AMONG SPANISH BRIGANDS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 695, 15 August 1870, Page 3

AMONG SPANISH BRIGANDS.

The example of the Greek brigands has proved contagious. Two English gentlemen of the name of Bonell were carried off on the 21st of May, by marauders, four miles from Gibraltar. A ransom of 27,000d01s was demanded/and they were detained till it was paid. A correspondent of the Standard gives an interesting account of the experiences of our countrymen while in the hands of their captors: — "At first only 5000 dollars were asked as a ransom. Shortly after 8 o'clock at night the brigands and their captives left the ventorillo where they had spent the afternoon. Before starting the prisoners had been robbed of their watches, and 10 dollars had been borrowed from the nephew. The sight became dark, and the bandits were evidently ignorant of the country. A man .was encountered whom they compelled to act as a guide, and so dark was it that this guide was obliged to crawl on his hands and knees in order to keep on the right path. At daybreak the party found themselves in the neighbourhood of Castellar, and here they halted, lying concealed in a thick part of the /^ood. Here the captives got some food. Most ( of the party lay down to reßt. One, however, ■Vfsa constantly on the watch, and at no time was either of the captives to move a couple of yards away. Daring the halt Don Antonio ■(the brigand chief) said to Mr Bonell, " Don Juan, when we took you at the ventorillo, .near Gibraltar, we merely asked you for SOOOdoI., but now we have carefully considered the subject, and we must have 30,000 dol. Mr Bonell replied, such an amount .was quite out of their power to give, and ■that the beet thing would be to kill them at iOnce. Both he and his nephew were prepared to die courageously ; they only supplicated tkat . the manner of their death might ,be one attended with the least possible auffer--ing. This style of answer seems to have met the approbation of all the brigands, for from that moment they were treated with more respect and less harshly addressed. To the next baiting-place the captives, were introduced blindfolded. As far as they could tell, ' the house was a solitary one, for they heard no sounds save those of cattle bells and dogs -harking. Here, after a while, the bandages "•were removed from their eyes, and they were fairly treated. They were supplied with good fresh bread, chocolate, and the wellknown Spanish diih gaßpacho ; no wine or 1 liquor was given to them, but they had a liberal supply of gcod drinking water. They had no bed to sleep on, but several mantas and blankets were placed on the floor for their use. During the atternoon of this day. (Monday) the uncle and nephew were separated for some time, the uncle having been taken out of the house and mounted on horseback. For what this was done no one knows. On the Tuesday an incident occurred which is worth recording, as highly characteristic of the peculiar religious ideas so often held in Roman Catholic countries by even the most lawless robbers. The room in which they were confined was ornamented by those pictures of the Virgin and Holy Family throughout Spain. Mr Bonell observing one of the robbers bringing in some candles asked him what he was going to do. The bandit N wplied that the lights were for the purpose of illuminating one of the pictures andreturning thanks for the protection so far vouchsafed to them, and at the same time imploring the continuance of divine aid till their enterprise was finally completed. For seven days this style of life, was continued, the monotony of the prisoners' lives being varied by tales of violence, robbery, and bloodshed in which the bandits had been engaged. From the scraps o£ conversation which the Messrs Bonell picked up, they are confident that the whole band must number 13 or 14 men. The ..only inhabitant of the house in which they were kept whom they saw was a decrepit old woman who cooked the victuals, but they were not allowed to speak to her. The brigands at length ascertained that they could get 27,000 dollars, and determined on the release of the prisoners. Mr Bonell, senior, was blindfolded, mounted on horseback, and accompanied by two robbers, removed from his nephew. He 7 rode for some six hours, but' he is confident "that he was taken backwards and forwards and round the house, for the handkerchief being, somewhat loosely tied he was enabled to recognise stones and marks on the road. ,/Wjben they halted the bandage was taken ;f rbm his eyea, and he found himself at the 'entrance to Xeres. From there Mr Bonell went to Cadiz, where he obtained ransom money. .This spoil was duly divided between the brigands ; and then the two prisoners were jjtaken, separately, and with' precautions t6 prevent recognition, to one of the nearest railway stations, and allowed to go on their ■■way. ■ '• ■ ' :' ;; A telegram from Mr Layard states, how;V eYer,tbat the brigands were waylaid on their return by the civil guard, and that three of v-the band were killed. The ransom, it was believed, had been recovered. An attempt 3 had been made to carry off two more Englishmen, officers of the garrison at Gibraltar, but the brigands were driven off, with a loss of one killed and one wounded.