English Travellers and Italian Brigands. A narrative of Capture and Captivity

Preface

The great interest manifested in the misfortune with which the Reverend J. C. Murray Aynsley and I met during our visit to Southern Italy in the spring of this year (coupled with the request of many of my friends that I should publish some ac count of my experiences there), induces me to hope that a description of my adventures in the mountains near Salerno may not be unacceptable to my countrymen, particularly as little is known in England of the" " domestic " life of Italian brigands, very few (if indeed any) Englishmen having had such an opportunity of observing brigand manners as has faden to my lot. And I sincerely trust it may be long before any of my vol. i. b VI

PREFACE.

. countrymen has the misfortune to become so intimately acquainted, as I have become, with the mode of life followed by these free com panions.* The book which I venture to offer to the pubbe has no pretensions whatever to literary merit of any sort. I have endeavoured to describe, as simply as possible, what took place from day to day during my captivity, and I trust that the many shortcomings of the work may be considered as atoned for in some degree by the novelty of at all events some part of what I have attempted to describe. To make the narrative complete, my wife has supplied from her diary an account of what my friends were doing for me outside my prison ; and we have prefixed three chapters recounting our visit to Sicdy, which, as having taken place * Since my release, it has been announced that five other persons have been taken by my captors — none of them, how ever, Englishmen.

PREFACE.

. VII at the time Mount Etna was in active eruption, and also as having introduced us to Sicilian brigands, I hope may not be entirely without interest. I have also ventured to add a few general re marks on Neapolitan brigandage, and the only cures which my experience enables me to suggest for it. If the truth has obliged me to make any remarks on this subject, which put the state of brigandage under the present Government in somewhat unfavourable contrast with what it was under the Bourbons, it must not be thought on that account that I am at all inclined to favour the latter. From the bottom of my heart I wish well to United Italy; but for all that, while fully appreciating the difficulties of the new Government, I must not seek to conceal its shortcomings in dealing with the dreadful scourge which deprives the glorious peninsula of half its charms. Many incorrect rumours having been circub

PREFACE.

. VIII lated with regard to the ransom paid for Mr. Aynsley and myself, I may here state, once for all, that the sum actually received, and divided by the brigands, was 30,000 ducats (or 5100/.), one-half of which has been contributed by each of us. And while on this subject, let me express my gratitude to all those — many of them compara tively strangers to me — who volunteered pecuniary assistance in getting me liberated, assistance of which it was my good fortune not to stand in need.* I take this opportunity also of returning my most hearty thanks to all those who, during my long captivity, so kindly interested themselves in various ways in my misfortunes, and especially to those who assisted my wife with their comfort * Among other kind offers, the following deserves to be specially mentioned.

Rajah Byjenath, having heard from my brother at Bareilly,in Rohilcund.that a large sum of money was required for my ransom, immediately offered him a draft for a lakh of rupees (10,000?.) to effect my liberation.

PREFACE.

. IX and advice. Where all have been so kind, it may appear invidious to specify names, but I cannot refrain from mentioning Edward Walter Bonham, Esq., C.B., her Majesty's Consul-General at Naples, whose exertions in my behalf were inde fatigable ;— Signor Elia Visconti, of Giffone, near Salerno, who ran the risk of compromising him self and his family with the Italian Government, in order to assist my friends in transmitting the ransom to the brigands ; — my friend, Stephen William Silver, who, — on receiving a telegram from my fellow-captive, Mr. Aynsley, announcing that 8500/. was required, — without hesitation, and on his own sole responsibdity, placed a credit for that amount in the hands of Messrs. Gumming, Wood, and Co., of Naples, at a time when a few days' delay might have cost me my life ;— Richard M. Holme, Esq., of the house of Cumming, Wood, and Co., who, in addition to other in valuable and unwearied exertions of his firm on my behalf, went to and fro between Salerno and

PREFACE.

