The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-12-15

/ secretly during the night. Close by the
/ brig lay small felucca, with seven;y>five
men more secreted in her hold and when
the larger vessel had made sail, the felucca
/ followed al the distance of about a quar-
ter of mile, which distance it had been
! agreed should be kept good until the time
! came for action. The brig stood to The
northward, and when she had reached a
point about half way between Loreto and
! Ancona, she saw the boats coming Oft.
! The wind was light, and from the east
+ ward SO when she put down ber helm
/ and stood out TO sea, her headway was
/ but slight The boats gave chase with
will, and in halt an hour they were along
side and the pirates, TO the number of fifty
or mole, began TO Chamber over the side.
They were met by the briggs full force,
and once more they beat a hasty retreat
The adventurers did not seek to slay the
pirates unnecessarily, for they had Il more
important object in view.
Meanwhile the felucca had kept in
shore, as though afraid Of the boats and
as soon as the pirates had left the brig she
hove-to, as though Sue would wait for
them TO get out OF her way The briggs
boats were all in readiness-fve of them
and as soon as they could be launched,
the crew filled them, and started in hot
pursuit. The piratical boats reached the
shore first; but the crew OF the lelucca,
which had been run close IN upon bold
landing, were at hand, and ready for the
chase. The buccaneers gazed in aston
ishment upon this new enemy, thus uneX-
I
they dared not stop 10 consider. AT a
call from their chieftain they started off,
at a swift pace, up the steep bluff that
overhuDg the beach, and by the time they
had gained the summit, the crew of The
brig had landed
In this first part the pirates had the
gaining hand, for they were used to the
rocks, and could select the best tuotholds +;
but beyond this their parsuers were even
with them. Sill the pirates had good
quarter mile the start, and that was much
in their favor They struck off towards
the island town OF Osimo, and when they
had gained the high road, they toUk it.
AT length they came in sight of the gray
walls of an old Capuchin convent, and
soon afterwards struck into the path there
to. The pursuers saw the pirates pass
around TO the westward Of the convent
walls and then lost sight of them bu
within five mInn!es after the ireebooterS
had thus disappeared, the pursuers were
on the spot.
They looked TO the right and then tc
the left, bot no pirates were to be seen.
, One of two things must have happened
Either the rascals had sunk into the ca th
or they had gone into the convent. A:
the latter seemed the most probable, The
/, officers made an application at the gate
4 but the old Capuchin oD duty there shook
his head, and declared that the sanctity
$ of the place must not be disturbed. III
knew nothing of the evil men of whom
they spoke.
Now all this might have passed cur
, rent, and the officers have been a seconC
time TUNED away from tue convent-fol
l in that country religious houses arc IA
: beyond the reach of civil force-had no
I, The captain of the felucca discovered il
d this self-same pretended Capuchin, pi
q rate who had boarded his vessel not tw
> weeks before. He gave the signal, an
the exasperated adventurers would not b
IS stayed. They rushed into the yard, an
lie in the inner court they found "A score o
more of the pirates just dOnning monks
'e habits While portion Of our friend
W were engaged in securing these fellow;
1t others entered the convent, and commend
re ed tour of exploration for they kne'
re there must be mystery at the bottom {
ID all this BY and by, low groans, an
at calls for help, fell upon their ears. Dee
: vaults, far under ground, were opened
r and Capuchin monks faint, wan, AZ
m starving, tottered forth. Aud, in the Ell,
OF over seventy OF these monks were set f7et
er And now the story was told. The:
ne villains, most of them robbers from Il
l. mountains, had taken the convent AT
locked the monks up in the cells, whe
Il they had been fed scautily upon brea
at and water. TIE robbers had first learne
ne the religious manners and customs, al
10 had then commenced their Fl ieebooting C
s. reer-and with what success we haV
o, seen. They had many ways of reachir
n tn, ir convent from the coast, and cou
IN easily gain their cover before they coh
d be oyertaken. And even III the prese
r. instance they would have escaped had d
IN pendenee been placed entirely upon 4
ed crew of the brig for pursuit
ne But their piratical game was up, al
es they were in turn locked up in undt
ey ground cells, ,and fed upon bread and wal
ed fed so for two weeks-and then the Pc
ch pie gathered from ali quarters, and car
nd up to see the end of .he buccaneers of
Adriatic.
of
he Military men have discovered n