'I

CHAP'I'EB. II.

· Serviee in South America-Garibaldi a Prisoner-Daring Exploits-WoD.derful
Eacape-The Shipe JJlown Up-.Amrita Woman's .Het'Oial.

AT the oommeDCement 1837, so..e Italians brought prillonere to Jl,M)

Garibaldi was now in his real element. His first feat waa the capture
of a Braailian barque of considerable tonnage, bui his second adventure
all but ooat him his life. BelieTing Mont& Video to be favorable to tlle
.new Republic. he cast anchor before ita walls. A sent to dis­
lodge him, cauaed this illusion to be terribly dissipated : ahota were fired,
and one of tlJ,em piercing Garibaldi's neck, lodged juatunder his ear, and
.Jtretched him aeueless on the deck. His alarmed followers, talWlg ad­
vantage of a favorable wind, set all sail, and sought a refuge in the
harbour of Gualegay. But the Republican flag was not recognized here
any more than it had been at Monte Video : the vessel waa seized, and
the crew thrown pell-mell prison. Garibaldi waa dying, but BUch

)rindly attention waa shown him, that he at length slowly recc.Tered. He
waa offered his liberty, on parole, which he accepted under certain coa·
ditiona, and went to live with a Spanish family, who treated him with
brotherly affection. But this pleaaant chauga Iaated only a short time.
One night the captive received certain information that the authorities of
the country, despite their promise to allow him to enjoy a quasi-liberty
at Gualegay, intended to transfer him the next day to Bajada, where he
wonld be closely imprisoned. Garibaldi had by this time recovered his
entire strength and energy, while the violation of the compact he had

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LIPB OP G.UIBI.LDI.

signed, 1made him ooJlliderhimsf'lfdisengaged from all ulterior obligatioJll.

A few hours later he escaped. · But be bad no compua, and was W:•

acquainted with the country. He wandered about for two days without

food an1l shelter, seeking in vain for a safe direction in which to proceed.

Exhausted and dying of fatigue and hunger, at the end of tlus period he

was tracked, seized, and carried back to Gualegay,

The 1mthorities took an atrocious revenge for his evasion. Before
sending him to Bajada, the intrepid and haughty warrior was ignobly
suspend,!ld by the hands for two hours ; and, to add humiliation to the
the torture was performed in the presence of the crowd
assembled at the gates of the prison. For a lengthened period, one of the
sufferer's arms remained useless to him, and even to the present day,
Garibailli bears traces of this barbaroua treatment. After some months
of imprisonment, as painful as it had formerly been gentle, the prisoner
learned that he was free. He had no trial, and none of his protests were
heeded : he quitted his prison, not knowing by whom or why he bad been

At Ri,o Grande, whose caU&e had been the subject to him of so much
Garibaldi was warmly received. He was immediately inYested
with the command of the paltry n&\'al force, if such a can be given
to two or three wretched coasters, armed with a few pop-guns. The
lilliputilim fleet was anchored in the Lagao dos Patoe : Gvi.baldi hur­
riedly augmented it by means of the vessels in the harbour, which he
manned with Italian refugees, who were e:r:erciaed in naval manmuvree,
and a ne·w system of boarding the enemy. These Italians were infected by
the intrEipidity of their chief. Surprised at Camacuan byone hundred and
twenty men, Garibaldi, with only eleven followers, rushed on the enemy,
routed them, and remained muter of the field : and he replied to the
oongratttlationa of the townsmen of Rio Grande, that "he did not
deserve them, for one freeman is sufficient to destroy ten slaves."

One clay he said to a handful of his brave men : "We mlllt get in
there, " :pointing to the enemy's fortress at the mouth of the Rio Grandt'.
The words were enough. His companioJll followed him at full speed,
penetrated into the embrasure•, and, bad not the native troops hesitated
to support them, they muat have captured the fort. A short time later,
Garibaldi, in the hope of revolutioming the provinces of Santa Catalina.
occupied . the port of Laguna. He had to equip three small
veuela, and continually haruaed the enemy by landing on the cout.
and cap1mriug all he could. Being at length attacked by an Imperial
brig, he had great difficulty in getting b.ack to Laguna.