. X Giffone at very great personal risk, making the necessary arrangements for the transmission of the' money to the brigands, and frequently carrying the gold about his person; — Signor Michcle di Majo, of Salerno, who generally accompanied Mr. Holme on these excursions, and who frequently went alone to Giffone for us, rendering us also, in other respects, the most invaluable assist ance; — and my friend H. Cowie, who came out specially from England, and bore a most import ant part in concerting the measures which ulti mately led to my release. I am also bound to acknowledge the kindness of the officials at Florence, and at the Foreign Office in London, who sent telegrams at all hours to my friends whenever there was news to communicate, and who were always ready to do whatever lay in their power to assist me ; and also the great kindness of the Prefect, and the General in command of Salerno, who invariably' showed every disposition to exert themselves to

PREFACE.

. XI the utmost in my behalf, the latter being ably 'seconded by the gallant officers and men under his command. When I calmly reflect upon the truly noble and unselfish acts that have been done in my behalf by so many persons, I feel inclined to re joice in my past sufferings and misfortunes. Looking back on them through the bright atmo sphere of the sympathy and generosity which they have called forth from my friends and acquaint ances, I may well afford to treat my pecuniary loss as nothing in the scale ; and thanking God for his mercy in restoring me to my friends with a whole body after all the trials and hard ships to which I was exposed, I can say from my heart, now that they are past — Hæc olim meminisse juvabit." Ceoydon,* Dec., 1865. CONTENTS OB THE FIRST VOLUME.

Chapter I. Januaey To

APE1L. Palermo — Travelling Companions — Lovers of Art — The Catacombs — Monte Pelegrino — News of the Eruption of Etna — Domestic Manners of the Sicilians — The Priests— The Bombardment in 1860— The Vendetta — The Monasteries — The Grand Cemetery — Expedition to Monte Pelegrino and its Caverns — Sicilian Brigands — The Way the Palermitans manage these things — Storm at Sea — The Fishermen — Victor Emmanuel's Government — A Scientific Monk — The Value of Sympathy— The Tunny Fishery— The- Campo Santo — Manner of Burial — Great Mortality among Children — More about Sicilian Brigandage pp. 3 — CONTENTS.

Chapter II. April

3 TO 11. Messina — Italian Hotels — How to avoid Disputes — Shaving at Messina — The Environs of the Place — The Camera taken for an Infernal Machine — The Prison — Taormina — Views of Etna in Eruption — The active Craters at Night — Our Servant — A Wedding at Taormina — A truly volcanic Soil — Linguagrossa — The Albergo di Etna — First Ascent of the Mountain — Our Guides — The moving Lava — Destruction of the Forests — Inquisitiveness of our Guides — The Brigands' Signs ... pp. 45 — 66

Chapter III. Apeil

12 TO MAY. Linguagrossa — Second Ascent of Mount Etna — The Brigand-signs are made to our Guide — The Snow-line — The active Craters — Photography under Difficulties — My first Adventure with Brigands — A Narrow Escape — We change oui' Plans — A little Disappointment for the Brigands — Catania — Good Friday — Processions in Southern Italy — Change at Naples since 1860 — Benedictine Monastery — Syracuse—The old Theatre— The Cathedral— The Cata- CONTENT'S. XV combs — Fruit and Flowers — Girgenti — The Cattiva Gente — Kindness of the Consul — Our Hotel — The Excavations in the Neighbourhood — Dispute with our Host — Unexpected Decision of the Referee — Italian Officers and their Families en voyage pp. 69—100

Chapter IV. Diaet Of Mes

JIOEXS. Ride from Salerno to Pæstum — Our Escort — The Temples — Forebodings — " Many a true Word spoken in Jest" — Our Escort deserts us — The Reason why — The Brigands at last ! — The Capture — Conduct of the Italian Troops — The trufy Unprotected — The Village Doctor — A new Cure for Fright — Two trying Days for Wives — Release of one of the Captives — Mr. Moens retained as a Hostage . pp. 103 — 120

Chapter V. Diaey Of The Hostage

: MAY 15 TO 20. The Capture — The First Night's Sleep al fresco — Delicate Attentions — The Englishmen's Fellow-prisoners — The Captain commences Business — Value of Englishmen in Italy — Choice of Hostage by Lot — Release of Mr. Aynsley — Skirmish with the Troops — I am Detached from the Band — A Wet Night in the Mountains — Brigand Diet — Two more Fellow-captives — The Brigands' Dress and Arms — CONTENTS. The Ladies— Sheep-killing— Gambling— The Bri gauds' Anxiety about my Health — My Friends Pavone and Scope pp. 123 — 174

