The Sun.
London, England, 1821-05-10 00:00:00

FOR THE SUN.

ALI PACIIA.

Enrroa—The public for a long-time past
has been someivhat interested in perusing the
progressive details of the war now carrying on
against this celebrated chieftain, w hose power anti
policy, have, it seems,succeeded in baffling the Ot-
toman forces that were 'sen t to subdue him.. I have
attempted,_ in the following series of anecdotes,
to give some idea of his character, and, therefore,
shall illustrate it under the several heads of
bravery; cunning, cruelty, craft, generosity, and

elg@:

cd_.NlNG.—Aftzr .the war of 1785 had ceased between
Faass-,a, Austria, and Turkey, Ali, who was then only a Bey
ie., the troops of the Grand Vizier Yousseuf, famed hhaeelf at
libeatty,.and possessed of considerable riches.
_. Hitherto he had
nc pec,:ernnientalie was without a title, and yet he wished to be
a 2.c.rrercis-n, - To this end he turned his attention towards Al-
. tania, the Epirus, and iliorea. At that time, those countries
were goveintAt by a number of Beys, who acted independently
earn other, and, by their constant warfare, greatly incom-
'raceled the Sublime Porte.
Ali possessed sufficient influence at Constantinoo3 get him-
:tit' :ea:pointed Paella of Trikala in Thessaly. this vicii:ity
t!szif.a the Bays_ofJoannina, and particularly the Greelcs,who
feared lils exactions. They therefore negotiated with the Di-
. -van to obtain his removal. • •
Whilst this treaty was going forward, Ali, with his troops,
aerraaceaed tp establish himsalf in the places around, and, after
' tie had effected his nurpose, encamped before the Capital of
Albania. The Bey's, divided in their interests, scarcely knew
how to act ;- the y, howeVer, strongly opposed his entrance, and
thre-aah the means of their agents a;:. Constantinople, obtained
a " Arnim," prohibiting him from entering Joannina,,and the
Courier who was to bring it was expected every day. He came,
hut delivered his dispatches to. Ali. They were publicly read,
ai,d nothing could exceed the consternation and surprise of the
inhabitants when they heard their contents. He had by these
been created Paella of Albania, and received an order to enter
the city without delay.. Alarm. pervaded every breast, but the
measure of obedience alone remained.
AL entered the City in a friendly manner, promising the in-,
'habitants protection ; after which he posted a strong garrison
en the Citadel, and then returned to Trikala.
A snort time afterwards it was discovered that the firman which
he has made use of was forged by himself, and that the Courier
`had been 'stopped on his journey and killed. But he was now
Imaster of the City, and it was impossible to get him out, there-
fore the inhabitants were obliged to put a good face on the.
matter .and to receive hlrd as their master.
• Ali afterwards succeeded in procuring an order from the
ieltan confirming his authority, and for which he paid a sum
that report mentions to have been equalto £50,000 .
Such was the manner in which this noted person obtained
.peasession of his present Capital.
CRUELTY.—When Ali, in the 'early part of his
-life, relied chiefly on ,the zeal and affection of his mother for
'assistance, the people of Gardiki became his enemies and laid
a plat for surpnzing him, and taking away his life. It nearly'
'took effect in a village, where Ali, his mother and an only sur-
viving sister were passing' the night. He with
.great difficulty
escaped, but his-mother and sister weremade prisoners, and de-
tained forty days at Gardiki, where they suffered the most hor-
nble outrages on their persons.
This event never left the recollection of the family. Ali wes
hound by an oath to revenge it whenever a fit opportunity Oc-
curred. In the year 1812, Ali having surrounded the town cf
Gardiki, prevented the escape of the Greeks therein: and the
_bravery of an Albanian Officer put it into his posseSsion in a
single night: after an interval of 40 years from the original
Offence.

The inhabitants to the number of 6000 were at first distri-
buted in the different places of its vicinity, but 36 beys and
principal people were sent to Joannina.
Seven hundred and thirty men were selected from the number,
laving been in Gardiki at the time, or were actually those who
committed the outrage upon Ali's mother and sister. These
were bound with cords to prevent any efforts that might he
caused by despair, and then, inclosed in a sort of Court-yard,
styled " Khan." Soldiers were placed upon its high walls with
orders to fire when the signal was given.
Ali gave it, and the work of death began. From time to
time, whilst smoking his pipe, he asked how many still re-
mained. alive, and several times told the Albanian Guards to
iJoubie shot their fusils.
At length the victims to his rage were all murdered and left
on the ground: every opening to the area was closed up, and
their bodies were left without burial, to mark more strongly
the vengeance he had taken.
Next day the 36 Gardikiotes who had been carried to Joan-
nina, and treated there with a delusive kindness, were treated
with Coffee—Pipes—and Strangulation.
An inscription engraven on a marble tablet placed over the
gate, in the flornaic language commemorates the event ; and
the traveller cannot but shudder at this unexampled specimen
of CRUELTY shown by the Despot Ali.
A Gentleman who visited Gardiki in 1819, mentions the oc-
-currence, and saw the skeletons of these victims, whitened by
• the sun, lying in heaps ; he describes it as a sight most revolt-
log to human nature.
11. 0 rP at ssnaan—Ali knew that a young Greek ofJoannina,
whose father was just dead, possessed a very beautiful house and
garden on a spot of ground which lie had often longed for
himself.
Sending for the young man, he said, " My friend, your fa-
:her-was a most worthy man ; I sincerely regret his loss. Ah !
we were once intimate friends, and he on his death-bed be-
queathed to me his house, furniture, and gardens, as a remem-
brance." " But your Highness," observed the youth, " that
is more than two-thirds of my fortune." " Hast thou the
aucle.eity and impiety to disobey the will of thy deceased pa-
rent !" exclaimed Ali • " I will hang thee immediately, unless
his request is religiously observed."
The poor young man was- glad to find himself clear of the
Palace with his head still on his shoulders ; and the house forms
a country residence at this day for Ali.
IS'. Blythe year 1814 an English, trader having a quantity of
sword blades to dispose of thought Albania, being a military
cnuntry, would prove the best market. Accordingly he went to
!revezza and began selling them. This news reaching Ali's ears,
cese latter swore 'by the black serpent,' that not a blade should
be sold unless the Englishman gave him two dollars on each as
a-compliment. This sum being exactly the value of a sword,
nrevented the merchant from complying with Ali's demand.
Thefefore he let him know that it could hot be done. " Not
be done !" replied Ali, " I'll soon see to that." Orders were
xi-ien for a detachment of Albanians to visit each village, and
compel the inhabitants to purchase the blades at four dollars.
They could not dispute his commands ; and the merchant soon
.ferind all his stock gone. Ali paid him two dollars for each,
keeping the remaining two for himself, and gaining by this
speculation 4,000 dollars. * • *