The Sun.
London, England, 1832-05-05 00:00:00

covers with the view of capturing the first tyind of pea-
c, Its that might come in their way, carried off as guides
o ferocious-looking beings employed in tending flocks,
real savages, whose jargon it was almost impossible to com-
prehend. After much difficulty, and a pretended threat
of shooting them if they refused to speak, we learned from
them that an assemblage of several thousand men waited
env approach in a defile, through which we must neces-
sarily pass, while continuing our progress. We instantly
hastened our pace towards the spot, hoping to take them
by surprise. To insure this result, we found it necessary
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observed, at a position which commanded that of the in-
surgents. We approached it with extreme caution, and
AU ldenly rushing out from a very dark and thick wood,
beheld a multitude of peasants lying down upon the ground,
without any order or regard to defence, most of them be-
.n4 asleep. Abruptly roused by the volley we discharged
at them, they took to flight with all the speed they could
m ,ke, leaving behind them several dead and wounded.
We pursued them, at the point of the bayonet, to a preci-
pice, at the extremity of which stands the village of Orso.
matzo. It would be extremely difficult to meet with any
situation more sublimely terrific and extraordinary than
the spot where this village lies engulfed. Surrounded on
all sides by gigantic mountains, terminating in conical
points, it seems, as it were, placed at the bottom of a vast
well. The descent is by a steep flight of steps, following
the windings of a torrent, which rushes down with a loud
roaring, and forms grand cascades. This torrent passes
through the village, whence, finding vent through the
narrow cleft of a rock, it fertilizes a fine well-cultivated
country, which presents a most striking contrast with the
horror inspired by this hideous abyss.
" It appears inconceivable how any human beings could
em r have thought of fixing their abode in such a place.
The path which follows the course of this torrent is cue
through the rock ; and it is impossible to engage in any
onflict there with safety, unless the heights are entirely
commanded at the same time. After having guarded the
principal entrance of this savage retreat, by a detachment
placed on the top of the only mountain on which a body of
troops could be stationed, but which, untortunately, was a
little too far distant, we went down to Orsumarzo to look
for provisions, never once imagining that the peasants,
whom we had so lately routed, would venture to show
themselves again during that day. We found the village
quite deserted: everything in it indicated the precipita.
Lion with which the inhabitants had fled from their homes.
The doors of the greater part of the houses were wide open,
and we found in them provisions of every kind.
" While we were employed in collecting a stock which
should supply us for several days, we heard some shots
fired, and at the same instant the surrounding mountains
were occupied by a multitude of armed men. The de-
tachment stationed at the entrance of the defile had just
been attacked, and obliged to abandon its position, after
having many men killed and wounded. At the moment
we were advancing to its assistance, it was obliged to turn
towards the village with the utmost precipitation. The
peasants, who were in close pursuit, had nearly esta-
blished themselves before us, so as to cut off all escape
from this cut-throat abyss, where we were all now
crowded together, without any hope of being able to open
a passage on that side. The detachment then hastened to
the other outlet, where it was received with a shower of
stones, and enormous pieces of rock darted down from the
top of the mountain. The latter crushed before my eyes
two sappers and a drummer. Seeing that we could not.
encounter our murderous assailants in this passage, with-
out running the risk of certain destruction, we came to
the fixed determination of hazarding everything to rescue
ourselves from so dreadful a position. Balls were showered
upon us on all sides, and the piercing screams of women
sounded horribly in our ears—screams which appeared to
us those of the Furies impatiently waiting the moment
when they were to feast upon our blood. The drummers
immediately beat the charge, and we rushed towards this
fatal spot with the energy of despair. The light company
having crossed the torrent under a shower of balls, with
extreme difficulty climbed up a steep mountain, whence
the incessant fire of the insurgents caused us considerable
loss ; and at length these brave men succeeded in opening
a passage, which nothing but the most desperate necessity
could render practicable.

" The moment we gained the heights, our soldiers,
quite furious, rushed after the insurgents with all the im-
petuousity of rage. The greater part of them escaped, but
a numerous group assembled on the point of a rock were
massacred on the spot, or perished by flinging themselves
down into the precipices."