Chapter VI. The Captive's Diary Continued

: MAY 20 TO 27. Brigands Merry-making — The Captain watches over me while I Sleep — His protecting Care — Thoughts of Home — A Storm — The Ladies of the Band — Doniella — Carolina — Marie — Antonina — Concetta — Their Furniture — They think I am a Milord — The Government will pay for me — A Night March — A terrific Climb — Method of selecting Sentries — Threats of Mutilation pp. 177—209

Chapter VII. The Captive's

D1AET CONTINUED : MAY 28. The Second Sunday — Good News for Visconti — More Letter-writing — An Attempt at Sketching — The Englishman's Appetite — Alarms — The Soldiers — A Tradimento — Death of Luigi — Thoughts of Escaping — The drying process — Difficulty of Washing — A Wounded Brigandess — Assistance given by the Peasants to the Brigands — Description of the Band — A regular Feed, for once in a way — Pot-luck — Unpleasant sletping Quarters — Sheep-stealers pp. 213—247 CONTENTS. XVII

Chapter VIII. The Captive's Diary Continued

: JUNE 1 TO 7. Wood-carving — The Wounded Girl — A Tantalizing View — Victims — The Captives not introduced — A Thunderbolt — Rain, Rain — Three under a Cloak — Ill-treatment from Cerino's Band — Their abject fear of Death — A Blow from Cerino — Consolation — New- Arrivals — Screwing up — A Scrimmage with Generoso — The greedy Cerino — An Instalment of my Ransom Arrives — The Proposal to the Brigands to leave the Countiy in an English Ship — -The Lesson of the "Aunis" — What became of the 10,000 Francs — Gambling — Visconti is appointed my Agent — Pleasant Position of his Family — I am the only Captive — Quarrels — The Argumentum Baculinum — I am invited to Gamble pp. 251—285

Chapter IX. Extract Feom Mrs

MOENS's LETTERS : MAY 17 TO JUNE 18, Return to Naples — Hotel de Geneve — The Coppersmiths — Telegrams to England — Letter to the Brigands — Milords or Photographers — First Letter from the Hostage — A noble Reply to a Telegram — The Second Letter — Imprisonment of the Brigand's Eela- CONTENTS. tives — Arrival of H. M.S. Magicienne — Omniscience of the Italian Government — Sunday in Naples — Our Message stopped — The Brigandess'sNews — Another Letter from the Hostage — A second Instalment prepared — Letter to the Times — A Visit from a supposed Manutengulo — I hear of a Friend coming from England— His Arrival ... pp. 289— 31S LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. VOLUME I, portrait of the author .... Frontispiece CAPITANO MANZO Title THE CAPTURE AT EATTIPAGLIA .... page 108 THE FIGHT WITH THE SOLDIERS ON MONTE CORVINO „ 136 VOLUME II.

THE BASILICA, AND TEMPLE OF NEPTUNE, pæstum Frontispiece GIARDULLO DI PESTO Title BIVOUAC AT NIGHT NEAR CAMPAGNA . . . page 201 MAP, SHOWING AUTHOR'S WANDERINGS WITH THE BRIGANDS „

Chapter I. January To April

Palermo — Travelling Companions — Lovers of Art — The Catacombs — Monte Pelegrino — News of the Eruption of Etna — Domestic Manners of the Sicilians — The Priests — The Bombardment in 1860— The Vendetta— The Monasteries — The Grand Cemetery — Expedition to Monte Pelegrino and its Caverns — Sicilian Brigands — The Way the Palermitans manage these things — Storm at Sea — The Fishermen — Victor Emmanuel's Government — A Scientific Monk— The Value of Sympathy— The Tunny Fishery— The Campo Santo — Manner of Burial — Great Mortality among Children — More about Sicilian Brigandage. B VOL. I.

CHAPTER I.

