The Sun.
London, England, 1829-10-21 00:00:00

COVICO-TRAGICAL AFFAIR.

Most of our local readers are aware, that for
several years past, a colony of Gypsies, to the
number of thitty, t o►►sisting of men, women,
and children, have tenanted a subterraneous sort
of residence, at Covesea, known by the name of
Hell's Hole. This singular place of residence
is entirely the work of nature, and consists mostly
of excavated rock. Its eccentric inmates some-
what happily characterise it as a house not made
with hands. They take it into their heads at
regular intervals of time—once, every twelve
months we believe—to " get up" a bona fide
marriage of some two of themselves. The
" matches" are not made in accordance with the
feelings or predilections of the parties more im-
mediately interested, but by a majority of votes
of the whole grown up portion of the strange
group. Arrangements for the celebration of a
marriage among these gentry on Friday last,
were duly completed ; and according to use and
wont, they set off on a ramble - through the
country previous to the performance of the sacred
ritual. One old man of themselves, apparently
upwards of fourscore and ten, who invariably acts
in the capacity of clergyman on these occas►ons,
set off with them o❑ their excursion, mounted on
an antiquated staid animal of the same species
as the one which, in days of yore, admonished
Balaam of the error of his ways. To this aged
man the entire community of Gypsies look up
with feelings approaching to patriarchal rever-
ence ; and amidst their incessant broils and
fightings, his person is held as sacred as were
the persons of Caledonian's ancient bard?, when
on the field of battle. In going through the
marriage form, this aged worthy makes incom-
parably shorter work of it, than either our Scot-
tish or English Clergy do. Mounted on the
back of his jackass, he, without requiring the
previous form of proclamation of banns, desires
the embiyo husband and spouse to join hands,
and then, after going through certain gesticula-
tions, and clinking two large keys together, in
which form he pretends there is a peculiar vir.
tue—he pronounces them " married for life."
After they had travelled about a mile in the in-
stance in question, from their place of residence,
they paused in a large field, and " did" a mar-
riage of a young couple, in less than a minute,
from the commencement to the conclusion of

the ceremony. Thence they immediately ad-
journed to the village of New Dufrus, for the
purpose of purchasing a liberal supply of " moun-
tain dew," wherewith to celebrate this event in a
becoming manner. But the stocks of the pub-
licans were unfortunately too low to meet the
Gypsies' extensive demand. Our colony, how.
ever, were not to be " done" in a matter of
such essential importance ; and therefore, they
" moved off" to Burghead, a further dis-
tance of three miles, where, as a matter of
course they were supplied with the liquids
to their hearts' content. They purchased
extensively, paid readily, and speedily quaffed
a very reasonable allowance. Still, how-
ever, one very important part of the services of
the day remained to be performed—namely,
what they themselves, in their own emphatic no-
menclature, designate the " bloody row." With-
out this by way of a concluding act, all the other
performances of the day would have been deem-
ed illegitimate ; in other words- " null and void."
The " row," therefore, was duly commenced at
eleven o'clock forenoon, and a " bloody " one it
was beyond dispute. It seemed to be quite a
run-a-muck sort of engagement. There appear-
to be no "specific " adversaries in the business.
Every one seemed to fight from a pure abstract
love of fighting, or because it was considered
neceSsary to thd dignity of the married pair ;
and every one " laid about him," at the merest
random in the world, and certainly without re-
spect of persons. The women also were be-
comingly active in the affray ; and, what was the
greatest wonder of all, they employed their hands
and feet as their weapons, to the entire exclusion
of their tongues. In fact, one would sometimes
have imagined that Nature had denied them the
gift of the unruly member, until such a hypo-
thesis was demolished by the utterance of an oc-
casional exclamation, forced out of them by
what Dr. Chalmers would call the " demonstra-

