Star. — London, England, 1823-09-02 00:00:00

t i r~ , I. t • • • k GREEK fiEROINES: EXTRACT OF A PRIVATE LETTER. `al, •' b s TILIeOLIM, May 25. «My visits have not been confined to Colocoironi and his brave companions; the Greek Revolution has also produced its heroines. You have no doubt heard .. of Bobolina the Spezziote matron, who furnished a squadron of ships, and assumed the command her self, when the cry of liberty first resounded through the Confederation. This extraordinary woman was present in more than one engagement, and displayed ' the greatest firmness. She is now at Napoli di no mania,having lately contracted a matrimotlial alliance with Colocotroni, the hero of Caritina, one of whose sons has married heti eldest daughter, a beautiful girl of seventeen. Amongst the recent visitors to the seat of Government, I ought to lose no time in making you acquainted with Madalena Mavrojeni, the heroine of Mycono, whoSe zeal and enthusiasm in the cause of her country, merits the very highest praise, Niece to Prince Mavrojeni, one of those early Greek patriots who fell' a victim to Turkish oppression, Madalena has been most actively occupied in con tributing to the defence of her native island ever since the commencement of the Greek Revolution.— Having devoted the whole of her dowry to this sacred purpose, the object of her coming here is to complete the organization of a corps to be employed at her own expense in the ensuing campaign. Though not in the flower of life,*the is still extremely hand-, some; her physiognomy is perfectly Grecian, arid must have been uncommonly beautiful ere the toils and anxieties of her present pursuits began. She speaks French and Italian with great fluency, con verses with eloquence, and seems particularly well versed in every subject relating to the political con- . dition of her country. I had heard, previous to my being presented to the heroine, that so far from par ticipating in this patriotic ardour, her family have done all they could to dissuade her from persevering in a career so little suited to the delicacy of her sex. - Having, in my second interview, also ventured, though as delicately as possible, to persuade her that she had already made sufficient sacrifices in the cause, and ought now to think of restoring a constitution evidently affected by such continued cares and anxieties, she replied in the mildest manner, that the impulse which iir.t induced her to abandon the society of her own sex, family, and friends, in order to espouse the cause of freedom, was altogether' irresistible; and that having in the last effort disposed of her remaining jewels, the only regret she felt was the impossibility of leading her legion to thefield, and being present at one of those combats in which she might witness the valour displayed by her countrymen when op posed to their old oppressors! Madalena is accom panied by her uncle acid two female attendants. 1 need hardly add, that the virtuous and exalted sen timents which have led to such sacrifices on the part of this interesting woman, did not originate either in . personal vanity or that love of adventure which have character ized many females in other places, and it is truly gratifying to be able to say, that she is univer sally respected, nor has the breath of calumny sul lied a name that deserves so distinguished a place in the history of Grecian regeneration. Having alluded to the most interesting of the Greek heroines, it would be unjust to omit the name of another, who has carried her enthusiasm still far ther. Costante Zacari, of Mistras (Sparta), i; the daughter of a Greek Chief, who was long the terror of the Moslem tyrants of the Morea, and from what I am told, might have furnished a fit model for Lord Ilyron's Corsair. Taught from infancy to detest the persecutors of Greece, no sooner had the tocsin of war roused the dormant spirit of her country, than Costante fled from her home, and assuming the Alba nese costume of manhood, collected a band of fifty warriors, whom she armed and led to the dervenachi, or passes through which the enemy had to make his way. A person who is minutely acquainted with the history of this modern Amazon, assures me that her followers peformed wonders, and were invariably headed by their female leader ! When no longer enabled to support the expense of maintaining so many armed men, the heroine of Mistras dissolved the band and joined an Epirote Chief, whose corps was attached to the little army collected by Mau rocordato last year in Albania. Severely wounded at the battle of Peta, Costante was among the few who escaped the slaughter of that unfortunate day, and having accompanied the Prince to Missolonghi, was - present dining its admirable defence. She is now at Gastouni, where my informant had an interview with her three days ago; when I add that Costante Zacaii is only twenty-two, and a perfect beauty