annoyed.  The Arethusa was followed a few days later by the Wizard,—­a small gunboat which could lie in Canea harbor,—­where, for the next few months, its commander, Murray, was our sole and sufficient protector.  In him and his successors I learned to honor the British navy as a force in civilization whose efficiency few not situated as we were can understand.  I have ever since been ready to take off my hat to an English sailor.

Meanwhile the dissension between Schahin and Ismael intensified.  The Egyptian wanted a show of force with effective conciliation, hoping still to effect his object of bringing the Cretans to him, and he looked to the consular body for support, while Ismael was urging on the collision, hoping to defeat the Egyptian plan.  We were constantly doing all in our power to lead the Cretans to conciliation and submission, though the hotheads among them were indignant with us.  I found on my table one morning a message written in fair English, saying that if I continued to oppose the Cretans, I should lose my influence; to which I replied by a messenger, who knew the provenance of the message, that I was indifferent to my influence if it did not help to keep peace.  The committee insisted on the withdrawal of the Egyptian troops from Vrysis, where they offered constant danger of a collision.  This request we urged on Schahin, and he asked permission of the governor, who replied by withdrawing the Turkish division which had supported him.

At this juncture the pressure of Ismael had produced a serious fight at Candanos, where the Mussulmans made a sortie and were defeated.  Ismael then called on Schahin for a battalion of his troops to support the garrison of Selinos.  Schahin sent for me to advise him.  My advice was that, as the matter was an affair between the Cretans of the two religions, it was not advisable for him to identify himself with either party, on which he refused the battalion.  But the testiness of the Cretans on the other side developed a collision where none need have occurred.  They insisted on the withdrawal of the Egyptians from Vrysis, and Schahin came again to demand the good offices of Dendrinos and myself, promising that if his men were left unmolested he would take no part in the action of the Turkish troops.  We sent messengers to the Cretan camp, urging this course, but they were not allowed to pass the Turkish lines; and the committee, not receiving the message, repeated the summons to the Egyptians to leave Vrysis immediately or take the consequences.  Schahin refused to withdraw them, and the insurgents, for such they now became, closed on them, cut off all supplies and water, and compelled them to surrender at discretion.  They were permitted to march out with their arms and equipments and send the next day for their artillery.