The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-30 00:00:00

other, here and there. Through some valleys we
had a peep on the lowland of Catania, and above all
that scene towered high the conical E na, with
those white rays of snow in the crevices, which en-
circle the crater like a necklace. Ade :cious fresh
breeze cooled the air, though not one c r ud was seen
on the deep blue sky. We march:;: rapidly on-
wards, chatting with friends whom we had not seen
for months ; but though all around us seemed cheer-
ful, our mood was gloomy. The fear of a civil war
occupied all thoughts. " I would rather blow out
my brains," said one officer, " then shed the blood
of my brothers of the Italian army ; but Italy must
go to Rome, even if all of us should die by the hand
of the regular army ; the country must force diplo-
macy ; and that Turinese Rattazzi, who can't
emancipate himself from Napoleon, shall give way."
On the side of a desolate mountain ravine, where
not a blade of grass was seen between the rocks of
coarse green sandstone formation, we rested a few
minutes, and looked back where Menotti, Gari-
baldi's son, paced slowly on his horse, leading the
vanguard. We let them pass, and formed an esti-
mate of the force. They were about eight hundred;
all the officers picked men from the expeditions of
1859 and 1860. Beleschini commanded the North-
erns, Lombards, Genoese, or Tuscans, splendid spe-
cimens of stalwart humanity, but ragged, ill-shod,
and badly armed. Aboat one hundred deserters
from the regular army betrayed their former calling
by their regular bearing. The Sicilian Piccioti
were easily distinguished by their shorter size and
dark complexions. Among them was the flower of
the Palermitan aristocracy, together with the sons
of the people ; distinguished features here, coarse
stupidity there ; bat among them marched about ten
or fifteen fellows, keeping together, well armed,
their features branded by crime, banditti, who had
evidently followed the General in the hope of plun-
der. I shuddered whem I saw them pass. I could
not help comparing that poorly armed, ragged band,
with the brilliant volunteers of the Sicilian and Nea-
politan expedition; it seemed, indeed, that Garibaldi
had abdicated his great position in taking the com-
mand of these men. I was told that the bulk of
his army, about 2,800 men, led by General Corrao,
was still worse—good officers, a few picked com-
panies, the remainder scarcely better than an armed
mob ; but such is the prestige of Garibaldi's name,
that even that band committed no depredations,
and behaved in an orderly way. Still, if it came to
a serious conflict, one half of those volunteers would
not stand fire ; the other half would die gloriously,
but not conquer. It was with serious apprehensions
that we followed the General again, whilst the
troops halted for half an hour at a spring. After a
forced march of 12 Italian miles, which we performed
in four hours, we reached Centorbi, the old Centur-
bium, on the extreme edge of the Sicilian high land.
The borough contains about 8,000 inhabitants, and
presents on the ledge of the mountain the most pic-
turesque appearance. The General's arrival sur-
prised the population ; they were not aware of his
approaching ; but it was Sunday, they were at home,
and in a moment assembled round him, with cheers
and a hearty welcome; the bells were ringing, the
members of the bend of the National Guard sought
to make their way through the population in order
to form, whilst Garibaldi rode to church, and
after short prayers took his way to a point which do-
minates all the country around. We overtook him
here, whilst he surveyed the piana di Catania with
his telescope. We stood just opposite to Aderno,
and saw the high road to Catania deep on the low-
land under our feet winding to the sea. " You are
making your plan," said Mordinia, when the Gene-
ral had put his telescope again in his pocket. Gari-
baldi, lost in thought, said but one word, " Aquila"
(an eagle) ; accompanied by a rapid motion of his
hand downwards, whilst his eye lighted up and his
features resumed that serenity which habitually cha-
racterises them. We saw his plan was formed ; he
was to pounce down like an eagle and destroy the
plans of the Royal generals. Returning to town the
usual bustle of headquarters recommenced—deputa-
tions to Garibaldi ; persons to be introduced ; the
mayor of the borough, his hat on his head as a sign of
his authority, excusing himself about the scarcity of
victuals for such unexpected guests ; the officers of
the staff seeking the quarters to which they had
been billeted ; Col. Corte, the chief of the staff
commanding, and bringing order out of the confu-
sion ; Civinini, the General's private secretary,
writing orders, the young Marquis Maurigi copy-
ing them ; Capt. Kovaes, the Hungarian, looking
to the kitchen department, and running to bakers
and butchers ; the Baron Varesani, a Sicilian noble-
man with a mediaeval cast of features, enhanced by
a splendid flowing grey beard, stretching his bulky
body on a couch ; Baron Nicotera, member of Par-
liament, better known as the courageous companion
of Pisacane, and State prisoner in the dnngeon of
Favignana, going about to seek information from
the inhabitants ; whilst our hosts were offering us
coffee, wine, and bread. By and by arrived Cols.
