"They will buy our lands," they said; "have we asked to sell them?
And even if we received their value, can gold give us a country and the tombs of our ancestors ?" Ali Pacha invited the Lord High Commissioner of Great Britain, Sir Thomas Maitland, to a conference at Prevesa, and complained of the exorbitant price of 1,500,000, at which the commissioners had estimated Parga and its territory, including private property and church furniture.

It had been hoped that Ali's avarice would hesitate at this high price, but he was not so easily discouraged.

He give a banquet for the Lord High Commissioner, which degenerated into a shameless orgy.

In the midst of this drunken hilarity the Turk and the Englishman disposed of the territory of Parga; agreeing that a fresh estimate should be made on the spot by experts chosen by both English and Turks.

The result of this valuation was that the indemnity granted to the Christians was reduced by the English to the sum of 276,075 sterling, instead of the original 500,000.