oring to effect the liberation of Mr. Moens, and even offered to accompany her, with the money, to the brigands, if Government would grant him permission. This, however, was refused. The lady asked him which he liked best, the life of a brigand, or that of an honest man?

"Oh, that of an honest man," he replied; "a brigand's life is this:" turning his head rapidly over one shoulder and then over the other, indicating by this gesture constant apprehension of an enemy.

GIARDULLO DI PESTO.

There were properly two bands of these robbers with whom Mr. Moens and Signor Visconti had to do. Of one Gaetano Manzo was captain; of the other, Giardullo di Pesto, captured and shot soon after. These gangs together numbered 42 persons, of whom seven were runaway soldiers. Another, a lad of eighteen, used to carry milk about the streets. One day a friend tried to cheat him out of three or four dollars; whereupon the milk-boy stabbed him and took to the mountains. Nearly every member of the band was known to be a murderer. In fact, Manzo and one other, Mr. Moens thinks, were the only ones who had not been guilty of that crime. Whenever any money was received a small sum was set apart for common expenses, and the remainder divided among all the band, the captain getting only a single share. At every possible moment the whole gang would fall to gam-eter, are fried in fat or roasted on spits. It was some bling, and in a few days nearly all the money would find its way into the hands of four or five of the most lucky or skillful gamesters. Gambling was carried on in the most dangerous places, even when the soldiers were known to be near, and when the risk attending a quarrel among themselves might easily have been fatal to the brigands.

Mr. Moens thus describes the one feast-day which happened during his life with the brigands:

"At last, tired of watching the band, I lay down and fell asleep. I slept for some hours, during which a poor sheep was dragged into the inclosure, killed, cut up, cooked in the pot, and eaten. I must have slept until near sunset, for when I awoke another sheep was being brought forward, and I watched the process of killing and cutting up the poor beast. The sheep was taken in hand by two men, Generoso and Antonio generally acting as the butchers of the band. One doubled the fore legs of the sheep across the head; the other held the head back, inserting a knife into the throat, and cutting the windpipe and jugular vein. It was then thrown down and left to expire. When dead, a slit was made in one of the hind legs near the feet, and an iron ramrod taken and passed down the leg to the body of the animal; it was then withdrawn, and the mouth of one of the men placed to the slit in the leg, and the animal was inflated as much as possible, and then skinned. When the skin was separated from the legs and sides, the carcass was taken and suspended on a peg on a tree through the ten

don of a hind leg; the skin was then drawn off the back (sometimes the head was skinned, but this rarely). The skin was now spread out on the ground to receive the meat, etc., when cut off the body; the inside was taken out, the entrails being round the inside fat by two or three who were fond drawn out carefully and cleaned; these were wound of this luxury-Sentonio, and Andrea the executioner, generally performing this operation. These delicacies, as they were considered, being made about four inches long and about one inch in diam

time before I could bring myself to eat these, but curiosity first, and hunger afterward, often caused me to eat my share, for I soon learned it was unwise to refuse any thing.

"While these two men were preparing the inThe breast was first cut off, and then the shoulders; side, the other two were cutting up the carcass. the sheep was then cut in half with the axe, and then the bones were laid on a stump and cut through, so that it all could be cut in small pieces. One man would hold the meat, while another would take hold of a piece with his left hand and cut with his right. As it was cut up, the pieces would be put into a large cotton handkerchief, which was spread out on the ground; the liver and lungs were cut up in the same way; the fat was then put in the caldaja, and, when this was melted, the kidneys and heart (if the latter had not been appropriated by some one) were put in, cooked, and eaten, every one helping himself by dipping his fingers in the pot. The pieces of liver were considered the prizes. All the rest of the sheep was then put in the pot at once, and after a short time the pot was taken off the fire and jerked, so as to bring the under pieces to the top."

A few notes, taken almost at random, will give an idea of the ordinary way of life of the brigands and their captives:

"No fire was made to-day on account of the proximity of the soldiers, who disturbed the band last night. Bread in small quantities was divided among us, but there was no water." . . . . "Some of the band arrived with two sheep. I rejoiced to

Apart from privations, the brigands were in continual alarm that the soldiers might pounce upon them at any moment.. At one time the captain went off on a scouting party, and was gone three days; during the interval those who remained with the prisoners had not a morsel of food. When the brigands returned it was clear that something had gone wrong:

"They were in a dreadful state, having been walking the last three days and nights incessantly, without having had any thing to eat, and they were, of course, grievously disappointed at our having no food for them, and they vented their feelings accordingly by abusing and threatening me. Their eyes were red and glistening from the feverish state in which they were from over-fatigue and want of food; their clothing too was very much

torn, and covered with dirt and dust, and the majority of them were very foot-sore. For a long time I was afraid to ask them any questions, going on the principle of 'least said soonest mended,' especially as the question of cutting off my ears, etc., was again discussed. At last I learned that there were 4000 soldiers concentrated around Giffoni, and posts on all the mountains, so that the brigands were unable to remain near the town; and besides this the peasants would not provide any bread."

