The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1844-06-12
A BRIGAND STORY.

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A BRIGAND STORY.
We give another little story from "Dumars in
his Curricle, as we find it in Backwood They
serve 10 show the style of the writer, and as
agreeable eAusions from the mind of man of
enlarged observation, dashed with little good
humor, it will be read with interest. What fol-
lows is one of his serious sketches. 1t relates to
the Vardarelli, band of outlaws which for some
time infested Calabria and the Capitanato
Gaetano Vardaleli was native of Calabria,
and one of the earliest members of the revolu
tionary society of Carbonari. When Murat, af-
ter sometime favoring that society, began to per-
secute it, Vardarell fled to Sicily, and took SER
vice under King Ferdinand. He was then 26
years ofage, possessing the muscles and courage
of lion, the agility of chamos, the eye of an
eagle. Such recruit was not to be despised,
and he was made Sergeant in the Sicilian
guards. On Ferdinand's restoration in 1915, he
followed him to Naples, but finding that he was
not likely ever to rise above a very subordinate
grade, he became disgusted with the service, de-
serted and took refuge in the mountains of Ca
abra. There two of his brothers, and some
thirty brigands and outlaws, assembled around
him and elected him their chief, with the right of
life and death over him. He had been slave
in the town; he found himself king in the
mountains
Proceeding according to the old formula OBJ
served by bandhti chiefs, both in Caabria and
| in Melodramas, Vardarelli proclaimed himself
redressor general of wrongs and grievances, and
acted up to his profession by robbng the rich
and assisting the poor. The consequence was
that he soon became exceedingly popular among
the latter Glass; and at last his exploits reach the
ears Of King Ferdinand himself, who was highly
indignant at such goings on, and gave orders
that the bandit should be Immediately hung
But there are three things necessary to hang a
mana rope, a galloWs, and the man himself
In this instance, the first two were easily found
but the third was unfortunately wanting Gen
darmes and soldiers were sent after Vardarel
but the latter was too cunning for them all, and
slipped through their fingers at every turn. His
success in eluding pursuit increased his reputa.
ton, and recruits focked to his standard. His
band soon doubled its members, and its leader
became formidable and important person
which of course was an additional reason for the
authorities to wish TO capture him. A price was
set on his bead--large bodies of troops sent in
search Of him--but all in vain.
! One day the Prince of Leperano, Col. Calce-
donia, Major Deiponte, with dozen other Off
GERS, and a score of attendants, were hunting in
forest a few leagues from Bari, when the cry o
Z" Vardareli!" was suddenly heard. The party
took to flight with the utmost precipitation, and
all escaped except Major Delponte, who was
one of the bravest, but at the same time, one O.
the poorest of the whole army. When he was
told that he must pay thousand ducats for his
ransom, ne only laughed, and asked where he
was to get such a sum- Vardarelli then threat
ened to shoot him, if it was not forthcoming BY
a certain day. The major replied that it was 10
sing time to wait; and that, if he had piece Of
advice to give his captor, it was to shoot him a
once. The bandit at first felt half inclined Il
do so; but he reflected that the less Delbont,
cared about his life, the more Ferdinand 8ugh
to value it. He was right in his calculation; 70
no sooner did the King learn that his brave smaio
was in the hands fthe banditti, than he of1ere,
the ransom to be paid out of his privy purse, AM
the major recovered his liberty.
But Ferdinand had sworn the exterminatio
of the bandtti, with whom he was obliged t
ltreat as from one potentate TO another A eel
, tain colonel, whose name forget, and who hear
, his vow, pledged himself, ifa battalion were pu
r under his command, TO bring in Vardarelli, hi
! two brothers, and the sixty men composing hi
{ troop, bound hand and foot, and 10 place ther
8 in the dungeons of the Vicaria The offer wa
8 too good to be refused the minister of war pu
g FIVE hundred men at the disposal of the colonel
who started with them at once in pursuit of th
outlaw The latter was soon informed by h
spies of this fresh expedition, and he also mad
9 vow, to the effectthat he would cure the pursl
9 er, once and for all, of any disposition to inte
/ fere with the Vardarell.
IS He began by leading the poor colonel such
r dance over hill and dale, that the lnfortunat
IS officer and his men were worn out with fatgi
E then when he saw them in the state that /
r wished, he caused some false Intelligence to
g carried to them at two o'clock one morning.
IS The colonel fell into the snare, and starte
n Immediately TO surprise Vardarelli, who he WI
ii assured was in little village at the further G.
% tremty of a narrow pass, through which on
four men could pass abreast. He made sue
haste that he marched four leagues in tv
+ hours, and at day-break found himself at the e
II trance of the pass, which, however, seemed
/ peculiarly well adapted for an ambuscade, til
a he halted his battalion, and sent on twenty m,
a to reconnoitre, In quarter Of an hour Il
) twenty men returned They had not met a 81
gle living thing, The colonel hesitated no 10