As we are about to make our parting adieux, do we not hear some call for Uncle Elijah—Ezekiel—Uncle Sam of Bosbury—the beaux of the village, the Reindeer hunters, more than all, the pretty girl of Skeaker, and our many peasant friends. No one answers; where is our guide to lead the way? Ever ready, our gallant Ole Halvorsen, steps to the front, and for himself and them bids you all good-by.
Nor shall our gipsy band be wanting at the last. Come, Esmeralda, Noah and Zachariah—quick! Mephistopheles, to the front. Kind readers, we bid you all farewell.
And now, adieu I we must leave you,
To wander o’er forest and fell,
Our blessing for ever attend you,
And echo our parting farewell!
APPENDIX.
PRŒSTEN EILERT SUNDT’S WORKS ON THE NORWEGIAN GIPSIES.
The very important works relating to the Norwegian gipsies which have been compiled and published for the Norwegian Government, by Prœsten Eilert Sundt, are peculiarly interesting, not only as affording the most recent and reliable information regarding this singular people, but from the many details and facts which are noted, as to their modes of life, language, religion, customs, and occupations. The first work, “Beretning om Fante-eller Landstrygerfolket i Norge,” published in Christiania in 1850, followed by another edition, published, Christiania, 1852,[142] contain the results, and the most reliable information that Prœsten Sundt, then a candidate for holy orders, could collect during two years’ patient and persevering research. During this period, he was able to obtain with tolerable accuracy, their probable number, and a great amount of reliable information, relating to their habits, means of existence, and, above all, the prospect of inducing them to abandon their ordinary mode of life. Prœsten Sundt had many facilities to aid him in accomplishing this undertaking, with the sanction and authority of the Norwegian Government. He had free access to all local and public records and documents, and thus had unusual opportunities of satisfying himself, from time to time, and testing the truth and falsehood of the accounts given to him by the gipsies. Again, his clerical character was a ready passport to every village clergyman and Prœstgaard.
Prœsten Sundt describes the Norwegian gipsies as a race of yellowish-brown, black-haired people, having dark, piercing eyes, and who are of foreign and suspicious aspect. Wandering incessantly, up and down the country, they frequent the most devious and solitary roads and ways between Stavanger and Agershuus, and, northwards, away to Throndjhem and Finmark.
Their bands vary in number, and consist of men, women, and children, provided, sometimes, with horses, carts, and some few domestic animals, particularly pigs. They assume the most varied characters, and some of them are tinkers, sievemakers, horsedealers, and horse-doctors, and, in fact, follow many of those occupations generally adopted by the gipsies of every country, as most compatible with a roving life. Prœsten Sundt also states that many are plunderers and robbers, and our own experience has clearly shown, that the gipsies, deservedly or otherwise, have acquired a very indifferent reputation in Norway.[143] They are clearly regarded with far less favour than in England, where the romantic life they lead has furnished endless incidents for the novel, the drama, and the feuilleton of the press. This, and their strange, wandering life, and mysterious origin, may account in some degree for the passing interest they at times create and obtains for them, here and there, par souffrance though it be, occasional shelter and protection. The earliest mention, according to Prœsten Sundt, of the gipsies in Norway, is to be found in an Ordinance of 1589, and he is of opinion that they did not enter by way of Denmark and South Sweden, but through the north of Sweden, and Duchy of Finland; in fact, through North Russia.