Formed in close column, the whole garrison, including the free corps of Santugo (who, although their lieutenant-colonel, was, oddly enough, under my orders,) paraded to hear and behold the proceedings. So exasperated were the Calabri, that the presence of British soldiers alone prevented them from sacrificing the unhappy Navarro, and thus destroying all that judicial form which I meant to give to our proceedings. In centre of the castle court was placed a drum, with a Bible, pens, ink and paper upon it. The president stood on one side, and the members on his right and left hand; Navarro, with his escort, stood opposite: I had to act in the triple capacity of prosecutor, witness, and approver. The paper found attached to the poniard in Castelermo’s bosom, the likeness of Navarro, disguised as one of the Campagnia di Morti, together with the contents of his sabretache, I laid before the court for examination. Brief as the proceedings of such a tribunal always are, ours were necessarily unusually so: a forward movement was at that moment being made by the French cavalry, and we were pressed for time. The following is a literal transcript of the short and singular document indicted by Lascelles on that occasion: it is still in my possession:— "Proceedings of a drum-head court-martial, held on PIETRO NAVARRO, late of the Sicilian Engineers, by order of Captain DUNDAS, 62d Regiment, Commandant of the Castle of Scylla. "The court being duly sworn, and having weighed and considered the evidence against the prisoner and his defence, are of opinion that he, Pietro Navarro, is guilty of the following charges:— "_First_, Of assassinating Marco di Castelermo, a Knight Commander of Malta, and Captain of the Free Corps. "_Second_, Desertion to the enemy. "_Third_, Conspiring with rebels to destroy the Villa D’Alfieri. "_Fourth_, Poisoning the well of H. M. Castle of Scylla, and thereby endangering the lives of the garrison. "_Sentence_, To be shot or hanged, as the Commandant shall direct. "MEMBERS. "PAT. GASCOIGNE, Capt. 62d Regt. Pres. "O. LASCELLES, Lieut. 62d Regt. "PELHAM VILLIERS, Lieut. 62d Regt. "CONTE D’ARENA, Lieut. Free Corps. "CONTE DI PALMA, Lieut. Free Corps. "Scylla, Feb. 1808." To this I affixed my signature, with the fatal words "_confirmed—to be shot_." Navarro grew pale as death when I laid down the pen; and as I gave the command, forming the close column into a hollow square by marching it to the front and wheeling the subdivisions of the central companies outward, he seemed to receive an electric shock. He moved mechanically to the front; when I desired Lascelles, who acted as our adjutant, to read the brief proceedings. So flagrant were his crimes that to have yielded him one privilege as an officer, was not even to be thought of, and he was treated in every respect as a private soldier.