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CHAPTER 19.
THE MAN OF ACTION.
1823.
During the early part of 1823 an influential Greek Committee was formed in London with a view to assisting the Greeks in their war of liberty against the Turks. When Byron was in Greece in 1810 he bemoaned the fact of the country’s enslavement, but he had little hope of its deliverance. He was naturally interested to learn during his stay in Italy of a Greek insurrection, and he watched its progress. When Prince Mavrocordato left Pisa in 1822 to assist the insurgents, Byron conceived the idea of following him. His heart was undoubtedly in the cause, but at that time the way was closed against him. He did not, however, dismiss the idea from his mind— in fact, he said to Medwin: “I mean to return to Greece, and shall in all probability die there.”
The revolutionaries had at first hoped for support. They looked to Russia, to England, to Austria, but in vain. It soon became evident that they would have to rely entirely upon their own resources. The insurrection which began in 1821 met with immediate success. Patras fell to Archbishop Germanos, Colocotronis captured Morea, and Odysseus part of Eastern Greece, whilst Prince Mavrocordato was operating successfully in the western parts of the country. These early victories aroused the hopes of the insurgents and kindled the enthusiasm of all those in other countries who sympathised with the cause. Volunteers from France, Switzerland, and elsewhere poured into Greece and offered assistance.
Meanwhile a Greek deputy was pleading his nation’s cause in England. The Government gave him no encouragement, but it was in response to his pleading that the Committee was formed to which reference has been made. Hobhouse, Kinnaird, Sir Francis Burdett were members of this Committee, and in April 1823 Byron heard that he had been elected a member.
What was it the Committee wanted of him? Was it his name? Was it his money? He was willing to lend both. But what he himself wanted was to engage in active service and give his life to the cause. It was a cause worthy of sacrifice—he had satisfied himself on that point—and he was prepared to meet any demands that might be made upon him.
Once he had made up his mind to go to Greece, he considered the enterprise in a surprisingly practical light. He made himself acquainted with the situation, and then wrote to the Committee in London telling them that what the Greeks wanted was, first, light field artillery suitable for mountain service; secondly, gunpowder; thirdly, medical stores. His knowledge of the country stood him in good stead, and he was able to give invaluable advice to his friends in London who desired to render assistance to the insurgents. He was discovering to his own satisfaction, and to the surprise of his friends, that he possessed the necessary gifts for a life of action, zeal, courage, realism and clear-headedness.
Unworthy motives have been attributed to him in this Greek adventure, but it behoves us to be generous. In the mind of the writer there is no doubt whatever that he was actuated by a sincere desire to help the oppressed, to atone for failure, and “provide his hungry faculties with a purpose.” He desired to find his own soul. He might find it and save it, he felt sure, in some splendid act of heroism.
There were difficulties, of course, to be overcome before he could start on this adventure, but they were not insurmountable. The Countess Guiccioli had to be reckoned with, but things were happening which made the reckoning not so difficult as he had anticipated. Count Gamba was recalled from exile, and he was granted the privilege of returning to Ravenna conditionally upon his daughter accompanying him.
Her friends at this time were trying to bring about a reconciliation between Teresa and her husband, but their endeavours were in vain. Teresa stood firm. She was quite prepared to let Byron go to Greece, but she would go too. This intention on her part was considered by Byron to be ridiculous. “If I left a woman for another woman she might have cause to complain, but when a man wishes to go on a great duty, for a good cause, this selfishness on the part of the feminine is rather too much.”
However, Teresa was at last taken away from Genoa By her father, and this left Byron free to make his plans.
On June 15, 1823, Byron wrote to Trelawny, who was at Florence: “You must have heard that I am going to Greece. Why do you not come with me? I want your aid, and am exceedingly anxious to see you.” Trelawny replied that he was bent on travel and willing to go anywhere.
Teresa’s brother, Count Pietro Gamba, whom Byron liked well, and admired for his courage, was also invited to join the party, and was deputed to charter a vessel and engage a physician.
