If they accepted his proposition, they were to light three fires as a signal.
The signal was not long in appearing.

Ali despatched his barge, which took on board a monk, the spiritual chief of the Suliots.

He was clothed in sackcloth, and repeated the prayers for the dying, as one going to execution.

Ali, however, received him with the utmost cordiality: He assured the priest of his repentance, his good intentions, his esteem for the Greek captains, and then gave him a paper which startled him considerably.

It was a despatch, intercepted by Ali, from Khalid Effendi to the Seraskier Ismail, ordering the latter to exterminate all Christians capable of bearing arms.