of
going to look after her. The Gulf of Lepanto is now left entirely in the
hands of the Turks, and I wish to send the gunboat in to assist the
expedition against Salona, but the crew having been so long about here,
suffering much hardship and without pay, are very dissatisfied. I have
given the boat a new mast, anchor, cable, provisions, ammunition, &c.,
and I will even advance them a little money, if they will go into the
Gulf. I should hope, however, that your lordship will reimburse me for
these expenses, extra of my own vessel. As you may imagine, I am almost
entirely without coals, and cannot get a sufficient quantity of the
pitch-pine to burn; the other pine will not answer, and therefore I am
reduced to sails. General Church had ordered round here a Psariot brig
he had at Kenkness, and I wrote to M. Koering to request him to put
coals on board of her, which, I understand, M. Koering refused. From the
manner in which I have been frequently treated, one would imagine that
this vessel was not a Greek but an enemy's vessel. I trust your lordship
will remedy this, and put me on a fair footing with the other Greek
national vessels. I wish your lordship could also contrive to let me
have some money, to cover the expenses of this vessel, which, for three
months that we have been absent from Poros, cannot be supposed trifling.
As I conceive it important, under existing circumstances, to keep the
blockade of Patras, Missolonghi, and the Gulf, I will remain as long as
my destitute situation will permit me. Since I have been here I do not
think any vessels have entered the Gulf.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. HASTINGS.

XXVIII.

_Karteria_, Dragomestre, Dec. 8th, 1827.

MY LORD,

I have the honour to inform you that I have passed over the army of
General Church to this port, amounting to about twelve hundred men, with
six pieces of artillery, and about sixty horses, mules, &c. The General
has been joined by Maori and some other captains, which may have
increased his force to two thousand men. He is in hourly expectation of
being joined by Zouga, and even Varnachioti is expected to come over.
The Monastery of Ligovitza, on the road from Arta to Lepanto and
Missolonghi, is said to have been possessed by the troops of the
General. This post is of importance. The troops have all marched from
Patras to Navarino, and nothing remains b