THE WAR OF GREEK INDEPENDENCE 1821 TO 1833 BY W.ALISON PHILLIPS 1897

162 THE WAR OF GREEK INDEPENDENCE
former prosperity;
and the activity of the surviving
Psariots was more than ever directed to piracy pure
and simple.
Encouraged by his success against Psara, Khosrew
next decided to attempt the reduction of the important
island of Samos, which had long acted as a
breakwater against the tide of Ottoman conquest. But
the Greeks, warned by the catastrophe of Psara, were
now thoroughly on the alert; and a strong squadron,
under Miaoulis and Sachtouris, cruised night and day
round the island. On the 14th of August, Miaoulis
had gone on a hasty cruise to watch the Egyptian fleet
at Rhodes, and, in his absence, Khosrew appeared off
the southern point of Samos; at the same time, a fleet
of forty transports, carrying 4,000 men, started from
the mainland to try and effect a landing on the island.
They were, however, attached by the Greek squadron
under Sachtouris, who, having the advantage of the
weather-gage, succeeded in sinking two of the transports,
capturing two, and compelling the rest to retire.
A second attempt of the Turks to cross the strait also
failed;
and on the 16th and 17th of August,
the arrival
of one Psariot and nine Spezziot ships enabled
the Greek admiral to attack the Ottoman fleet with
success. As usual, the Greeks relied mainly on their
and Kanaris succeeded in burning a Turk-
fire-ships;