THE VEXDETTA. 143 



if any military were in pursuit of them. Although the 

 Sards possess some good and amiable qualities, to returu 

 good for evil is a doctrine quite unknown to them.* 

 Their mode of gratifying their revenge may be compared 

 to tliat which formerly occurred in the southern and 

 western parts of Ireland. A Sard determined to wreak 

 his vengeance on his enemy does not do so by open 

 challenge, but by lying in wait, frequently for several 

 days, in some secluded spot until the object of his hatred 

 passes near. He then fires from his long Spanish carbine, 

 which is almost sure to be fatal, as they are in general 

 remarkably good shots. 



" I do not know 

 Wherefore my father should revengers nvant, 

 Having a son and friends." — Shaxspeaee. 



The widow of a murdered man takes care to keep his 

 bloody shirt, and every now and then shows it to her 

 young sons, to stimulate their vengeance on the assas- 

 sins of their father. 



A curious circumstance was stated a few months ago, 

 1857, respecting a chief of banditti. In an article in 

 the Gazetta Popidari of Cagliari an account is given 

 of a solemn reconciliation effected between the villages 

 of Perfugas and Bertigadas in Sardinia, the inhabitants 



* The Ga~ctta FopuJari of Cagliari, in 1858, aunoimees the arrest of 

 the oldest bandit of the island. He was named Melhida, and had been 

 theteiTor of the district of Oroni since 1829, and had up to this time 

 defied everj' attempt to arrest him, he having chosen one of the most 

 inaccessible mountains of Sardinia, called De Su Angui, for his strong- 

 hold. He was at length arrested, about midnight, by a party of cara- 

 bineers, who had the boldness to ventiire among the precipices of the 

 mountain in question in utter darkness, the rocks and paths being 

 slipper}- with frost. Melluda had many miu-ders and other crimes to 

 answer for. 



L 4 



