In the eastern provinces, at the same time, Reschid Effendi, organizing an army including all the disposable forces at Candia and Retimo, estimated at 10,000 men, moved to attack the volunteers and Cretans under Coroneos, Petropoulaki (chief of the Mainotes), Korakas, Skoulas, and others, for once fortunately united, in Amari, the broken country on the western slope of Ida. Their plan seemed to be to pass through the canton to the south shore, and return by the plain of Messara and the eastern slope of the mountain to Candia. The Christians drew the whole force of the Turks into a difficult position at Yerakari, and then, by a vigorous hand-to-hand attack, cut the column in two, the smaller half pursuing the proposed route, the other being driven back to Retimo, losing baggage, two guns, and quantities of ammunition and provisions. The smaller detachment, pursued, were overtaken at St. Thomas, where they had halted to rest, and again routed and pursued to the neighborhood of Candia. Both the divisions of Ali Riza and Reschid, in returning, avenged themselves on the submitted Cretans in their way. The following extract from a letter from Lieut. Murray to Mr. Erskine, English Minister at Athens, characterizes the position of things in the whole island: "CANEA, February 24, 1867. "Things appear to get worse and worse, and the end appears further off than it did six months ago. To-day the troops returned from an unsuccessful attempt to force a passage into Omalos, partly owing, they say, to the plain being covered with melted snow, but in a great measure owing to the stubborn resistance offered by the insurgents under Zimbrakaki. What the next move will be I am as yet unable to say; report says they are going to Kissamos. I fancy, unless reinforcements arrive, they will soon have to withdraw inside the fortified towns. "_February 25._--A sad tale was told to me yesterday. A shoemaker living in Canéa, and well known to all as a quiet, peaceful man, fled to the hills when the insurrection broke out. There he followed his trade till three months ago, when, the country round Canéa appearing to be pretty quiet, he came and settled at the village of Fourna, in the plain of Alikianu. A few days ago, his wife ran in and said, 'There are soldiers coming into the village.' He replied, 'Don't be alarmed, they have been here before.' A few minutes afterwards, two soldiers dragged him out of the house, and beat him so that they broke his arm, which caused him to faint. His wife brought him some water, as did also an officer, and left him. Shortly afterwards, while he was still unable to rise, two other soldiers came up and despatched him with their swords. This is the history of one out of eighteen killed in the same village that day, told me by his poor wife, who, together with her four children, came to seek redress from Mustapha Pasha. He gave her two hundred piastres, and said he would enquire about it.