The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-13
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
IFOr Additional CITY Intelligence see Third Page.l
@ L H - Il H - E.
The Citanos, ZlncaIi, BohemIans,
Etc.-Thelr Manners and Mode of
Living The Crowd at the
Encampment Fortu ne
Telling, Begging, Etc.


about it that seems to hold them, in spite of
worldly circumstances, to their strolling habits.
Their origin is wrapped in mystery and obscu.
rity. There is no one who can say with certainty
whence they came originally. All over the
world, in everylquarter, they are seen, without
almost an exception. Some have held that
Egypt is the land of their origin, whilst others
have contended that they are the relics of the
lost tribes of Israel. One thing is certain that,
scattered as they are over the face of the earth,
they have one common bond of union in their
language and their customs. Their language,
the Rommani, is a peculiar iargon only known
among themselves and spoken by nearly all
their race alike in every quarter of the globe.
They appear to keep the same distinctivechar-
acteristics of features and manners, and do not
seem to lose them by intermarriage with the
people amongst whom they may chance to stay.
Their strange, wandering, unsettled mode of
life is never changed for the more settled habits
of an advanced civilization. They are the Ish.
maelites of the nations.
For several months past there have been great
numbers of these people In the neighborhood of
this city. They had come originally from Eng
land, and were then scattered through the
Atlantic States, principally in New Jersey,
Maryland Delaware, and this State. Since the
eginning of June last, they have been in our
wn immediate neighborhood. Early in that
Month, indeed, they had congregated in con-
'iderable numbers in the western suburbs, from
whence they had been ordered by the police for
Deirg disorderly. They then disappeared for
short time about the beginning of the present
month, although the men we're still to be seen in
West Philadelphia dealing in horses. Within
last ho,yp
several localities. One band is out in Church
lane, below Mount Moriah Cemetery. Another
is squatted in an enclosure near Second and
I Nicetown lane.
Hearing some most remarkable and decidedly
Munchausenish stories about the party out at
Nicetown lane, we made start the other after
noon, and resolved to see these famous Zincali
about whom so much romantic nonsense had
appeared in print Taking the Third street car
we rode 10 the depot, only to learn that we had
good two miles to loot across lots aud dusty
4 roads. Fortunately, we found some one who
knew somebody else who could tell us
where to find another person who could
tell ali about the Gtauos' whereabouts. We
/ got on the Second street road aud, with our
tace set to the north, boldly trudged onward.
As we went our Imagination portrayed the
most brilliant pictures of gypsy lie. We thought
we saw an emerald lawn, with pIcureque tents,
and Lanosome Ilncali men and women, clad in
bright eyes fash and the cheek knde under
the strains OF the flute and the tamborne as they
moved in the may and voluptuous dance.
The beautiful children, clad in bright but taste
full costume, Gazing at US wOnderngly but with
respectful manner. We fanciCd we saw the
majestic queen moving among her subjects
i with all the grace and dignity Of a sovereign.
We even thought OF the superb furniture, the
vessels OF silver, and the china god-banded and
tostly. Our nostris were even ticked in our
y fancy with the rich gypsy .pottage. All this,
and more, we've we imagining as we bent our
Tasty footsteps onward towards the distant
/ amp. Nay, some of the old romantic legends
d the gipsies and their songs hoated Throughout
nlnd, and we thought OF our once iavOrte
on, ''The Gypsy Countess
4 We got within halt mile of the place, when
We observed commotion ahead. There we're
.oung girls and young ladies In begles of three
! G tour or i've, coming from the direction Of the
amp. There we're crowds Of irrepressible boys
all ages and degrees of cleanliness There
i we're men on loot and on horseback, some in
carriages and some in carts. Not exactly
4 moving what to make of the approaching
warms, we inquired OF group of young ladies'
= What lhe attraction was. and was informed
hey had ali come from the gypsy camp.
s We found the camp pitched IN an enclosure
On lot OF ground on the west side OF Second
street, near NICetoWn lane, and belonging to
4 General Sidney Jones, who also owns the pro.
ety known as the Mansion House opposite, on
: lie eastern side of Second street. Instead of
4 he romantic splendor with which we had eX-
lected to regale our eyes, we found squalor and
4 ilth that would disgrace Bedford street. There
we're no white tents, there were no gorgeous
Gesses, nor music, dancing, or, in fact,
= ay OF the many romantic surroundings we had
4 Ictured Eto ourselves. The tents four in
"a mmber, were of the rudest and dirtiest it we're
- pssble to imagine. Fancy three or four hoop
Fl piles, each bent into n semiCircle, with the
eds stuck into the ground, and about three or
folr feet apart, and over these some dirty
Y bhnkets or households OF duli grey or brown
" coor thrown and you have the tent. One end
is eft open TOR inRr ress and egress. All the fur
niure there is in them is a lot of dirty, filthy,
blolzy bed-clothing, or perhaps chair or a
trunk, and an article or two OF clothing Their
watons, four in number, are good and strong.
one Of them has berths built in it, which cause
the upper part to project over the under part
tol the space of eighteen inches or more. This
is the property OF the queen, Lydia Palmer.
Thir horses are tolelably good, and IN hrst'rate
condition.
Scattered over the grounds were groups OF men,
women, and children, visitors to the wonderful
encmpment whilst outside were numbers OF
=. elcgmt carriages, whose occupants were look
ing With wondering eyes on the strange spec
tacle within. There was one thing we took par
tlculg notice OF, 4. e.. most OF the visitors were
of thegentleI sex. Hardly lhad we entered when
a little Gitano, aged apparently about four Sor
fve yetrs, came towards us: His feet were bare,
his clothes ragged and dirty, his curly, let
black lair in wild confusion, and his
K smutty nut-brown face, with its sparkling
black eyes flaming with greediness. He ran
up To us md said, with brisk matter of business
air, 'Mr., give me penny, and da.h-nce for
ye." We gave him one, and he asked for an.
..# other. VA gave hlm one more, and with the
most gleedy Unsuitable manner, the little wretch
asked for athird in the most unaDashed manner
H/pos ible. We gave him third and he asked
Tor another, and he then, after our refusing to
give any moE until he danced for us, hoped
H. ka.R =