After having examined the camping ground, I found I had noted the following as my conclusions, and they subsequently proved to be quite correct:—
... Two families had encamped, but had not stayed many days.
... They had left that morning between the hours of nine and eleven.
... The two families had left together.
... They had not gone to their usual next camping ground, but had at first gone some distance upon the main road.
... All were walking, and there were a number of children.
The signs left by the campers, known to gypsies as a patrin or pateran, which enabled me to form these opinions were as follows:—
Two pieces of wood—one long, one short—were laid together V-wise; in the centre was the lid of an old tin canister in which was placed a bit of heather, very much branched, that is to say, no piece had been removed. The larger piece of wood was so placed that it pointed away from the main road, but a little way from it there had been placed another piece which was much bent, and this pointed in the direction of another main road cutting across that previously mentioned.
So much for the description of the pateran itself.
... The ashes had been thrown off the fire tray and were still dry. Now, there had been rain that morning just before nine o’clock, therefore the families had left after that hour, having breakfasted before striking camp.