The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1870-08-19
ABOUT GREEK BRIGANDS.


Each troop had then, and probably ha:
still, its director, its impresariO, in &
town, sometimes in the capitol, some,
times at Court. The subalterns Otter
return to civil life; often also the peas
ant turns brigand for a few weeks
when he knows that good haul is tC
be made. The job finished, he returns
to his tillage. OF all the countries in
the world, Greece is the country in
which opportunity has called forth the
greatest number of highWaymen.
A Frenchman, residing in Athens,
has told how his servant one day tim
idly accosted him, twisting his cap be-
tween his fingers
- You have something to ask me ?''
" Yes, effendi, but dare not"
"Dare, nevertheless
" Efendi, 1 want to spend a month
on the mountain"
"On the mountain! What for ?'
ITO stretch my limbs, saving your
respect, effendi. get rusty here. In
Athens, you are a heap of civilises, q
have no intention of offending YOU,
and L am afraid of catching your COM
plaint."
The master, touched by such vivid
reasons, allowed his valet to take a
months man-shOOting. He returned
at the expiration of his leave of alb
sence, and never touch so much as a
pin of his masters property.
There was a poor gendarn1e who, for
long, long years aspired after the rank
of corporal. He was a good soldier,
brave enough, and the least refractory
in his company; but his only patron
was himself So he deserted, and
turned brigand. Here he was able to
display his talents. He was soon well
/ IrnOVryn tho l1oa6c of tho oronHor-
merle. 1Shey tried to catch him, and
missed catching him, five or six times.
| Giving up that game, they sent a
! friend to treat with him. You shall
have your pardon, and to make up for
| your trouble, you shall be made a cor
| pOral tomorrow, and sergeant in the
course of the YRT."
His ambition was satisfied. He con-
sented to- be made corporal, awaiting
patiently his sefeeant's stripes. He
had long to wait for them. One day,
his patience was worn out, and he re-
turned to the mountain. He had not
killed three men before they made haste
TO make him a sergeant. He after
wards rose to be an officer, with no
other patrons than the persons he had
put underground.
There did exist one amazing COM
mandant of the gendarmerie, who Sc
riously endeavored to put down brig
andage. In few months he made all
the brigands hide their diminished
heads in their rocky dens. But the au
thOrities lost no time in dismissing
him. He was sapping the foundations
of society.
Two travellers of NJ. About's acquain-
tance, on the point of starting for a
province infested w tn brigands thought
nf aCl-inOr for Cafn 0OnHnot from tho
great persOnages who patrOniZed- the
principal bands; but one reflection
made them desist. 90 If those gentle
men, to oblige their underlings, should
give them notice of our coming, on the.
sly, aUd so make them a present of our
luggage! Better trust to chance than
to the honor of a Greek.n They set
off on their journey without a safe con-
duct.
They were very near repenting it.
One day, after cliQbinga a steep noun
tain all alone, they were quietly con-
templating the landscape, when they
found themselves exposed to three guns,
leveled at them by three Pellicares.
Hemmed in Oh three sides, they es-
capped by the fourth, and ran down the
hill much more quickly than they had
come up. In vain the three gunners
shouted, Stop! stop IiiROne of the
fugitiYeS aftefwet+NN<ced that, during
the run, for the first time in his life, he
I felt for stays and other poor creatures
who are hunted and shot, with no
means of defence but fiight.<~%----
A Frenchman was cleaned out while
returning from a short excursion. The
brigands took their choice of his clothes.
They left him his percussion gun, those
worthless only caring for flint guns. OF
course they took his money; but, as he
spoke Greek extremely well, explained
to the chief of the band that he could
not possibly return to town without q
1 half-penny. Whether for the love of
the Greek tongue, OF out of pure chari-
! ty, the chief generously gave him five
francs. This adventure happened
within six leagues of Athens.
Athens was once all but taken by
| brigands. GrisiOtis had got together,
in the island of Eub@, band which
was almost little army. He marched
ON the capital, and probably would
have taken it, if the first shot fired at
him had not disabled one of his arms.
He fell, and his followers took to their
heels. But, had that bullet missed its
mark, Athens would have been in the
pleasant condition of a hare in the
midst of pack of hounds.
A lady traveller, who was fond OF
sketching, was robbed of her gold
chain, Just outside the town, Oh Mount
Lycabetes, by young Greek very well
dressed and very well made. She was
busy finishing q sketch, when the
! handsome ScOundrel came up and plum
dered her. When asked why. she LET
him approach so close to her, T" Gould
I guess" she answered, that ny
chain was all he was thinking of2i'
A negress, who died at Smyrna, in
the OdOr of sorcery, had revealed the
existence of a treasure with a pacha OF
NIistra, she was quite sure, had buried
at a certain spot. The Greek govern
ment, rather simple in such matters By
nature, sent out n commissioner pre-
sided over by an eX-minister, and es-
corted by five hundred infantry SOL
diers. They began digging away in
good earnest. A ship Of war lay at
anchor close by ready to receive the
treasure. The work was expensive
and it was the season of the feVers
After two months labor they discovered
a tin candlstick. awe are on the
track" they said, and redOubled theil
efforts. A month afterwards, : the
president returned to Athens, con
: Yinced that the negresS had made {
mistake. His colleagues strOlled pite
ously toward the vessel. The troops
who had no treasure to protect, follow
) ed at a respectful distance. The brig
ands, who had heard talk of the treas
ure, said to themselves at the very out
! set, " Let them search in quiet W.
} will search them afterwards" Disap
: pointed in their hopes, and indignan
at the commissions incOmpetency
they fell upon the commissioners
Those gentlemen lost all their none,
! in the scuffie. One of them who trie'
| to conceal from the robbers something
he had about him, received a sabre-cu
which nearly carried away his hose
By such seventies, the Greek brigand
proved that they had not lost all mora
sense, and that they had hOrOr {
, trickprv and faISehOOd