IleftCorfuintheevening，andhavingagoodbreezeinmyfavour，I
reachedOtrantobyday—breakthefollowingmorning，withouttheoarsmenhavinghadtorowastroke。ThedistancefromCorfutoOtrantoisonlyaboutfifteenleagues。
Ihadnoideaoflanding，owingtothequarantinewhichisalwaysenforcedforanyshiporboatcomingtoItalyfromtheeast。Ionlywenttotheparlourofthelazaretto，where，placedbehindagrating，youcanspeaktoanypersonwhocalls，andwhomuststandbehindanothergratingplacedopposite，atadistanceofsixfeet。
AssoonasIannouncedthatIhadcomeforthepurposeofengagingatroupeofactorstoperforminCorfu，themanagersofthetwocompaniestheninOtrantocametotheparlourtospeaktome。ItoldthematoncethatIwishedtoseealltheperformers，onecompanyatatime。
Thetworivalmanagersgavemethenaverycomicscene，eachmanagerwantingtheothertobringhistroupefirst。Theharbour—mastertoldmethattheonlywaytosettlethematterwastosaymyselfwhichofthetwocompaniesIwouldseefirst:onewasfromNaples，theotherfromSicily。NotknowingeitherIgavethepreferencetothefirst。