“We must wait, father,” he said, “until we see something like a stable government in power. When it has been at work a bit, and you find that it makes its authority respected, restores order, and unites the people in a common effort, it will be time enough for you to let them have money. To give it now would simply be to waste it, and, indeed, worse than waste it, for it would only add to the struggle for power on which the Greeks are wasting their strength. From all we learn the sailors of Hydra5, Spetzas, and Psara are the only men who at present are acting6 with any common object. As everything depends upon crippling the Turks at sea, I should think we could not do better than get rid of some of our guns and ammunition7 by giving them to them. If we could get rid of twenty or thirty tons of our cargo8 it would put us in first-rate sailing trim, and at any rate get something off our minds. Then from there we could sail to Athens and get the papers we require authorizing9 us to act as a Greek privateer. Of course that would be no protection to us if we fell into the hands of the Turks; but we could do nothing until we get them without acting as pirates and rendering10 ourselves liable to be hung by any European man-of-war that might overhaul11 us.”
This course was determined12 upon, to the great satisfaction of William Martyn; and after a stay of three days at Zante sail was again set, and the Creole left the anchorage. It was well that she did so, for the next day all their Greek sympathies would have been insufficient13 to prevent their fighting on the other side. An Algerine barque that had separated from the Turkish fleet, which had just captured Galaxidhi and had taken possession of thirty-four Greek brigs, was attacked by eighteen Hydriot ships. She refused to surrender, and made such a gallant15 resistance that the Hydriots did not venture to run alongside and carry her by boarding. The Algerines, knowing that if their spars were shot away they would all be killed, ran her ashore16 near the southern cape17 of Zante.
The fight had been witnessed by thousands of refugee Moreots and Zanteot peasants, who opened fire upon the Algerines when they landed. Two English officers with twenty men had gone down from the town to enforce obedience18 to the quarantine regulations, which were very strict. They ordered the Greeks to retire, but these refused, and continued to attack the Turks. The officer commanded his men to fire over the heads of the crowd, when the Zanteots at once turned their muskets19 against them. One soldier was killed, and the rest retired21 into a house with the Turks and defended themselves until a stronger body of English troops came down from the town and rescued them. For firing upon the troops and killing22 one of them five Zanteots were afterwards tried and executed, and the lord high-commissioner issued a proclamation forbidding the entry of any Turk or Greek men-of-war into any Ionian port.
The Greek commercial navy, before the outbreak of the revolution, consisted to a large extent of the shipping23 of the four little islands Hydra, Spetzas, Psara, and Cazos. These islands, which were small and barren, had sprung into importance by the wise policy of the sultans at the beginning of the eighteenth century. Seeing that the exactions of their own officials rendered it impossible for the Greek and Mussulman sailors to compete with those of other nations, they had exempted24 from all taxes and other burdens persons settling on these islands, and had allowed to them perfect self-government. The result had answered their expectations. Colonies of Albanian sailors had established themselves at Hydra and Spetzas, while Greek seamen25 had settled in Psara and Cazos, and all four islands became populous26 and flourishing, owning among them nearly three hundred craft of from sixty to four hundred tons.
The contrast between the population and manners of the four islands was very marked. The two Albanian islands were governed by twelve primates27, elected by the wealthy, while in the Greek islands the government was purely28 democratic. The Albanians were by far the more sincere and honest, while the people of the two Greek islands were the more courteous29. All had early thrown in their lot with the revolution. The Peace of 1815 had caused a great reduction in the price of grain on the Continent and a fall of freights. Consequently many ships remained unemployed30, the prosperity of the islands diminished, and the sailors became discontented and clamorous31 for employment. Spetzas had been the first to declare for the revolution, and had at once sent off some ships, which had captured a Turkish corvette of twenty-six guns and a brig of sixteen, which, with small crews, were waiting at Milos to receive the contingent32 of sailors from the Albanian islands. The Turks, expecting no attack, were taken by surprise; but the first Greek naval33 success was dimmed by the Mussulman prisoners being all carried to Spetzas, where some were at once murdered and the rest put to death with horrible tortures.
