red. A vast number of
people had already left the cathedral, so that I found the temperature
considerably lowered. Precisely at a quarter before two, the blood
suddenly and entirely liquefied. The canon who held the case passed close
by me, and afforded me a most favourable opportunity of accompanying him
close up to the high altar, where I kissed the phial, and joined my humble
prayers to those of the multitude.... Nothing in the whole course of my
life has struck me so forcibly as this occurrence;... and I here state,
in the most unqualified manner, my firm conviction, that the liquefaction
of the blood of St Januarius is miraculous, beyond the shadow of a doubt.
Were I to conceal this my conviction from the public eye, I should
question the soundness of both my head and my heart, and charge my pen
with arrant cowardice."

After a short excursion to Sicily, in which Mr Waterton had occasion to
surmise that the ancient furies of Scylla and Charybdis had quitted their
old quarters to take up their abode in the passport-offices, and regretted
his inability to avail himself of the opportunities which the island
afforded, for observing the spring and autumn passage of the migratory
birds, they paid a farewell visit to the tomb of Virgil, and left "that
laughing, noisy, merry city of Naples on a fine and sunny morning, to
enjoy for eight or nine months more the soothing quiet of the Roman
capital." At length, on the 16th June 1841, the party left Rome, and
sailed the next day from Civita Vecchia, on board the Pollux steamer, for
Leghorn; but their good fortune at length deserted them. "Cervantes has
told us that there is nothing certain in this life--'no hay cosa segura en
esta vida.'" It was soon evident to Mr Waterton, as an old traveller, that
there was a great want of nautical discipline on board the Pollux, and of
this they soon had fatal proof. In the midst of the night the vessel came
in collision with the Mongibello, a steamer of larger size, steering on
the opposite course, which stove her in amidships, and she sunk in a
quarter of an hour. The captains and mates of both vessels were asleep
below, but from the calmness of the sea, and the exertions of the Prince
of Canino (Charles Bonaparte,) who was fortunately a passenger on board
the Mongibello, and took the helm from the steersman when he was on the
point of sheering off from the wreck, all the crew and passengers of the
Pollux, except one man, were got safe on