ARRIVAL AT GUALAGUAY—RECEPTION—MY WOUND HEALED—MY
SUDDEN DEPARTURE AND RETURN—CRUEL TREATMENT—SEÑORA
ALEMAN—TRIBUTE TO THAT NOBLE LADY—GO TO BAJADA.
Our vessel arrived at Gualaguay, where we were very cordially received
and kindly treated by Captain Luca Tartabal, of the schooner Pintoresca,
and his passengers, inhabitants of that town. That vessel had met ours
in the neighborhood of Hiem, and, on being asked for provisions by
Luigi, they had offered to keep company with us to their destination.
They warmly recommended us to the governor of the province, Don Pasquale
Echague, who was pleased, when going away, to leave his own surgeon with
me, Dr. Ramon del Orco, a young Argentine. He soon extracted the ball
from my neck and cured me. I resided in the house of Don Jacinto Andreas
during the six months which I spent in that place, and was under great
obligations to him for his kindness and courtesy, as well as for those
which I received from his family.
But I was not free. With all the friendliness of Echague, and the
sympathy shown me by the inhabitants of the town, I was not permitted to
leave it without the permission of Rosas, the traitor of Buenos Ayres,
who never acted for a good reason. My wound being healed, I was allowed
to take rides on horseback, even to a distance of twelve miles, and was
supplied with a dollar a day for my subsistence, which was a large sum
for that country, where there is but little opportunity to spend money.
But all this was not liberty. I was then given to understand by certain
persons (whether friends or enemies), that it had been ascertained that
the government would not wish to prevent my escape if I should attempt
it. I therefore determined to gain my freedom, believing that it would
be easier than it proved, and that the attempt would not be regarded as
a serious offence.
The commandant of Gualaguay was named Millau. He had not treated me ill,
but it was very doubtful what his feelings towards me really were, as he
had never expressed any interest in me.
Having after a time formed my plan, I began to make preparations. One
evening, while the weather was tempestuous, I left home and went in the
direction of a good old man, whom I was accustomed to visit at his
residence, three miles from Gualaguay. On arriving, I got him to
describe with precision the way which I intended to take, and engaged
him to find me a guide, with horses, to conduct me to Hueng, where I
hoped to find vessels in which I might go, _incognito_, to Buenos Ayres
and Montevideo. Horses and a guide were procured. I had fifty-four miles
to travel, and that distance I _devoured_ in less than half a night,
going almost the whole way on the gallop. When day broke, we were at an
estancia, within about half a mile of the town. My guide then told me to
wait in the bushes where we were, while he went to inquire the news at
the house. I complied, and he left me. I dismounted and tied my horse to
a tree with the bridle, and waited a long time. At length, not seeing
him return, I walked to the edge of the bushes, and looked about in
search of him, when I heard behind me a trampling of horses; and, on
turning round, discovered a band of horsemen, who were rushing upon me
with their sabres drawn. They were already between me and my horse, and
any attempt to escape would have been fruitless—still more any effort at
resistance. I was immediately seized and bound, with my hands behind me,
and then placed upon a miserable horse, and had my feet tied under him.
In that condition I was taken back to Gualaguay, where still worse
treatment awaited me.
Such were the impressions made upon my feelings by the barbarous usage
which I received at that time, that I have never since been able to
recall the circumstances without a peculiar agitation of mind; and I
regard that period as the most painful of my life.
When brought into the presence of Millau, who was waiting for me at the
door of the prison, he asked me who had furnished me with the means of
escape. When he found that he could draw no information from me on that
subject, he began to beat me most brutally with a club which he had in
his hand. He then put a rope over a beam in the prison, and hung me up
in the air by my hands, bound together as they were. For two hours the
wretch kept me suspended in that manner. My whole body was thrown into a
high, feverish heat. I felt as if burning in a furnace. I frequently
swallowed water, which was allowed me, but without being able to quench
my raging thirst. The sufferings which I endured after being unbound
were indescribable: yet I did not complain. I lay like a dead man; and
it is easy to believe that I must have suffered extremely. I had first
travelled fifty-four miles through a marshy country, where the insects
are insufferable at that season of the year, and then I had returned the
same distance, with my hands and feet bound, and entirely exposed to the
terrible stings of the zingara, or mosquito, which assailed me with
vigor; and, after all this, I had to undergo the tortures of Millau, who
had the heart of an assassin.
Andreas, the man who had assisted me, was put into prison; and all the
inhabitants were terrified, so that, had it not been for the generous
spirit of a lady, I probably should have lost my life. That lady was
Señora Aleman, to whom I love to express my gratitude. She is worthy of
the warmest terms of admiration, and deserves the title of "angelo
generoso di bontà" (generous angel of goodness). Spurning every
suggestion of fear, she came forward to the assistance of the tortured
prisoner; and from that time I wanted nothing—thanks to my benefactress!
A few days after, I was removed to Bajada, the capital of the province,
and I remained a prisoner in that city for two months. I was then
informed, by Governor Echague, that I should be allowed to leave the
province. Although I professed different principles from his, and had
fought for a different cause, I have ever been ready to acknowledge my
obligations to that officer, and always desired an opportunity to prove
my gratitude to him for granting me everything that was in his power to
give, and, most of all, my liberty.
I took passage in a Genoese brig, commanded by Captain Ventura, a man of
such a character that he had risen superior to the principles inculcated
in Italian youth by their priestly instructors. From him I received the
most gentlemanly treatment on my passage to Guassu. There I embarked for
Montevideo in a balandra, commanded by Pascuale Corbona, who likewise
treated me with great kindness. Good fortune and misfortune thus often
succeeded each other.
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