Psara quickly followed the example of Spetzas, but Hydra was some time before it raised the Greek flag. The people were in favour of the revolution, but the wealthy ship-owners, who possessed34 all the power, were averse35 to fitting out their vessels36 for unprofitable service, and opposed the revolution until a popular insurrection broke out and their authority was set aside. The united fleet of the three islands, instead of attacking the Turkish fleet, which was occupied in conveying store-ships to the besieged38 garrisons39, swept the seas of merchantmen, and attacked and plundered40 an Austrian vessel37. Two Hydriot brigs captured a Turkish ship, with a very valuable cargo, carrying, among other passengers, a recently-deposed sheikh El-Islam, or Patriarch of the Mussulmans, and all his family. These and all on board were murdered by their captors; but the affair in the end benefited the Turks, for the captors refused to conform to the regulation that had been laid down, that all booty should be the common property of the fleet. Quarrels began between the sailors of the different islands, so that the fleet broke up, and was for a long time useless for any concerted action against the Turks.
The Creole visited the three islands in succession, handing over to the authorities in each ten guns, with a considerable amount of powder and shot, a thousand muskets, and ten thousand rounds of ammunition. There was a large amount of shipping in each of the harbours, and Will Martyn had the Creole’s guns all loaded and double shotted before entering.
“There is no saying what these fellows may be up to,” he remarked to Horace. “Seeing us giving away so large a quantity of valuables, they may think that we have got a gold mine on board. I don’t mean to close an eye while we are in harbour, I can tell you.”
Mr. Beveridge, personally, was received with much honour at these islands, and the guns, which Will Martyn had taken care should be the largest of those in the hold, were dragged up by the people and placed in the batteries.
The Creole then crossed to the Pir?us. The Acropolis of Athens was still held by the Turks, who were closely besieged there. Will Martyn landed with Mr. Beveridge. Horace told his father that he would rather not accompany him.
“You will be going about and seeing people, father,” he said, “and, as you say, you may have to go to other places to find some of the nominal42 authorities to sign documents, and so on, authorizing us to hoist43 the Greek flag, and giving us the usual papers carried by privateers. This may take time, for you and Martyn think that as the Greeks themselves have no such formalities, but fight the Turks just as they find them, it may be difficult for you to persuade them that letters of marque are really required authorizing the vessel, as a Greek ship, to capture, burn, and destroy all Turkish vessels she may meet.”
“Well, father, I don’t think that Martyn or the others look at it at all in that light, and I know they consider it absolutely necessary that we should have papers of that sort. Even with such papers they say they expect there will be a lot of difficulty, if they take any prizes, in disposing of them, and that, unless they have papers signed by the central government, the chances are that the moment a Turkish prize is brought into port, the Greeks will seize it as public property, and want to cut the throats of any Turks prisoners. Certainly we should not stand that, and we should be in the position of having to fight the Turks at sea and the Greeks in port. So I should not be surprised at all if you are ten days, or a fortnight, before you can get all the papers you want. Of course Martyn’s signature will be necessary to all sorts of things, and as there is no humbugging him he will be wonderfully useful to you in all sorts of ways.”
“But why should you not go with us too, Horace?”
“I would very much rather not, father. Of course I am quite with you in wishing to see Greece independent, but I am so disgusted with all these stories of the horrible atrocities45 they have been guilty of, and at the way in which, instead of joining together to fight the Turks, they are all bent46 only on getting power or spoil, and of behaving more like a collection of bands of brigands47 than a united people, that I would rather not see any more of them at present, or I shall get regularly to hate them. In a short time, I have no doubt, we shall hear of a lot of things done by the other side. We may be sure that the Turks will avenge48 the eight thousand Mussulmans who were murdered at Tripolitza. We heard at Zante that they had begun it, and then one thing will balance the other and I may get enthusiastic about the Greeks again; but at present, father, what I should like to see is this, that the Creole should be employed as a rescue ship.”
“How do you mean, Horace?”