Nullo, Brnzzesi, and Missori, Garibald's insepar-
able friends ; old Mignona, of Naples ; Guerzoni,
and others. They looked anxious. It was evident
that by the march upon Centorbi the royal troops—
prepared as they were for an attack upon Aderno,
where they had concentrated their forces—were
out-manoeuvred; still it was impossible not to en-
counter them elsewhere, since the defiles into the
lowlands were all guarded, and from the rear and
both flanks columns were approaching to him in the
General. Besides, we knew that by order of the
governor of the mills of the neighbourhood were
stopped for a fortnight, in order that the population
of the borough should be unable, even with the best
will, to furnish the bread for Garibaldi's army.
Garibaldi alone was cheerful ; at table he sustained
the conversation in a most pleasant way, and
seemed even in better spirits than usual. After
dinner he closeted himself with Colonel Corte, and
about five the older was given for all the army to
be in marching order at seven in the evening-
Even Corrao, the head of whose column was just
descried at two miles' distance, was to follow at
once, though he had made a forced march under a
burning sun from Leon Forte to Centorbi. We
ordered our coachman, who had arrived at noon,
to be ready, and went once more to the General to
take leave. He sat at the window in his small
cabinet, the telescope on the eye directed on the
tents of the royal camp at Aderno. We seized the
opportunity of speaking about the fatal conse-
quences of a conflict. He said, " I hope no blood
will be shed." Telling him we were returning to
Catania, he said we could be of some use. "I am
to march upon Palermo in the rear of the royal
camp. I hope to arrive there at dawn ; you will
be there two hours before me; inform some good
patriots that we require provisions. There is a
splendid position in the rear of the borough, on the
height ; I shall occupy it. I must try to seek the
bigger borough, where men can find somewhat to
eat, for eat they must. Baron Varesani, do you
know a good patriot at Palermo ?" '6 yes," an-
swered the stout nobleman, " the commander of the
National Guard, Don Cancio Tripi, was hunted by
the Bourbon sbirri full twenty years ; he is a true
man." "Well," said the general to us, "inform
shallh w him
about
ea rmy approach, and await my arrival. I
out the royal generals if they think to
beat me by fatigue ; the way to the left remains
still open. I do not take leave ; I shall see you
soon."

We hastened down the
mountain to Averno,
where we found the camp prepared for a night
attack. At crossing the river our "carriage was
searched; a captain, revolver in hand, and three
officers accompanied us through the first pickets.
We were asked whether it was true that Garibaldi
himeelf,
and not Mermotti only,
was at Centorbi ;
but the medal of the members of parliament saved
my companions from being molested and indis-
creetly questioned. As to me, I was taken for one
of them. About two o'clock in the morning we
arrived at Palermo, but to our surprise we found the
borough garrisoned by a half battalion of the 53rd,
and another
half battalion of the l3ersaglieri was
and
expected on the way to Averno about dawn. The
garrison of Catania was evidently withdrawn in
order to reinforce the camp. We grew anxious
about Garibaldi, and had no great faith in Don
Cancio Tripi ; the Government could not have left
a man of Garibaldi's party in command of the
National Guard. Still our orders being positive,
we sought him at his house. He seemed surprised
by the communication ; we saw at once he had be.

