The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-02-18
The Origin of the Gypsies.


believing with Capt Richard Burton
that the Jats of Northwestern India
furnished so large proportion of the
emlgrants or exiles who, from the
| tenth century, went out of India west
ward, that there is very little risk in as
Stunning it as an hypothesis, at least, that
they formed the hauptStanans of the
gypsies of Europe. What other ele
ments entered into these, with whom we
are all familiar, will be considered pre-
sently. These gypsies came from India,
where caste is established and callings
are hereditary even among outcasts. 1t
is not assuming too much to suppose that,
as they evinced marked aptitude for
certain pursuits and an inveterate at
tachment to certain habits, their ances-
tors had IN these respects resembled them
for ages, These pursuits and habits were
that they were thinkers, smiths, and far
rlers; they dealt in horses, and were
naturally familiar with them; they were
without religion they were unscrupulous
thieves; their women were fortune-tel
lers, especially by chiromancy ;-they ate,
without scruple, animals which had died
a natural death, being especially fond of
the pig, which, when it has thus been
"butchered by God is still regarded
even by, the most prosperous gypsies in
England as deicacy. They fayed
animals, carried corpses and showed
such aptness for these and similar de-
tested callings that in several European
countries they long monopolized them.
They made and sold mats, baskets, and
small articles of wood They have shown
great skill as dancers, musicians. singers
acrobats; and it is rule almost without
exception, that there is hardly a travel
ing company of such performers, or a
theatre In Europe or America, in which
there is not at least one person with some
Romany blood, Their hair remains black
to advanced age, and they retain it longer
than do Europeans or ordinary Orien-
tails. They speak an Aryan tongue, which
agrees, in the main, with that of the Jats.
but which contains words gathered from
other Indian sources Admitting these
as the peculiar pursuits of the race. the
next step should be to consider what are
the principal nomadic tribes of gypsies in
India and Persia, and how far their oc-
cupationS agree with those of the Romanv
of Europe That the Jats probably sup
piled the main stock has been admitted
This was a bold race of North western
India, which at one time had such power as
to obtain important victories over the
Caliphs. They were broken and dis
persed in the eleventh century by Nah
mould, many thousands of them wander
ing to the West They were without re-
ligion of the horse, horsey," and noto-
rlous thieves. In this,they agree with the
European gypsy. But they are not habit
ual eaters of muJlo baLor, or dead pork :"
they do not devour everything like dogs.
We cannot ascertain that the Jat is
specially musician, dancer, a mat and
basket maker, rope-dancer, a bear
leader or peddler We do not know
whether they are peculiar in India
among the Indians for keeping their hair
unchanged to old age, as do pure-blood
English gypsies All of these things are.
however, markedly characteristic Of GER
tain different kinds Of wanderers, or gyp-
sizes, in India. From this we conclude
hypothetically-that the Jat warriors
were supplemented by other tribes; chief
among these may have been the Dom.
The Doms are a race Of gypsies found
from Central Asia to the far northern
frontier, where a portion of their early
ancestry appear as the Domarr, and are
supposed to be pre-Aryan. In TIE
People Of India, edited by J. Forbes
Watson and ]. w. Kaye, India Museum,
1859 we are told that the appearance
and modes of life of the Doms indicate a
marked difference from those who sur
round them, Gn Behar) The Hindus
admit their claim to antiquity. Their
designation in the Shastras is Sopuckb.
meaning dog-eater. They are wanderers,
they make baskets and mats and are in
veterate drinkers Of spirits, spending all
their earning on it. They have almost a
monopoly as to burning corpses and
handling all dead bodies. They eat all
animals which have died natural death,
and are particularly fond Of pork of this
description. Observation-Disclosures
habits, many Of them attain the age of 80
or 80; and it is not till 60 or 65 that their
hair begins to get white" The Domarr
are mountain race, nomads, shepherds
and robbers. Travellers speak Of them
as "Gypsies' A specimen which we
have Of their language would, with the
exception of one word, which is proba-
bly, an error Of the transcriber, be intel
hgble to any English gypsy, and be
called pure Romano FinoI1,I fbo ovd;