“I mean, father, that we should try to save as many of these wretched Turks, and their women and children, from massacre49 as we can; and on the other hand, that we should try to save as many Greeks as possible from the vengeance50 of the Turks. There ought to be lots of opportunities both ways. If we are with the Greeks when they capture a Turkish vessel we can buy off the prisoners. The Greeks are fonder of money than even of blood, and the money will be a deal better spent that way than if wasted among the politicians, the captains of brigands, or primates, and would do good to the cause of Greece by saving it from dishonour51. When the Greeks make a descent upon a Turkish island we could send our boats ashore and take off a lot of the inhabitants, and we could do the same thing when the Turks attack a Greek place or island; and if either Greeks or Turks interfere52 with us at the work, I should say let us thrash them whoever they are. I consider that would be a glorious mission, and would be a credit to the flag we fly whether it is Greek or English; and if I were you I should speak out to Kolokotronis, or any other leader you may meet, and tell him frankly53 that you have come out to help the Greeks with arms and money, but that these massacres54 will turn all Europe against them; and that unless you are provided with an authority to take and hold all Turkish prisoners, and to protect them both from the populace and the sailors, you will withdraw altogether, and will do your best to prevent such atrocities, even if it comes to firing upon Greek vessels engaged in them.”
“I will do so, Horace,” his father said in a tone of decision. “We are a match, I fancy, for half a dozen of the Greek ships. They will find us a very different vessel to deal with than those slow-sailing Turks. I quite approve of what you say. For the first outburst of vengeance when they rose I am willing to make every allowance; but the revenge taken by the Turks at Kydonia should have reminded them that there are at least a million of their fellow-countrymen in Asia Minor55 whose lives have been endangered by their atrocities. Henceforth I will, as you propose, devote myself to saving life, and part of the money that I had intended for the Greeks shall go to make up to the crew for any loss they may sustain by missing the chance of taking prizes. I will hoist the Greek flag as I intended, and we, at least, will keep it unsullied.”
Horace repeated the substance of the conversation to Will Martyn and the other two officers, who cordially agreed; for although they had, of course, heard less at Zante of the details of the massacres than their employer and his son had done, they had heard enough to fill them with indignation, and to disgust them with the cause that they had come out to defend.
“That will be first-rate,” Martyn said, “and I can foresee we shall have lots of fun, and are likely to end by fighting both parties. There will be plenty for us to do. We will see if we can’t cut off some of the Turkish vessels laden56 with Greek captives for sale as slaves in the markets of Alexandria; while, as for the Greeks, if we slip in and save their captives they will be like a pack of wolves after their prey57. If I am to go with your father, Horace, you may be sure I will take any opportunity I may get of speaking out, and I reckon I will open the eyes of some of these Greek swells58 by the way I will give it them. I tell you what, Miller59: While I am away do you get up eight of those eighteen-pounders from the hold and mount them instead of the twelves. Now that she has got so much of her weight out of her she can carry them well enough, and I fancy we are likely to want as heavy metal as we can mount before we have done.”
At dinner that day Horace said: “Are you thinking of changing her name, father, when you change your nationality?”
“I wasn’t thinking of changing her name at all, Horace,” Mr. Beveridge said in surprise.
“Well, I thought, father, the Greeks wouldn’t understand the name of the Creole at all. It was a good name for a slaver and did well enough for a yacht, and if we ever take her back to England I should like her to be the Creole; but I think it would be better to have some name that the Greeks will understand.”
“What name would you propose, Horace?”
“Well, father, I have been thinking of it, and if you have no objection I should like to call her the Misericordia, ‘the Pity.’ We came out here because we pitied the Greeks, and now we pity the unfortunate people, both Turks and Greeks, and you have agreed that our mission shall be to save both of them from slaughter60.”
“I think it would be a very good name, Horace. The Misericordia it shall be. What do you say, Captain Martyn?”
“I think it would be a capital name, Mr. Beveridge,” Martyn said, “and the crew will fight all the better when they know what the name means and what we intend to do. Sailors have no particular love for the Greeks—they always regard them as treacherous61 beggars; and they have no particular hostility62 against the Turks, who fought pluckily63 enough on our side in Egypt, and have always been friendly with us. I am sure that when our fellows understand that what we are going in for is to save women and children from being murdered, whether they happen to be Greeks or Turks, you will find them ready to do anything.”
