Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume III.djvu/665

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CAMORRA CAMPAGNA DI ROMA 659 (first ed., 1775). The Spanish translators are Gomez de Tapia, Gurzcs, and Lamberto Gil. It has been translated into French by Milli6 ; into German by Donner (1833), Booch-Arkossy (1854), and Eitner (1869) ; into Italian by Nervi ; and into Polish by Przybylski. See "Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Lniz de Camoens," by Adamson (2 vols., London, 1820). < AUOKUA (probably from Span, camorra, quarrel), a secret society of Neapolitan male- factors, which flourished especially under the reign of Ferdinand II. (1830-'59), who tolerated them. They were thoroughly organized in every important city of the Two Sicilies, and in Na- ples alone they had 12 central stations, each with an absolute chief, and a contarolo or accountant, the money extorted by the various branches being deposited in the barattolo or common exchequer and divided into equal parts among the members. The candidates for admission had to furnish evidence that they had not been spies or thieves, and that their wives and sis- ters had not been prostitutes ; and they were bound to secrecy and obedience by an oath on the crucifix. The candidate was apprenticed to an old camorrista as a piceiotto d'onore ; after a year's satisfactory probation he was ad- vanced to the grade of a piceiotto di sgarro, but he was not received into the ranks of the camorristi proper until he had given full proofs of daring and obedience to orders. They wore a scarf of peculiar pattern, and carried two knives and a large club, by which they rec- ognized each other. Treason to the society was punished with death. Serious quarrels among themselves were settled by duels ; minor disputes were decided by the chief. They had an argot or slang language unintelligible to others. They devoted themselves to all kinds of fraud and violence, were often found in gambling houses and all places of public resort, and sometimes appeared as lottery dealers, ped- dlers, or beggars. They were wont to raise mock quarrels among themselves, under cover of which they could plunder the bystanders. In 1848 King Ferdinand attempted to secure their cooperation against the revolutionists, but the negotiations fell to the ground on account of their exorbitant demands. In 1860, under Francis II., an effort was made to employ them to assist the police, but after a time they be- came only the more formidable, and in 1802 Gen. Lamarmora had 300 of them expelled in one day. Of those left behind, some joined the Garibaldians, and as late as 1873 many of them, in spite of the exertions of the authorities, ap- peared as smugglers and brigands. See La Camorra, 'notizie itoriche, by Monnier (Flor- ence, 1863). CAMPAGNA, a town of Italy, in the province and 20 m. E. of Salerno ; pop. about 9,000. It is surrounded by lofty mountains, and contains a cathedral, churches, convents, a college, &c. CAMPAG1VA DI ROMA, the plain surrounding Rome. It nearly coincides with the ancient province of Latium, is bounded N. by the Tiber and Teverone, E. by a branch of the Apen- nines, S. and S. W. by the Mediterranean, and is about 65 m. long by 40 m. broad. It is volca- nic, the lakes lying in craters, some of which, Campagna of Rome. as that of Lake Regillus, have a regnlar conical j form. The N. and N. E. part of the Campa- gna, lying on the slopes of the Apennines, is pleasant and salubrious, but tiie lowlands nre afflicted by a malaria which is disastrous to life and health. The Campagna includes the Pon- ; tine marshes, which were. formed by several small streams, including the Ufens, Nymphteus, ! and Amasentts, which, finding no outlet to the sea, spread over the land. (See PONTINE MARSHES.) Hot sulphur springs nre found be- tween Rome and Tivoli. In early days the Campagna contained many small cities. Of the inhabitants, the Albans were the most powerful. When the Romans conquered them, these cities were destroyed. They were after- ward repeopled from the capital, but rebelling, were punished, and finally were left entirely desolate. In the time of Diodorus, 20 B. C., decay and desolation were noticeable in many