tion " of a heavy blow to some sensitive part of
their persons. Even the junior branches of the
"select band " were not idle spectators of what
was going on. Every one, in short, always ex-
cepting the privileged old gentleman formerly
adverted to, who could move hand or foot,
" chuck " a stone, or wield a stick, entered with
all imaginable life and soul into the pastime—
for so it seemed by universal consent to be con-
sidered. The scene of action was on the sandy
links, and it actually lasted from eleven to four
o'clock, until the militants were reduced to a
state of literal exhaustion. It was no uncom-
mon spectacle for one to have witnessed half-a-
dozen of them sprawling on the ground all at
once, in consequence of the blows received at
the hands or feet of their fellow combatants.
Several of them were dreadfully bruised, and
even the bride herself, before all was over, exhi-
bited a couple of blue optics, with a brace of
cheeks to match ; in short, presented so dis-
figured a physiognomy, that one would have
supposed it a work of some difficulty for the
bridegroom to have recognised her as his spouse.
One of the fellows WQS literally stripped in the
course of the affray, of every article he had on
his back in the shape of clothes, anti was under
the necessity of wrapping himself in a blanket to
cover his nakedness. After four o'clock they
all set off, as harmoniously as if nothing had
happened, to their residence in Hell's Hole,
whence it is not likely they will, in a body, sally
forth until the next annual marriage.—Elgin
Courier.

Nine persons were last week committed to the
House of Correction, at Devizes, for offences against the
Game Laws.

The inhabitants of Berkley square are obliged
to he at the expense of re-Macadamizing it, the first ope-
ration having been performed so unsatisfactorily.
SIMPLE METHOD OF KILLING RATS.—A
farmer in the parish of Fourdoun, whose steading was
much infested with rats, took the following simple method
to get clear of them, by which he has caught upwards of
400 :—He placed a large copper kettle in his corn loft,
and filled it about half full of water, and strewed a thin
sprinkling of chaff over it, and, by a few dells extending
from the wall to the kettle, the rats were enabled to avail
themselves of it, art.!, mistaking the chaff and water for
corn, leapt in to partake, when they invariably met with
death by drowning.—Aberdeen Chronicle.
EXPORTATIONS OF BULLION.—The entries
for the exportation of the precious metals continue to be
large, and in a week, ending last night, notices have been
given at the Custom House for the shipment of above
400,000 ounces. Silver appears to be most in demand on
the Continent. Thet.rincipal entries are 250,000 ounces,
and 24,000 ounces of Foreign gold and silver coin, 21,000
ounces of Foreign silver coin and bars, and 50,000 ounces
of Foreign silver coin, for Hamburg. For Calais, the only
entry has been 55,400 ounces of Foreign gold and silver
coin and bars. For Rotterdam there have been no entries
made recently, the consignments being principally to Ham-
burg by the steam-boats. The stock of silver on hand in
this country is understood to be very great. In the prie.s
of bullion yesterday there wa9 no alteration.

(ALLEGED) WITHDRAWAL of the RATE
upon PARISHES for the NEW POLICE.

(From a Correspondent.)

A short time since we gave an account of the
sums levied on different parishes for the outfit and
maintenance of the New Police, the effect of which
was, that meetings were called, and petitions pre-
sented to the Home Secretary, praying that he
would give more time than the 40 days allowed by
the Act of Parliament, for the collection of the sums
required, and to be allowed to pay the amount by
instalments. It was also sail to be a great griev-
ance, that about 30 men were employed to watch
the Parks and Kensington Gardens, which, being
Crown lands and extra-parochial, were not subject
to be assessed by the parishes who were now called
upon to pay for watching them. It was considered,
however, by those from whom the orders emanated, ,
that the time could not be extended, -or the rate
received in any other way than that pointed out.—
The Right Hon. Secretary, seeing that the public
feeling was decidedly averse to the mode adopted,
has subsequently ordered the rates to be with-
drawn ; and we understand that the demands have
been suspended for the present, it being in contem-
plation to raise the necessary sums by a different
plan.—(We insert the above, because we have some
reason to believe in its correctness, but we do not
vouch for its truth.)—Morning Paper.