The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-03-30
The GipSy Slaves cf IEaElachia.

| gree In painting the country they are O.
bliged to traverse in the most sombre col
| ors. Once out Of the sight Of the lines oi
trees that border the Danube, yoa enter
upon an interminable dismal plain, with
4 level horizon that surrounds you like a
circle, of which you are ever in the centre
There are no objects behind, to mark
your progress by their gradual disappear
ance; there is nothing ahead to encourage
you on: no mountains Of blue rising high
er and higher, becoming substantial as
you advance, breaking up their long line
into peaks and valleys, bristling with
crags or clothed in forest. If you would
know that you are in motion, you must
look upon the ground beneath your feet
and see the pebbles and plants pass slow
| ly backwards a5 your wagon moves speed
/ iiy on, or whirl dimly by as the karoutch-
er pursues its mad career. In winter
time, an additional drcarincss is given to
this desert by the absence of the sun,
which is hidden from view by one cloud
stretching from horizon to horizon, low
down, so as almost to resemble mist just
risen from the earth. Here and there
few slight elevations, foot or two high,
indicate the presence Of an underground
village. AT various distances, tall poles
rise into the air, marking the positions of
wells, around which the sky is speckled
by flights Of crows and vultures. Now
and then you meet parties of peasants
clothed in sheepskin, and wearing prodi-
gious mustachaes, wandering across the
level. At nj ght the only sound is the wind
whi,tling through the low bushes, occa-
sionally bringing to the ear the reports of
volley of musketry fired by some party
of travellers, who amuse themselves in this
martial way.
Itis not uncommon in crossing these sad
plains to come upon groups Of wild-look-
ing individuals, black as Ethopians, scan
tily covered by old rags, stepping jaunt-
lily out, waving their arms, nodding their
heads, rafting fragments Of songs, and
Gathering together as they 60 the black
smiths tools which they bear upon their
backs. Further on, perhaps when night
has fallen, an hour or two after these odd
looking people have gone ahead of your
wagon, (they take two strides for one Of
your oxen, the ground ahead will proba-
bly, become spangled as WI tn glow-worms;
and presently a sort of whirlwind of
strange sound, half song, half shout, will
be borne by the night breeze, to mingle
with the buzz Of your OWL caravan, and
the creaking of the wheels. You have
come upon a village, an encampment, a
burrow Of Gypsy troglodytcs jewellers in
caves, who are either sitting around the
remains of the fires they have lighted to
cook their evening meal, or, with open
doors or traps, by the light of a candle
stuck in the ground, are engaged in smo-
king red clay or cherry wood pipes, and
drinking the harsh wine Of the country.
These people are Of the most humble
and most unfortunate section of Wallachi-
an people, the Zigans, who of old formed
a fourishing little State, paying tribute
to The Greek empire, but who are now re-
duced to a condition of abject slavery
Their history is most obscure, and it is
not With certainty known whence they
came or by what steps they descended to
their present level. It seems certain,
however, that they belong to the same
family of wanderers who are known in
Egypt as Gayras, in Hungary as Zingari,
in Germany as Zigcnnor, in Spain as
Gitanos, in France as Bohemians, and in
England as Gipsies. Their own tr additions
derive them from Syria, whence they were
transported in the Eighth century by one
of the Emperors to Tbrace. On account
Of some peculiarities in their manners,
perhaps of some strange forms of doc
trine, they seem to have become detested
and despised by neighboring nations, and
especially by the Mohammedans. When
the Turks penetrated into their territory,
instead Of merely requiring tribute from
them, they attacked them with fury, dis
persed them, hunted them down like
wild beasts, and condemned those to per-
petual seryitude whose lives they spared.
In this persecution they were encouraged
by the Christians, who shared indeed, the
greater pdII Vi tuS SCI ID d.
mong themselves. It's estimated that at
present there are more than twenty three
thousand Zigan families in Moldo- W ALA
CHA, comprising about hundred and
fifty thousand souls. Ascertain number
Of these belong to the State, which en-
ploys them in mines and works; whilst
the others are divided among the monas-
teries and the Boyards. Some of these
latter possess as many as FIVE or six thou.
sand, engaged in the laborious works con.
nected with their estates, in part let out
upon hire. They sell or exchange them
at certain fixed periods of the year, bring.
ing them like cattle to market; until late.
! ly, they treated them with such severity
! that they not unfrequently drove them tc
suicide. Many Boyards of human char.
acter now granted semi-liberty to theil
Zigans, allowing them, for so much q
year, to 90 about as they please, seeking
for work, and retaining the produce of it
Once every Spring. the half enfranehised
slave must make his appearance and pay
/ Lie tribpfa Sometimes also he hrjDDE