d steadily on him; and on his right hand was his
interpreter, who was extracting from the women a narrative of their
sufferings. One of them, apparently about thirty years of age,
possessing great vivacity, and whose manners and dress, though she
was then dirty and disfigured, indicated that she was superior in
rank and condition to her companions, was spokeswoman for the whole.
I admired the good order the others preserved, never interfering with
the explanation, or interrupting the single speaker. I also admired
the rapid manner in which the interpreter explained everything they
said, so as to make it almost appear that there was but one speaker.
After a short time it was evident that what Lord Byron was hearing
affected his feelings; his countenance changed, his colour went and
came, and I thought he was ready to weep. But he had, on all
occasions, a ready and peculiar knack in turning conversation from
any disagreeable or unpleasant subject; and he had recourse to this
expedient. He rose up suddenly, and, turning round on his heel as
was his wont, he said something to his interpreter, who immediately
repeated it to the women. All eyes were immediately fixed on me; and
one of the party, a young and beautiful woman, spoke very warmly.
Lord Byron seemed satisfied, and said they might retire. The women
all slipped off their shoes in an instant, and, going up to his
Lordship, each in succession, accompanied by their children, kissed
his hand fervently, invoked, in the Turkish manner, a blessing, both
on his hand and heart, and then quitted the room. This was too much
for Lord Byron, and he turned his face away to conceal his emotion"

A vessel was then hired, and the whole of them, to the number of
twenty-four, were sent to Prevesa, provided with every requisite for
their comfort during the passage. These instances of humanity
excited a sympathy among the Turks. The Governor of Prevesa thanked
his Lordship, and assured him that he would take care that equal
attention should be in future paid to the Greeks, who might fall into
his hands.

CHAPTER XLV

Proceedings at Missolonghi--Byron's Suliote Brigade--Their
Insubordination--Difference with Colonel Stanhope--Imbecility of the
Plans for the Independence of Greece

The arrival of Lord Byron at Missolonghi was not only hailed as a new
era in the history of Greece, but as the beginning of a new cycle in
his own extraordinary life. His natural indolence