The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-03-22
AMONG SPANISH GYPSlES.
FROM TIE PICTURES0UE RANKS OF
THE GITANOS

Are Recruited Spnin's professional
Beggars, Banditti, smuggIers, Assns
sins and Petty Thieves -Triama, On,
sof Their StronghoIds, u suburb of Sc
vilIe-A Gypsy Ball, Reminding Of
"Little Egypt" and the Midway Plai-
snnce--A Sunset Drive to ItaIicn, the
Rims of the Town In Which Emper.
or Trajan Was Born.
Especial correspondence of the Journal
and Courer)
Seville, Spain, Feb 18th, 1900.--No for
cigner comes to Seville without visiting
the Gypsy town. Triana, which lies just
acrose the Guadalquivir, and to find a
''jaleo," or dance, in full swing is con-
sidered happiness indeed. But it is rath-
er dangerous sport for male spectators,
though welcomed effusively on account
OF the money they are expected to spend,
or which may be stolen from their poch-
cts There is no accounting for Spanish
Jealousy, especially when inf1amed with
100 copious rotations, and the careless
Gringo who expresses admiration for
any special dancer, may presently feel
her Gypsy lovers knife in his back. Not
only are countless murders committed
In Triana but the assassination of many
a stranger in the streets of Seville has
been traced to his visit across the river,
whence he was followed by some steal
thy villain, gliding like a snake in the
shadows, till a convenient spot was
reached for the swift because accustom-
ed, work of murder and robbery. Then,
silently and swiftly the gypsy glides
back to Triana, where to find him is as
easy task as hunting a criminal in the
underground passages of San Francis
co.'s Chinatown, or for the typical needle
in the hay-mow.
AS the Gitanos of Spain are race
to themselves, distinct form any other
on the face Of the earth, so their viii
lagos are totally different from other
centres of population. In fact, the few
places where they swarm in incredible
numbers can hardly be called towns or
cities, because they have an unconquer-
able aversion to fixed habitations, or
any more permanent dwellings than
canvas walls. Like flies around a car
rion, they are continually coming and
going about the swarmng place; and
they are really of less value in the uni
versal economy than the flies, because
the latter in time, remove the offensive
substance that first attracted them.
While pursuing their secret and congo
NAL avocations of smuggling, thievery
av1I actn n
the Gitanos is that of the fortune-tell-
er, the horse-trader, jockey, guide-any-
thing that promises little money with
out manuel labor; for all evils to which
flesh is heir, the true Gypsy considers
worst the eating of bread in the per-
SEPARATION of his countenance. All over
this sunny land of song and laughter
the highways and byways are dotted
with wooden crosses, each making a
waysde murder. The traveller on
lonely road, in the mountains, or corn
lands in the region of olive groves and
orange orchards, or the warmer valleys
where grapes grow, who suddenly comes
upon band of strolling gypsies, finds
himself in very ll-fortune indeed. Doz-
ems Of children, well-trained in their
part instantly surround him, stretch
aims, even embracing his knees, or hold
ing on to his feet if he is mounted and
selling his horse by the bit. 1t is inn
possible to shake them off as so many
leeches, and hoping by liberal dona-
ton to escape further violence, his hand
seeks his pocket; then blow from a
bludgeon on the back of his head fells
him to the earth and knife quickly
H.. L 49, n
the country patrol finds a naked corpse,
by the roadside, with nothing whatever
about it that may lead to Identification.
He buries it on the spot, and piously
plants above it a cross, whose wide open
arms are perpetual appeal to paesers-
by for prayers for the unshriven soul.
Ninety-nine times in hundred, moth
ing more is ever done. The victims |
friends probably never hear of the cir
icumstances and the local authorities |
are not given to troubling themselves |
over such common occurrences. So |
cheaply is life held in Spain.
Crossing the bridge which spans the
Guadalquivir opposite the Golden Tow
er of Seville, you find yourself at once
amid Triana's gloomy lanes, the haunt T
of foot-pads and smugglers, from whs,h
ragged multitudes stink away at your
approach as if the earth swallowed
them, like rats scurrying into their
holes; but all the time you have an
uneasy consciousness of menacing eyes
watching you from concealment and
furtive footsteps in your wake. 1t would
be the height of folly for foreigner to
venture there alone, even at midday,
and our small party was wisely aug
mented by three citizens of Seville
whose failure to return would certainly
be Investigated. 1t was at Triana where
Murillo found the ragged boy studies
which rendered bis fame immortal. His
Santa Rufina and Santa Justina, now
regarded as the patron saints of Seville,
were also painted from Triana gypsy |
models, in remembrance of the two
who were stoned to death by
the Romans, on this very spot, for re-
fusing to worship the image Of Venus.
Those martyrs of long ago were maxi
ers of pottery, exactly like that which is
made to-day in Triana and sold on the
street corners. The Moorish name of
the place is Jarayanah, and is supposed
TO be q corruption of Trajana, bestowed
to-,