come a Government man. At dawn we looked
around towards Centarbi, but no red line was visible
on the mountains ; we resolved not to wait any
longer, but to proceed to Catania, the commission
we had just performed being perhaps one of Gari-
baldi's well-known devices for masking his real
designs.
At Catania the town had taken quite a different
attitude from that in which we had left it. Our
friends were cheerful, a great demonstration was
preparing, the people in the streets said to one
another that Garibaldi was sure to come, that the
Governor had his carriage ready to flee. At five
o'clock several thousand men appeared in the streets
all of them wearing a card on their hats with the
printed words, Viva Vittorio Emanuele, Viva Gari-
baldi, Abasso Rattazzi, Roma o Morte. Scarcely
were they assembled on the market-place, when
suddenly a carriage drove through the crowd to the
music-stand of the band, and Father Pantaleone,
Garibaldi's well-known field-charlain, ascended the
steps. He had been smuggled into town that very
day, was received with cheers, and made a speech
to the population, taking for his text the inscrip-
tion on the printed card which spoke out the feel-
ings of the meeting. To our great surprise the
Governor did not interfere with the demonstration,
we were not summoned to disperse, the National
Guard was net called under arms, as it had been
a few days back upon a similar but less numerous
demonstration. There being no opposition, the
crowd quietly dispersed after the political sermon,
but remained in the streets, which bore a festive ap-
pearance. About seven we were told that a traveller
had arrived from Palermo, who had seen the
General in the borough. The agitation in-
creased ; people shouted " Viva Garibaldi."
At nine two young men sought us with a word
from the general ; he was on the way to
Catania, having left the royal troops far behind him.
At the same moment an official letter arrived from
Messina, whereto it had been conveyed by an ex-
press Government steamer despatched by Governor
Cugia, in which our friends the chiefs of the Liberal
party, the Duke Verdura, Baron Turrisi, and the
members of Parliament, La Loggia and Ugdulena,
informed my friends they had been requested by
Cugia to communicate to Garibaldi, that Govern-
ment could not, under any circumstances, allow
him to enter Catania or Messina, and that the
troops had orders to stop his way at any risk. As
soon as it became known that Garibaldi was coming,
Catania got frantic ; the bells were ringing a merry
peal, every balcony was lit with lamps, torches rose
in price, everybody sought to bay one ; all the cabs
were taken by people who were going to meet the
great hero, for his arrival could no longer be im-
peded. One company of soldiers was in the barracks,
all the other troops had been sent to obstruct his
way, and now he was about 20 Italian miles be-
yond them. At midnight we accepted the carriage
of a friend and went to meet him. At the height of
Misterbianco we saw a hundred torchbearers, shout-
ing and dancing ; we knew the general was in view.
