SEAMEN.--HIS TWO LETTERS TO THE PASHA OF EGYPT.--HIS
RETURN TO POROS.--FURTHER EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE NAVY.--HIS VISIT TO
SYRA.--THE TROUBLES OF THE GREEK GOVERNMENT.--LORD COCHRANE'S VISIT TO
NAVARINO.--HIS DEFEAT OF A TURKISH SQUADRON.

[1827.]

Before arriving in Greece, Lord Cochrane bad been informed by Captain
Abney Hastings and other experienced Philhellenes of the inefficiency of
the navy, and a very short stay at Poros served to convince him of the
truth of the information. On the 17th of April he obtained from the
National