276

LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

within the other, and that expedient failed. The fight nowbecame more and more desperate. Every inch of ground,every lump of ruin, was taken and retaken. One day theFrench , the next the Calabrians, had the superiority ; but atlength, after forty days of active siege, without counting thefirst attack at Escalade, the brave defenders, with theircommander, covered for the most part with wounds, andexhausted with fatigue’, capitulated on the most honourableconditions, and embarked for Sicily .

The other case I have asked leave to give, is that ofCotrone , which differed in many particulars from that ofAmantea .

The defenders of Cotrone were the very worst portion ofthe “ Santa Fede army,” joined to numerous banditti andoutlaws, stained with crimes against society. Besieged bythe French , they obstinately defended themselves, feelinglittle hope of escaping the punishment their crimes deserved.Their provisions being completely exhausted, a Britishfrigate passed to and fro within a short distance of theirwalls, but not knowing how to make such signals as wouldinduce her to approach, and so deliver them, three of themost daring of the number volunteered to communicatewith the friendly vessel. Stripping themselves naked, theylet themselves down from the walls into a torrent at theirfeet, which, though usually in summer almost dry, wasthen, from copious rains, foaming with impetuosity towardsthe neighbouring sea. Although the French had sentries inall directions, and along the banks of the torrent, these boldand hardy men, partly swimming, partly crawling, managedto join the estuary. Striking now off into the sea, they wereobserved by the French videts, and fired upon. One of thethree was killed, another wounded, the third reached theEnglish frigate, exhausted but unhurt. The captain of thefrigate being informed of the miserable condition of the gar-