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the earliest age: such, for instance, is the theta, sigma [, although it occurs in inscriptions of later times,-alpha, joined in the fourteenth line to lambda ), thus, ◇\), and Y, which resembles the ancient gamma.

It is curious to observe the word hCEYC, (THESEUS,) distinctly legible in the ninth line; but I pretend not to explain its meaning.

Θράκης μὲν κλείνης .

Θήσευς ἐκαλοῦμην

is nearly as much as I can decypher.

While we were out upon our excursion, the Cyrene had spoke with an Ionian brig, of which she distinguished two pirates in chase. The brig was afterwards boarded; and, in answer to certain queries, stated, that several piratical vessels were cruising up the gulf. This intelligence being communicated to Capt. Hamilton, measures were immediately taken; and, on our return, we found them busy in manning and arming the boats. Four were sent from each ship; that is, from the Cambrian and Seringapatam,--the Cyrene being absent. They were put under the command of Lieut. Marsham, who rowed on before the rest, with orders to persuade the pirates, if possible, to submit

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pur

themselves to examination; and for that. pose to bring up their vessels to the station of our ships. But he was strictly enjoined to forbear all attack, unless every other alternative was rejected, and no other mode offered itself of accomplishing the object of his mission.

They left the ships at four o'clock, P.M. and returned about one in the morning, with two small vessels and seventeen of their crews; some of whom were dangerously wounded. Unhappily four of our own men were killed in the fray; and sixteen out of both ships severely hurt. Lieut. Worsfall, of the Seringapatam, received three wounds in the breast, which but for the thickness of his coat, and the slanting direction which the balls had taken, must have proved fatal. As it happened, however, they went no further than the skin. In fact, the pirates fought desperately to a man ; and such was their resolution, that, in the last violent effort to escape, having discharged their pieces, they dashed them furiously at the assailants, and leapt headlong into the water.-Something of the spirit of old Greece, manifested in a bad cause, seemed forcibly to prevail here! Their Captain died, after the conflict, in his way

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DEATH OF THE CAPTAIN OF THE PIRATES.

to the ships, of a wound from a pistol ball, which had penetrated the breast, and with several sabre-wounds in the lower part of his body. He was stretched out, for a short time, upon the quarter-deck, covered with a flag,— a horrible and an awful sight: his face, which must have been handsome, was shockingly smeared with blood: and his long black hair, clotted and spread in disorder around him, gave a singular wildness to his appearance, as seen by a bright moon on the quarter-deck of a man of war. His mouth, the upper lip of which had long mustachios, was stiff with gore, and his eyes were unclosed: adding yet more strongly to the savageness of feature, which his last bold act contributed to impress upon him. The dark eye of his country gleamed fiercely even in death: but it was said, that he died uttering "Christiano, Christiano," -a characteristic, or at least Catholic termination of an unlawful career!

Following up his instruction to the letter, Mr. Marsham first proceeded, with his own boat, only in search of the pirates; and, having fallen in with them, explained, through an interpreter, the necessity of their complying with

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the wishes of the English commodore. He assured them of safety, provided they acquiesced; and endeavoured, by maintaining an easy unconstrained tone, to obviate the irritation, or apprehension, perhaps, which their manner throughout had indicated, as well as to afford time for the hindmost boats to come up. All that he could say proving ineffectual, he gave them to understand that they must expect the worst; and pushed off to meet his companions. It was now night; and though the moon had arisen in great splendour, yet the shadow of the lofty mountains, beneath which they rowed, obscuring the track of the pirates, involved our boats in doubt and perplexity. At this period they fell in with a small trading vessel, called, technically, a Bonebard, who directed them to the probable haunts of the desperadoes; and who, at the same time, requested for themselves a convoy down the gulf. The search was then sedulously pursued; and about nine o'clock they distinguished the two vessels, which they afterwards took, off Cape Lethada, the ancient CENÆUM.

It is probable that the pirates had no idea of so large a force being at hand. On Lieut.

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Marsham's first approach alone, their intentions seemed decidedly hostile; and they several times attempted to bring a large gun, placed at the bow of their vessel, to bear upon the boat. This he, of course, avoided; but when the sound of oars nearing them was again heard, the belief of the officers very generally was, that the pirates looked only for the return of the same boat, which they were pre-determined to attack. For no sooner had the leading boat come within shot, than a volley of musketry, fired from the piratical vessels, struck seven of our men: but surely, if they had been aware of the approach of eight wellarmed boats, they would rather have preferred standing rigidly upon the defensive. Their proceeding, however, was the signal for a quick and destructive fire. Many of the Greeks, after a desperate and well-contested struggle of twenty minutes, plunged into the water: fifteen were afterwards thrown overboard dead; and the remainder, brought prisoners to the ship. There certainly could not have been less than forty men, crowded into two puny vessels of not more than twenty tons burden. Amongst those who were captured, was a boy