Manzo kept very good discipline among his followers, and was in no way scrupulous as to the methods of enforcing it. Once Guange, one of the band, got into a noisy quarrel with a "companion." The captain ordered him to be quiet; and as the command was not at once obeyed he rushed upon him, knocked him down, and kept hitting him and rubbing his face on the stones until it was bruised to a jelly. It was not very easy to be merry under such circumstances; but once, when luck had given them a sheep, and they dared to make a fire to roast it, the gang made a very fair attempt at jollity, roaring out songs, and requesting one from their prisoner. They were greatly surprised to learn that singing was not one of his accomplishments. In Italy every man is presupposed to be able to sing as certainly as

to talk.

So week after week passed away, Mrs. Moens all the while making strenuous exertions to raise and send the money for the ransom of her husband. There was no difficulty in getting the money. One gentleman, the Rajah Byjenath, of India, offered a draft for £10,000; another deposited in bank at Naples £8500, the amount demanded, to the credit of Mr. Moens. The difficulty was in getting the money to the brigands, for it is a grave crime for any one to hold any communication with them. Finally, by threats the brigands compelled Signor Visconti, a gentleman of Giffoni, a little town near the mountains, whose son had been their prisoner, to act as their agent; and he received verbal permission from the authorities to do so. Then it was not thought safe to send the sum at once, for fear that the brigands would pocket it and demand more. They often threatened to raise the price. One time a report became current among them that the Italian Government would pay the ransom; whereupon the

This talk about "cutting off ears, etc.," refers to an unpleasant habit that some of the brigands had of threatening to send the ears or nose of the captive to his friends, by way of spurring up their zeal in forwarding the ransom. Once they were apparently so nearly on the point of doing this that Mr. Moens made up his mind to cut off the top of an ear himself, in the hope of saving the remainder. He reasoned that a piece would probably answer the brigands' purpose as well as the whole; and if only the top was gone he could hide the mutilation by his hair. Once it was suggested to send his beard, "with a piece of the chin attached," for the same purpose. They had, moreover, when out of humor, a very disagree-captain said that he would not take less than a able habit of discussing before him the best places to strike in order to kill a man, and of thrusting their long knives between his body and arms.

the British Premier, and the value of their prize rose greatly in their estimation. On the other hand, it was an object with him to convince them that he was merely a poor photographer, in order to induce them to lower the sum. They compelled him at sundry times to write most plaintive letters to his wife, complaining of his hard fate, and imploring her to send on his ransom. Manzo dictated these, and would not allow him to add a word in English. Manzo himself wrote to Visconti :

million francs. Again news came that Lord Palmerston had sent a dispatch relating to the affair; the brigands at once jumped to the conHe met all their threats very cool-clusion that Mr. Moens must be a relative of ly, telling them that they might kill him as soon as they pleased. His coolness and pluck clearly won their admiration; and most likely their threats were never quite seriously meant, although it was clear that they would never have allowed him to be rescued alive. Whenever there was a skirmish-and there were several-some of the gang were always placed so as to be able to shoot the prisoner. For the rest, their treatment was not especially brutal. He fared in general about as well as the gang themselves, though that was hardly enough. In fact, they appeared to look upon their captives as lawful prisoners of war, to be duly lutely 50,000 ducats, otherwise they wish to take his life. "exchanged" for money. They would undoubtedly have killed them rather than allow them to escape or be rescued. It was every way for their interest to keep them alive; and when the sum agreed upon was received they showed no disposition to keep them longer.

"I can do nothing more because my band require absoTherefore then, with many tears of my mother, and many prayers of my mother and Fortunato Tedesco, they had compassion, they cried so much that they wanted to take him with them. I interceded with my band, because they

wished to take his life, thereupon they said they would have 30,000 ducats, with what I have already received, without deducting a centime-30,000 ducats, otherwise we

shall take his life."

FAC-SIMILE OF MANZO'S RECEIPT.

1 piciento da B Elia viconto

leons, which, says Mr. Moens, "I accepted with thanks." Manzo's mother brought a small loaf of white bread and a little omelette. Then came the final parting. Manzo asked what Mr. Moens would say to the Prefect when the

is quattons poghe la jussma ditie cenlovességeste mila quattor rend ostands poste adocals trendamila questioned about

отада

посадо

per impatto delle inglize moenge Mondogons l' 20 de agosto 1853 Copiloso

GLOWS

Translation.

"I have received from Don Elia Visconti, in four payments, the sum of a hundred and twenty-seven thousand four hundred and eighty livres, being thirty thousand ducats, for the ransom of the Englishman Moens. "Mondogerio, the 20th August, 1865."

