defence as a means of introduction to the inhabitants. It had the
innocent appearance of rather a thick walking-cane, with a little brass
trigger projecting; and in the afternoon I would join the group sitting
in front of the chemist's, which, for some reason or other, is generally
a sort of open-air club in a small Neapolitan town, or stroll into the
single modest _cafe_ of which it might possibly boast, and toy
abstractedly with the trigger. This, together with my personal
appearance--for do what I would, I could never make myself look like a
Neapolitan--would be certain to attract attention, and some one bolder
than the rest would make himself the spokesman, and politely ask me
whether the cane in my hand was an umbrella or a fishing-rod; on which I
would amiably reply that it was a gun, and that I should have much
pleasure in exhibiting my skill and the method of its operation to the
assembled company. Then the whole party would follow me to an open
space, and I would call for a pack of cards, and possibly--for I was a
good shot in those days--pink the ace of hearts at fifteen paces. At any
rate my performances usually called forth plaudits, and this involved a
further interchange of compliments and explanations, and the production
of my sketch-book, which soon procured me the acquaintance of some ladies
and an invitation as an English artist, to the house of some respectable
citizen.

So it happened that, getting out of the diligence before it reached
Foggia, I struck south, and wandered for some days from one little town
to another, being always hospitably entertained, whether there happened
to be an _albergo_ or not, at private houses, seeing in this way more of
the manners and customs of the inhabitants than would have been otherwise
possible, gaining much information as to the haunts of the brigands, the
whereabouts of the troops, and hearing much local gossip generally. The
ignorance of the most respectable classes at this period was astounding;