boots, while our trousers, rolled up to the mid-
leg to escape the dirt of the roads, completed a
trim not at all calculated to inspire
prepossession in our favour.

"One would think we were galley-slaves, from
the way they look at us," said a comrade of
mine, and he himself, the son of a great
Lombard family, was one of the wildest figures of
the mass; but we had soon to learn, indeed,
what effect we produced upon strangers, for a
deputation from the town council of Reggio,
who had come out to meet us, were so terrified
by our scarecrow aspect, that they could scarcely
speak. When they did succeed in finding words,
it was to tell us that a major of Bersaglieri
was already with his command outside Reggio,
and two mortar-boats stationed off the shore,
with orders if Garibaldi entered and received the
hospitality of the town, to reduce it to ashes. I
hastened back with this message to the General,
and found him seated under a chesnut-tree, with
a map on his knees, and a crust of bread in his
hand. He listened calmly to my tidings, and
then asked the name of the major of Bersaglieri.

I answered that he was a Hungarian named
Eberhardt.

"Uno de nostri! one of our own!" cried
Garibaldi, with an energy I saw for the first
time, but whether uttered with a feeling of joy
or disappointment, I am unable to say. " Well!"
said he, after a pause, "if Reggio declines our
company, it would hardly be polite to press it
on them. Let Nullo fall back."

VII. ASPROMONTE.

WE marched from two in the afternoon till
past midnight, taking the direction of San
Lorenzo at first, but after a while turning at
the angle of a large farm-house called Protolo,
and directing our steps to Aspromonte in the
mountains. Aspromonte was well known to all
the Garibaldians of the first expedition, and they
held that mountain pass against an overwhelming
force of Neapolitans.

Aspromonte was a sort of ridge between two
mountains, with a narrow gorge in front, and a
dense forest behind; a dreary drizzling rain had
fallen for the last hour of our steep march, and
as we gained the top it began to fall heavier,
and at last increased to a perfect down-pour.
The general took up his quarters in one of the
two shepherd's huts—the only habitable spots
in this wild region—and I made him a sort of
bed of pine-branches, over which I spread his
cloak. "A rude couch," said he, smiling, " but
we'll be better off in the Vatican!" I was very
grateful when he told me to remain where I was
for the night. He said it, pretending he might
want my services, but I saw it was out of
kindness, for I was coughing severely, and greatly
oppressed in breathing.

It thundered all that night so tremendously
that many of us thought the bombardment of
Reggio had really begun, and that the fleet
were knocking the old town to pieces. One
or two, who could not resist the curiosity to
see the event, went down the mountain towards
St. Stephano, and got taken prisoners for their
pains.

At daybreak we were summoned by the bugle,
but did not really turn out till after six o'clock,
when the rain had ceased, and the sun shone
forth splendidly. The scouts had brought news
that the royal forces were pushing forward at
speed, and would be up with us before noon,
and some said that on the crest of the hill behind
us the black plumes of the Bersaglieri had been
seen already.

Garibaldi drew up his force on the plateau
where we passed the night. The left under
Menotti, Corte with the right, he himself in the
centre. It was clear to us all there was to be a
battle, and equally clear that, posted where we
were, with our flanks defended by the mountains,
and a deep glen in front, we could resist a
force of ten times our own number. The
preparations were begun leisurely enough, but
afterwards pressed forward with more haste, as a
small body of Bersaglieri were seen coming
up the valley in loose skirmishing order, and
scattering widely towards our flanks as they
came.

When Fabricotti told Garibaldi that the
skirmishers were advancing, he seemed so absorbed
in thought as not to hear him. "Non si puo.
This cannot be, or it must not be," he kept
repeating for several seconds to himself; then
sending for Cairoli, he whispered some words in
his ear.

"Here they are! here they come!" cried
several voices from our men, and Garibaldi,
throwing his cloak over his shoulders, walked
hastily forward to the front. There was much
confusion at this moment. Cairoli wanted, I
believe, to meet the Bersaglieri with the bayonet.
Menotti, too, said he could answer for his
Picciotti holding their own against the troops,
and all along the whole line there was a seeming
eagerness to show the General that they were
not unworthy of him.

As soon as Garibaldi gained the front of the
line, where he stood about a dozen paces or so
in advance, his aides-de-camp hastened on either
side with orders, and the bugles sounded the
command, No firing! It was not without a
murmur that this order was heard; for already
the sharp whistle of more than one ball had
been noted from the Bersaglieri below. The
General, however, not merely satisfied with
transmitting the order throughnis staff, shouted
aloud to the men, "No firing! no firing!"

The Bersaglieri were still coming on at a run,
and, steep as the ascent was, seemed to vie with
each other who should be first; suddenly they
stopped in their advance, and converging their
fire on the centre, where Garibaldi stood, fired
a tremendous volley. He had but time to
repeat his warning once more, ending with
"Viva l'Italia!" when he fell. I have heard
some say that he walked some steps before he
fell, but I believe the fact was he could not
move one single step, and fell as he attempted it.