DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4098#0079
TOWN OF PREBEZA. 55
by means of a great numerical superiority, his Albanians march-
ed to Prebeza, committing their usual depredations on the in-
habitants, who had received the French with open arms before
the late battle. About three hundred of the first people had em-
barked, and had just quitted the port in search of some more friendly
country, when the Pasha so thoroughly imposed on the penetration
of the Bishop of Arta, that he persuaded him to go on board the
ship which was quitting the place, and to offer the fugitives for-
giveness, friendship, and protection; with a permission to return
and keep quiet possession of their lands and property. Confiding
with too much facility on the inviolability of so sacred an engage-
ment they returned into port, and landed. The Pasha, with
a savage barbarity found only among Turks, had them immedi-
ately put to death, and confiscated their whole property to his
own use.
We paid a visit to the Bey, who received us with much civility.
We found him smoking a houcca; the pipe, which is of great
length, and of leather, is so contrived, that the smoke is drawn
through a richly ornamented glass vase, containing rose water, which
they think cools the tobacco, and gives it a pleasant flavour.
Having left our ferman, or passport, at Santa Maura, an ill-tem-
pered eunuch who waited on the Bey, told him he suspected we
were Frenchmen, and that we came to inspect the place, and to find
a proper spot on which to effect a descent on the coast; which it
was supposed that the French then meditated. The Bey, however,
was convinced we were English; and when we told him we came
for the purpose of seeing the ruins in the vicinity, he laughed, and
said our great passion for old stones and walls, was quite suffi-
cient to characterize us as Englishmen. He ordered us horses,
and gave us an escort of three Albanian soldiers and an officer ; we
were also attended by a Greek priest, probably to watch our mo-
tions, and by another Greek, the English vice-consul.
The road led through some extensive plantations of young olive
trees, which had been planted about three years. When the Pasha
destroyed Prebeza, he set fire to the ancient olive groves and vine-
by means of a great numerical superiority, his Albanians march-
ed to Prebeza, committing their usual depredations on the in-
habitants, who had received the French with open arms before
the late battle. About three hundred of the first people had em-
barked, and had just quitted the port in search of some more friendly
country, when the Pasha so thoroughly imposed on the penetration
of the Bishop of Arta, that he persuaded him to go on board the
ship which was quitting the place, and to offer the fugitives for-
giveness, friendship, and protection; with a permission to return
and keep quiet possession of their lands and property. Confiding
with too much facility on the inviolability of so sacred an engage-
ment they returned into port, and landed. The Pasha, with
a savage barbarity found only among Turks, had them immedi-
ately put to death, and confiscated their whole property to his
own use.
We paid a visit to the Bey, who received us with much civility.
We found him smoking a houcca; the pipe, which is of great
length, and of leather, is so contrived, that the smoke is drawn
through a richly ornamented glass vase, containing rose water, which
they think cools the tobacco, and gives it a pleasant flavour.
Having left our ferman, or passport, at Santa Maura, an ill-tem-
pered eunuch who waited on the Bey, told him he suspected we
were Frenchmen, and that we came to inspect the place, and to find
a proper spot on which to effect a descent on the coast; which it
was supposed that the French then meditated. The Bey, however,
was convinced we were English; and when we told him we came
for the purpose of seeing the ruins in the vicinity, he laughed, and
said our great passion for old stones and walls, was quite suffi-
cient to characterize us as Englishmen. He ordered us horses,
and gave us an escort of three Albanian soldiers and an officer ; we
were also attended by a Greek priest, probably to watch our mo-
tions, and by another Greek, the English vice-consul.
The road led through some extensive plantations of young olive
trees, which had been planted about three years. When the Pasha
destroyed Prebeza, he set fire to the ancient olive groves and vine-