The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-24 00:00:00

HUNGARIAN ROBBERS.

In the midst of the steepest heights of the
Krapach mountains, accessible but to the eagle,
the roe-buck, and the mountaineer, has dwelt
from time immemorial a mountain-tribe called
the Opreychki. This tribe, in point of fact, is a
mere band of robbers, living entirely at the ex-
peAse of travellers, and of the neighbouring
countries, into which they make frequent incur-
sions. The Oprychki are all vigorous moun-
taineers born it the Krapachs, and are armed
with small hatchets, cutlasses, guns, and espe-
cially pistols; of these last many of them wear
no less than four pair in their belt.
The organization of these banditti is quite mi-
litary; they blindly obey their Chief, and the
least act of insubordination is punished with death.
The Chief divides the booty, and settles all dis-
putes. Hungary, Gallicia, and Transylvania, are
the principal theatres of their incursions, and
woe betide the travellers who fall into their
hands. The Oprychki are nevertheless jovial
fellows, ready to do a service, very hospitable,
and capable ,of great devotedness; but they are
very cruel in their revenge, and recoil from no
crime in attaining it.
For some years back the Oprychki had been
'commanded by Alexis Djuk, whose energetic
courage and prompt resolves had spread dismay
throughout the adjacent districts. The authori-
ties of Hungary, Gallicia, and Transylvania had
long malted their efforts, but in vain, to destroy
DjuVe band, which consisted of from 400 to'soo
AtfixaConsiderable forces have been sent against
nd, which, however, took care not to come
to a pitched engagement, and carried on with
sucetss a species of guerilla warfare. At length,
'by dieta perseverance, the Austrian Govern-
ment succeeded, last January, in arresting 26 of
these banditti, and their trial took place on the
27th of Februarybefore the Criminal Tribunal of
Peteravaradin.
. The aspect of the Court, on this occasion, was
highlypicturesqueandinteresting. The walls were
covered with the olden portraits of the Kings of
Hungary and Transylvania. Around an
immense table, covered with black cloth,
were seated 12 Judges and a President, wearing
long floating scarlet mantles over their Hunga-
rian costume, and having on their heads the
doctoral cap. Behind the President sat the impe-
rial Attorney-General attended by two deputies,
and six lawyers, all in black gowns. Another
table was occupied by the two clerks of the
Court, while six heralds or judicial criers stood
betwixt the tribunal and the bench of witnesses.
The prisoners' bench was filled by the twenty-six
Oprychki guarded by a detachment of pikemen,
while the issues of the Court were occupied by
three battalions of Hungarian infantry. Close
to the witnesses' box was a stool, near which was
seated a priest in his sacerdotal robes, for the
purpose of administering oaths to each individual
who comes forward to give evidence.
The auditory consisted of gentlemen and ladies,
admittance having been denied to tradesmen and
peasants, lest some of the Oprychki might ven-
ture into the Court in disguise, to endeavour to
rescue their captive associates.
The first witness called in was a bel-esprit, an
ex-hussar of Schekler's regiment, acting as
steward to the Lord Kyraby (owner of the village
of Hamka), when the poetical fit was not on him.
'1 his singular personage expressed himselfthus
" It was in the middle of the night of the 4th
of October, with your permission, Illustrious
Lords, the Noble Lady Kyraby was in the pangs
of child-birth, and I was reposing after the
toils of the day, when a servant came to tell me
that the Lord Kyraby wanted me. I hastened
to obey, and on entering the court I saw with
surprise my noble master's carriage and eight
arge waggons, horsed, and ready f)r starting.
Baring been introduced into the bed-room of my
noble mistress, I heard that noble lady say to
her husband, while tears flowed down her beau-
tiful cheeks, You are determined on going-,
Andrew ?" I must,' replied my Lord, it is our
Fully chance of safety, for they are going to
come, and if they found me, God knows
what the consequence would be. In my ab-
benee, I am sure, you will receive no insult, pro-
vided they be received without hostility, and I have
given necessary orders to that effect.' His Lord-
:thip then turned towards me, and added, Djuk
and his followers will soon be here. I order you
I.ct receive them, and to refuse them nothing.'
This said, the Lord Kyraby got into his carriage
and drove off towards Korol Bator, accompanied
by the eight waggons, pnd a part of his servants.
_His Lordship had not been gone an hour when
w 9 heard a hissing noise. They are coming,'
said a sisevant, who knew their signal. At that
very moment, sixty Oprychki entered the main
court. I vent instantly to meet them, and ap-
proaching their chief, Alexis Djuk, I saluted him
