CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION |
On the Gypsies in general—Name andLanguage—The Russian Gypsies—Gypsies atMoscow—Hungarian Gypsies—Wallachia andMoldavia—English Gypsies, or Rommany—GypsyFortune-tellers—Gypsy Jockeys—GypsyWill—Thurtell—Gypsy Clans—Names ofFamilies—Gypsy Law—Pazorrhus—ThePatteran—Baptismal Papers—Gypsies of theEast—Artifice of Timour—Bishop of Forli | [1] |
THEZINCALI |
PART I |
CHAPTER I |
Of the Spanish Gypsies ingeneral—Names—Arrival—EgyptianPenitents—Peculiarities of Spain—Provinces which theGypsies principally frequented | [41] |
CHAPTER II |
Manner of Life—Predatory Habits—TheTraveller—Jews and Gypsies—The Forge—TheSparks—Gypsy Counts—Martin del Rio—Facility inspeaking Languages—Proverbs | [48] |
CHAPTERIII |
Excesses of the Gitános—The Bookseller ofLogroño | [61] |
CHAPTER IV |
Gypsy Colonies in various Towns of Spain | [71] |
CHAPTER V |
Cannibalism—The Forest—Anecdotes—Food ofthe Gypsies—Child-stealing—Connection of theGitános with the Moors of Barbary | [76] |
CHAPTER VI |
Barbary and its Tribes—Beni Aros—Sidi Hamed auMuza—The Children of the Dar-Bushi-Fal, a Sect of Thievesand Sorcerers, probably of Gypsy Origin | [85] |
CHAPTER VII |
Chiromancy—Torreblanca—Gitánas—TheGitána of Seville—La Buena Ventura—TheDance—The Song—Tricks of the Gitánas—TheWidow—Occult Powers | [98] |
CHAPTER VIII |
The Evil Eye—Credulity of Eastern Nations on thissubject—Remedies for the Evil Eye—TheTalmud—Superstitions of the North | [115] |
CHAPTER IX |
Exodus of the Jews: that of the Gypsies—Indifferenceof the Gitános with respect toReligion—Ezekiel—Tale of EgyptianDescent—Quiñones—Melchior of Guelama—Religious Tolerance—The Inquisitorof Cordova—Gitános and Moriscos | [122] |
CHAPTER X |
The Expulsion of the Gitános; a Discourse addressedby Dr. Sancho de Moncada to Philip the Third | [137] |
CHAPTER XI |
Various Laws issued against the Spanish Gypsies, from thetime of Ferdinand and Isabella to the latter part of theEighteenth Century, embracing a period of nearly Three HundredYears | [151] |
CHAPTER XII |
Carlos Tercero—His Law respecting theGitános | [166] |
PART II |
CHAPTER I |
Badajoz—The Gypsies—The WitheredArm—Gypsy Law—Trimming andShearing—Metempsychosis—Paco andAntonio—Antonio and the Magyar—TheChai—Pharaoh—The Steeds of the Egyptians | [177] |
CHAPTER II |
Madrid—Gypsy Women—Granada—GypsySmiths—PepeConde—Seville—Triana—Cordova—Horses—TheEsquilador—Characteristic Epistle—Catalonia, etc. | [194] |
CHAPTERIII |
General Remarks on the Present State of theGitános—Inefficiency of the Old Laws—Prospectsof the Gitános—Partial Reformation—Decline ofthe Gypsy Sect—Fair of Leon—Love of Race—Gypsyexecuted—Numerical Decrease | [207] |
CHAPTER IV |
Illustrations of Gypsy Character—The Gypsy Innkeeperof Tarifa—The Gypsy Soldier of Valdepeñas | [221] |
CHAPTER V |
Various Points connected with theGitános—Dress—PhysicalCharacteristics—The Gypsy Glance—Extracts from aSpanish work | [243] |
CHAPTER VI |
Certain Tricks and Practices of the GypsyFemales—The Bahi—Hokkano Baro—UstilarPastésas—Shoplifting—Drao—TheLoadstone—The Root of the Good Baron | [252] |
CHAPTER VII |
The Marriage Festival—Eastern Jews—TheirWeddings | [266] |
CHAPTER VIII |
Attempts made to enlighten the Gitános—TheInward Monitor—The One-eyed Gitána—Pépaand Chicharóna—The Gypsy Congregation | [274] |
PARTIII |
CHAPTER I |
The Poetry of the Gitános | [287] |
CHAPTER II |
Spurious Gypsy Poetry of Andalusia | [298] |
Brijindope.—The Deluge | [304] |
The Pestilence | [310] |
On the Language of the Gitános | [313] |
Robber Language | [335] |
The Term ‘Busno’ | [354] |
Specimens of Gypsy Dialects | [357] |
Vocabulary of their Language | [365] |
APPENDIX |
Miscellanies in the Gitáno Language | [415] |
The English Dialect of the Rommany | [428] |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
| Gypsy’s Marriage Dance (photogravure)
| Frontispiece
|
| The Rearguard of the Marching Gypsies
| To face page [50]
|
| Travellers attacked by the Gitános
| [52]
|
| A Song of Egypt
| [108]
|
| The Gypsy Smith of Granada
| [196]
|
| The Murder of Pindamonas by Pepe Conde
| [198]
|
| Roasting Chestnuts by the side of the Guadalquiver
| [200]
|
| A Gypsy Family
| [222]
|
THE GYPSIES
INTRODUCTION
Throughout my life the Gypsy race has always had a peculiar interest for me. Indeed I can remember no period when the mere mention of the name of Gypsy did not awaken within me feelings hard to be described. I cannot account for this—I merely state a fact.
Some of the Gypsies, to whom I have stated this circumstance, have accounted for it on the supposition that the soul which at present animates my body has at some former period tenanted that of one of their people; for many among them are believers in metempsychosis, and, like the followers of Bouddha, imagine that their souls, by passing through an infinite number of bodies, attain at length sufficient purity to be admitted to a state of perfect rest and quietude, which is the only idea of heaven they can form.
Having in various and distant countries lived in habits of intimacy with these people, I have come to the following conclusions respecting them: that wherever they are found, their manners and customs are virtually the same, though somewhat modified by circumstances, and that the language they speak amongst themselves, and of which they are particularly anxious to keep others in ignorance, is in all countries one and the same, but has been subjected more or less to modification; and lastly, that their countenances exhibit a decided family resemblance, but are darker or fairer according to the temperature of the climate, but invariably darker, at least in Europe, than those of the natives of the countries in which they dwell, for example, England and Russia, Germany and Spain.
The names by which they are known differ with the country, though, with one or two exceptions, not materially for example, they are styled in Russia, Zigáni; in Turkey and Persia, Zingarri; and in Germany, Zigeuner; all which words apparently spring from the same etymon, which there is no improbability in supposing to be ‘Zincali,’ a term by which these people, especially those of Spain, sometimes designate themselves, and the meaning of which is believed to be, The black men of Zend or Ind. In England and Spain they are commonly known as Gypsies and Gitános, from a general belief that they were originally Egyptians, to which the two words are tantamount; and in France as Bohemians, from the circumstance that Bohemia was one of the first countries in civilised Europe where they made their appearance.