THE PECULIARITIES OF CALABRIANS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2286, 23 December 1897, Page 55

THE PECULIARITIES OF CALABRIANS.

Of all Italians the Calabrians are, with the exception of the Sicilians, the most jealous In disposition, bat they seldom have cause for it, as there is a high standard of morality amongst the women, who devote themselves to their children and to their household duties, and give little thought to pleasure. I heard that they expressed surprise at my taking a daily walk, as most of them seldom leave the house except to go to church ; and ac the town is small and the cbutches are numerous, this rarely entails more than jast crossing the street. In the summer evenings they go on to their balconies to breathe a little fresh air. The town c f Tropea is built on a high, precipitous rook, against which the waves used to beat, enabling those whose windows looked down upon the sea to fish with lines from their window?, but within the last few years it has retreated considerably, leaving uncovered a white sandy beach, which, the inhabitants assured me' widens each year. The view from here is charming. To the right there rise tbe high Culabiian Mountains -stretching away ia the distance, while on the left the/dark green bills form a Ittvely background to the quaint old town with its narrow streets of grey stone houses crowded together. In 1783 a great part of the town was destroyed by an earthquake. To insure their safety in case of a similar catastrophe, those who possess land outside tbe city walls have built themselves strong one-storeyed casinos, or " baracche " as they call them, where they could take refuge Bhould the first shocks of earthquake warn them of the probability of so dire a calamity recurring.

The leading families of the place are nearly all related to each other, and each a close friendship exists between them all that it would have been considered heartless and unbecoming even for those not related to take part in the most ordinary amusements while one of the chief members of the little community was crashed by an overwhelming grief. One of the nobility, who at one time possessed considerable property, had tquandered the greater part of it through carelessness and mismanagement, and, having many children, he was reduced to such straits that he was obliged to receive assistance not only from relations bat from, mere friends who from time to time gave him sums of money nominally as loans, though they were welt aware he would never repay them. The Baron's eldest son, a young man about 20 years of age, waa bio favourite, and his affection for him was so excessive that he could hardly, bear him. oat of his sight. The relatives sever ceased representing to the father the necessity of placing the young man ia some profession, and pointed oat to him the folly of allowing bim to remain idle at home under the very straitened circumstances of the family. All suggestions, however, . were in vain ; the Baron persisted that he would iather starve than be separated from his son. Bat now the time came when yoang Annibsle T had to present himstlf for the conscription, the laws of which have of late years been made extremely stringent. ' At one time a substitatecould be purchased, but now those to whose lot it fells must serve their country perforce. . . . The fatal day arrived at last when the numbers had to be drawn, and all the poor Baron's hopes were da* bed to the ground ; his son had drawn one of the lowest numbers. The father stormed and raved and swore his son should never be a soldier. He tried what he could do with friends who had interest in bigh quarters ; he even endeavoured to bribe the doctor who had to examine the conscript, but it was all in vain.

Armibale T was a tall, strong, wellbuilt young man, fitted to make a finer soldier than moat of his countrymen, and it was impossible that any excuse could be alleged on the score of his health. The day of his departure soon came, and amidst the tears and lamentations of his family young T started for Accona, where he wae to join the artillery. Although in robust health, the change soon began to tell on him. His life at home bad been a sedentary one ; his indolent father's constant companion, be had never taken part in any manly sport*, and it was not to be wondered at if he broke down under the- bard life of a soldier. One day, after exposure to the sun during some macceavres in which" he had to take part, he wetted bis feet cros*iog a stream, and the same evening he was -seized with illness, which the doctors soon pronounced to be typhoid fever. Never shall I forget the day when the news reached his unfortunate family ; their shrieks and cries were fearful, and could be heard from oar houee, which was at the further end of the street. It seemed as if they had a presentiment that the illness would prove fatal. The seme evening Baron T set out for Ancona, and ia a few days was followed by his wife ; but she arrived when her son had already breathed his last. The unhappy couple then determined to carry their son's remains back to bis native town. In the meantime my hostess took up her residence with the bereaved brothers and sister?, and I afterwards beard from her that their giief was utterly uncontrolled : they rolled on the ground and shrieked till their strength failed them. In their freczy they smashed everything on which they conld lay hands, and when they bad destroyed tbe crockery they fell upon the piano, which would soon have been broken to pieces had it not been quickly removed. Such conduct seemed to excite no surprise in anyone but myself, these ebullitions, when sorrow is deeply felt, being considered quite natural.

A strange custom prevails ia Calabria Trhen a death takes place. It is considered indecorous that anything should be cooked in the house, So the friends' and neighbours prepare food, some sending coffee, others broth; and the donor generally accompanies the servant who carries it-, and coaxes, and in many cases' forces, the bereaved ones to partake of it. If it were not for this charitable custom those who are in grief would suffer seriously in health, for they would often allow dajs to eiapse without food passing their lips. Daring the time of moarning tbe women never leave the bouse except to go to church. They receive their friends at; home, bat do cot paj vieitu,

For the first week the numerous viiitors remain silent — any attempt at conversation would be attributed to want of proper feeling. A quiet walk iri the country would be quite contrary to etiquette. A lady to whom 1 bad a letter of introduction from a friend in Naples broke through this rule in order to come and see me in an attack of fever I bad daring my stay at Tropea, and she was much criticised for doing so. Sbe was in deep mourning for an only brother, the oircumstances of whose death I will relate as illustrative of the vindictive character of the Oalabrians.

Don Antonio B had a favourite horse, which he often fed with his own hand. One morning when he entered the stable he was told that the horse appeared to bs slightly lame. He ctooped to examine the animal's foot, when the brute suddenly kicked out, and striking his master on the forehead felled him insensible to the ground, and within 24 hours he breathed his last. His sister's anguish wai frightful ; she seemed turned to stone, and for hours afterwards neither moved nor 'spoke. She had been as a mother to Antonio, who was many years younger than herself, and the doctors feared thafc?the shock of his death would affect) her .reason-. When the. hour for the funeral approached she seemed to rouse herself from the .stupor in which she

had fallen, and to the surprise of everyone she requested that a veterinary surgeon and her brother's groom should be sent to her. She then ordered that a vein should be opened in the shoulder of the horse that had been the unfortunate cause of her brother's death, and that he should be led bleeding behind the funeral procession, which was ready to start. This decision was applauded by all, and, having been put into execution, the poor animal was made to follow his master's corpse bleeding copiously

at every step. The distance to the church was short, and the procession wae just entering its gates when the horse dropped deadiu the road, .exhausted by loss of blood. When I was told of this act of P*gui vengeance I exclaimed with horror ; bat everyone seemed amused at my being so shocked, and said that-, far from meriting condemnation, they thought it a most touching tribute of affection to the Signora B 's mnch-loved brother.— Temple Bar.