GREEK BRIGANDS AT HOME.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 187, 10 August 1870, Page 4

GREEK BRIGANDS AT HOME.

A correspondent of the Lemberg Gazette, a Polish paper published in Austria, gives some interesting information respecting the Greek brigands. He says that the principal band is composed of several hundred shepherds in the mountains of Hymettus Pentelicus. These brigands maintain friendly relations with men of all classes at Athens, and have influential supporters among the various political parties, and especially iv the army. Their victims are almost always either foreigners or Greek merchants and. bankers. They look upon the native nobility as their patrons, and sometimes invite them to be godfathers to their children —an invitation which is seldom refused, as the relationship thus produced establishes a sort of freemasonry between the brigands and the nobles, and protects the estates of the latter against depredations. One of the most popular of the old Greek families among the brigand bands is that of Prince Soutzo. The head of this family, Prince Demetrius, is the godfather of upwards of sixty brigand children. One day the Prince was hunt' ing in the viciuity of Athens, when a brigand deputation invited him to a marriage-feast of a member of their band named Andrea. The Prince followed the deputation to a secluded spot in the mountains, where Andrea presented to him his bride, who, according to the custom of the country, had sat for three days in a hut covered with green bows, into which only women were admitted to offer her their farewell salutations on the approaching termination of her maiden life. Andrea unveiled the girl before the Prince, upon which she kissed him on the forehead, and invited him to take part in the marriage banquet. The Prince then sat dowu with the brigands, and various meats were brought in on silver dishes, with wine in golden goblets, the Prince eating and driukiug with his hosts till night. Shortly afterwards Andrea became notorious as one of the fiercest of the brigand chiefs, and a price of 1,000 drachmas was set ou his head. Notwithstanding this no one dared to betray the bandit, and the Government at length ordered Prince Soutzo to go in pursuit of him with a detachment of soldiers. The Prince, however, begged the Government to relieve him of this duty, representing that if he accepted it the brigands v/ould take a fearful revenge on his family. His petition was granted, and some one else was appointed to take the command, but all his efforts to capture Andrea failed, and ultimately the Government was compelled to send Prince Soutzo to negotiate with him, as the bandits declared they would not trust anyone else. The correspondent adds that King George himself has had to show the bandits an amount of consideration which proves how powerful they are in the country. During his last tour in his dominions he was surrounded by a number of them iv the mountains, headed by a notorious chieftainess named Kara Janina. Advancing boldly to the King, she asked him to stoop down to her from his saddle, and after kissing him ou the forehead, wished him a pleasant journey, and recommended her children to his care. — Pall Mall Gazette.