The next day Mr. Beveridge and Will Martyn landed, and Miller set the crew at work to mount eighteen-pounders in place of the twelves, and to get the ammunition for them into the fighting magazines in place of that of lighter64 calibre. Zaimes had accompanied Mr. Beveridge. Marco remained on board, but had leave every morning to go on shore the first thing after breakfast, and to remain there until late in the afternoon, when he came off in time for dinner. He brought news that it was believed the Turks in the Acropolis could not hold out much longer, as their provisions were running very short. After an absence of ten days the party on shore returned, and an hour after they did so the English flag was lowered and that of Greece was hoisted65, while a flag with the word Misericordia replaced that of Creole at the masthead. Captain Martyn called the crew together.
“My lads,” he said, “you all knew that when we arrived here we were going to hoist the Greek flag instead of our own, and that we were going to act as a Greek privateer against the Turks. That, you see, is done, and we are authorized66 by the Greek government to capture or destroy any Turkish vessels we may meet. You see we have changed her name, and I will tell you why Mr. Beveridge has done this. We are going to fight for Greece, but at the same time, as British sailors, we are not going to stand by and see men, women, and children murdered in cold blood, whether they are Turks or anyone else. There has been a great deal too much of this sort of thing done on both sides, and we mean to stop it as much as we can. We are going to prevent the massacre of Greeks by Turks, and I hope we shall manage to lay hands on some of the Turkish vessels carrying Greek women and children captive to sell them as slaves; but on the other hand we intend to save as many Turks as we can from being massacred by the Greeks, and that is the reason why Mr. Beveridge has renamed his craft the Misericordia, which means ‘the Pity.’ I am sure, my lads, that there is not a British sailor who would not risk his life to save those of women and children, and that is what we mean to make our first object, although we hope to lower some Turkish flags before we have done with them; but in any case we mean to save life whether it is Greek or Turk we have to fight in doing so. It is a work, my lads, in which we may all be proud to take part, and in which, whether we fight under the English flag or the Greek, we shall be doing a duty dear to every British sailor. Now, my lads, we will give three cheers for the Misericordia.”
Three hearty67 cheers rang out from the sailors. They had all been on shore at Zante, and had heard enough from the soldiers they fraternized with there to fill them with disgust and indignation at the conduct of the Greeks, and this announcement that they would henceforth put a stop to such cruelty, even if they had to fight for it, filled them with satisfaction.
“We had hard work of it,” Martyn said to Horace, talking over his visit ashore. “In the first place they wanted us to hand over all prisoners we took, and half the plunder41 and value of the prizes, to their miserable68 government. We told them that we would see them at the bottom of the sea first. I was with your father at a meeting with the fellows they call Kolokotronis and Odysseus, and half a dozen other of their leaders, and you should have seen how your father spoke69 out. He got upon his legs and he just poured it out. I did not know, of course, what he was saying, but he told me a little about it afterwards, and I could see by their faces that it was hot and strong.
“He told them that their countrymen had disgraced their cause by conduct worthy70 only of the lowest savages72, and that if they did not give him the authority he demanded, to interpose to save Turks from massacre, he would sail on to Constantinople, hoist the Turkish flag, and fight against the ships that behaved like bloodthirsty pirates rather than Greek patriots73, and that they would find his ship a very different opponent to the Turks. I did not think your father had it in him. It was splendid, I can tell you, and the faces of those fellows were worth seeing. I don’t expect they ever had such a straight talking to before. I believe altogether he spent about a thousand pounds in bribing74 a dozen of them; anyhow he got what he wanted. In the first place we are authorized to hoist the Greek flag, and to capture and destroy Turkish vessels; and in the second, to dispose as we please of all prisoners. We may take on board Turkish fugitives75 and dispose of them at our pleasure, free from all interference from any Greek authorities or Greek ships. We are to pay a quarter of the value of all prizes and booty into the treasury76 of the central government, and are to send ashore to-morrow five thousand muskets and twenty rounds of ammunition for each.
