The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-10-24
TRAITS OF eYpsIEs.
Result Of Archduke Joseph's OBJ
Servations.

ditions and habits of the gypsie:
his special study. The literature
relating to this strange and inter
esting people is already extensive
but Archduke Joseph has brought
to light several unknown features
and has corrected many existing
errors in regard to the gypsies. He
has had unusual opportunities 70,
making a study Of these people
No fewer than $4,000 gypsies live
in Hungary, and about 100000 oil
them are found in Roumania. The
Archduke has spent many months
visiting their settlements one after
another. It is we'll known that the
gypsies have deliberately deceived
not few savants, but owing to the
fact that Archduke Joseph is thor
oughly acquainted with their Ian
guage and also, perhaps, on account
of his high rank, they have revealed
some of their secrets to him with
out hesitation.
Some time ago he published the
first results of his studies. It was
the most complete grammar and
dictionary of the gypsy language
that has yet appeared. Later he
wrote a paper which was read before
the Ethnographical Society of Buda
Pesth, on the origin and habits OF
the gypsies. The Archduke sup
ports the theory of Grellman, that
all gypsies are of Hindustani origin.
He bases this theory upon COM
parison of the two languages. AS
instances of the remarkably large
number of resemblances between
these languages may be mentioned
the word for snow, which in Hin
dustani is ''hima" and in the gypsy
language is "him"; the word for
carrier in the one language is "laya"
and in the other is ''lel," and means
the bearer of snow. He gives many
other instances of the same sort,
and it is no longer doubted that the
slopes of the Himalaya mountains
were the homes of all the gypsies
at present in Europe, where their
first appearance is traced to the
year 1417.
In their opinion the world has
from eternity and is the or
igin of everything that is good.
God they call "Devil" and the devil
they call "Beng." The Archduke
says they fear both, and curse both
when they are in bad luck or in the
case of the death of one of their
number. They believe also in evil
spirits, which can be chased away
by throwing brandy or water upon
the body or upon the grave when
ever they pass it. They do not be-
lieve in life after death. They
have no word for paradise and none
for heaven. They often profess re-
ligion either for convenience sake or
under compulsion, but it has no
real hold upon them. They en-
brace the religion of the people who
allow them to settle among them,
and they call themselves Christians,
though they remain in reality hea-
hen. cherishing the traditions of
he fire worshipers, which they seem
once to have been.
The Archduke says that the bap-
ism of a child. as performed by the
;riest, has no real value for them
ill the eldest of the clan has held
he babe over large open fire. This
s the babes real reception into the
community, whatever outward re-
igion they may profess. The Arch
luke says that of the gypsies in
Hungary there are "a 900 orthodox,
e, 900 Greek Catholics, 10000 Ro-
nan Catholics and 5000 Protest
lnts of the Helvetian Confession,
which corresponds pretty well with
he proportion of creeds in the dis
riots which tolerate them. The
orotestants are least disposed to
permit them TO remain in their
7icinity.
Gypsies are generally held up all
,ver the world as examples of su-
,erstition, witchcraft and similar
ailings. In this respect the Arch
luke says that they are wronged,
md that their accusers are the su-
,erstitious ones, and the gypsies
augh at them after fleeing them.
)ne day the Archduke asked several
gypsy women to tell him his for
une, which they readily did. AS
:oon, however, as he addressed them
II their own language they declared
hey would not cheat zone of their
,wn," and being explicitly asked
they believed in cards as a
means Of telling fortunes. they said
No; that is good enough for nom
,ypsies."
Each of their colonies is ruled by
In elder, who in Hungary, Rouma-
Tia and Bohemia is called vejyadu.
The elder has the power Of punish
ng, and he usually uses the stick
or more serious crimes, resorting
or lesser ones to boxing the ears of