both .as to shape and feature, it will be for you to say, whether the poets and painters of England, who .want to illustrate the war of freedom and independence here, can be any longer at a loss for a heroine? I forgot to mention, in speaking of Madalena Mavrojeni, that she put on a dress of deep mourning when her coun trymen. flew to arms, and has determined not to re linquish it until the independence of Greece is firmly established. The person who has furnished the de tails relative to Costante, _represents her as being equally resolved to retain her male costume during the continuance of the war. Although I am nut aware that any other female tan be compared to those 4 have named, as to the extent of their sacri fices, the women of Greece have been in general pre eminently distinguished for their patriotism, while many have even been known to join in the combats waged by their husbands, fathers, and brothers." .A GRECIAN DlNNER.—Extract of a private letter, dated Napoli di Romania, June 17.)—" We arrived at a species of caravansary, within fifteen miles of Napoli, which commands a splendid view of the gi gantic range of Maina, including a part of the Gulf of Argos, together with the islands of, Hydra and Spezzia in the distance. Having spread our carpets under some fig-trees contiguous to a fountain sup plied by a stream that gushes from a rock, the horses were suffered to roam at large, while our guides went in search of the neatest shepherd, and soon returned with a Limb, which was roasted and served up whole in little more than an hour after. Although a good appetite, and a deterinination to be pleased, on Sterne's philosophic principle, would have tendered less sumptuous fare extremely -acceptable, I have no hesitation in saying it is my humble opinion, that no country on earth affords - a more delicious treat than CIL! roasted lamb of Greece. I defy the most expert cook of Paris and Loncien to display more science and . acumen in preparing this fascinating plat than the pastor who sells the animal—for it is he that under takes to prepaie it. When informed that, owing to the provident care of my excellent friend Orlando, vi•e were enabled to .pour a libation of 'Samos wine, I need not add, that this mountain feast, enlivened by a number of appropriate toasts, such as The friends of the Greek cause all over the world:- 4 Mr. Can ning ; and may he never forget the fountain whence his eloquence and early inspirations in favour of free dom were drawn,' &c. &c. you will, I fear, be apt to envy the pleasures of the day." Extract of a letter from a Member of the Provi sional Government of Greece to a friend at Ancona, dated Tripolizza, July 5, 1823:—" The Turkish hordes who have been concerned in. the'unprovoked massacres perpetrated on the peaceful inhabitants of the villages near Bolos, are at length totally deprived ; of all the means of doing further mischief. They were attacked on the 21st ultimo by the brave Gene ral TASSUNT, at Maeathea, and defeated with a loss of 4.00 killed, and a number of prisoners, together with tire standards. KARISKAKI and STORNAKI continue to pursue their advantages: they have attacked and beaten the enemy at every point, so that he is in ,full retreat on the side of Agrapha. The district of Se lina, in Candia, known for the valour• and cruety of its Mahometan inhabitants, has been evacuated by the whole of them, after five days continued fighting, during which our troops were directed by tomaast, the Governer•General, in person." CADIZ. Extract of a letter from Gibraltar, dated August 7th:—" From several individuals who have an ived here from Cadiz and St. Roque, we learn that le ports were very current in both places of a conspiracy having been discovered in the former place, the ob ject of which was to deliver up that City to the French Commander. It has come to us in a variety of shapes. It is stated to have been discovered by General Riego, and that some part of the Royal prisoners were con cerned in its formation. It is imagined here that this' conspiracy will induce the Cortes to enter into some capitulation, as it is their only means of escaping from the retaliation of the Royalists. We have lately had several persons arrive in this garrison from Tarra gona, Lerida, and Grenada; all of whom report that a general anti-constitutional opinion pervaded those parts. The influence of the Clergy, which was ex erted uniformly in faiour of the French, was very powerful, and almost all the wealth of those districts had embraced the same cause. Letters from Malaga which have reached us, state, that for several days, straggling bodies of troops h:id entered that town, and it was believed that the Constitutional bands in that neighbourhood had been defeated. We have many Spanish refugees here, who had embraced the Constitutional cause, many of whom have left nearly all their property behind them, and