breaking of that seal be deferred
to the eighth or even the sixth century, it result to our descendants
like the breaking of the sixth seal of Revelation,--"And, lo! there was
a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and
the moon became as blood, and the heaven departed as a scroll, when it
is rolled together; and the kings of the earth, and the great men, and
the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every free
man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains, and
said to the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us, for the great
day of wrath is come'" On that day, at least, will end the reign of King
Cotton.
* * * * *
GLIMPSES OF GARIBALDI.
FIRST GLIMPSE.
It is a sultry morning in October, and we are steaming in a small
Sardinian boat from Leghorn towards Naples. This city has fallen into
the power of Garibaldi, who is concentrating his forces before Capua,
while the King of Sardinia bears down with a goodly army from the North.
The first object of special interest which comes into view, after we
pass the island of Elba, is Gaeta. Though care is taken not to run near
enough to invite a chase from the Neapolitan frigates, we are yet able
to obtain a distinct view of the last stronghold--the jumping-off place,
as we hope it will prove--of Francis II. The white walls of the fortress
rise grimly out of the sea, touching the land only upon one side, and
looking as though they might task well the resources of modern warfare
to reduce them. We soon make out the smoke of four or five steamers,
which we suppose to be armed vessels, heading towards Gaeta.
About two o'clock we glide into the far-famed Bay of Naples, in company
with the cool sea-breeze which there each afternoon sends to refresh
the heated shore. As we swing round to our moorings, we pass numerous
line-of-battle-ships and frigates bearing the flags of England,
France, and Sardinia, but look in vain and with disappointment for the
star-spangled banner. A single floating representative of American
nationality is obliged to divide the favor of her presence between the
ports of both the Two Sicilies, and at this time she is at the island
portion of the kingdom.
Our craft is at once beset by boats, their owners pushing, vociferating,
and chaffering for fares, as though Mammon, and not Moloch, were the
ruling spirit. Together with a chance companion of
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