A History of the Gipsies: with Specimens of the Gipsy LanguageSimson, Walter
History
A History of the Gipsies: with Specimens of the Gipsy Language
Simson, Walter
Romanies; Romanies -- Languages
Cantemir, according to Grellmann, says that the Gipsies are dispersed
all over Moldavia, where every baron has several families subject to
him. In Wallachia and the Sclavonian countries they are quite as
numerous. In Wallachia and Moldavia they are divided into two
classes--the princely and boyardish. The former, according to Sulzer,
amount to many thousands; but that is trifling in comparison with the
latter, as there is not a single Boyard in Wallachia who has not at
least three or four of them for slaves; the rich have often some
hundreds under their command,[34] Grellmann divides those in
Transylvania into four classes: 1st. city Gipsies, who are the most
civilized of all, and maintain themselves by music, smith-work, selling
old clothes, horse-dealing, &c.; 2d. gold-washers; 3d. tent Gipsies; and
4th. Egyptian Gipsies. These last are more filthy, and more addicted to
stealing than any of the others. Those who are gold-washers, in
Transylvania and the Banat, have no intercourse with others of their
nation; nor do they like to be called Gipsies. They sift gold sand in
summer, and in winter make trays and troughs, which they sell in an
honest way. They seldom beg, and more rarely steal. Dr. Clarke says of
the Wallachian Gipsies, that they are not an idle race; they ought
rather to be described as a laborious race; and the majority honestly
endeavour to earn a livelihood.
[34] In the narrative of the Scottish Church Mission of Enquiry to the
Jews, in 1839, are to be found the following remarks relative to the
Gipsies of Wallachia:
"They are almost all slaves, bought and sold at pleasure. One was
lately sold for 200 piastres, but the general price is 500. Perhaps £3
is the average price, and the female Gipsies are sold much cheaper.
The sale is generally carried on by private bargain. The men are the
best mechanics in the country; so that smiths and masons are taken
from this class. The women are considered the best cooks, and
therefore almost every wealthy family has a Gipsy cook. Their
appearance is similar to that of the Gipsies in other countries; being
all dark, with fine black eyes, and long black hair. They have a
language peculiar to themselves, and though they seem to have no
system of religion, yet are very superstitious in observing lucky and
unlucky days. They are all fond of music, both vocal and instrumental,
and excel in it. There is a class of them called the Turkish Gipsies,
who have purchased their freedom from government; but these are few in
number, and all from Turkey. Of these latter, there are twelve
families in Galatz. The men are employed as horse-dealers, and the
women in making bags, sacks, and such articles. In winter, they live
in town, almost under ground; but in summer, they pitch their tents in
the open air, for, though still within the bounds of the town, they
would not live in their winter houses during summer."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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