He was quickly carried into the "boschetta,"
and surrounded with a number of his staff. The
wound was at first deemed so serious that the
word "amputation" was dropped incautiously
by some one. " I am quite ready,' said the
General; "do whatever you think fit, and do it
at once." He continued to smoke his cigar
while the surgeons consulted. The world
knows what followed, nor have I the
presumption to insert in my humble story other
incidents than those that befel me, or that I
witnessed.

I heard, as we all heard, the order not to fire,
and I heard, too, Menotti's cry, as his father fell,
"Charge them! à la baionetta!" and the line
rushed over the slope, and the bayonets of the
twolines crossed. Aloud shout of "Viva l'Italia!"
was now raised, I know not from whence or by
whom, but every musket was raised at once, and
one hoarse cheer of "Viva l'Italia!" resounded
from both sides.

"Disarm them! disarm them!" was heard on
all sides, and for a moment none of us knew to
whom it was addressed. We scarcely knew
there had been a contest, so quickly was it over.
The truth was not long in declaring itself—we
were all prisoners, and some eighteen or twenty
of us were more or less wounded.

Several officers made their escape—Nicotera
amongst the res—t at this moment, and, gaining
the coast, got away to Malta or Corfu. For a
moment or two I felt disposed to follow them;
but I thought, "What signifies now what becomes
of me; the best of us all, lies wounded and bleeding
there. Let us at least share his fate if we
cannot share his fame."

I was marched away with a very ignoble
looking squad of Picciotti to Reno, and thence
down to the coast. We were given a crust of the
blackest bread and some water, and were guarded
by a strong escort. When the poor boys—the
majority were no more than boys—made an
attempt to sing, to show how bravely they bore
their captivity, a rude blow with a musket-stock
suppressed the effort, and they were ordered not
even to utter a word as they went. We passed
the night on the sea-shore, houseless and supperless.
The troops lighted their fires and got out
their camp-kettles, but we had neither, and sat
in grim groups whispering together till we fell
asleep.

Though perhaps, had I declared my condition
and station, the officer who had charge of us
might have treated me with more consideration,
I thought it would not be generous to separate
myself from the poor fellows my companions.
Besides, I had obtained a degree of influence
over them at this time. That long dreary day's
march will be a nightmare to me so long as I
live. The scorching sun, the heavy sand, the
bloodshot eyes, from the damp at night and the
glare of the sun by day, the weary feet, and the
thirst, needed not the heavy heart I carried, to
make my misery complete.

At Reggio we saw two frigates; one I recognised
as the Duke of Genoa. While we stood
on a point of rock gazing at her, several boats
rowed out and lingered alongside of her, and
from a remark of an officer to his comrade, as
they looked through their glasses, I learned that
Garibaldi was in one of the boats, waiting to be
hoisted on board. I would have willingly given
my note of hand for a thousand francs for that
telescope in the captain's fingers, to have got one
last look at our poor General.

It was then that a young man in a staff
uniform came hastily up, and said, "Is there a
certain prince here?" giving my family name.
I answered, and he told me that Garibaldi had
included me in the list of those he wished to
have along with him, and that I must make
what haste I could or I should be too late.
I was not long in my adieux, and I ran with
all speed towards a boat that I saw about to
shove off.

When we gained the deck of the Duke, however,
it was found that we were eight more than
the number accorded to Garibaldi.

"Take them on shore again," said the captain.
"I cannot have them here without orders; or,"
said he, after a pause, " row across to the other
frigate and ask General Cialdini what's to be
done with them?"

The messenger came back very speedily, and
whispered his answer to the captain, who smiled,
and said,

"Oh no; I'd rather take them, than that."

On the following evening we entered the
Gulf of Spezia, and were landed in the old
Lazaretto, called Varignano. Some rooms had
been arranged for Garibaldi, and we were lodged
beside him, with a kitchen for our own
accommodation.

Where I write this, we have a large, not very
clean, and not well-ventilated chamber, where
we sleep, and a smaller room, which looks out
on the bay of La Grazia, where we dine. Lounging
at its window we can gaze on the three-decker
whose guns point towards us, but which,
by a strange "mal à propos," carries her name—
The Garibaldi—still on her stern. It is in a
corner of this chamber where our poor fellows
sit and smoke, and ponder over their lot, that I
write these lines.

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