THE BRIGANDS OF APULIA. 561 



was indebted, had just seen his own steward shot dead at his side. 

 In any other country the perpetrator of this atrocious act would have 

 have been delivered over to the tribunals, but here they have no 

 faith in them, and the people invariably take the law into their own 

 hands. My host knew the murderer, but he also knew that his own 

 life depended on his silence. 



But in no part were these horrid scenes of such frequent occur- 

 rence as in the district of Larino. Larino is a miserable little town, 

 which had greatly suffered from the system of brigandage. Only 

 very recently a famous band had the audacity to push their recon- 

 naisance to its very gates. The following are the means by which 

 the judge, to whom I am indebted for these details, got rid of the 

 scourge. 



On assuming office he found the band under the command of a 

 chief of the neighbouring province of Avelleno, and which, although 

 greatly reduced in numbers, still spread terror through the country. 

 Four members of this association belonged to the Albanian colonies 

 of the district. The judge immediately negotiated with their fa- 

 milies, and succeeded in sowing dissension in the band ; they killed 

 their chief and then murdered each other, and all this at the instiga- 

 tion of the judge. Two only survived this scene of butchery, and 

 presented themselves to receive the price of their perfidy, for absolu- 

 tion had been promised them. They were condemned to death Jor 

 forms sake, as it was said, and their pardon was daily expected ; but 

 I should not be surprised if they were subsequently executed, so 

 little sacred are the most solemn promises of the Neapolitan police. 



This tragedy was enacted in a neighbouring wood, in the month 

 of August, 1829. The effect of such examples upon public morality 

 may be well conceived. 



The judge who related to me these things highly applauded him- 

 self for the stratagem, which had procured him a very nattering 

 letter from the Minister. He shewed me upon his bureau the 

 pistols and the poniard of the chief, who was assassinated through 

 his instrumentality. There was still blood upon the blade, and he 

 used these horrible trophies as we use blocks of marble or alabaster, 

 to press down his papers. 



It might be imagined that this magistrate was a man of ferocious 

 aspect, and of unsociable disposition, but the reverse was the case. 

 His demeanour was mild and gentlemanly, his manners polished> 

 his mind cultivated. He was a passionate admirer of nature, and a 

 studious collector of antiquities. He commenced his career at 

 Frondi, a downright nest of brigands, ana it was there he received 

 his judicial education, which, while it perverted one half of his 

 moral being, left the other untouched. 



In fact, this man presented a most singular contrast. He related 

 to me, in the same tone, his bloody stratagems, and the scenes of 

 carnage to which they led, the wonders of the Gulf of Gaeta, the 

 ruins of Amiclas, and, in speaking of the cavern where Tiberius owed 

 his life to Sejanus, he recited to me whole pages of Tacitus, with 

 whose language he -was more familiar than with his morality. 

 But here is another example, still more extraordinary : 

 M. M. No. 95. 4 C 