have been much deceived at the issue of the invasion. We none of us expect to find Cadiz in possession of the Cortes on the beginning of next month." SYRIA. Letters from Antioch, to the 30th of June, com municate intelligence from Syria, that up to that date earthquakes continued almost daily to be felt, and many of the shocks were most alarming and ca lamitous in their consequences. Nature had also vi. sited this unfortunate population with other evils, little inferior to those which the earthquake itself had entailed on them. In that country the rainy season generally sets in about the month of December, and continues, with some intermission, till . the end of March ; but from March till October, even a shower seldom tails. This season, however, has 'been very different; for during the last week in May, and the whole of June, titere had been au uninterrupted fall of heavy rains; and in the last week of that month the torrents burst from the mountains, the Orontes overflowed its banks, the plains were deluged, and men and cattle, the standing crops and those that were gathered, trees and houses, were swept away by the irresistible force of the floods. • Upwards of one thousand human beings perished. The mulberry trees were torn up by the roots, and the whole coml. try presented a scene of ruin and the most extensive desolation. The plague had appeated at Baivout; and as no country will allow that the plague origi nates in itself, the account was, that it was brought in several vessels from Alexandria. Miss CLARA FISHER, having completed her en gagement at the Margate Theatre, has arrived in town. Tuesday se'nnight, two fine young men, named John Cavanagh and James Dowdall, the one 18, and the other 24 years of age, were fishing with a net on the shore at Dunaney, and having gone a consider able way out, withcut a boat, it is believed they got entangled in the net and were both drowned. The Dublin Papers give us to understand that acts of outrage have occurred in a limited portion of the County of Wexford, which would disgrace the most bat barous districts of Ireland, although Wexford is, generally speaking, the most civilised and well. regu lated County of the South, and has been, since the great rebellion of 1798, the most distinguished for order and tranquillity. The offences now complained of may all be classed under the head of savage cruelty to cattle, as a medium of punishment upon their owners for crimes committed against the Rockite code. Horses butchered, cows and sheep houghed, &c. are all manifestations of a sanguinary and inhu man spirit. In the County of Cork, the mountaineers about Bantry have signalised the commencement of the shooting season, rather by acts of piracy than of poaching. They cruize in squads among the hill dis tricts, and instead of hunting grouse, they attach and rob the sportsmen of their arms. In Limerick the mis chief has shewn itself by floggings, and similar inflic-' tions. But on the whole it is apparent to a looker-on, that the sum total of crime has sensibly diminished; and, what is perhaps a proper subject of congratula tion, that it has been gradually and equably disap-, peering for many months. This we like the better, inasmuch as it promises to be the effect of some defi nite and general, rather than chance-medley causes. If an amelioration in the state of Ireland can be shewn by the Government to spring from systeM instead of chance, then will a powerful advance have been made towards the putting down of old prejudices and of the abominable practices resulting out of them. THE EVE\ING STAR; . - IN" -N. ..ONDOI4. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1823. LONDON Bunt:v.—Holiday at the Bank. TILE FUNDS. CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCK. This being a holiday, both the Bank and Stock Ezellange are closed, but the Foreign Market remains opts, owing.to its being pay-day In all Foreign Securities. We do not bear of any failures in the Foreign itl.trkt:t, but a great deal of accommoda tion bas taken place. Some private bargains have been dont in Consols at 83 for the Account (sellers). In the Foreign Market little is doing. Spanish opened at 56k, were done at ;, ard, ep to this hour, 57. Coionibian opened 45, 44, 44i to 45; all other Foreign Securities remain stationary. There was a current report in the City, in Ole early part of the morning, that two Expresses had an from Pais with an account of the Cortes having re• jected the terms of the Duke of ANGOULEME, but up to the present hour we could not trace the report to any authentic source. The Public are anxiously waiting the arrival of the next Express from France, which is expected to bring important intelligence. The follov►ing intelligence from Madrid reached us _ - this morning, via Bayonne: • MADRID, AUGUST 18. • The capital enjoys tranquillity, notwithstanding the endeavours of ill-disposed persons