“Your father has had a hard time of it. I don’t believe there has been a single Greek politician or leader who hasn’t called upon him privately77, to what they call borrow money from him. At last I had to regularly mount guard over him and set Zaimes at his door to tell all comers that he was too unwell to see anyone, which was not far from the truth, for he was regularly upset at the meanness and trickery of the people he had come to spend his fortune to assist. However, thank goodness it is all over. I am precious glad that I am back, I can tell you, for I believe if I had stayed there much longer I should not have been able to have prevented myself from walking into some of them. Your father has been trying to find out whether they have got any general plan of defence; but they have no more plan than a lot of children would have if they got up a rebellion. Everyone wants to be a leader; everyone complains of everyone else. They scarcely seem to give the Turks a thought. All their energies are occupied by their own miserable squabbles and rivalry78. Well, I don’t want to set foot on shore again as long as we are out here, unless it is on some real expedition.”
“What about the Turks in the Acropolis, Martyn?”
“They are negotiating, but the poor beggars know there is no faith to be placed in the Greeks, and that so far there is not a single instance in which they have kept their promises for the safety of garrisons who have surrendered. They want the guarantee of the European consuls80 for their safety, but they can’t give it, as they have no force here to protect them. I told our consul79 that we would lend him the whole of our crew if he liked, and that I thought we could pretty well clear out the town; but he said that that would be well enough if there was no one to protect. But that as there are something like two thousand men, women, and children up in the citadel81, fifty men could never protect them against the mob. However, I hope the Turks will be able to hold out for some time yet. The Greeks only guess that their provisions are running short, and if a man-of-war, French, or English, or Austrian, comes into the harbour the consuls will ask its commander to protect the Turks, and will then guarantee their safety.”
“When are we going to sail?” Horace asked.
“To-morrow. The two Greeks will go ashore the first thing in the morning to lay in a fresh stock of meat and vegetables. As soon as all are on board we will get up anchor. I have heard lots of shocking stories on shore from Greeks who have escaped from Asia Minor and the Turkish islands. There have been massacres in almost every city where there were Greeks; at Smyrna, Adrianople, Salonika, Cos, Rhodes, in Crete and Cyprus, and as far as I can hear the Turks have altogether massacred nearly as many men, women, and children as the Greeks have done. I saw General Gordon, who is a warm friend of the Greeks, and he said that it was impossible to justify82 the ferocity of the Greeks, or to deny that a comparison between them and the Turks would give the latter the palm of humanity; that is, if the term humanity could be employed to either.
“We went up and saw some of the troops, as they call them, active, hardy83-looking fellows. They seem in earnest enough, and are ready, as a French officer said to me, to submit to anything but discipline. He said that the Klephts and armatoli are as fine material for mountain warfare84 as one could wish to see; one day honest, hard-working peasants, the next engaged in partisan85 war, or in raids on their neighbours; frugal86, hardy, active, and in their way brave; men who would never storm a position or stand against the attack of Turkish infantry87 or cavalry88, as the war has everywhere shown so far; but who would defend a hillside or hold a ravine against good troops, and when driven out, make another stand at the first position they came to. Anyhow they are worth a lot more than the townspeople, who brag89 and vapour and go about armed to the teeth, but who take precious good care never to get within range of a Turkish musket20.”
Early the next morning some large boats came off, and the muskets and ammunition were transferred to them, and at noon the two Greeks brought off a boat-load of fresh meat, vegetables, fowls90, eggs, fruit, and other stores. As soon as these were slung91 on board, the anchor was got up, and the Misericordia, under a gentle breeze, stole out to sea.
“That is better, Miller,” Will Martyn said as he looked over the side. “She has not gone like that since we shook out our sails for the first time. I should say she is just about in her right trim now, and is ready to fight or sail anything of her size afloat. How easily she goes through the water. There is scarcely a ripple92 in her wake. She is a beauty.”
“Which port now, Martyn?”
