1826.] Revolution at Palermo, in ih-e Yatr 19,20. 233 



when three boats were descried entering the j)ort. A messenger was 

 immediately sent to these boats to find out wlience tliey canie, and 

 what news they brought, it being now about four o'clock in the af'ter- 

 p- noon ; the messenger returned with an account of" the revolt ia 

 ■fc Palermo, from whence, he said, the boats had escaj)ed. The passengers 

 ^m in the boats reported that all was confusion and firing in Palermo, that 

 ^K the galley-slaves had been liberated from prison, and that the troops 

 ^P were fighting with the populace. The news of the troops being engaged 

 ^^with the people acted like a spell upon me; I determined instantly 

 ^Bto attempt to get back to Palermo, and to oblige the commander of 

 ^B the troops at Trappani to send a portion, however small and bad, of 

 ^P the garrison as fast as possible towards the capital. I trusted that the 

 r troops in Palermo had either maintained themselves in some position 

 within or withoutside the town, and at the worst had retreated towards 

 Trappani ; in fact, I felt some slight grounds for hope, and forgetting 

 the indifference of the troops towards my person . when left to the 

 mercy of the mob, I resolved instantly to depart from jMixrsala for 

 Trappani and Palermo. The party now at my suggestion sprang up 

 from table ; and all the generous interposition of Mr. Wodehouse 

 to change my resolution and detain liis guests was lost upon me ; for 

 Palermo alone occupied all my thoughts. Mr. Wodehouse finding every 

 effort to detain me vain, insisted on my waiting until the provisions 

 preparing for the boat's crew were ready. His request was rejected, 

 and he then ordered the wine, bread, &c. that was ready, to be put 

 on board the boat, and obliging me to receive a suppl}^ of money and 

 linen, he with great reluctance consented to the departure of his guests ; 

 nor even then would he let me go until he had concerted with me 

 the means of secret communication in the event of ni}' wanting farther 

 assistance. In fact, nothing can be said that would give an adequate 

 idea of the conduct of Mr. Wodehouse upon this occasion ; both my- 

 self and my companions left, with a deep sense of gratitude and ad- 

 miration, this hospitable roof. We hastened to our gun-boat and spread 

 our sails in an instant, leaving behind the greater part of the provision 

 prepared for us by the kind Mr. Wodehouse, and amongst other things 

 the half of an ox, that he had dressed for us as scon as he had 

 discovered my first idea of only remaining a few hours in Marsala. 

 The wind had changed and was now fair for Trappani ; the boat left 

 the harbour of Marsala %vith all her sails set, whilst the populaticJn 

 of that town came crowding towards the beach out of curiosity to 

 discover who was on board her. Tliis curiositj' was excited by the 

 ill-timed etiquette of the vice-consul, who was retui-ning in his carriage 

 to make a formal visit to the General. 



. The sea was agitated by a favourable breeze, and the party in the 

 gun-boat, refreshed by their recent cheer, and sanguine in hopes that 

 never were to be realized, seemed to have banished care for a moment. 

 The passage from Marsala to Trappani was longer than was expected, 

 owing to a change in the wind and to our being unable in consequence 

 to go through the passage among the shoals. The boat, however, 

 arrived at Trappani about ten o'clock at night, and cast anchor in the 

 entrance of the harbour. I immediately wrote to the governor of 

 ^ Trappani, General Anfossi, ordering him to make every efibrt to send 

 off a battalion to Palermo ; and to Colonel Flugi, desiring he would take 

 Ui^on himself the command of this battalion, composed of select men. 

 M.M. A^ca; Smw— Vot. I. No. 3. 2H 