Palermo, January 15. — On the 12th of January, 1865, we reached Palermo, after a quick passage of only forty-eight hours from Marsedles. The change from the fog and snow we left at Paris to this warm June weather is delightful. I feel my winter clothing quite oppressive, and my husband has discarded his great-coat. Our voyage was a very pleasant one ; the passengers on board the steamer were mostly Americans, very amusing and sociable ; and the sea was so calm and smooth that we spent the greater part of the time on deck. The food and accommodation on board were excellent, though our last breakfast of black-pudding, pigs'" petti toes, thrushes and blackbirds, was not very tempting. b I had long conversations with some American ladies from Philadelphia, who made my blood boil by the way in which they spoke of England and the English ; they considered that a very few months wrould now decide the war — the Southern rebellion would then be crushed, and slavery be at an end.

The North was fighting in a holy cause; they had put off the war too long, and Heaven had justly punished them by making it so terrible a one, etc., etc. On our way we steamed past Caprera, a barren-looking rock, with Garibaldi's English yacht lying at anchor near his abode. The Bay of Palermo is more lovely to my taste than the far-famed Bay of Naples. I stood at the head of the vessel as we approached the red and stupendous precipices of Monte Pelegrino, the city, with its campanile towers and churches, surrounded by its amphitheatre of mountains, coming slowly in sight as we rounded the corner of the bay. Mount Etna, though one hundred miles off, was plainly visible, its summit entirely covered with a glittering robe of snow. I felt unpleasantly excited as the boats came round the vessel to carry our luggage to the Dogana, for we began to have serious doubts about our chance of obtaining rooms at the Hotel Trinacria (the best in the place), especially when we heard that the Americans had telegraphed from Marsedles for apartments.

One of these (an old man shunned by his fedow-countrymen) landed with us. Both he and his old Scotch servant were characters — the master was very wealthy, having just amassed a large fortune at the oil springs, but he was as dirty and shabby as his servant, and that is say ing a good deal, and neither could speak a word of any language but their owrn. Their first in tention on starting for their travels had been to go to Jerusalem, but, falling in with the Ameri can party on board, they had accompanied them to Palermo. The Scotchman seemed terribly upset by the change of plans, his imagination had been so excited by the idea of visiting the Holy Land. I pitied the poor old man, who looked wretchedly thin and ill; his master seemed to begrudge every penny he spent on him, and ordered him about as if he had been a boy of fifteen.

He was generally to be seen sitting, a woe-begone image of patience, on the luggage, which consisted of three old carpet-bags. He certainly had no greater appreciation of the fine arts than his master, who was once overheard telling Robert to go into the Capitol at Rome, to see if there were anything there that would repay him for the trouble of visiting it. He went, but re turned in a few minutes, saying, "There's naething but a wheen naked men and women, sir, and Urn sure you've seen eneuch o' them lately ; ye canna want to see ony mair." Robert's opinion was sufficient for his master, who did not even enter to look at the most celebrated statues in the world. January 28. — My husband's great amusement is in finding out and wandering over old churches. To-day I have been sitting with him among some very fine cloisters — dating from the 12th century — which have lately been discovered.

We had to ascend to them through houses, as they had been entirely budt up and concealed by a high wall ; this wall having given way, the beautiful pillars were unveiled to view, and the cloisters are now all clear and open. We spent some hours there, enjoying the delicious balmy ah', which is much softer and warmer than at Nice, or even at Men tone. I had a long conversation with the wife of the custode whde W was climbing over the old wads. With the help of two men, who held a ladder supported on crumbling stones, he took some very good pictures. Yesterday I went down into the catacombs of the Capuchin con vent; it was a sickening, horrible sight; we passed through long narrow rooms, dimly lighted by windows high up in the walls. The walls are covered wash shelves, on which are placed glass-cases containing the dried and shrunken forms of men, women, and children, richly arrayed in ball-dresses, with wreaths of flowrers around their fallen temples, aud white shoes and gloves on their shrivelled hands and feet.

