of submission to Reshid
Pasha or fled to the Morea. It was not, however, with an intention of
defending the peninsula that they retreated into it. Their purpose was
to seize the fortresses, and thereby be enabled to make a good bargain
with the Turks, or any other party that should remain in final
possession. Nauplia and the Acrocorinthus were already garrisoned by
Roumeliotes. Monemvasia, the third Peloponnesian stronghold yet held by
the Greeks, was in the hands of Petro-Bey's brother, John Mavromikales,
who, fitting out from thence predatory craft, converted it into a den of
thieves."[11]

[11] Gordon, vol. ii., pp. 403, 404.

It is not strange that, amid all this confusion, cowardice, and
treachery, Lord Cochrane should have found it almost impossible to
achieve anything worthy of his abilities or of the cause which he
desired so earnestly to serve. Yet he continued, in spite of all
obstacles, to do all that lay in his power, in fulfilment of his duty,
and even in excess of that duty. He had engaged to act as First Admiral
of the Greek Fleet. Finding that there was no fleet for him to direct,
he laboured with unwearied zeal not only to construct one and to turn
his unmannerly subordinates into disciplined sailors and brave warriors,
but also to persuade the landsmen to co-operate with him in trying to
withstand, if not to drive back, the advancing force of the enemy. One
day when he was at Poros, Dr. Gosse came on board the _Hellas_ to visit
him. "See, my friend," said Lord Cochrane, taking a loaded pistol from
the inner pocket of his waistcoat, "see what it is to be a Greek
admiral." He found it necessary to be always provided with a weapon with
which he could defend himself from his indolent, unpatriotic seamen.

Having returned to Poros with his prizes on the 14th of August, he was
obliged to wait there for twelve days. There were no funds to be had for
the requisite repairs and other expenses in paying and feeding his
crews. All he could do was to repeat his former arguments and entreaties
for assistance from the miserable Government at Nauplia, and the more
active, but still half-hearted primates of the islands. He also made all
the other arrangements in his power for improving his fleet and for
carrying on some sort of naval warfare among the southern isles,
especially on the coast of Candia, and for fomenting an insurrection of
the inhabitants of Western Greece, who, held in awe by the Turks ever
since t