p further until the
monastery was captured, and, as General Church agreed with this view,
Lord Cochrane assented to it.

Early next morning the bombardment of the monastery was begun. The
_Hellas_, commanded by Miaoulis, discharged her heavy guns upon it
during several hours, with such effect that it seemed to be only a mass
of ruins. It was feebly invested by Karaiskakes on land. But its
garrison held out with excellent bravery. Thrice the Greeks tried to
storm it; but thrice they were driven back.

In the evening the Turks solicited an armistice, and offered to
capitulate on condition that they should be allowed to retire with all
their arms and properties: and this proposal Karaiskakes was inclined to
accept. Lord Cochrane, however, contended that they should have nothing
but bare life. While this was being discussed, the Turks perfidiously
assassinated a Greek messenger sent to treat with them, and fired upon a
boat in which Lord Cochrane's secretary, Mr. Edward Masson, was carrying
the flag of truce. Thereupon, the Chief Admiral refused to hear any more
of a compromise. Returning to his ship, he ordered the bombardment of
the convent to be resumed, and besought Karaiskakes to continue storming
it by land.

This was done throughout the 27th, but unsuccessfully, because
unwillingly. The Greeks asserted that the Turkish garrison was utterly
without provisions and water. Lord Cochrane urged that, if it was so, a
small detachment of the Greek army and the ships of war would suffice
for its investment, while the main force marched boldly on to Athens
before the terror inspired by its recent achievements had died out. He
reproached them with cowardice, and threatened to leave them unless they
took prompt measures for completing their triumph. "The services of the
navy," he wrote to Karaiskakes, "are immediately required for other
purposes than those of attending upon an inactive army. My duty I am
determined to execute in all possible ways in which my services can
benefit Greece. I shall therefore be gratified if, in reply to this
letter, you will inform me if it is in your power to make the army
advance, and if that advance will take place before to-morrow night. It
will give me the greatest pleasure to co-operate with you in all manner
of ways, but my desire to that effect is rendered null if those under
your orders will not conform to your wishes or obey your commands."

To the same effect Lord Cochrane wrote, on t