These boats were ready on the morning of March 16th, 1877, and sailed from Messina for the coast of Calabria, from which point the start was to be made.

They arrived there at seven o'clock the same morning.

The party consisted of several prominent men of Messina, among them the editor of the Gazette.
Everybody was armed for sharks, the editor being especially well equipped for slaughtering these wolves of the deep and very bold in his assertions of how he would protect Boyton from their attacks.
At a small, scattered village on the Calabrian side, the felucca containing Paul and his guests landed.

The dress and those on board were put ashore and preparations were at once made for the start.

A sirocco was blowing at the time, setting a heavy tide in the direction of the whirlpool of Scylla, or the Faro, as they call it there.