288 CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. most deliberate investigation at the late Admiralty Sessions), hung himself in prison, in August last. He had, however, made a confession, before the magistrate for the Ports. This document was not produced at the trial, as it was considered not legally available in proof of the guilt of his confederates. Still it is supposed to contain the fullest and most circumstantial account of this truly horrible transaction. We therefore give it at length. 66 Confession, taken through the medium of a sworn interpreter. On the 1st September last, Captain Giovanni Mavromicali wrote to me a letter from Zimova in Maina, addressed to me at Calamata, requesting that I would go there and enter on board his privateer. I accordingly went to Zimova; and on my arrival, Captain Mavromicali told me to go on board, as he was ready to proceed on a cruize off Scondra or in the Levant; but we did not sail for about thirty-five days afterwards. Captain Mavromicali is brother of the general commanding that district, Petro Bey. The privateer was a mistico, the name of which I do lowing my CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 289 not remember, and commanded by Captain Hadgi Panajotti, who is related to Captain Mavromicali and Petro Bey. On the day folarrival at Zimova, Captain Giovanni invited me to come and dine with him at his house, at twelve o'clock. The first conversation that took place between us, was about some prizes Captain Mavromicali had tried to capture at Piscardo, in Cephalonia, but he had been prevented by the English; these were two Turkish vessels, one of them a trabaccolo and the other a brig. He said, the English loved the Turks more than those who were Christians, and that, if when we were cruizing I should fall in with any English, Imperial, French, or other vessels, I must do my duty by killing the people whenever I should find cash on board, and sink the vessels. I was engaged to be superintendent over the crew, being an old man; but I was not an officer, though Captain Mavromicali promised I should live in the cabin with the captain and officers; but being a bad man, he has put me down as second captain. When the before-mentioned conversation took place, I answered, that I would not go on board his vessel being such a man as he 290 CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. was. Captain Mavromicali replied, he thought I was a different character than I appeared to be, and that he was only joking with me; and he would not act in the manner he had said. "On the following day, early in the morning, there was a boat ready to sail for Calamata, in which I applied for a passage, as I wished to return to Calamata. I was on board of the Mistico, and the boat came alongside to take me off. Captain Mavromicali seeing this, and supposing I was going to embark in the boat, called out to me from the shore, and asked why I was going away with out first informing him. He then desired me to come on shore, as he wanted to give me a letter for Mr. Giacomo Cornelio, at Calamata ; and besides the letter, he would give me an order upon him for six dollars, which was one month's salary; I accordingly went on shore, and took from him the letter and order for six dollars, and then went into the boat, and proceeded with it to Calamata, leaving the Mistico at Zimova. We arrived at Calamata on the following day, where on my arrival I delivered to Mr. Cornelio the letter and order; and, according to the latter, I received from him the six CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. 291 dollars. After this I went to my house at Calamata, where I remained quiet during five days; after which the British Vice Consul of Arcadia came to Calamata: his name was Anastasachi Pasqualigo; I met him soon after, and he saluted me. After this he came to my house to take his coffee and make his compliments to me according to the custom of the Greeks. I then told him that I was about to reveal a matter of great consequence-a plot that was forming; but that I wished he would not mention my name, fearing I might lose my life. The Vice Consul then asked me who were the persons that were intending to execute the plot I hinted at. I answered, that our superiors of this place and those of Zimova, were the persons.' I said this, because the Governor of Calamata was brother of Captain Mavromicali and Petro Bey. The governor's name is Costantino Mavromicali. The Vice Consul asked me if the plot was to be executed against British subjects, or any other foreigners: I answered him, against all the world, provided money was on board.' The Vice Consul then told me he was going to Tripolitza, thence to Arcadia, and thence to Navarino; and that if any thing 292 CONFESSION OF A GREEK PIRATE. should occur, I was to come to him at the. latter place; and should any vessel be captured, any money taken, the crew killed, or the vessel sunk, I was to put all the papers of the prize or prizes in my breast at the first place we should arrive at, and come with them to him at Navarino. He advised me to go on board of the Mistico; it would be better, because should any thing happen at sea I could discover it. After this conversation, I remained forty-five days at Calamata; and after that time the Mistico arrived there from Zimova. On her arrival, the Mistico fired a salute of ten guns in compliment to the captain's brother, the governor. The governor of Calamata ordered me to go that evening on board of the Mistico, because on the next morning early she was to take troops on board, and convey them to Coron, for the purpose of attacking the castle at that place.—I accordingly embarked; and on the next morning seventy soldiers were taken on board. The Mistico then set sail, but on account of bad weather, we put into Petatidi, where the soldiers were landed, and Captain Panajotti went along with them, from mere curiosity, to |