'I had a passage of five weeks to Smyrna touching at Corfu and Milo and delivering at the former 120,000 Dollars for the Government, found our friend Guion there as much the ladies man as ever. I gave you a line from Tribune myself, I parted from her two days afterwards. After remaining a few days at Smyrna I sailed on a cruizer leaving the Rose there for the protection of the Trade. But before I weigh and make sail I shall say something of John Turk, who has always stood rather well with me until you take him into the field, and there he is bloody, cruel, ferocious and desperate but not brave. In the drawing room he is polish'd, well bred, and from the pomp and magnificence of style in which he lives he cannot fail at first to impose on the stranger a good opinion of at least his gentlemanly manners, and courtlike behaviour. On my arrival at Smyrna I did not fail as soon as I was able to gain an interview with Hussan Pacha, the Governor. This man gain'd his Government by some merit of his own; marching thro' Smyrna on his way to take possession of his Pachalick with his troops, he was called on by the Authorities and Consuls of foreign powers to exercise his military authority in restoring order to the town which was at this time (1821) in a state of anarchy, massacre and cruelty, against the Greeks; he undertook the task and succeeded in restoring order and stopping the slaughter in twenty-four hours, after which service, in consequence of a representation from the Consuls, the Porte confirm'd him to the Government.
'My party on the visit consisted of Capt. Dundas, Mr. Whitehead (the Admiral's son who has been with me from Malta) Lt. Trescott and Mr. Forester Wyson, with the Dragoman; we were received with all due respect and pomp and after many compliments, pipes, coffee, sherbet, &c. &c. we took our leave. The conversation that took place is not worth relating, as it was of that nature which such a visit might be supposed to produce.
'I afterwards went a round of visits to the Turkish nobles and principal officers of the Town, Delibash Beys, Beys, Agas, &c. &c. Smyrna is a large town, and like all other Turkish towns has narrow streets, low dirty houses, and long Bazaars; the people from their costume and arms forming the most amusing and picturesque objects of the whole. Here and there you saw strong symptoms of firing in the dominions of the Porte, doors full of shot-holes, and now and then a random ball whizzing over your head. Above the town on an eminence is a very picturesque old castle built by the Genoese, now in ruins and nothing more than a very beautiful object, and one of the finest roadsteads in the Mediterranean. The country at the back of Smyrna is rich and beautifully wooded.
'I rode out one evening with Capt. Dundas to the Consul's, the roads infamous and my horse stumbling exceedingly I did not quite enjoy the beauties of Asia, and the romance of the ride thro' the burying-place of the Turk, studded with the Turban [Footnote: The Turks at the top of the tombstone have the turban of their rank] or stone and Cypress, as much as I ought.
'On the 4th of July, I sailed from Voorla, a watering place on the south side of the Gulf of Smyrna, for Psara and arrived there on the 5th. The Turks having attacked the place on the 3rd, which they carried in about twelve hours, excepting a strong work on the west end of the Island which did not fall till the following day. I thought at first that this had been a decided and bloody blow struck at the root of the Greek revolution, but the Turk has gone to sleep since, or nearly. I have myself little doubt that the French had much to do with the capture of this island, for I learnt from many that a Frigate had been at Psara on the 22nd of June, and for four successive days had sounded round and round the Island and then sailed for Mytilene where the Capt. Pacha was. Moreover when I was on board the Pacha's ship he show'd me a Chart or plan of the Island, which the moment I saw it, I exclaimed "This is done by a Frank," and he said, yes that it had been done for him. The attack was made on the north side, the only place in this Island that Turkish troops could land on with safety, and even here the pass was so narrow up the mountain that only one man could pass at a time. To shew the difficulty of gaining ground, and how easily this place might have been defended, one Greek who was near the spot asleep on hearing a noise jumped up, and with his single arm killed seven Turks, one after the other as they came up; and then fled.
