8. Wild Goose Chases Across the Brazilian Outback
In 1925, Lampiao crossed the border into neighboring Ceara state, where he enjoyed some political support. After a brief rest, he invaded the state of Alagoas, and looted several farms and ranches. Initially, the authorities sent men to each reported Lampiao sighting, but he was always long gone by the time government forces arrived. In the meantime, the forces sent to capture him had been formed by stripping several small towns of their garrisons. That made them ripe pickings for Lampiao’s bandits. He actively misled police via false telegraph messages reporting his presence near certain towns. When the authorities mobilized and sent large contingents to the reported sightings, Lampiao’s gang fell upon less guarded towns far away. Eventually, the authorities wised up, and the governments of various states created mobile police forces popularly known as volantes, that were authorized to cross into neighboring states in pursuit of Lampiao’s band.
In July, 1925, a flying column of twenty men tracked down fifteen of Lampião’s gang, and killed one of his brothers in a firefight. In addition to his main group, Lampiao also commanded several subgroups, and assigned other cangaceiros to lead them in his name. For nearly two decades, Lampiao roamed on horseback with his men, all clad in leather clothes, hats, sandals, coats, ammunition belts and pants. To protect the “captain”, as Lampiao’s men called him, and raid farms, ranches, towns and cities, all went about heavily armed and amply supplied with ammunition. In 1930, Lampiao was featured in the New York Times. That same year, he met and fell passionately in love with Maria Bonita, who became his lover and companion. In 1936, Lampiao’s daily life was photographed and filmed by Benjamin Abrahão Botto.