respectfully, by touching his knee with my left
land, as is usual towards persons of distinction.
Lie appeared satisfied by this mark of deference,
and ordering his men to remain in the court, he
entered the castle, holding a pistol in each hand,
rind saying as he ascended the flight of steps, ' Woe
betide you if you have here a single schla-
pack' (this word means hack, and is ' a term
usually applied to the Austrian soldiers). He
hastily visited the lower story, and seeing the
table of the vast dining-room well spread with
eatables and drink, he called in his men. They
all ate with good appetite, after which Djuk,
caking from his cap a string on which were
Ftrung a great many ducats, gave some of them
to the maid servant, who had served him as cup-
bearer during the repast. In the meantime the
noble Lady Kyraby had given birth to a male
.child, and Djuk, hearing the cries of the babe
Yrom the dining-hall, went into her Ladyship's
'bed-room, and taking the infant into his arms
with great care, said—' Madame, you have no-
thing to fear, either from me or my men. Per-
mit me to solicit a favour—it is to call this child
Alexis, in remembrance of me.' Her ladyship
promised that the child should bear the name of
the chief, and the band departed, without carry-
ing off a single article."
.The Lady Kyraby confirmed the preceding
statement, and added that the child had been
called Alexis, as she had promised the leader of
the Oprychki.
The Lord Kyraby deposed, that one evening
as he was returning from visiting a friend, lie was
accosted by a man on the high-road, who said,
" Alexis Djuk and his companions will visit you
to-night; mind you receive them well."
The President addressed some remarks to the
witness on his pusillanimity, but he was inter-
irupted by the prisoners, who exclaimed with one
voice, " He would do well to go; Übe had re-
mained, he would not have been alive now."
The savage shouts, the menacing looks and
gestures which accompanied the words, made a
deep impression on the Lord Kyraby, an old and
brave captain in the Ausirian army; the old vete-
tan fainted, and was carried out of Court.
The next witness called was a venerable priest
called Philarete, attached to the church of St:
Nicholas, situated on a steep rock, half a league
distant from Bolsche, a village belonginf to the
e
Lord Ravitchak, formerly a major in the iuzzars
of Djulaj. The priest deposed as follows :-
-" On the 15th of July I was returning from the
Lord Ravitchak's, when I was accosted by a
-man, who said, ' Alexis Djuk orders you to pre-
pare supper for him and thirty of his comrades.'
'When I reached home, I ordered the supper to
be prepared, but at the same time I took care to
inform the Lord Ravitchak, wile came with fifty
buzzers and concealed himself in the environs of
"Old ehore,li. An hour had not elapsed ere an im-
mense 412.aue was discovered in the direction of
RoloseLe, castle is on fire,' exclaimed the
-Cord Ravitcliak, and he started immediately
with ail Ws mei), leaving me alone. At midnight
Djuk arri-ved With his thirty followers. They
supped famonslv, and withdrew, after having
completely pillaged my house, putting a ducat
into my hand, and telling me ironically to pray
Vor the Oprychki who had been slain in the fight."
Lieut. Rouhka deposed—lwas guarding, with
s;x men, the castle of my cousin Ravitchak, and
'cent up to a belveder to try and see what was
t:.o4ng on in the direction of the church, when I
I;eheld a band of Oprychki advancing with
blazing torches in their hands. I hurried down
to place myself at the head of my men, but was
i.itortunately wounded at the first fire of the as-
sailants, and with great difficulty succeeded in
taking refuge in the brushwood, whence I saw the
( aatle in flames.

The Lord Ravitchak then came forward, and
deposed to the following effect, mixing every
phrase with a military oath to !give it greater
weight, " Damn it," said I to myself, "shall I,
who was not afraid of those devils of Frenchmen
when led .on by Napoleon, recoil from a robber?
Will hang him up before the windows of my
Led-room, to teach him that bears are more ter-
'ible than the Oprychki. You must know that
hears form part of my family arms. I was con-
t3equently lying in ambush near the church of
St. Nicholas, when I suddenly beheld my castle
&i prey to flames. I soon hastened to the spot,
iad securing my wife and children, allowed the
t-astle to burn, in order to hasten after the rob-
beti. The rascals were supping at the Reverend
Phelante's, while I was seekin.,7 them
Alsewhere. Nevertheless, I swore that I would
use my name of Ravitchak, or I would extermi-
ate the villains who had reduced my castle to
r.ehes—but I have I%)pe enough left to hang them
:;.;l. Knowing that the Jew, Abraham Lenoir,
often something to do
with Djuk, I called
1,4..111m, and took him by his weak side—givir.sg
1., in money, and promising him more. I then