'As soon as I anchored on the roadstead, I sent to say I wished to pay my respects to the Captain Pacha, who returned a very civil answer, and I went en grande tenue, to see this mighty conqueror and Royal Prince. Our interview was truly amusing. I began with saying that having anchored in the road, and finding his fleet there (which consisted of one 80 gun ship, seven frigates and about eighty Corvettes, Brigs and Transports) I had come to pay my respects to him and to congratulate him on his successes over his enemies; he whimpered and simpered, like an old woman, thank'd me, but pretended to be excessively sorry for the loss of life on the part of the Psariotes, he having taken very good care that not a man on the Island should have his head left on his shoulders; but the women would not give him a chance, they did that which would do honor to the Antient Hist: of Greece! throwing their children from the precipices into the sea, and then following themselves. The Pacha told me he had not taken a single woman, and only a few children, that some of the boats pick'd up floating. We conversed on different topics, but more particularly on the politics of Turkey and Greece. I ask'd him if he meant to strike the iron while it was hot, and get on to Hydra, and strike a blow there, telling him at the same time that I was going to the Naval Islands on business and should tell all I had seen. He replied, "No, I love the Hydriotes." The crafty old dog loves them like a cannibal "well enough to eat them." After having sat above an hour (for I was determined to see all I could) he was called out by the Admiral who whispered in his ear; out he went, I was curious, and walked to the front part of the cabin opening a little of the Door; I saw him on the deck surrounded with Turkish soldiers who were each producing their day's work, in the process of extermination. Each head got the possessor a few Liqueurs. After he came into the cabin again, I tax'd him with what he had been at. He smiled and ask'd me should I like to see it. I told him I had read of these things among Eastern nations, but was not quite sure before that it was true, upon which he not knowing that I had seen a great deal, ordered the head of a Greek Priest just taken off, and still reeking with gore, to be brought in to me, which was accordingly done. After this I took my leave of the Old Turk, who pressed my hand cordially; I ask'd his permission to go on shore, but he would not give it, saying that it was a horrid sight and that most likely I should be shot myself. The Turks here killed about 8000 Greeks and lost themselves by their own account about 3000, but the fact is they cannot tell, for they never know the number of people they have on board.
'Ismail Pacha had one of his Captains wounded, and he ask'd me to allow my surgeon to visit him, which I did. This Ismail Pacha is an Albanian and served under the old lion Ali for a long while and was by him raised to a Pachalick which was confirm'd to him by the Porte after the death of Ali; he commanded the 12,000 men that landed at Psara. Another desperate act of heroism took place in the strong fort situated on an eminence at the West End of the Island, it held out till the last and was not destroy'd until everything was lost. The Turks had made a forlorn hope to storm it, the Greeks allowed them easy access, then fired the magazine. Thus perish'd 1000 Greek men, women and children and 400 Turks. I sailed in the evening after saluting the Pacha with twenty guns, and saw them fire the Town, the Plunder being finish'd.
'From Psara to Hydra where I had a grievance to try to redress, but from its being a year old, I had much fear that with my small force I should not be able to effect that which a larger ship would have immediately succeeded in, with nothing more than threats. I intended to try those first and ultimately to do more and take my chance of what the Govt. might think.
'But the Martin's arrival has taken the "Green Bag" away from me. I will now relate that on my arrival off Hydra, I found Miaoulis the Greek Admiral on his way to assist Psara. I hailed his vessel and invited him on board, he came and I made him acquainted with the capture and massacre at the place, (since I left Psara I found that about twenty-five sail of vessels had escaped, with some women and children). He seem'd much distressed, but said he would push on and see what was to be done. I afterwards heard that he kept aloof until the Captain Pacha quitted, he then attack'd the gun boats in which about 2000 [Footnote: The garrison left at Psara] Turks were attempting to escape and destroyed nearly the whole of them. Now the Island is desolate and neutral having neither Greek nor Turk on it; but I hear that the Captain Pacha is going to adopt the miserable and contemptible policy of destroying its harbour, and then taking no more regard of the Island. I must say the want of unanimity in the Greek against the common enemy is here too perceptible. The Hydriotes well knew that Psara was soon to be attack'd and it was in their power to have saved it, but its having been in former days a rival island in commerce, and was now a rival island in achievements in war, they delay'd sending their ships until it was too late. There were also traitors among their own people, no doubt of it!
'My business at Hydra was a case of piracy, against a British merchant of Alexandria, and all the property was stolen and the vessel burnt, &c. &c. I called off the island and as they wish'd to refer back to the affair before they would give an answer, I passed on to Napoli di Romania (Nauplia) where the Greeks have set up an attempt at a government, for a government I cannot call it that has neither laws or courts, not even a national assembly is yet instituted; but anarchy seems to reign among them, and until something like a strict union among the chiefs of this people takes place I fear their cause is not likely to be progressive, or their means effective.