“I was talking it over last night with Mr. Beveridge, and as soon as we get well off land I am going to shape a course that will take us down between Cyprus and Alexandria. It is of no use cruising about here. The Turks only move about under a convoy93 of their men-of-war, and it would not be much better across on the other side, for the Greek vessels are everywhere on the look-out. But they don’t like going far from home, and if we cruise well to the south we shall have a good chance of falling in with craft bound for Alexandria from Cyprus, Crete, and Syria, and any or all of them will be likely to be carrying Greeks captives to the slave-markets at Alexandria, Tunis, or Tripoli.”
“Those are the sort of craft to meet with,” Miller said. “I suppose they are sure to be armed. Of course one would be glad to rescue captives and save them from their horrible fate. But there will be much more satisfaction in doing it if we have a bit of a fight first.”
“Yes, I should say they were certain to be armed. No Turk would venture to sea at present unless he thought himself strong enough to beat off the attack of at least two or three of these Greek vessels. After cruising about for a bit we intend to dodge94 about Cyprus and the other Turkish islands, keeping near the coast so as to give Greek fugitives a chance of coming on board. We know that there have been massacres at all these islands, and may be again, and there must be thousands of unfortunate creatures who would give anything for such a chance of getting away. We can anchor in quiet bays, for we need have no fear of any boat attack; and if the Turks come out in force we have always the option of running away or fighting.”
“That is a very good programme, Martyn. We are not likely, as you say, to find any Greek craft cruising about between Cyprus and Alexandria. Turkish vessels going up towards the Dardanelles, or coming down from there, are prizes worth taking, for they may have pashas and rich officials on board; but down there they would be less likely to have anything that would repay the Greeks for the risks of a fight. As for risking anything to save their countrymen, Mr. Beveridge was saying he heard that at the massacre of the Greeks at Kydonia, although the Greek fleet, under Tombazes, was close at hand, and their launches went on shore and rescued four thousand of their countrymen, they compelled them all to purchase their passage to the nearest Greek island by giving up the greater part of the property they had saved.”
“Brutes!” Martyn exclaimed with great emphasis. “How these fellows can be descendants of the old Greeks beats me altogether.”
“The old Greeks were pretty cruel,” Horace, who had just joined them, said. “They used to slaughter their captives wholesale95, and mercy wasn’t among their virtues96. Besides, my father says that except in the Morea very few indeed are descendants of the Greeks; the rest are Bulgarian or Albanian, neither of whom the Greeks of old would have recognized as kinsmen97.”
“It is a case of distance lending enchantment98 to the view,” Miller laughed; “our illusions are gone.”
“Never mind, we must make the best of them, Miller; they are not Greeks, but at any rate they are all that is left of the Greeks. Their actions show that their Christianity is a sham100, but at the same time they are an intelligent race capable of some day becoming a great people again, and they are struggling to throw off the yoke101 of a race intellectually their inferiors and incapable102 of progress in any sort of way. That is what my father said to me as we were walking up and down the deck this morning. That is the light I mean to look at it in the future. It is a capable people struggling with an incapable one, and if they are savage71 and vindictive103 and debased it is the faults not of themselves but of those who have so long been their masters.”
“Good,” Martyn said; “that is the most satisfactory view of the thing, and we will stick to it and shut our ears as much as possible in future against all stories to the Greeks’ disadvantage.”
“There is one of the Greek fleets,” Captain Martyn said. “Now we will try her rate of sailing with them. Stand on for a little bit longer and then haul her wind on the same tack14 they are sailing.”
The trial was perfectly105 satisfactory. By nightfall the Greek fleet were far behind, and the Misericordia again shaped her course for Cyprus. For a week they cruised backwards106 and forwards under easy sail about midway between Cyprus and Alexandria, without meeting with a single craft flying the Turkish flag. Half a dozen vessels were overhauled107, but these were all Austrian, Italian, or British. The appearance of the schooner108 evidently excited profound distrust in the minds of the masters of all these vessels, for they all hoisted every rag of sail they could set and did their best to escape from her, but Captain Martyn had no difficulty in overhauling109 them and satisfying himself of their nationality. The astonishment110 of the masters when the smart gig manned by six English sailors rowed alongside was unbounded, and was only equalled by their satisfaction.
