1826.] Revolution at Palermo, in the Year 18'i0. 125 



got to the end of the street to return to their several quarters, out of 

 which they had come without leave. 1 added, tliat I had no objection 

 to their sharing in the general joy, on the last night of the Feast of 

 Santa Rosalia, but that the manner in which they were acting might 

 lead to some disturbance, which I wished to prevent for their sakes, 

 as much as for the public tran(juillity. In the meantime the others had 

 recommenced moving on, and this man, anxious, followed his comrades, 

 leaving me amidst the crowds which had closed round me while 1 was 

 addressing the soldiers. I found my attempt had failed, and the noise 

 of the soldiers and mob was such, that no other voices could be heard : 

 I, however, continued to penetrate farther into the crowd, and to follow 

 the military rioters to the end of the street ; but I was so violently 

 pushed by the people, that my efforts would have soon been quite use- 

 less, if not fatal to my small party : we, therefore, turned quietly 

 round, to walk down the street again towards the square of the senate- 

 house, where the carriage was left. The crowd now closed ujion us, and 

 the priest already mentioned, who had never left us, in the most menacing 

 and insolent manner threatened me with death, if 1 did not cry out 

 Viva r Independenza /" He used, at the same time, the most frantic ges- 

 tures, and seemed quite maddened with rage ; he was accompanied by 

 a mob, seemingly quite under his command, chiefly young men, all 

 of whom reiterated the priest's menaces ; the shouts of " Mori Scele- 

 ratof Mori, mori! Fuori Tirannijiiori, fuori, J'liori !" became tremen- 

 dous, and a cry of " Kill them, kill them !" was vociferated throughout 

 the street. 



These fanatics were so delighted with having secured their victims, 

 that they lost time in insults before they proceeded to blows ; in fact, 

 the crowd was such, that they could hardly move their arms, and every 

 person seemed swept along with it. General Coglitore, a Sicilian, and 

 my aides-de-camp, kept the mob from me as much as possible, and ex- 

 postulated with them without using violence. The servant of General 

 Coglitore more than once threw his arms round the furious priest, and 

 prevented his striking me ; but the mob threatened this brave fellow, 

 and extricateij the priest from his hands. The mob became every 

 instant more furious, and the cries of " Mori, mori /" more violent ; and 

 the priest, still farther to inflame his fanatical followers, cried out to me, 

 " Ah ! Scelerato, per quanto ci aveto Jatto stentare per questo /" 



During the whole of this scene, I walked leisurely through the street 

 (rather diminishing my pace than otherwise), never condescending to 

 take farther notice of the priest or his companions, than occasionally 

 saying to him, " Adagio ! Piano! Cadati, a cosaj'ate .? Andati," S^c. 



I was pondering in my mind on the means of extricating myself and 

 my companions from so critical a position, in which one false step was 

 an instantaneous and barbarous death. At times I felt tempted to 

 draw my sword (upon the hilt of which I held my hand), and, at least, 

 sacrifice the priest to my just fury ; but I recollected that blood once spilt, 

 and that uselessly, the consequences might be most dreadful, not only for 

 myself and my party (whom I considered already lost), but, perhaps, for 

 the whole population : I therefore kept my temper, and for a considerable 

 distance the imposing manner and sangji-oidof our small party protected 

 it from the brutal violence of the mob. In this manner, we proceeded 

 along the street a considerable way, until nearly arrived at the square of 

 the senate-house, the priest again violently insisting upon my crying, 



