cturesque goat-skins. They were
received with honour by the chief, who was pleased to see that Sicily
was bent on freedom. A Franciscan friar threw himself upon his knees
before the mighty leader and asked to join the expedition. "Come with
us, you will be our Ugo Bassi," Garibaldi said, remembering with a pang
the defence of Rome and the fate of the defenders.

At Palermo, the capital of Sicily, the Neapolitan soldiers were
awaiting the arrival of the Thousand. They ventured to attack first,
being very strong in {205} numbers. The bravest might have feared to
oppose the royal troops with such a disadvantage, but Garibaldi held
firm when there were murmurs of surrender. "Here we _die_," he said,
and the great miracle was accomplished. "Yesterday we fought and
conquered," the chief wrote to the almost despairing Pilo. The two
forces joined and Pilo fell, struck by a bullet. It was May 27th when
Garibaldi entered the gates of Palermo.

The bells were hammered by the inhabitants, delighted to welcome the
brave Thousand to their city. There was still a fierce struggle within
the walls, and the Neapolitan fleet bombarded the town. An armistice
was granted on May 30th, for the Royalists needed food and did not
realize that Garibaldi's ammunition was exhausted. He refused to
submit to any humiliating terms that might be offered to Palermo. He
threatened to renew hostilities if the enemy still thought of them.
All declared for war, though they knew how such a war must have ended.
It was by the Royalists' act that the evacuation of the city was
concluded.

The Revolution had succeeded elsewhere, and for the last time the
Bourbon flag was hoisted in Sicilian waters. The conquest of Sicily
had occupied but a few days. The Dictator proceeded thence to the
south of Italy and advanced on the Neapolitan kingdom.

Victor Emmanuel would have checked the hero of Palermo, and Cavour was
thoroughly uneasy. No official consent had been given for this daring
act of aggression, and foreign powers wrote letters of protest, while
King Francis II, the successor of Ferdinand, held out such bribes as
fifty million francs and the Neapolitan navy to aid in liberating
Venice. France induced the King of Sardinia to make an effort to
restrain the {206} popular soldier. Garibaldi promised Victor Emmanuel
to obey him when he had made him King of Italy.

At Volturno the decisive battle was fought on the first day of October
1860, t