230 General Sir Richard Church's Narrative of the [March, 



ately informed them of my intention of marching to Palermo with 

 Colonel Flugi and a battalion of his regiment. To this proposition, 

 both these officers replied, that the utmost force which could be spared 

 consisted of 250 men, and that the whole garrison was in an insu- 

 bordinate state — the soldiers loudly declaring, they would all desert the 

 moment they were outside the gates of Trappani ; and that there were 

 also several detachments of Sicilian recruits (levies of the new con- 

 scription) whom they were obliged to guard as prisoners. They further 

 added, they had received an order by telegraph to send a battalion to 

 Palermo, but that, after mature deliberation, they found themselves 

 obliged to answer, that the order could not be complied with in con- 

 sequence of the state of the garrison. Iwas easily persuaded of the truth 

 of this declaration ; and aware that the officers of the troops in Trappani 

 (the 9th Light Regt.) were chiefly Carbonari, I concluded of course 

 that all subordination was lost. I inquired into the state of the popu- 

 lation, and learnt that it was in a ferment, the sect of Carbonari having 

 made considerable progress, and officers of the garrison having taken out 

 of prison without orders several galley-slaves (malefactors) who were Car- 

 bonari — and given them the direction of the populace, and admitted two 

 of them to the Vendita* of the officers, with whom they sat in council, de- 

 corated with the insignia of their sect! These malefactors were some of 

 the wretches whom I had arrested in the province of Lecce, and whose 

 crimes were of a criminal as well as a political nature, some of them having 

 many murders to answer for, and whom the misguided clemency of the Go- 

 vernment had exiled to the island of Favignana, whence they had found 

 their way to Trappani; all vowing vengeance against me, and fomenting a 

 similar spirit amongst the population and garrison. It was evident from 

 this state of things that nothing was to be done in Trappani; no reinforce- 

 ment to be drawn from it for Palermo, and no object to be gained by 

 remaining — my utmost wishes not going beyond the re-establishment 

 of order in Palermo. I had no idea of taking the command of Trappani 

 for the revolutionary Government of Naples, nor of serving it in any 

 way whatever. While I was considering the next steps to take, these 

 officers returned on shore, and sent on board some provisions, a change 

 of clothes and some money for me and my companions, and a small 

 supply of provisions for the crew. They then returned to us, and 

 Col. Flugi informed me that my position was not safe in the harbour, 

 that there was a disposition on the part of the inhabitants to seize 

 the boat, as they suspected that she contained a person of consequence 

 (from the governor and commandant of the troops having gone on 

 board), that they were actually thronging in arms and in gi^at numbers 

 to the Marina gate, and that he was obliged to reinforce the guard 

 there and shut the gate to prevent the people coming down to the 

 Marina. The governor now returned to the town, taking my last 

 orders. Col. Flugi said, the people had imagined that the minister. 

 Marquis Ferreri, was in the boat, and that they had determined to 

 massacre him ; that a courier had arrived from Palermo, bringing 

 orders (of what import he knew not), and that another courier had 

 left Trappani immed 'ately for other places along the coast. He then 

 advised me not to prolong my stay at Trappani, as it was probable that 

 I might be arrested if I remained any longer. To this discourse I 

 was quite indifferent, knowing that the circumstances were perfectly as 



* Vendita means club or society during its sitting for the transaction of business. 