“You have given us a nice fright,” the master of one of the English ships said to Miller, who, accompanied by Horace, had boarded him. “What on earth are you flying that Greek flag for? We took you for a pirate, for half these fellows are no better when they get the chance.”
“We are a Greek privateer.” Miller said, “and carry letters of marque issued by the Greek government. We only wanted to assure ourselves that you were not Turks.”
“Turks be jiggered!” the master said angrily. “I should have thought anyone with half an eye could have seen that we weren’t one of those lubberly Turks.”
“Quite so, captain, we made that out some time ago, and we have only overhauled you to ask whether you know of a Turkish ship likely to be sailing from any of the Eastern ports. Our object is to rescue Greek women and children on their way to the slave-markets.”
“Then give us your flipper,” the master said; “that is a business an English sailor needn’t be ashamed of, though, as for sailing under a Greek flag, I would almost as lief sail under the skull111 and cross-bones, for nine cases out of ten it means pretty nearly the same thing. I have known many a ship sail in among those Greek islands and never be heard of again when there had been no storm to account for her disappearance112. I would as lief anchor a ship near land in the Malay Archipelago as among the Greek islands. Still the women and children ain’t to blame for that. I was at Broussa two months ago and the slave-market was chock-full of Greek girls and children, and I thought then what a burning shame it was that Europe didn’t interfere to put down such villainous doings. Well now, as to Turkish ships, I don’t think you are likely to meet with any hereabouts. The Greeks have given them a bad scare, and I fancy that all the ships from Cyprus and from Aleppo and the other Syrian ports will run down due south till they sight land, and will hug that as near as they dare go till they get within shelter of the batteries of Alexandria. If you are after Turkish vessels you must stand south and anchor as close inland as the water will let you. Get down those lofty spars of yours. You don’t want them. That craft of yours sails like a witch. We think the Scarborough is a fast brig. You went through the water three feet to our two, so you can do without your topsails. I can tell you the look of your craft is enough to frighten one fifteen miles away; a more rascally-looking vessel I never saw, she looks like a pirate all over.”
“She was a slaver at one time,” Miller said.
“Ah! that accounts for it. I thought that long low hull113 and those lofty spars were never put together for an honest purpose. You seem to carry mighty114 heavy metal,” he went on, looking at the Misericordia, which lay with her head sails aback a few hundred yards away. “Four each side and a pivot115; they look like eighteens.”
“They are eighteens,” Miller said. “You see we have got to keep a sharp eye on friends as well as foes116.”
“I should think so. Well, I have just come out from Larnaca. I heard from our consul that there were bad doings in the north of the island, and that the Christians117 were having a very rough time of it all through Cyprus. I have no doubt there are a lot of Christians hiding there who would give every stiver they have got in the world to be on board this craft.”
“And you say there were some massacres going on when you were there?”
“Yes, and I heard that the Turks were attacking one of the Christian99 villages on the north-western corner of the island. It was some way up on Mount Olympus, a few miles from the coast. Morphou Bay is the nearest point to it. I hear it is naturally a strong place, and Christians from other villages round have gone in there. The people attacking it are not troops, who I fancy have nothing to do with these massacres, but the natives of the Mussulman villages. Some of the poor devils may have got down to the coast, and you might pick some up if you were to cruise along there.”
“Perhaps we might,” Horace said; “at any rate it would be worth a try. We will go on board again at once.”
“Will you have a glass of wine first? I got hold of some good stuff at Larnaca. Good wine is cheap there now.”
“No, thank you, we will be off at once,” Miller said.
“Well, good-bye, gentlemen, and good luck to you! There is nothing I would like better than to be going for a cruise with you for a few months, for no vessel can do better work than that which you are engaged on.”
Miller and Horace dropped down into their boat, and were rowed back to the schooner.