In a few minutes he arrived ; we shook his hands
with deep emotion. I told him, " The first step
was Catania, the second is Rome, the third will be
Venice." He shook hands and said, "It was hard
work—a hairbreadth escape from civil war ; but
everything is now won—no encounter possible. I
enter Catania, but it was hard work." One of the
officers of the staff entered our carriage and told us
all the details of the memorable day after our de-
parture. Since it was ascertained that the paths
Garibaldi had chosen, were not practicable for car-
riages, the ammunition had to be packed upon
mules, and thus the departure of the army was de-
layed till 11 in the night. Arrived towards dawn
in the ravine at the foot of the mountain, the stream
which they had to pass reached the chest, and the
volunteers therefore undressed, and carrying their
dress and musket above the head,forded it in a perfect
state of nature. The ammunition, however,became
wetted on the mules, and was scarcely service-
able. At ten o'clock they were under Patrino, where
the watchpost gave chase. Garibaldi sent one of
the Lombard friends who had come with us, and
had as yet no red shirt on, to the major command-
ing the troops, requesting an interview. The major
came, and said he had positive orders not to allow
the general to enter the borough. He was surprised
to see him, but he would under any circumstances
execute his orders. The general replied he did not
wish to force his entry into the borough, but he re-
quired provisions, his troops being weary and
hungry after the long march ; they would remain
outside the town. The major saw he was greatly
outnumbered even by Garibaldi's vanguard, since
he had but three hundred men under his command,
all the rest having gone to Aderno, where above
3,500 men were concentrated ; he had, therefore, to
give his consent. But whilst provisions were sought,
which Don Ciancio Tripi had failed to loos after,
the population, about 12,000 souls, grew excited ;
the bells were rung, processions with flags forming;
deputations went down to Garibaldi and invited
him to town ; women brought their children that
he should bless them ; many people knelt down
before him and cried, overpowered as they were by
emotion. Tiae soldiers themselves grew unsteady ;
still with fixed bayonets they kept every red-shirt
back from the borough. At that moment Corruo's
troops, too, were arriving, and still more increased
the major's difficulties. But the young men of Ca-
tania went further; armed with hatchets and big
knives, they cut a path through the fig trees around
the town, The proprietors of the gardens opened
the doors, and Garibaldi with his men went silently
by that new way in the rear of the troops at the
upper end of the borough. As soon as, by a lane, he
had arrived in the high street, an eviva announced
to the troops that any further resistance was impos-
sible; the streets and the market-place were thronged
with a compact crowd, the soldiers unable to term,
and the borough filling with red shirts. The major
sent one courier after the other to Aderno, at nine
Italian miles distance, but before the bersaglieris
could arrive, Garibaldi's troops had taken some
refreshments and continued their forced march.
Corruo's corps had, in 28 hours, made 44 Italian
miles, but everybody was happy, since the great ob-
I
ject was gained—Catania reached without shedding
blood.

At two at night we arrived at the gate. Ido not
describe to you the illuminations, the flags, the
torchlight processions, the frantic joy of the popu-
lation, the market place light up by electric light.
Garibaldi drove to the club-house and made a
speech from the balcony, in which he thanked the
people of Catania for the hearty reception which
put the seal upon the liberation of Italy. "We
shall now certainly reach Rome ;" the crowd shouts
" Roma o Morte." " Yes, we shall reach Rome;
the sacerdotal vampire shall cease to suck the life-
blood of humanity, and Rome shall return to the
pure gospel of Christ." This speech raised the en-
thusiasm to the highest pitch ; priests and monks,
men and women, shouted " Viva Garibaldi ! Roma
o Morte !"
At four we went to bed, but at seven we were
suddenly aroused by Fabrizzi's arrival. He had
missed Garibaldi, had followed him as closely as
possible, but the royal troops were marching before
him, and obstructed the way. At Misterbianco only
he succeeded in getting in advance ; they cannot be
at more than an hour's distance. We at once in-
formed the General of the new danger; had the alarm
bell rung, and sent for the Commander of the
National Guard. In a quarter of an hour barri-
cades were building, the volunteers and national
guard were under arms, every means of defence
preparing. In about an hour we heard that the
troops, which had advanced close to the outskirts
of the town, had again retired, and were encamped
at Misterbianco. They had on the way arrested
all Garibaldi's stragglers, and disarmed them as
prisoners of war. In town, however, there was still
one company, whose commander came to Garibaldi
with the request to be allowed to evacuate the bar-
racks, and to join the army encamped at Mister-
blau,,. Garibaldi gave at once orders not to molest
those soldiers on their march. For the second time
the members of the Italian Parliament present at
en Catania,
to
in number, Mordini at their head,
w
I:heraval camp to Major-Gen. Melia, to
ask whether it was his intention to attack Catania,
and, in case he should have such an intention, to
t
explain to him the consequences of such an ill-
judged step. They returned in the evening. He
had engaged himself not to attack the town ; he de- i