126

LIFE OF COLONEL MACERON1.

and caverns, and cellars of the forts of Naples being gorgedwith semi-living human bodies, recourse was had to thedungeons of the islands. Those of Procida and Ischia werefilled. Then came the islands of Favignana and Lampedusa on the coast of Sicily . The first of these (the iEgeusa ofthe Ancients) had been used by the tyrants of Ancient Rome ,for a purpose similar to that which the sanguinary despotsfor Naples now applied it. I have visited it, and beg myreaders pardon for devoting a few lines to its description.It is like all other islands, of volcanic formation, and risesfrom the sea, in the form of a cone, to the height of about sixhundred feet. On the summit is a fort, to which there isno access from below, but by a stair cut in the solid tufficlava. Within the outer precincts of the castle, is excavateda kind of well, descended by a spiral stair, a work of theancient Romans. At the bottom of this shaft, and nearlyon a level with the sea is a chamber, hewn out of the solidrock. No direct ray of light can ever penetrate to thisreceptacle, scarce fitting the existence of the toads, sala-manders, and beetles that infest it. However young androbust may be the men who are confined herein, their con-stitutions sink under the influence of the cold, and damp, andmephitic air to which they are exposed. Into this dismal tombwere thrust eleven amongst the most illustrious of the victimsto monarchical atrocity. Of these, I well remember the agedand infirm Prince Torella, the Marquis Corleleto RiarioSforza, the learned and benevolent advocate Poerio, and theCavaliere Abbamonte. Most of these really illustrious menexpired the lingering death of mingled bodily and mentalagony. Poerio, however, lived again to exhibit to theworld his civic worth, splendid talents and surpassing elo-quence, as a member of the Neapolitan parliament, duringthe existence of the too short-lived constitutional govern-ment of 1821 .