Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-06-11

Sicily, at the time i'll question, was
singularly favorable for the pursuit of
brgandoge. The ancient Trnacria in
its circuit OF 400 miles round the points
of the triangle-Cape Faro on the north
east, Cape Marsala on the west and
Cape Persaro on the southeast includes
the mountains of PelOres and Nebrodes,
the Independent volcanic group of Etna,
the streams of Giarella- Cantara, and
Platani. and torrents, valleys, plains,
and towns communicating with each
other with difficulty villages pcrched
on almost inaccessible rocks converts
isolated in The gCrges or on the slopes,
u number of refugees in which retreat
was possible. and an infinity Of creeks
by which the sea offered innumerable
means OF flight. This piece morsel of
Sicilian ground is the world in miniature;
In 1t everything that is met with on the
globe can be found mountains, volca-
noes, valleys, meadows, rivers, rivuiets,
lakes, torrents, towns, villages, hamlets,
harbors, creeks, promontories, capes,
reefs breakers ready for the use Of
population of nearly three millions of
inhabitants. scattered over surface of
1G,0 900 square milsA
Where could be found better region
for the operations of the banditti And
so, although they tended to decrease
although the Sicilian brigaud, like his
cousin of Calabrla, seemed to have had
his day, although they are prescribed
at least Ill modern literature although
hax 10 it,1
fitable than robbery, vet travellers do
we'll to take every precaution when they
venture into the country 30 dear to
Cacus and so blessed by Mercury.
However, in the last few years the
Sicilian gendarmerie, always on the
alert, had made many successful forays
into the eastern provinces, and many
bands had fallen into ambuscades and
been partly destroyed. One OF these
| bands was Zirone's. which had thus been
reduced to thirty men and on account
! of this he had conceived the idea of
! infusing some foreign blood into his
troop, and Maltese blood more particu-
larly. He knew that in the Mander-
aggio which he used to frequent, bandits
out of work could be picked up in hun
dreds and that was why Carpena had
gone TO Naletta, and if he had only
brought back d oxen men, they were,
Mt least, picked men.
There was nothing surprising in the
Spaniard showing himself so devoted to
| Zirone. The trade suited him but rs
he was a coward 10y nature he put him
self as little az possible within range of
the rifles. 1t pleased him best to pre-
pare matters, to draw up plans, to keep
this tavern ut Santa Grotta, situated i'll
frightful gorge on the lower slopes OF
the volcano.
Although Sarcany and Zirone knew
all about Carpena's shares i'll the matter
of Andrea Ferrato, Carpena knew moth
ing of the Trieste affair He thought he
had become connected with honest bri-
gands who had been carrying on their
trade for many years IN the noun
+ tains of Sicily.
Zirone and Carpena in the course of
their walk of eight Italian miles, from
the rocks of Polyphemus to- Nicolosi,
met with no mishap, i'll the sense that
not single gcndarme was Seen on the
road. They went along the rough foot
paths among the vineyards and olive
trees, orange-trees, and cedars and
through the clumps of ash-trees, cork
trees and fig-trees. Now and then they
went up one of the dry torrent beds,
which seem from distance to resemble
macadamized roads in which the roller
has left the pebbles unbroken. The
Sicilian and the Spaniard passed
through the villages of San Giovanni
and Tramestieri at a considerable height
above the level of the Mediterranean
About half-past ten they reached Nico-
losi, situated as in the middle of an open
plain, thanking on the north and west the
eruptive cones of Monpilieri, Monte
Rossi, and Sierra Pizzuta.
The town has six churches, n convent
dedicated to San Nicolo dArena and
two taverns--a significant token of its
importance. But with these taverns
Carpena and Zirone had nothing to do.
Santa Grotta was an hour farther on in
one of the deepest gorges of the volcanic
range, and they arrived there before
midnight.
People were not asleep at Santa Grotta;
they were at supper with an accompani-
ment of shouts and curses. Carpena's
recruits were there and the honors were
being done by an Old fellow named
Benito. The rest of tho gang, some
! forty in number, were then about twenty