SIEGE OF AMANTEA.

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most of the climbers distinctly heard a man, supposed to bethe father of the child, loudly scolding it for persisting inaffirming that it had both seen and heard somebody ap-proaching. Success now appeared probable to the scalingparty, when unluckily for them a shell, cast from theirown batteries in front of the land defences, passingover the town, burst in the air, so as to furnish a clear viewof the French below with their ropes, ladders, and poles,cautiously advancing. A thousand shots and stones nowfell upon the assailants, who, with the loss of many killedand wounded, were glad to hasten back to their encamp-ment. General Verdier, having failed in all his diversifiedattempts to take the place, raised the siege, and retired toCosenza, determined on future vengeance.

About the first week in the following January, Verdierreturned to the siege of Amantea , provided with moreample forces of men and military engines. He also tookwith him, by way of negotiator, one Colonel Amato, a nearrelation and schoolfellow of Count Mirabelli. Amatoaddressed a letter to his friend, endeavouring to persuadehim to conform to the new order of government. The other,in the most affectionate terms, returned the compliment by acounter exhortation. Amato urged the benefit to theircountry; Mirabelli retorted the obligation of his oath toFerdinand. They ceased not to be friends, but for a timewere adversaries. Meanwhile Verdier erected several power-ful batteries against the wall and bastions; a breach wasmade, and four times the French mounted to the assault,and as often were repulsed. The method of attack was nowdiversified; mines were directed towards the place ; one ofthe entire bastions was blown into the air; and now thecapture of the place seemed inevitable, as it was opened toan easy entrance; but upon its being attempted, anotherstrong wall with a ditch was found to have been constructed

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