The bodies of men, suspended by the waist, hang round the vaults ; ghastly rows of priests, in full canonicals, with' their servants by their sides. The inferior station in life of the latter was denoted, even after death, by the rope round their necks. I clung to my husband's arm as we walked slowly through the ghastly place, startling the cats, which rushed from under the shelves in every direction as we approached. What a sermon this scene silently preached to us ! Can we believe that, in a few short years, we may present as revolting an appearance as these horrible grinning figures ? The picture is too terrible to dwell upon. It is, indeed, in mercy and in wisdom that Scripture says, " Bury thy dead out of thy sight," consoling us, at the same time, with the assurance that " The spirit shall return to God who gave it."

W is never weary of his photography ; all our fellow-travellers envy him this amusement. I sometimes pity them as I see them lounging idly about, while time passes only too quickly with us. January 29. — To-day being Sunday, we were present at the English service held in a large room at the consul's. The congregation numbered about one hundred. After church we walked in the botanical gardens, which are very lovely with their palm trees and other tropical vegetation. We sat and looked at the blue mountains towering in the distance. A day or two ago we had a delightful ex pedition up Mount Pelegrino, to see a large natural cavern in the limestone rock : at the end of the cavern in the darkest corner stands an altar, under which, enclosed within a gddcd grating, is the marble figure of St. Rosalie, represented as a lovely girl of fifteen, in a dress of solid gold, ornamented with precious stones.

It was a striking scene — the dark damp grotto, the water slowly trickling from the roof, and the overhanging ferns, forming a contrast to the marble statue with its glittering ornaments, protected from spoliation by the venera tion of the people. Once a year there is a grand procession of all Palermo to this shrine, St. Rosalie . being the patron saint of the city. January 30. — We have just heard that an eruption of Mount Etna has broken out. A crater has opened at the north of the Val del Bove, in the district called Concazze, and the lava is steadily creeping down the declivity, destroying trees and vineyards. Etna is almost entirely covered with snow. February 12. — The Flotel Trinacria is most comfortable, and the landlord, Ragusa, very at tentive. He is most particular about the people whom he admits to his table d'hote.

One Sicilian was turned away because, to my great disgust, he expectorated incessantly while sitting opposite to me at table. This filthy habit is common to all ranks in the island, from the nobleman to the lazzaroni. An English friend of ours had basins placed all round her room, with this inscription, " Qui si sputa." The Sicdians and English associate very little to gether. The latter complain that the former are such a narrow-minded set ; they think there is no place in the world like SicUy, and no people to be compared to the Sicdians. The English colony at Palermo is composed of bankers, merchants, and exporters of Marsala wine. They are very amiable and hospitable, and some of them immensely wealthy. The English clergyman called on us yesterday and told us a great deal about the priests ; some of them, whom he knew very intimately, were highly educated men, who had travelled a great deal, but were stdl most contracted in their ideas.

He told me it was difficult to argue with them, as their education from childhood ran entirely in one groove, certainly not the Baconian one. They start from the old axioms of the Fathers — every idea that runs counter to theirs must be wrong. A boy destined for the priesthood is placed in a seminary while still almost an infant, and taught to view everything through the one sided medium of a strictly theological education. I wish the Church of England would open a school here. It would be permitted by the Italian government. Why should we be behind the Scotch and the French, who are working away hard in the cause of education ? We visited the museum the other day, and saw some beautiful metopes, carved stones from the tops of temples built five hundred years before the birth of our Saviour.

There was a lovely statue, too, of Hercules as a young boy. We then went over the observatory, where there is, among others, a magnificent telescope just arrived from Berlin. Two astronomers were hard at work. It must be a labour of love to watch the brilliant stars in the deep blue Sicilian sky ! February is considered the best spring month here ; the thermometer in our room is at 60° ; and we called yesterday on a lady who picked for me in her garden a lovely bouquet of roses, carnations, and heliotropes. The Marina, the fashionable promenade of Palermo, about half a mile long, is crowded every afternoon with gay equipages. The Italians outvie one another in the gaudiness and bad taste of their carriages. I often think it a pity that the Lord Mayor's and the Sheriffs' state carriages, or that of the Speaker of the House of Commons, cannot appear here.

