t ten o'clock, our meal was despatched at double quick time. Admiral
Roussin was accompanied by two of his suite: politics, the most
interesting of topics at the present crisis, were not the order of the
evening; and, by one o'clock, I believe we were all glad to hear the
pipe to hammocks. I then strolled up to my lodgings, where, however, I
found that the piping had not reached.

[Sidenote: THE PLAGUE.] _Saturday, 8th._--A short time since, as two of
the midshipmen were strolling about the country, they discovered a
retired valley, and on proceeding towards the only dwelling in it, they
were suddenly stopped by a sentinel. On inquiry, they learned that it
contained part of a family resident in Terapia, three of whom had died
of the plague in April last. They are now shut up in this solitary
building, doing their eighty days penance or purification; and, of
course, no one is allowed to approach them. The guard places water,
bread, and, perhaps, some other coarse provisions in a certain spot, and
the half-starved wretches are allowed to remove it, some time after they
have seen their keepers retire.

[Sidenote: GREEK MASSACRE.] In the evening I visited my landlord's
garden, in the hope of meeting with Madame Mauvromati, and learning the
concluding portion of her history of the massacre of her countrymen,
and the destruction of the janissaries. The dark-eyed houri, with her
basket of strawberries, was there as usual; and the old lady led us to a
seat under the plane trees, commanding a view of Terapia and the
Sultan's kiosk.

"Observe," said she, "that range of dark houses which lines for some
distance the shore beneath us: they were once the happy homes of my
dearest friends and connexions. The evening which preceded the fatal day
to which you allude, had been passed in their society, and when I
quitted them, to return to my own residence, it was with feelings of
security as great as could be reasonably indulged in a city, where, at
that time, the life of a Greek was exposed to a thousand perils. Alas!
it was the last time I ever saw them alive. On the following morning,
when I looked from my window, I beheld the body of each of my friends
suspended from his own threshold, where they remained for the greater
part of the day. In vain we petitioned to have them delivered up, that
we might perform towards them the last sad duties of humanity. No! the
request was denied, and they were delivered to the Jews, who, with a
br