CAPTAIN MANZO.

Mr. Moens re

plied that he should say that this band of about 30 had been a match for an army of 10,000 men. The brigand captain was highly delighted, rubbed his hands with glee, and gave him two more rings; Generoso added another, making five in all. Manzo said he was quite satisfied with the amount which had been paid him; and Mr. Moens advised

At length they agreed to take 30,000 ducats | him in future to confine his attention to his own (something more than $25,000) in all. The last payment was made on the 20th of August, three months and five days after the capture, Manzo giving a receipt for it in due form.

countrymen, since when a foreigner was taken it got into all the newspapers, and the Government was obliged to send so many soldiers that the brigands had very little chance of escaping. The pris-brigands proffered to kiss him, after the Italian method, but this Mr. Moens declined. "I, however," he says, "shook hands all around with them, they parting with me in the most friendly manner. The brigands wishing me a pleasant journey, waving their arms to me while in sight." He had been a captive with them 102 days, during all of which time he had never entered a house.

It was not a very easy thing to get the oner to a place of safety; but Manzo had promised that he would do all he could to keep him from danger; and, says Mr. Moens, "I do believe that he thought himself bound by honor, as a brigand chief, to deliver the Inglese safe to his friends." The money was fairly divided among the gang. There had been originally thirty of them; but two had been shot by the troops the day after the capture, another had fallen over a precipice and broken his neck, five had been captured, one had surrendered, another had been shot while foraging, and three had quarreled with the others, and were ex-feet. My coat was covered with the fat and cluded from any share of the money; so that there were but seventeen left.

When Mr. Moens at length made his entrance into Giffoni, his appearance was not very attractive. "My trowsers," he says, "wero all in fatters, and hanging in ribbons at my

grease of the meat which I had to carry in the pocket; and all the lining of the skirts was torn to shreds. My wide-awake was dirty and torn. My shirt I had worn day and night since the 19th of June, more than two months; my boots were all broken, and many of the seams unstitched. It is almost unnecessary to describe the state of my body. I was covered with sores from the effect of the vermin, through the brigands having steadily refused to allow me to remove my clothing for washing purposes, and never allowing me to stop at a stream, for fear of the troops coming upon us before I could rearrange my dress."

Captors and captive parted with all due formalities. Manzo took off his hat and putting some Napoleons in it went round making a collection, so that, as he phrased it, Mr. Moens might "go to Naples like a gentleman." The band, most of whom were "cleaned out" by gambling, were not very liberal; whereupon the captain took some money from the common bag, and made up the sum to seventeen and a half Napoleons (about $70). Mr. Moens asked him for a heavy gold chain which he wore; Manzo was just taking it off to give it to him when somebody called him away, and it was not received. Generoso gave him a ring as a keepsake; and after some hesitation ex-is a very curious one. He was captured by a changed for a pen-knife his own great knife, railroad-one of the few in Italy, and therefore with which he had killed two men. Pasquale, in the midst of a dense population. For alwho had been the most ferocious of the gang, most of a third of a year he was carried around and who was always hinting about cutting off from place to place among the mountains, never ears, walked up and gave a couple of Napo-going more than forty or fifty miles from the

The subject of Brigandage in Italy, practically presented in the lively work of Mr. Moens,

All this, it must be borne in mind, belongs only to a single province. As far as we can ascertain, a similar state of things exists in a considerable part of the dominions of Victor Emanuel. The consequence is, as stated by Mr. Moens, that the "proprietors," or indeed any person supposed to be wealthy, "dare not show their faces out of their houses, for they are carried off from the very villages, should they venture to go a step from their own doors." He found it so at Palermo, where "no one dare venture beyond the gates of the city for fear of the brigands."

great city of Naples. It is much as though one | amounts. had been seized by a band of robbers within a couple of hours from New York, carried off to the Highlands, and kept there for three months and more, and only released upon the payment of $20,000 or $30,000. Nor was this a single case of seizure by this band. During that year fully a score of persons were in like manner taken by the same combined gang, for whom ransoms amounting in all to half a million dollars were demanded; and more than $100,000 was actually paid. The richest prize, in their estimation, was that of "Signor Wenner, son of Albert Wenner, calico printer of Salerno," captured by Manzo's band a month after the release of Mr. Moens. For him more than $200,000 was demanded, and an install-all in league with the brigands. They furnish ment of $25,000 paid; but at the latest accounts he was still held, the brigands demanding the whole amount. These are only the great catches; besides them were many of smaller

The business of brigandage is carried on by the aid and information, and greatly to the profit of the peasantry, who seem to be one and

them with food and other necessaries, for which they charge extravagant prices. Mr. Moens was allowed to inspect the accounts of Captain Manzo, and he affirms that five-sixths of the