“On our way from Argos to Corinth, in 1823, we passed through the
defiles of Dervenakia; our road was a mere mule-path for about two
leagues, winding along in the bed of a brook, flanked by rugged
precipices. In this gorge, and a more rugged path above it, a large
Ottoman force, principally cavalry, had been stopped in the previous
autumn, by barricades of rocks and trees, and slaughtered like droves
of cattle by the wild and exasperated Greeks. It was a perfect picture
of the war, and told its own story; the sagacity of the nimble-footed
Greeks and the hopeless stupidity of the Turkish commanders were
palpable. Detached from the heaps of dead we saw the skeletons of some
bold riders, who had attempted to scale the acclivities, still astride
the skeletons of their horses, and in the rear, as if in the attempt to
back out of the fray, the bleached bones of the negroes’ hands still
holding the hair ropes attached to the skulls of the camels--death,
like sleep, is a strange posture-master. There were grouped in a
narrow space 5,000 or more skeletons of men, horses, camels, and
mules; vultures had eaten their flesh, and the sun had bleached their
bones.”... Is not this picture worthy of the prophet Ezekiel? It was
among such scenes as this that the Greek Revolution went forward.
In 1827-8 Dr. Howe concluded that the best service he could render
the Greeks was to go to America and procure help. He came to America,
and went about holding public meetings and pleading for the starving
Greeks. Great enthusiasm was excited, and money, food, and clothing
was generously contributed. Howe took charge of a vessel laden with
provisions and clothing, and hastening back to Greece, arrived in time
to prevent thousands from starving. “These American contributions,” he
says, “went directly to the people; and their effect was very great,
not only by relieving from hunger and cold, but by inspiring courage
and hope. I made several depots in different places; I freighted small
vessels and ran up the bays with them. The people came trooping from
their hiding places, men, women, children, hungry, cold, ragged and
dirty. They received rations of flour, corn, biscuit, pork, etc., and
were clad in the warm garments made up by American women. It was one of
the happiest sights a man could witness; one of the happiest agencies
he could discharge. They came, sometimes twenty, thirty, forty miles,
on foot, to get rations and clothing. Several vessels followed mine
and distributions were made.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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