From Researches in Greece & the Levant by the Rev. John Hartley, M.A., 1833.
The Rev. Hartley's route in 1828 from Napoli to Kakovouni, then Napoli to
Tripolitza, Mistra, Leondari, Karitena, Demitzani, Megaspelaion, and back
to Napoli are shown by a very pale dotted line.
From the Rev. John Hartley, English missionary to Greece and Asia Minor.
NAPOLI
DI ROMANIA
March
29, 1828 –
for the second time, I find myself in this celebrated fortress. We
sailed from the Port of Kranidi at eight o'clock, and in six hours
arrived here.
March
30 –
I have distributed several copies of Lord Lyttleton on St. Paul, and
of Bishop Porteus's Evidences – books which I find of great value
in the present crisis.
March
31 –
Since I was in Napoli, our Agent has sold all the Scriptures with
which he was entrusted: viz. 30 small Testaments, 17 large, and one
Hellenic; and he has paid me, deducting the per-centage, 124
piastres, 30 paras. I hope soon to send him a much larger supply.
Visited with much pleasure the Lancasterian School: it has 170
scholars, and is in excellent order: many Boys repeated, at length,
passages of Scripture History. . . . Valled on N. Skuphas and
conversed with his sisters. They shewed me the “Pilgrim's Progress”
. . . which their father had sent them from Smyrna.
April
1
– I presented a supply of books, for the School of Demitzani, to
Niketas Kallas, one of the Managing Committee; and others for the
Lancasterian School in Napoli.
I
extract from a former Journal the following Narrative:
Oct.
17, 1827 – I have been highly interested by a visit, which we have
just paid to Griva, Commandant of the Palamidi. This Chief, after
having held possession of that important fortress for more than a
year, found himself unwilling to give it up; and, impelled by his
vindictive feelings, actually wged war on his countrymen. About two
months ago he commenced firing on the lower castle and on the town,
and even proceeded to throw bombs. No less than one hundred and
fifty persons became the victims of this outrage.
On
reaching the summit of the remendous rock on which the fortress is
built, I was surprised to find Griva himself, waiting to receive us.
He is a fine-looking young man; and, apparelled as he was in a
magnificent Albanian dress, he presented such a noble and warlike
figure as I had never before seen. After receiving us with a friendly
Greek welcome, he introduced us to his quarters; where his wife, a
young lady of elegant appearance, arrayed in a handsome Turkish
costume, exhibited herself for a few moments, and then suddenly
disappeared; -- this Mussulman retirement of females still existing
among some of the Greek Clans. With Griva we had much conversation. I
told him, as I do many others, the history of the Bible Society; and
left with him, for the use of the Garrison, two copies of the New
Testament. Judge of our surprise at his answer: --”they are a good
thing for those who can read: but I do not know how to read.” . . .
I was thunder-struck, to fina a man, so prince-like in demeanor, and
Commandant of the famous fortress of Palamidi, making such a
discovery. He expressed, however, his regret --”His father had
never profided such an advantage for him.” Our conversation turned
chiefly on the politics of the day: he threw out hints, which he
evidently meant as a justification of his recent conduct: “Men,”
he said, “who possess no merit, who have never fought for their
country, are preferred to offices of importance; while those who have
distinguished themselves to the utmost are passed by with disregard.”
He also intimated, that he waiting the coming of Count Capo d”Istria,
in order to give up the fortress to him.
After
accompanying us, with one of his brothers, to the various works of
the fortification, he introduced us to another brother, who was laid
up with sickness. They described to us the warlike habits of the
family. They told us that they never lived on the three articles of
bread, meat, and win together: if they had bread, they had no meat:
if they had meat, they had no bread. For months in succession, they
never changed their dress: they were accustomed to heat, cold, rains,
and snows-- to wade rivers up to the neck – and to encounter many
other appalling hardships. If they were tow months without an
expedition, they grew sick. They had never paid tribute to the Grand
Signor: -- when they could not find Turks to fight, they attacked
their own countrymen!
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More to come from Rev. Hartley.
