THE COLOGNE GAZETTE.

311

Though our countrymen were not made aware of the change of their foreign policy in Italy until the second week in October, when the Cologne Gazette was chosen as the German medium by which they were to be informed of the steps their representative had taken, what was unknown in London was known in Naples.

At this moment there is a messenger from Bertani, who has been waiting to see the General eleven hours; he may wait eleven times eleven, and he won't get in. Whether justly or unjustly, there is a fearful antipathy to Bertani amongst the "familiars." I think it is not so much on account of the man, as of the discredit his presence brings on Garibaldi in Europe, where every one fancies he is secretly pushing Republican ideas. The entourage of the General say"throw him overboard." Garibaldi never forsakes a friend. At the same time the friend's letters are not likely to reach him.

312

LAST LOOK AT THE GENERAL.

CHAPTER XXIX.

NAPLES, Oct. 6.

TO-MORROW I intend to get into the steamer for Marseilles which will carry this letter. You know I promised to be home by the middle of the month, and this decisive battle has reconciled me to it. When the Piedmontese come down they will have it all their own way, though the reduction of Gaeta may take some time, and if we remained it would only be to see, in all probability, Garibaldi snubbed by those who come into possession; at least I shall be agreeably disappointed if he is not. Up at the front there has been no change in the relative position of the two armies since I last wrote; of course there is daily more or less skirmishing. This afternoon I went up to what in future ought to be designated Garibaldi's Hill-I mean the spur overlooking the ferry at S. Angelo— and nearly trod on the General as he lay taking his "siesta" among the rocks and bushes on the summit. There he was, with his old bandana thrown over his face, sleeping the sleep of the blest, as if he had not an earthly care near him. Here he not only enjoys

PIEDMONTESE

CANARDS."

313

the air and scene, but has his enemy and his own men at his feet, commanding an equal view of the one and the other; and last, and not least, is free from the pestiferous crew of intriguers, male and female, at Naples. He has dismissed Bertani from the post of "secretary to the Dictator," and he goes to Genoa. Pallavicino has at last made up his mind. to accept the post of Pro-Dictator; better late than never, but he would have saved a world of trouble if he had done it before.

So industriously have Piedmontese agents spread the report that it was the Piedmontese troops that gained the battle of the 1st, that all the Neapolitans believe it, and it will most likely gain credence in London and Paris; whereas, with the exception of the artillerymen, no Piedmontese soldier left Naples till the fight was over. Here I am gravely told by many

-“Oh, the 1500 Bersaglieri won the day." So they might have done, but they were Garibaldian Bersaglieri, not Piedmontese. Again there are all sorts of foolish stories about men from the English men-ofwar serving the guns on that day. The truth is this, that ten or a dozen of them that were on leave went out by rail to see what was going on, and were lounging about Santa Maria. After the charge of the Hungarian Hussars, in which they captured

two guns, they brought them within 100 yards of

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FRENCH CANARD."

the Porta Capuana, and there left them: when an Englishman, who had made the charge with the hussars, on coming into the town and seeing these fellows idling about, said,—" There you are; if you want a job, go and bring those guns in," and they amused themselves by doing so. Every French naval officer you meet here makes a point of insisting on the fact that they fought the guns, and I daresay it will be believed in Paris.

Victor Emmanuel has placed himself at the head of his army, and comes south from Ancona with Cialdini and his division, which will have a fourteen days' march through the Abruzzi, over the worst mountain road in Italy. None of the Piedmontese appear to be coming by sea, save the four thousand who are waiting orders at Genoa: they will in all probability be here by to-morrow night.

A deputation has gone off from the timid inhabitants of this charming town to beg Victor Emmanuel to hasten, as if he would make any haste on their account. However, I suppose they think they must do something, and as they prefer writing to fighting, they figure in an address. At any rate, it is a harmless occupation. I much regret having forgot the name of the one inhabitant of the town of Naples who joined Garibaldi. This brave population made tremendous demonstrations at the railway station

INHUMANITY OF THE NEAPOLITANS.

315

on the arrival of the different batches of prisoners, abusing them in the foulest manner, and requesting them to come on. A wounded Garibaldian private said to me one day as the train entered the station where there were the accustomed thousands in quest of an excitement-" They are ready to applaud whoever is uppermost.”

Had the attitude of this, the largest city in Italy, containing 600,000 inhabitants, been even that of common civility to their liberators, one could have forgiven their not fighting, knowing their material; but of all the Garibaldians who had bled for them and suffered for them, not one man or officer was received into a private house, though there was not hospital accommodation for half their number; and at this moment there are over three thousand sick and wounded lying on the stones of the Jesuits' College and other buildings, turned into temporary hospitals. Some of the more fortunate have straw to lie on. A few of the medical fraternity assist the overworked surgeons of the army; but, with that exception, the grateful inhabitants of this Gomorrah do not care if the sufferers rot where they are. Not only do they not assist in any way, but the very nurses plunder the dying and helpless, and embezzle their scanty food for their own use. Verily Bomba knew the worth of his subjects.