* * * * *
AUGUSTA, _Sept. 14, 1807_.
MY EVER DEAREST FATHER--The arrival of the packet at Malta has
relieved very strong apprehensions for her safety. If, as I hope,
there are a great many letters for me, I shall not get them until
they are delivered at Messina, and sent from thence hither. It
always happens in this manner that my answers are never able to
reach the return mail, but on this occasion I am determined to
answer by anticipation.
I can at least assure you that I am perfectly well, which is all in
the present press that I have time to do.
The heat of the summer caused an epidemic of fever, which has now,
however, almost entirely subsided. It plagued me for about a week,
since which I have been rudely well, though the weather has been
hot to a most irksome degree, and I have been obliged to brave
the sun at the peril of no other inconvenience than the prickly
heat--if you know what that is. I have indeed been harassed more by
anxiety than labour: the former, however, is nearly at an end now.
When I found my fever gone and my appetite returned, and nothing
left but depression of spirits and a little languor, I puts me into
a boat at night by a beautiful moon, more lovely than the sun, and
starts me for Syracuse for the next day’s races, where I had a
horse to run, and I knew there would be jollity.
I arrived much fatigued and slept a most excellent night, and
breakfasted late next morning--no sooner finished, than the
sporting gentlemen entered, and roused me up with a long pole, and
the quicksilver mounted directly; for these were people that I much
affect.
But first of all, for fear you should suppose that there is much
extravagance in this affair, I must tell you how it goes.
The races have been generally about once in six weeks, subscribers
pay a guinea, and each subscriber may, if he pleases, enter a
Sicilian horse. The guineas thus collected are divided into four
parts or three, according to the number of horses, which are also
arranged in classes according to their merits. The winner of each
class gets one of the divisions of the money, and then all the
winners run for the last division. They are weighted by handicaps.
In this manner my horse has won for me upwards of twenty guineas. I
should always subscribe whether I had a horse or not, because the
meeting is more pleasant than anything in this horrid country, and
I can afford it. With a little care I keep my head very well above
water.
Well, on the race day I was very merry, and dined in the evening
with the Jockey Club, which was entertained by a man by everybody
loved and esteemed for his excellence of all sorts, and who was
by me additionally regarded, because we were made acquainted by
a letter from poor Gould,[12] who was his first cousin. Finding
myself _de buon appetito_, I drank lots of champagne well iced, and
since have enjoyed robustness of health.
I do not see where will be the sense in talking to you about what
you will see in the papers. They now say that the seven islands are
all strictly blockaded; and it appears, by a letter from our Consul
at Corfu to Colonel Campbell, that Cæsar Berthier with 1500 men had
taken possession of Corfu, and felt himself critically situated
with so small a force in case of attack from us.
I fancy Zanti and the other islands are not yet occupied by the
French. We are all in a bustle to put the fortresses in a good
state of defence, and indeed, now the French have nothing else to
do, it behoves us to be very much on our guard if we are to keep
the island.
But I imagine that the immediate preparation was against any
attempt that might be meditated from Corfu--the very island which
now appears to have been in equal fuss on our account.
As I have been some time resident here upon other business, I
was desired to draw up a full memoir upon the defences of the
place,[13] which I set about reluctantly and fearfully, unwilling
to write myself ass, and not knowing that it would so soon come in
question.
The thing gave much anxiety and trouble, but it seems that I have
not come very wide of the mark, as I am threatened with an order to
execute most of my proposals. This is very pleasantly terminated,
as I wrote to recommend that an older officer should be sent down
(which some would call spiritless, _but we call honest_); and now
I find that the Captain whom I particularly wished to have, is
ordered to come here immediately.
_September 27._--Since I last wrote I have been highly delighted
with a visit to the crater of Mount Etna, which is not only more
sublimely terrific and more dreadfully beautiful than anything
else I ever beheld, but much more than my imagination had ever
pictured. I had been so much occupied since my residence in this
island, as to be prevented from joining any of the numerous parties
of last year. Thus I began to be very apprehensive that I might
labour under the reproach of residing near two years in Sicily
without beholding one of the most stupendous objects of nature--the
greatest of volcanoes. But the history of my ascent to Mount Etna
must be suspended _sine die_.
We were fortunate in finding the crater in an incessant state of
fiery eruption--tremendous indeed! It threw out red stones very
near us. The guide was alarmed. Hereafter I may relate more at
length an excursion strongly impressed upon my mind.
An expedition is on the eve of departure from Sicily. It will have
about 7000 men, commanded by General Moore and General Paget--the
Guards and Moore’s own regiment (52nd),--in short, the flower of
the army.
I wrote to go, and was gratified to find that I was in the
arrangement. I am told that it is intended to place me on the
staff. At any rate I am delighted to go.
Nobody can guess our destination. All parts of the world have been
conjectured, England and Ireland not excepted.
I have been very lucky never to be ill on these occasions, and am
much pleased at being remembered, though in this out-of-the-way
place, and being placed immovably on the list.
I long to see General Moore wave his hat, and hope we are to trim
the real French--and no auxiliaries nor Turks.
Burgoyne is Commanding Engineer, and almost all my friends and
people to whom I am attached are going, which gives much huzza
to my feelings. I should certainly have hanged myself had I been
left in this hole after the Guards had left it, and when all my
world had gone forth. Perhaps my being on the expedition may much
expedite my return to God’s dearest blessings, which I prize so far
above all other earthly goods. It is fortunate for a man’s piety
when the objects of his gratitude are so undeniably great as to
fill his heart and make him know how good God has been to him. I
have come to that state when I would be thought truly pious--I had
always a hankering after it,--as I find that nothing encourages
half so much the gladness of the heart or the sublimity of the mind.