to disturb it by spreading all kinds of reports: one day it is affirmed that Quiroga has had 100 Royalists shot, another, that Mina has had an equal number hanged, &c. The accounts from Saragossa are more satisfac tory than they lately were: the firmness of the mili tary authorities of the allied troops, has restored or der in that city: the prisoners have been released, with the exception of about thirty of the most violent Constitutionalists; this was effected on the 15th, and on the following day abcnie 200 of these individuals left the city. The arrival of General Quesada at Ma drid with his troops is much spoken of. The mode ration of the principles of the General is known, but his troops do not participate in it. After having powerfully contributed to establish the Regency at Madrid, be has been removed from it. The military operations of both parties afford lit tle new : those of the Constitutionalists are confined to the defence of the fortresses, and those of the French to blockading them and repelling the sallies of the besieged. The Constitutional bands proceed in their usual system.—Marshal Lauriston has de tached 1500 men to Arragon, and the siege of Pam peluna is proceeding with activity; the orders of the Prince to press it are urgent. Everybody is looking with the greatest impatience for the result of the negociations commenced with the Cortes; of which, however, we shall know nothing until some time after the arrival of the Prince before Cadiz, an event which is greatly desired there also, for the situation of that port is very unpleasant ; not that they want means to resist the French army which forms the blockade, to the number of 15,000 mem but because there is an extraordinary effervescence of party spirit and agitation in the minds of the people —lt is impossible to foresee how these negociations may end, but it is much to be wished that they may have a favourable issue, and put an end to the war and the divisions that tear the country to pieces. —lt must be owned that this does not seem easy : the partizans of the Regency are generally averse to any treaty with the Constitutionalists, having taken up arms, as they say, in the cause of the King, with the design of exterminating the revolutionary fac tion. The Constitutionalists, on the other hand, dis couraged by the desertion of the Generals, still enter tain some hopes of their cause, especially since the Decree of the Bth, issued by the Prince. The truth is, that the two parties, who are armed, have no ob jection to the continuance of war, anarchy, and dis order, because the principal leaders have nothing to gain by peace. The adversaries of the Constitutional system con. tinue to publish pamphlets, which are so violent that the Military Commanders endeavour to hinder the circulation of them, especially at Madrid. There are frequent interviews between some Mem bers of the Regency and the Russian Atabassadot, and very constant correspondence is kept up with Portugal, from which kingdom succour is asked, to make a diversion on the side of the Minho, and of Ciudad Rodrigo. Letters have been received from Pernambuco to the 20th of July. They contain some further details of the fate of the Portuguese squadron, on the voyage from Bahia to Lisbon. MADEIRA, it now appears, abandoned the place on the 2d of July, but without entering into any capitulation with the Brazilians ; seither had he concluded any convention with Lord COCHRANE to allow the ships to proceed unmolested His - Lordship, on the contrary, had succeeded in capturing many of the squadron. On the Bth of July time arrived at Pernambuco the Imperial brig of war 80-4 a, with the Portuguese ships Ilirmonia, Caridade, Principe Real, and Ulyiles, as her prizes, which had all been captured between that port and Bahia, and w•l;ich formed part of the Portuguese Beet. They had on board from_ 400 to 500 troops. Lord COCHRANE was. reported by the Bahia, when that4essel quitted him, to be carryingou a series of bold and successful matireuvres ag4ihst the reii of MADURA'S squadron, most of whom stem to have 'been left by the Commander-in-Chief to provide as they could for their own safety. Lord CocortA e had then captured 21 sail, and was still pursuing the fleet, though with a force extremely inferior, in the hope of being able to make a prize of the 1),,n Jo ao VI. a ship of war of the first class, on board of which was General MADEIRA himself, with all the Portu. guese t maim e, .as well as that plundered from the churches and inhabitants of Bahia. The Bahia sailed again on '';he 14th from Pernambuco on a cruise, with orders th / tapttite all vessels bearing the flag of Pon. tugal,_a•nd on the following day made tAo prizes— the Alexander from Lisbon, and the Deos Te Guarcie from Oporto. On behalf of these vessels a claim had been set tip at Pernambuco, by some persons assert ing ownership in them, and they had consequently been sent to Rio for adjudication, the parties giving bond to abide the Emperor's decision. They had also been allowed to withdraw the cargoes on giving sem , rity in a similar manner for the lull value. The la,t at rivals from South America hare brought us teVCIA acts of the Re, uhlic of Colombia, be sides that in which the C mgress refuses to ratify the loan raised in this country. One of these acts is intended to encourage emigration to Colombia. It states, that the population never corresponded with the extent of the territory, and that " a large portion has besides been destroyed, by the deadly and deso lating war the country has been exposed to for thir teen years."