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

DESTRUCTION OF GALAXIDI 73
coming within gunshot of the Greeks. Under these
circumstances, no effective resistance was possible ;
and
the victory of the Turks was complete. The town, the
boats on the beach, and the vessels which were aground,
were burnt.
The whole of the remainder of the Galaxidiot
navy, which chanced unfortunately to be all in
the harbour at the time of the attack, fell into the
hands of the Ottomans, who carried off no less
1
thirty-four brigs and schooners. Hypsilanti,
at
than
who was
the head of a considerable force on the opposite
shore, was compelled to witness the fate of Galaxidi,
without being able to do anything to prevent it.
NOTE. The Greek seamen have been accused of
cowardice as well as cruelty. It is
pointed out that they
seldom ventured to approach boldly within range of the
Ottoman guns, and stand up to their enemy in fair fight,
and never so much as dreamed of laying their vessels
alongside even a disabled enemy and taking it by the
board. To the first of these criticisms the answer is provided
by the action in the Bay of Eresos;
for this proved
the weak ordnance of the Greeks to be powerless against
When the combatants met on
the heavy Turkish ships.
more equal terms, the Greeks proved themselves not deficient
in courage;
as is shown by their gallant attack,
i Finlay, i. 272, following- Gordon, i. 250, who, however,
calls Ismail, Ismail Gibraltar. Cf. Lena. 157.