1826.] Revolution at Palermo, in the Year 1820. 235 



that the gates being shut, I could not, at that hour, deliver them 

 myself at the health-office ; that the gun-boat was obliged to sail that 

 night for Palermo, and tliat she came from Marsala. The American 

 captain, having received from me assurance that he was not in danger 

 of quarantine, or of other disagreeable consequences, if he received and 

 transmitted the letters, immediately took them, and promised, on his 

 honour, to deliver them himself, at daylight next morning, into the 

 governor's hands (but he betra)'ed the trust placed in hin), and 7iever 

 delivered the letters). After thanking him for his politeness, I returned 

 to the gun-boat, which I ordered to put to sea instantly, flattering myself 

 that we had found a means of certain connnunication with the garrison. 

 We hastened the getting up of the anchor, and in a quarter of an hour 

 the gun-boat was above a mile from the port of Trappani on its way to 

 Palermo. As the boat proceeded, various plans were discussed for the 

 operations that might still take place, in the event of the troops having 

 made head against the populace, or retreated out of the town ; in fact, 

 no part oi' the night was allotted to sleep, each mind being too much 

 occupied with its own r>.iiections ; besides that, as morning approached, 

 it was necessary to keep a look-out, as we were now forced to consider 

 ourselves on an enemy's coast. The gun-boat kept close to the shore, 

 in order to see if, at any time, troops were moving in any direction : as, 

 forgetting every thing but the troops, I was, at every hazard, and in 

 spite of every order, determined to join them wherever I found them. 

 No political question was allowed to interfere with this resolution,, but I 

 was equally determined to leave them the moment I had placed them 

 in safety. 



At about twelve o'clock the gun-boat had reached St. Vito, a low 

 point, distant from Trappani twenty or twenty-five miles, behind which 

 they discovered, at anchor, three gun-boats and an armed boat. This 

 discovery indicated the unfortunate issue of affairs in Palermo, or a 

 naval detachment sent in pursuit of me by the populace ; at all events, 

 it was necessary to reconnoitre them and know who they were, and why 

 there, before the gun-boat put herself in their power by going to 

 leeward of them. The captain of the gun-boat immediately took alarm, 

 and requested me to allow him to take in sail and remain where he was 

 to windward, until he ascertained satisfactorily what these boats were. 

 His proposition was immediately adopted, the gun-boat remaining to 

 windward of the point : the captain added, that " if the gun-boats con- 

 tained friends, it was their business to send a small boat to us to say so, 

 and that their not doing so gave great room for suspicion." It 

 was now determined to call a fishing-boat, and send in her, to the flotilla 

 of gun-boats, one of the sailors in whom most confidence was placed, 

 to find out the circumstances of the other boats. This man was imme- 

 diately sent towards them with orders to make certain signals, indicating 

 enemies or friends. The fishing-boat went off, and in about twenty 

 minutes she was observed returning, with a signal that the boats were 

 friends. The messenger on his return said that the boats were Sici- 

 lian and Neapolitan gun-boats, which had fled from Palermo, and that 



they were going to Trappani, under the command of Captain 



I now sent Lieutenant Quandel to the commander of the strange gun- 

 boats, to beg him to come off to our boat, as there was an officer of rank 

 in it who wished to speak to him ; this mission he executed with address. 

 He avoided saying who was on board the gun-boat, and after great delay 



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