The New York herald., 1851-08-07
The Glpsies at IIoDokeu.

Those who wish to SEQ real novelty, and a real
curiofity in this country, can do so by taking
walk on the road north Of the cricket ground, above
the Elysian Fields, Hoboken, where they will see,
close by the margin Of the adjoining grove, sm all
colony Of gcnu Inc Gipsies living in that filthy and
degraded style peculiar to that singular, and often
troublesome class Of bipeds. There are, in all,
three families, numbering about twenty-five per-
sons, young and old. Two of the women are real
Egyptian born, and most Of the other adults were
born in England; yet any one who Is familiar
with the Gipsey character, can readily discover in
their features their actions, dress, gestures looks
slovenly mode Of living, and general tone, all the
distinguishing characteristics Of that migratory race
According 70 their own pst dira, two Of those
families landed in Virginia sbont ten months ago,
from Durham, England; and they have until re-
Gently, been wandering about that and the neigh
boring states Of the south and west. They state
that they came north for the purpose Of escaping
the climate Of the south, which has proved
fatal TO several OF their children. The third hmi-
ly have been rowing about Long Island for some
months past, having also como over from England.
Among this motley group Is n woman about sixty
years OF age, the glance Of whose sm all, sunken
eye, is enough "to fright the very dell" Lot
ous hags 90 renowned In romantic story, for their
powers IL the dark mysteries Of witchraft, and he
will have before his mental eye fac sin,e pcrsoni
fcation Of the old dame 10 be seen at Iloboken.
We ssked her several questions, few Of which che
answered grufly and Ia a seemingly reluctant man
ncr She then rose, limped a short distance away.
and souatted down by the base Of large tree NUT
tering some ncohercnt expressions, and stareng In
no very attractive manner, at those whom curiosity
had brought GROUND her family circle. We heard
one young lady say to her companions, Come
away, the ugly old thing looks frighttul.' AT
which they all simultaneously moved of, casting
suspicious side glances in the direction of the old
crone. On asking the old 'un II she told fortunes,
she answered, in nm unearthly voice, "Not to-day,
Il will tomorrow.
Only one family has q tent, the others sleep in
their wagons, In which they carry oil their ELECTS
from place to place. We could see no cooking
utensils or the traces Of anything that could show
their tinkcring employment, except few bits OF
| tin scattered here and there. and n small anvil
stuck in the ground some of the men informed "
that they got but very little TO do. and that their
living was very hard the latter part of which as
scftUn We fully credit. from the starved looking
| alrcarance of themselves aud children. We found
| among them two of Ilibcrnia's sons one OF them
the lord and master Of the one whom we have de-
scribed. On asking one of the lfishmen how be
could bring himself 20 live In such miserable way
| he said that he felt perfectly happy. that he h1d
joined the gipses in England when young, aud thai
now he would not change his life fer the best farm
irdolcnt and filthy appearance fully cor)borated
the truth of his assertion. Except these two men,
oil the ether are of Egyptian bool. an in every
Iartiruar tb,y uly sustaIn tic Giry character in
-. ..- isi ~s~.ts s,-.-sts,