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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3
resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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4
plausible
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| adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的 | |
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5
hydra
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| n.水螅；难于根除的祸患 | |
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6
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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7
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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8
cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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9
authorizing
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| 授权，批准，委托( authorize的现在分词 ) | |
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10
rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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11
overhaul
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| v./n.大修，仔细检查 | |
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12
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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13
insufficient
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| adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的 | |
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14
tack
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| n.大头钉；假缝，粗缝 | |
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15
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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16
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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17
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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18
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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19
muskets
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| n.火枪，（尤指）滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 ) | |
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20
musket
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| n.滑膛枪 | |
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21
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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22
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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23
shipping
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| n.船运（发货，运输，乘船） | |
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24
exempted
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| 使免除[豁免]( exempt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25
seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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26
populous
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| adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的 | |
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27
primates
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| primate的复数 | |
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28
purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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29
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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30
unemployed
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| adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的 | |
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31
clamorous
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| adj.吵闹的，喧哗的 | |
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32
contingent
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| adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队 | |
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33
naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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34
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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35
averse
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| adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的 | |
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36
vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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37
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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38
besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39
garrisons
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| 守备部队，卫戍部队( garrison的名词复数 ) | |
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40
plundered
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| 掠夺，抢劫( plunder的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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42
nominal
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| adj.名义上的；(金额、租金)微不足道的 | |
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43
hoist
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| n.升高，起重机，推动；v.升起，升高，举起 | |
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44
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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45
atrocities
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| n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪 | |
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46
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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47
brigands
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| n.土匪，强盗( brigand的名词复数 ) | |
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48
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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49
massacre
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| n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀 | |
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50
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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51
dishonour
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| n./vt.拒付（支票、汇票、票据等）；vt.凌辱，使丢脸；n.不名誉，耻辱，不光彩 | |
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52
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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53
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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54
massacres
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| 大屠杀( massacre的名词复数 )； 惨败 | |
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55
minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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56
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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57
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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58
swells
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| 增强( swell的第三人称单数 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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59
miller
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| n.磨坊主 | |
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60
slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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61
treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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62
hostility
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| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
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63
pluckily
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| adv.有勇气地，大胆地 | |
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64
lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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65
hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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66
authorized
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| a.委任的，许可的 | |
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67
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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68
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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69
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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70
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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71
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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72
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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73
patriots
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| 爱国者，爱国主义者( patriot的名词复数 ) | |
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74
bribing
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| 贿赂 | |
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75
fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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76
treasury
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| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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77
privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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78
rivalry
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| n.竞争，竞赛，对抗 | |
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79
consul
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| n.领事；执政官 | |
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80
consuls
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| 领事( consul的名词复数 )； （古罗马共和国时期）执政官 （古罗马共和国及其军队的最高首长，同时共有两位，每年选举一次） | |
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81
citadel
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| n.城堡；堡垒；避难所 | |
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82
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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83
hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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84
warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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85
partisan
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| adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒 | |
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86
frugal
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| adj.节俭的，节约的，少量的，微量的 | |
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87
infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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88
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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89
brag
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| v./n.吹牛，自夸；adj.第一流的 | |
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90
fowls
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| 鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马 | |
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91
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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92
ripple
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| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
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93
convoy
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| vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队 | |
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94
dodge
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| v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计 | |
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95
wholesale
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| n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售 | |
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96
virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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97
kinsmen
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| n.家属，亲属( kinsman的名词复数 ) | |
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98
enchantment
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| n.迷惑，妖术，魅力 | |
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99
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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100
sham
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| n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的) | |
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101
yoke
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| n.轭；支配；v.给...上轭，连接，使成配偶 | |
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102
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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103
vindictive
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| adj.有报仇心的，怀恨的，惩罚的 | |
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104
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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105
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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106
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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107
overhauled
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| v.彻底检查( overhaul的过去式和过去分词 )；大修；赶上；超越 | |
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108
schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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109
overhauling
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| n.大修；拆修；卸修；翻修v.彻底检查( overhaul的现在分词 )；大修；赶上；超越 | |
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110
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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111
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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112
disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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113
hull
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| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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114
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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115
pivot
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| v.在枢轴上转动；装枢轴，枢轴；adj.枢轴的 | |
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116
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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117
Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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