Garibaldi therefore left Messina on the 18th of August, for Giardini, by land, where the troops arrived before him; and the materiel and horses were shipped at night, in the two steamers, Torino and Franklin, which had transported thither about 2,800 soldiers. These and others—9,000 in all—were embarked in these steamers and two sail vessels, which were taken in tow. Garibaldi and his son accompanied this first brigade, which was to be followed by the second, and both were to act in combination with the expedition across the Strait. At dawn of day the two steamers entered the harbor of Melito, without opposition, about twelve miles south of Reggio, and east of Capo dell'Armi. But, unfortunately on approaching the shore, one of them, the Torino, got aground, and efforts were made in vain to get her off. Garibaldi, seeing that the case was a serious one, said that he was needed to examine the bottom, and began to throw off his clothes, preparatory to diving. But his sailors were too quick, for ten or twelve of them leaped over the side of the vessel into the sea. As he intended to take Reggio by surprise, he hastened on shore, and effected a landing, with three cannon, in a wonderfully short time. Knowing that almost all the enemy's troops were down at the forts on the west coast, from Scylla onward, he lost no time, expected no assistance, and gave them not time to learn of his arrival in their rear, but speedily gained the neighboring heights. A frigate and corvette in the King of Naples' service were posted on the watch exactly off the spot at which Garibaldi landed, but, wonderful to relate, they not only did not sink his ship, but opposed no serious obstacle to his disembarkation, although they fired some shots which killed a few of the Garibaldians. Four thousand insurrectionists in the Calabrias fraternized with Garibaldi almost on the moment of his landing. It was rumored also, that the defection of the army of Naples was extremely probable. We now return to Faro, where the army was left still anxiously looking across the strait: