Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-08-27
THE GIpsIEs.
By REV. Z. ADAMS.

80 eeJ0Ns ~ Otpbi0os Wb tuTu W "
from no especial predisposition, from no feelings
early awakened about this mysterious and wan
dering people, much less from the cause which
they themselves assert for the early and continued
interest felt in them Ly Borrow. the chronicler of
their Spanish tribes, namely, that his soul once
tenanted the body of a gypsy.
This is q race of human beings but little known
among US. Indeed, the impression is not a rare
one, that they are a kind Of semi-human, semi-su-
pernatural beings, that they are wizards and wit
ches-csn fly over the sea, enter the crack of q
door. and hover about mortals unseen !
You are probably aware that the singular peo-
pie of whom we speak are wandering tribes, secu-
ring a precarious living, without the advantages
Of fixed laws and social organizations. They we're
first known in Germany in 1909. Nine years la
ter they were seen in Switzerland, and twenty
four years after in Italy, whence in the course of
five years they found their way into France, Spain
and Great Britain. At the present day their num-
bers are few in France. In England there are
about $4,000 ; in Spain 10000; in Hungary so, 900;
in Turkey as many more, Constantiuople being
thronged with them. Great numbers are met in
Russia. There are not less than 700, 900 in the
world. In whatever country they are found, they
preserve their peculiar habits and language, and
are distinct from all other people in their features
and personal manners. In Turkey they are dis
singuished by their dark eyes. brown complexion,
and black hair. and by aversion to labor, and a
propensity to petty thefts. And these are their
characteristics in all lands. There are great num-
bers Of gipsies in Persia. Many spoculations
have been INDUCED with regard to their origin,
II has been a prevalent notion that they were of
Egyptian descent, their name being considered as
indicating thesame. But those who suppose them to
be Of Hindostanee or Sudar extraction, have much
the best proof on their side.
A real gypsy has an eye, countenance, mouth,
hand, ANGLE, and quickness of manners, strongly
indicative Of Hindoo origin. The testimony of the
most intelligent travellers, many of whom have
long resided in India, fully confirms this opinion.
And, indeed persons who have not visited the Ash
attic continent, but have seen natives of Hindostan,
have noticed the marked similarity Of manners
and features existing between them and the
7~gipsies.
The Hindoo Sudar delights in horses, tinkering,
music, and fortune-telling; so does the Gypsy. In
Moscow the gipsies have, by their skill in music,
realized an amount of wealth, and secured such a
reputation as TO have married into distinguished
Russian families. They adopt the Greek religion.
but only to please the Emperor, and secure to
themselves, in consequence, q more permanent.
footing in the country.
They resemble the Sudar tribes Of India in their
wandering habits, in their light tents and blankets.
The Sudar cot the flesh of nearly every unclean
creature, nor are they careful that the flesh of
such creatures should be fresh. The Gipsies imi-
tate them in this disgusting choice of food. Dogs
aud cats are eaten by them, and even carrion. 1t
is a common saying among them, "Tbat which
God kills is better than that killed by man." In
this respect, however, they are Improving.
The strongest evidence of their Hindoo origin is
iound in the great resemblance their own language
hears to the Hindostanee. Grellman, a distin-
guished student of languages, states that twelve
words OF every thirty in their vocabulary, are
either pure Hindostanee,o or intimately related to it.
This language they call gibberish, and believe
it TO have been invented by their forefathers, for
secret purposes. 1t is not peculiar to one, or a
few of their tribes, but common 20 all in Eurone
and Asia.
Bishop Heber records in his journal an account
Of an encampment of wretched tent of mats. with
baskets, ponies, goats, &C., SO like gipsies be had
seen in England. that on asking who they were, he
was not surprised to hear his guide give them that
very name.
A we'll known nobleman of England, who bad
resided many years in India, taking shelter under
q tree during a storm. near a camp of gipsies. was
surprised to hear them use several words which
he we'll knew to be Hindostanee, and going uu to
them, be found them able to converse in that lam.
guage.
A returned missionary met a gipsy at the house
Of Father Crabbe. the gipsy's friend, SOUTHAMPTON.
Eng. and having conversed with her a long time
IN the language of Hindostan, declared that her
people must once have known the language we'll.
Lord Teignmouth, who knew the Indian Ian
guage' once said to a gypsy, tue burra tsctur,,
that 49, Thou art a thief" She immediately re-
piled, "No, l am not a thief. live BY fortune-tell-
ing" Wandering tribes have been found in Nm.
5ia, who have for centuries conversed in the same
dialect. The name of this people has induced
many TO suppose that they had an Egyptian ori.
gin Dus there is nothing in their habits. or Ian
guage' or "reminiscences, that indicates such q
tact And yet they may have derived their name
from the TACT oil having passed through Egypt into
the Europesn nations.
II Is believed by those who have had the best
opportunity to study the matter. that in Mo 60
iiess years OF the 18th century, there was A pensr-
al migration of the Sudars, a caste amons .hs
Asiatic Indians, occasioned by the ravages Of TT.
muir Beg who, having become a Mathematical.
took up arms for the purpose of making nroselv,
to that %idolatry. These Sudars, being Of tbs jow-
est caste, and unable to find sympathy or shelter
among the other castles. and having escaped the ar.
mics of Timur. found their way into the nsisbbor.
ing countries. They were a degraded people:
considered as the lowest Of the human race, and
with an army seeking their destruction. tbey had
every motive to leave. and none to remain iu thar
native land. Perhaps the most natural course fr
them on their way to Europe. was over tho Per.
.ian deserts, along the Persian Gull. to the mouth
OF the Euphrstss, thence to Bossara. into a. dss.
erts Of Arabia, and thence into E4xnt Nv ths I-sI