They certainly would be looked upon with envy, and create a very great sen sation. My English friends tell me that many of the owTiers of these gay carriages have not a decent room to receive a friend in, and that some of the splendidly-dressed ladies wroidd be sadly embarrassed were a visitor to call upon them in the morning, as neither they nor their houses are then fit to be seen. No one dare venture beyond the gates of the city, for fear of the brigands, so their drive is a very limited one — about two miles and a half up and down the town and the Marina. It gives me a fit of ennui to look at the paraders, who seem to sacrifice everything for the sake of a little display in public. I scarcely wonder at an earnest-minded man, or woman either, retiring in disgust from the hollow worldliness of such society, and seeking a refuge in some religious house ; though, perhaps too often, alas ! destined to find more hollowness there than they leave behind in the world which wearies them.

One thing often astonishes me — why the inhabitants suffer themselves to be prisoners in their town. Why do they not spend some of their superfluous time and money in clearing the environs from the brigands who infest them ?* We spent an evening with the Engbsh consul ; he was most kind and hospitable, and we thoroughly enjoyed his English tea and his English fire-place. He told us some interesting stories of the siege of Palermo, by Garibaldi, in 1860. He was the only Englishman who remained in the town during the bombardment. He one day received letters from two abbesses, begging him to come and see the mischief that had been done to their convents by the shells and shot during the storming of the town, that he might report it to the Queen of England, and ask her for redress. The consul was delighted * When I wrote this, I little thought how deephyrinterested 1 was fated to become in the subject of brigands. at the invitation, as it gave him an opportunity of seeing the interior of the convents.

The religious houses occupy the best situa tions in the town, and it will be the greatest possible benefit to Palermo when they are all sup pressed, as they infallibly will be some day. There are 10,000 monks and nuns in Palermo ! There is a great want of good houses in the place, and I am not the least surprised at cholera breaking out among the over-crowded, ill ventilated habitations. I was horrified to see the places where the children grow up ; the streets are high and narrow, and there are neither back windows nor doors to the houses, ventilation being entirely disregarded. Among the deaths in the obituary, half are those of children ; and poor people will generally tell you that they have lost five or six children by fever. The shopkeepers pass their time lounging at their shop-doors, scarcely caring to serve a customer, and not taking the trouble to bring him different articles for selection.

You must point to the shelves for what you want, and then they hesitate about taking down the article. February 26. — The weather for the last month has been wet and stormy — for one week it rained incessantly ; yesterday was clear and bright, and we walked five mdes off towards Bagaria, to a cliff to gather fossil shells. We quite enjoyed being able to leave the hotel. Our Italian lessons, which we have been taking three times a week, are a great resource to us ; but we find it very difficult to understand the Sicdiau dialect, which is a mixture of Arabic, French, Spanish, and Italian. All the Italian o's are turned into u's, and the first or last half of the word is clipped according to the fancy of the speaker. Our Italian master described to us a scene he t had witnessed yesterday, which strongly illustrates the Italian character.

He was in a church,where vol. i. c lay on a bier the body of a murdered man ; the widow was kneeling by its side, with her little chdd of three years old in her arms. After a burst of frantic weeping she joined the chdd's hands to gether and made him repeat after her a solemn oath to the effect that when he grew up he would take deadly vengeance on the murderer's nearest relative. She ended by a solemn and fearful curse on the child should he fail to keep the vow he had taken over the dead body of his father. It is this spirit of revenge which makes it difficult to bring a malefactor to justice ; no one wdl assist in convicting him for fear of the punishment that so doing might entail on the informer or his nearest relatives.* March 13. — We are beginning to prepare for our giro; two or three parties have already started, who will prepare the way for us.

The party * For instances of the length to which the vendetta is carried in Sicily, Murray's Corsica may be consulted. at the table d'hote diminishes dady. We have had travellers from all parts of the world ; last week some Brazilians arrived, who assured us that there is no scenery to be compared to that of Rio de Janeiro. Yesterday a Canadian sat by me at dinner, and told me that he was morti fied at finding that the English knew so little of his country. One English lady had actually asked him if the Mississippi did not run through Canada ! He will go back and declare that Eng lishwomen are so ignorant — a contrary opinion to that entertained by Italians, who have, generally speaking, a high respect for our country women, on account of their superior education. March 16. — How interesting to observe the wonderful diversity of opinions on religious matters !