Preparations went forward apace, and on July 13, 1823, they embarked—Byron, Gamba, Trelawny, Doctor Francesco Bruno, and half-a-dozen servants including Fletcher, Tita, who had been Byron’s gondolier in Venice, and a negro who had been engaged by Trelawny.
The brig that Gamba had chartered was named Hercules. It was a tardy old tub of 120 tons, and the Captain, John Scott, had been engaged with the brig. He was an excellent captain, and handled his none-too-sea- worthy craft with consummate skill.
After a false start owing to inclement weather, they set out from the harbour at Genoa on the evening of July 16, 1823. July 16!—The month and the day when a year hence his body was being lowered into the vault in the Church of Hucknall Torkard!
In five days’ time they arrived at Leghorn, where two Greeks, and a Scotchman named Hamilton Browne, were taken aboard. It was upon the advice of Browne that they altered their course, and went to Cephalonia, instead of to Zante, which had been their original goal, with a view to meeting Colonel Napier, the British resident, who was “the only one in office favourably disposed to the Greeks and their cause.”
Byron was in high spirits during most of the voyage, and all aboard found him a cheerful companion.
The Hercules reached Argostoli, the chief port of Cephalonia, on August 1. Byron was disappointed to find that Blaquiere, who was the representative of the Greek Committee, had set out for England without leaving any instructions.
For a whole month the Hercules was anchored off Argostoli. Byron, who made frequent visits to the Island, was welcomed by the English residents of the town, and invited by the officers of the Eighth King’s Regiment to dine with them in the mess. No less a welcome did he receive from the Greek refugees on the island, and the Suliotes—those savage warriors whose hospitality he had enjoyed on his first pilgrimage.
He found that Colonel Napier was well acquainted with Greece, and able to give him valuable information and sound advice.
Trelawny could not understand why Byron lingered, but the instructions of Blaquiere were that he should wait. In consequence, he took a small house on the island of Metaxata, and settled down for the time being. It was here that he met Doctor Kennedy, a Scotsman, and a Methodist, who was trying to spread the Bible in the Ionian Isles. Meetings were arranged for religious discussion, and Byron was invited to attend them. Although Byron did not consider Kennedy to be a clever disputant, he admired his sincerity, and admitted that he never felt so high an esteem for any man as he did for Doctor Kennedy.
Byron astonished all who took part in these discussions by his knowledge of the Bible. “I read more of the Bible than you are aware,” he said to the Doctor. He had a pocket Bible—the gift of Augusta—and he admitted that he read it often.
“I have no wish,” he told Kennedy, “to reject Christianity without investigation, on the contrary I am very desirous of believing, for I have no happiness in my present unsettled notions on religion.” And again: “When I feel the enjoyment of life, health, and happiness, I feel grateful to God for having bestowed these on me.”
Here was surely one “not far from the Kingdom of Heaven.”
The news that came from Greece was not altogether heartening. It is true the Greeks had several victories to their credit, but their cause was weakened by their dissensions.
At last Byron received word from the London Committee that a consignment of artillery had been sent, and that Colonel Stanhope would shortly arrive to direct operations. He was disappointed that the choice had not fallen on Colonel Napier, who would have made a very much more efficient director.
At this time Prince Mavrocordato made request of Byron that he would advance the sum of £4,000 to enable him to bring out the Greek squadron of ships, force the Turkish blockade, and open the way to Missolonghi.
The request was granted, and towards the end of the year, the Greek fleet was equipped, and Prince Mavrocordato, and afterwards Colonel Stanhope, who in the meantime had come on the scene, were able to reach Missolonghi.
Shortly after their arrival Byron received a pressing invitation to join them, and at the end of December he wrote to Moore to tell him that he was embarking for Missolonghi. “I have hopes that the cause will triumph, but whether it does or not, still honour must be minded as strictly as milk diet. I trust to observe both.”
Byron was assured by Prince Mavrocordato of a safe passage to Missolonghi, and he chartered two boats for himself and Pietro Gamba. In the crossing, however, they ran into the Turkish fleet. Pietro Gamba was captured and his boat searched, but Byron managed to escape and found shelter near Dragomestri, where he remained four or five days until he was escorted to Missolonghi.