zing as if they had been
torches lighted for the funeral ceremonies of sixty captains and two
hundred soldiers.

"Ali Pacha is yet alive!" cried the old Homeric hero of Janina, leaping
with joy; and his words, passing from mouth to mouth, spread yet more
terror amid Kursheed's soldiers, already overwhelmed by the horrible
spectacle passing before their eyes.

Almost on the same day, Ali from the height of his keep beheld the
standard of the Cross waving in the distance. The rebellious Greeks were
bent on attacking Kursheed. The insurrection promoted by the Vizier of
Janina had passed far beyond the point he intended, and the rising had
become a revolution. The delight which Ali first evinced cooled rapidly
before this consideration, and was extinguished in grief when he found
that a conflagration, caused by the besiegers' fire, had consumed part of
his store in the castle by the lake. Kursheed, thinking that this event
must have shaken the old lion's resolution, recommenced negotiations,
choosing the Kiaia of Moustai Pacha: as an envoy, who gave Ali a
remarkable warning. "Reflect," said he, "that these rebels bear the sign
of the Cross on their standards. You are now only an instrument in their
hands. Beware lest you become the victim of their policy." Ali
understood the danger, and had the sultan been better advised, he would
have pardoned Ali on condition of again bringing Hellos under his iron
yoke. It is possible that the Greeks might not have prevailed against an
enemy so formidable and a brain so fertile in intrigue. But so simple an
idea was far beyond the united intellect of the Divan, which never rose
above idle display. As soon as these negotiations, had commenced,
Kursheed filled the roads with his couriers, sending often two in a day
to Constantinople, from whence as many were sent to him. This state of
things lasted mare than three weeks, when it became known that Ali, who
had made good use of his time in replacing the stores lost in the
conflagration, buying actually from the Kiaia himself a part of the
provisions brought by him for the Imperial camp, refused to accept the
Ottoman ultimatum. Troubles which broke, out at the moment of the rupture
of the negotiations proved that he foresaw the probable result.

Kursheed was recompensed for the deception by which he had been duped by
the reduction of the fortress of Litharitza. The Guegue Skipetars, who
composed the garrison, badly paid, wearied