—An acknowledgment which we think ought to-be sufficient to deter " European and North American foreigners" from settling in Colombia while the war • still continues. The offer to settlers is not however very tempting in other respects. Two or three millions of fanegadas of land belonging t', the State, are to be appropriated to such foreign artisans or agriculturists only as emigrate; but no family is to have more than 200fiznegadas. Any foreigrter wishing to obtain a grant of this land must present himself to the Governor of Inter.d. 'ant of the Province, proving to what nation he be longs, the number of his family, his trade or profes sion, and that he intends hereafter' to exercise.—The necessary formalities having been complied with, and according to the quality of the lands, the foreigner is to make his offer, manifesting the nomber offeuc gadas he wants, and how soon be intends to begin to cultivate them. The Governor or Intendant then transmits to the Executive Power all the documentc, making his own report upon them ; and the Supreme Governor refuses or grants the lands under such con ditions as be may think proper. The expenses in curred in measuring the land and drawing up the writings are to be paid out of the value of the lands in case of sales, and when the same are granted by the Government, the applicant shall pay them. Indivi duals, from the time they establish themselves in Co lombia, are to be considered as naturelised in the Republic, and to enjoy the tights of citizens, except those the Constitution reserves to -born citizens, or those who may have resided a given number of years in the country. If we had not seen that several of our own, country men have been duped by the barefaced imposture of the Poyais adventurer, we should not deem it neces sary to caution them against rashly 'emigrating to Colombia, where much is necessary to be done before it can become a desirable place for European settlers. In the first place, it would be highly desirable, if not that the new Republic should be recognized by the Powers of Europe, that it should at least be freed of an enemy, which is not the case at present. And if Spain, during so many years of internal war, fee bleness, and humiliation, has been able to keep a footing in Colombia, what might she not do if her present struggle at home was followed by a vigorous Government, or that she should gain the assistance of any foreign Power in regaining her colonies ? We should also like to have some better evidence of the good faith or liberality of the Colombian Govern• meat than it has manifested in the affair of the loan negocieted in this country, by its avowed and recognized agent; for if that agent exceeded the authority granted to him, this was not a cit. cumstance of which the Public, or even the Con tractors, who are known to be honourable mer, could be aware; particularly as the powers which M. ZEA adduced appeared fully to justify him in all that he had done; but should this not have been the case, we consider the Republic* of Co lombia responsible for its agent, on Alm very simple doctrine of the old law maxim qui facii per aIUM facil per se. When the Colombian Government shall hare cleared the Republic of the enemy, and kept its fait!r with the British Public; then, and not until then, may it expect the advantages of European emigration. In the meantime it is not too much to say to such as feel inclined to leave this country, that every advantage of emigration is to be met with in our own colonic!, with the advantage of living under British laws and enjoying British protection 1 Yesterday morning an Italian courier arrived at the Foreign Office, Downing-street, with dispatches from Rome. . The Duke and Duchess. tit NoriTiruareent , all o, Captain a,nd AITS. BAARATA, Oh! lion. Mr. and Mrs.'ELLPS and party, are among the latest arrivals at Edinburgh. Tire Dublin Papers of Saturday evening state/7 13 c the continued indisposition of MaLlaMa CATALAN!, still prerria her attending her theaUicvd engagements in Oa: Sir WALTER SCOTT is fitting up his liou..e at Ay' botsford with ga.-light. The hells are rung by the pressor: 01 air through a brass tubr, in place of wire, now LI mt. .TIS