Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-01

once capacious Church of the mountain
town had as completely fallen away and dis
appeared as though it had never existed.
The secret of the desertion of the pueblo
by its, native inhabitants lay in the fact that
sometime within the past century or two the
place had been so thoroughly shaken by one
of the earthquakes which now and then
thunder along the Riviera that the simple
souls who lived within it had incontinently
fled, never to return. Its present occupation
by from 300 to 400 of the Gitani, was SIM
ply an example of clever thrift under the
new order OF things among the Gipsies of
Spain where thieves have become honest
traders rather than, as among our kind of
folk, honest traders becoming commercial
thieves.
SPANS Gypsy POPULATION.
I will not dwell upon my own delightful
experiences among these tawny folk-their
surprise, pleasure and affection on finding in
El Americana one who could speak in their
own secret tongue and tell them such won
drous and true tales of their rich brethren in
the far Eldorado across the sea; my 1oiter-
ings among the poorer detached families
whose pride in my attentions knew no
bounds; the hours with the esqulladors, or,
in Gipsv, the monrabaros, who with their
cachas, or scissors, SO deftly clip and trim
the hair of animals; the lingerings among
herreros or blacksmiths, who with their
charcoal urns for forges will turn out
marvels OF horse shoes, nails and all needed
implements; or those still more enchanting
evenings when the entire village was trans
formed into scene of innocent revel and
dancing, where hundreds OF weird figures in
the half-lights and shadows glided airily in
the sensuous balero or leaped and pounded
the ancient street in the registering zapotea;
but briefly give such facts concerning the
real condition of Spanish Gipsies OF to-day
as were learned from Pancho Tomas and the
g1aver members of his band.
Under their better fortunes, and, what is
of more account, their better morals, for the
last quarter of a century the Spanish Clip
sizes have lost greatly in picturesqueness and
gained as greatly in character and numbers.
The question of numbers is, fortunately,
easily arrived at. Two years ago the SUBJ
ject of general emigration was seriously dis
cussed. Pancho Thomas and a few other
important heads of clans took steps to Sc
cure something like Gipsy census.
Drom rajahs troad lords), or rowing Clip
Kair raiahs town iordsj or city Gipsies: 1900
Total Gipsies in Spain. .128, 500
The rowing Gipsies include all wander
ing bands, whether or not they have tenn
porary city or town habitation, with all
Gipsys of whatever occupation, outside of
those permanently living in cities. Those
having, in occupation, apparently blended
with the rural population comprise sur
prising number. Diligence drivers and
guards; stablemen, male scullions, often
walters, at country inns; and many OF the
guardia civile; are now Gipsies. A no mean
number are farmers in the northern prov
a,l r. =
ing cattle, donkeys and ponies. At least
one half of the muleteers of all Spanish ter
ritory north of Madrid are Gipsies, and the
Maragatos, of Celtiberian descent, whom
travellers describe so picturesquely as con-
trolling all that class of labor, have had to
give way to this singular encroachment. A
large number Of guides are now Gipsies;
while even the Gallegan peasantry who
formerly exclusively reaped in the harvest
fields of CASTLE and Portugal, have now i'm
portant rivals in this harder, DETER and
more agile race.
THEIR VARIOUS OCCUPATIONS.
The kair rajahs, or town Gipsies, who are
always held in the greatest contempt by
members OF rowing bands. are now in Spain,
as in America, developing aptitude for labor
in many of the lowly callings of the town.
The street harpists, the public guitar play
ers, she with the tamborine or castinets, are
GipsieS. The ballets have them. Those who
travel from door to door selling gew-gaws
and relics are Gipsles. The jockeys at the
horse market; every tinker in Spain; many
of the cocheros and footmen; the ratcatcher,
the bird trainer and many of the sellers of
sweets. the duicerof. are Gipsies. The "show
Gipsles" of Granada and Seville, thousands
in number, are genuine members of the race,
but are held in greater loathing by the bet
Ter classes OF their own race than by the |
Spaniards themselves. Another vocation,
always most popular in this country, has at |
tracted the attention of Spanish Gipsies. |
There are thousands, all told, engaged in |
various capacities about the hundreds of |
bull rings in Spain. They are the expertest |
known chulos, banderilleros, picadors and |
even matadors and espadas, of the present |
day.
1 inquired searchingly concerning the old |
Glpsy tricks-the buena ventura, or fortune |
telling; chiving the drao or animal-poison-
ing; the hukni, or great trick of swindling |
folk of large sums of money by |
packages containing the same while |
lncantations were being said, or "spells''
were being worked; the querelar nasula, or
casting the ''evil eye;" ustilar pastesas or
Stealing with the hands, by juggling with
money received in change at shops; and
hat most detestable of female Gipsy
leviltry, the dealing in love phiIters and
similar vile charms. The answers were
honest, humiliating and hopeful. They
demonstrated improvement. Yes, all these
hings were still practlced, but to surpris-
nglv less extent. Respectable Gipsies had
oresworn these things absolutely. The
Jreat mass OF Spanish Gipsies were begin
ling to emulate those who, like Pancho
whose credit with merchants and bankers
lere at Barcelona find exceeds S1OO, O,OO0),
lad become traders, and, in way, business
nen. EDGAR L. WAKEMAN,
GOSPEL IN A BOAT.