New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-02-01
The Refuge of Outlaws.


Wandering in Portugal, our Maynard foot has car.
ried US along the south bank of the Tagus and we
go and from height to height village to village
until at last we descend abruptly towards the river
on Hat spit OF sand, which seems as though il had
been reclaimed from the water or disowned by the
earth-renonnced by or ren0uncing the rest of the
world. The sun shone full upon It. A hot yellow
glare like the flare of furnace, hung over the sand
The waves rippled loudly on the shore, and some
fishing nets spread on the beach seemed scorched
aud backened by the heat. In the midst OF this
burning patch stands few huts built of planks put
loosely together They shone redly in the sun, and
the pitch and tar Of their roofs sweteed and seethed
in the heat As we approached them, wild faces
peeTed forth from the doors, and then gang of men,
wild in look and wild in apparel-men with blood
shot eyes and uncombed matted hair--rushed out
upon us. For awhile they gestiouated and vociier-
ated around us. Many an eye flashed threateningly
towards us, and more than once we saw knife half
drawn from its sheath. AT length an elderly man,
with grizzly hair, low brow and thick bull neck who
spoke and acted with authority in the community
bad evidently, after much discussion, decided the
point, and we were warned, by general waving of
hands and general screaming Of tongues, to depart
and go whence we had come.
On inquiry, we found that this place was a city of
refuge for all the murderers, the elons, the vaga
bonds and outcasts Of Lisbon. II man in hot pas
sion sheds blood or f with premeditated purpose he
slew his enemy--if he had robbed or pilfered or
violated the law-hither he fed and found shelter
and refuge. For several days a newcomer was
received into the community, was lodged and fed and
allowed to remain unquestiOned At the end OF the
prescribed time, he was compelled to tell the story OF
his crime, to throw what money he had into the
stock, TO take the common oaths and acknowledge
the laws common TO that community OF Outcasts No
soldier or functonary ever invaded these precincts ;
and the tenants again, Of this spot, knew that their
immunity extended not beyond the boundary of this
narrow strip. Their nets provided scanty food, and
women brought them other necessities from the
neighboring village. Twas STANCE thing to see
he await md fta fOia 49, al
crime within sight of the law and within reach Of
the arm of justice and yet the law itself could not
have devised more thoroughly penal settlement.
I. we CHANGED once by accident to see how and by
whom this place was peopled. We were coming at
night from the opera, when man rushed by us,
wildly and at full speed We thought little of this
though the thing was unusual at that time and place
AS we reached the square by the riverside, we saw
that there was slight stir and commotion, though
not much. few boatmen were walking up and
down, and talked in an excited manner few cti.
zens were stopping listessy their homeward route
and sentry was taking his measured walk uncon-
oernedly. We asked what was the matter, and by
stander pointed where, within the square, lay body
wetering in blood, and heaving and tossing convul
syely Ever as 1t hove aud tossed, the blood gurged
fast from an Ugly cash in the throat. We stepped
forward TO see what could be done with the wounded
man. but were thrust back by the bayonet of the SEN
try The authorities, the coroner, the mayor, the
civic guard, or some one whose province it was had
been sent for; meanwhile none might interfere and
there lay man bleeding and dying without aid or
help, almost without sympathy.
Some one Of the crowd told us the story Of the
deed. The perpetrator of the murder was boatman
OF the Tagus, one OF the gentlest of his class and
especially favored by travellers for his smartness and
kindness Happears that he had conceived grudge
against comrade for having in some way supplanted
him IN his vocation, and after having taken some
naval officers up the river that same day, had pur
chased knife with the money given by them, had
then watched his opportunity, stepped behind his foe
and dealt the deadly blow. We passed by the spot
again In the early morning. There lay the body stark
and still the hair still wet with the sweat OF the
death agony the blood was cotted on the neck and
the little pools around were dried into dark red spots
still the sentry kept watch and ward by the backened
corpse
We heard afterwards that the murderer had gone
quietly home collected his money and clothes, and
then betaken himself 10 the refuge OF outlaws Here
he bided his time and then shipped on board man
of.war, bound for the Brazils.
The law had stood forth resolutely as protector OF
forms-not as an avenger Of blood