interests."

This discourse produced very different impressions on the Christian
priests and archons. Some replied only by raising looks of despair
to Heaven, others murmured their adhesion. A great number remained
uncertain, not knowing what to decide. The Mirdite chief, he who had
refused to slaughter the Kardikiotes, declared that neither he nor any
Skipetar of the Latin communion would bear arms against their legitimate
sovereign the sultan. But his words were drowned by cries of "Long live
Ali pacha! Long live the restorer of liberty!" uttered by some chiefs of
adventurers and brigands.




CHAPTER IX

Yet next day, May 24th, 1820, Ali addressed a circular letter to his
brothers the Christians, announcing that in future he would consider
them as his most faithful subjects, and that henceforth he remitted the
taxes paid to his own family. He wound up by asking for soldiers, but
the Greeks having learnt the instability of his promises, remained
deaf to his invitations. At the same time he sent messengers to the
Montenegrins and the Servians, inciting them to revolt, and organised
insurrections in Wallachia and Moldavia to the very environs of
Constantinople.

Whilst the Ottoman vassals assembled only in small numbers and very
slowly under their respective standards, every day there collected round
the castle of Janina whole companies of Toxidae, of Tapazetae, and of