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

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