[Passwan Oglou (1758-1807) [Passewend's, or the Watchman's son, according to Hobhouse] was born and died at Widdin. He first came into notice in 1788, in alliance with certain disbanded Turkish levies, named _Krdschalies_. "It was their pride to ride along on stately horses, with trappings of gold and silver, and bearing costly arms. In their train were female slaves, Giuvendi, in male attire, who not only served to amuse them in their hours of ease with singing and dancing, but also followed them to battle (as Kaled followed Lara, see _Lara_, Canto II. stanza xv., etc.), for the purpose of holding their horses when they fought." On one occasion he is reported to have addressed these "rebel hordes" much in the spirit of the "Corsair," "The booty be yours, and mine the glory." "After having for some time suffered a Pacha to be associated with him, he at length expelled his superior, and demanded 'the three horse-tails' for himself." In 1798 the Porte despatched another army, but Passwan was completely victorious, and "at length the Porte resolved to make peace, and actually sent him the 'three horse-tails'" (i.e. made him commander-in-chief of the Janissaries at Widdin). (See _History of Servia_, by Leopold von Ranke, Bohn, 1853, pp. 68-71. See, too, _Voyage dans l'Empire Othoman_, par G. A. Olivier, an. 9 (1801), i. 108-125; and Madame Voïart's "Abrégé de l'histoire du royaume de Servie," prefixed to _Chants Populaires, etc._, Paris, 1834.)] [gk] _And how that death made known to me_ _Hath made me what thou now shalt see._--[MS.] [167] {189} "Horse-tail,"--the standard of a Pacha. [gl] _With venom blacker than his soul_.--[MS.] [168] Giaffir, Pacha of Argyro Castro, or Scutari, I am not sure which, was actually taken off by the Albanian Ali, in the manner described in the text. Ali Pacha, while I was in the country, married the daughter of his victim, some years after the event had taken place at a bath in Sophia or Adrianople. The poison was mixed in the cup of coffee, which is presented before the sherbet by the bath keeper, after dressing. [gm] {190} _Nor, if his sullen spirit could,_ _Can I forgive a parent's blood_.--[MS.] [gn] {191} _Yet I must be all truth to thee_.--[MS.] [go] {192} _To Haroun's care in idlesse left,_ _In spirit bound, of fame bereft_.--[MS. erased.] [gp] {193} _That slave who saw my spirit pining_ _Beneath Inaction's heavy yoke,_ _Compassionate his charge resigning_.--[MS.] [gq] _Oh could my tongue to thee impart_ _That liberation of my heart_.--[MS. erased.] [169] I must here shelter myself with the Psalmist--is it not David that makes the "Earth reel to and fro like a Drunkard"? If the Globe can be thus lively on seeing its Creator, a liberated captive can hardly feel less on a first view of his work.--[Note, MS. erased.] [170] The Turkish notions of almost all islands are confined to the Archipelago, the sea alluded to.