with an old night-cap on his head, a leathern apron around his waist,
and all covered with dust or soot, employed in making spoons from horn.
After conversing with him for a short time, I reminded him of the
ancient language with which he was acquainted. He assumed a grave
countenance, and said the Tinklers had no such language, adding, at the
same time, that I should not trouble myself about such matters. He
stoutly denied all knowledge of the Tinkler language, and said no such
tongue existed in Scotland, except a few cant words. I persisted in
asserting that they were actually in possession of a secret language,
and again tried him with a few of my words; but to no purpose. All my
efforts produced no effect upon his obstinacy. At this stage of my
interview, I durst not mention the word Gipsy, as they are exceedingly
alarmed at being known as Gipsies. I now signified that he had forfeited
his promise, given me at the fair, and rose to leave him. At this
remark, I heard a man burst out a-laughing, behind a partition that ran
across the apartment in which we were sitting. The old man likewise
started to his feet, and, with both his sooty hands, took hold of the
breast of my coat, on either side, and, in this attitude, examined me
closely, scanning me all over from head to foot. After satisfying
himself, he said, "Now, give me a hold of your hand--farewell--I will
know you when I see you again." I bade him good-day, and left the
house.[204]
[204] I am convinced the Gipsies have a method of communicating with
one another by their hands and fingers, and it is likely this man
tried me, in that way, both at the fair and in his own house. I know a
man who has seen the Gipsies communicating their thoughts to each
other in this way.
"Bargains among the Indians are conducted in the most profound
silence, and by merely touching each other's hands. If the seller
takes the whole hand, it implies a thousand rupees or pagodas; five
fingers import five hundred; one finger, one hundred; half a finger,
fifty; a single joint only ten. In this manner, they will often, in a
crowded room, conclude the most important transactions, without the
company suspecting that anything whatever was doing."--_Historical
Account of Travels in Asia, by Hugh Murray._
"_Method of the English selling their cargoes, at Jedda, to the
Turks_: Two Indian brokers come into the room to settle the price, one
on the part of the Indian captain, the other on that of the buyer or
Turk. They are neither Mahommedans nor Christians, but have credit
with both. They sit down on the carpet, and take an Indian shawl,
which they carry on their shoulders like a napkin, and spread it over
their hands. They talk, in the meantime, indifferent conversation, of
the arrival of ships from India, or of the news of the day, as if they
were employed in no serious business whatever. After about twenty
minutes spent in handling each other's fingers, below the shawl, the
bargain is concluded, say for nine ships, without one word ever having
been spoken on the subject, or pen or ink used in any shape
whatever."--_Bruce's Travels._
I had now no hope of obtaining any information from this man, regarding
his peculiar language. I had scarcely, however, proceeded a hundred
yards down the street, from the house, when I was overtaken by a young
female, who requested me to return, to speak with her father. I
immediately complied. On reaching the door, with the girl, I met one of
the old man's sons, who said that he had overheard what passed between
his father and me, in the house. He assured me that his father _was
ashamed to give me his language_; but that, if I would promise not to
publish their names, or place of residence, he would himself give me
some of their speech, if his father still persevered in his refusal. I
accordingly agreed not to make public the names, and place of residence,
of the family. I again entered the little factory of horn spoons.
Matters were now, to all appearance, quite changed. The old man was very
cheerful, and seemed full of mirth. "Come away," said he; "what is this
you are asking after? I would advise you to go to Mr. Stewart, at
Hawick, and he will tell you everything about our language." "Father,"
said the son, who had resumed his place behind the partition before
mentioned, "you know that Mr. Stewart will give our speech to nobody."
The old chief again hesitated and considered, but, being urged by his
son and myself, he, at last, said, "Come away, then; I will tell you
whatever you think proper to ask me. I gave you my oath, at the fair, to
do so. Get out your paper, pen and ink, and begin." He gave me no other
oath, at the fair, than his word, and taking me by the hand, that he
would converse with me regarding the speech of the Tinklers. But, I
believe, joining hands is considered an oath in some countries of the
Eastern world. I was fully convinced, however, that he was _ashamed to
give me his speech_, and that it was with the greatest reluctance he
spoke one word on the subject. The following are the words and sentences
which I collected from him:[205]
[205] It is interesting to notice the reason for this old Gipsy chief
being so backward in giving our author some of his language. "He was
ashamed to do it." Pity it is that there should be a man in Scotland,
who, independent of personal character, should be ashamed of such a
thing. Then, see how the Gipsy woman, in our author's house, said that
"the public would look upon her with horror and contempt, were it
known she could speak the Gipsy language." And again, the two female
Gipsies, who would rather allow themselves to be murdered, than give
the meaning of two Gipsy words to Sauchie colliers, for the reason
that "it would have exposed their tribe, and made themselves odious to
the world." And all for knowing the Gipsy language!--which would be
considered an accomplishment in another person! What frightful
tyranny! Mr. Borrow, as we will by and by see, says a great deal about
the law of Charles III, in regard to the prospects of the Spanish
Gipsies. But there is a law above any legislative enactment--the law
of society, of one's fellow-creatures--which bears so hard upon the
Gipsies; the despotism of caste. If Gipsies, in such humble
circumstances, are so afraid of being known to be Gipsies, we can form
some idea of the morbid sensitiveness of those in a higher sphere of
life.
The innkeeper evidently thought himself in bad company, when our
author asked him for the Tinkler's house, or that any intercourse with
a Tinkler would contaminate and degrade him. In this light, read an
anecdote in the history of John Bunyan, who was one of the same
people, as I shall afterwards show. In applying for his release from
Bedford jail, his wife said to Justice Hale, "Moreover, my lord, I
have four small children that cannot help themselves, of which one is
blind, and we have nothing to live upon but the charity of good
people." Thereat, Justice Hale, looking very soberly on the matter,
said, "Alas, poor woman!" "What is his calling?" continued the judge.
And some of the company, that stood by, said, (evidently in
interruption, and with a bitter sneer,) "A Tinker, my lord!" "Yes,"
replied Bunyan's wife, "and because he is a Tinker, and a poor man,
therefore he is despised, and cannot have justice." Noble woman! wife
of a noble Gipsy! If the world wishes to know who John Bunyan really
was, it can find him depicted in our author's visit to this Scottish
Gipsy family, where it can also learn the meaning of Bunyan, at a time
when Jews were legally excluded from England, taking so much trouble
to ascertain whether he was of that race, or not. From the present
work generally, the world can learn the reason why Bunyan said nothing
of his ancestry and nationality, when giving an account of his own
history.--ED.
_Pagrie_, to break.
_Humf_, give me.
_Mar_, to strike.
_Mang_, to speak.
_Kair_, house.
_Drom_, street or road.
_Vile_, village.
_Gave_, village.
_Jaw drom_, take the road, get off quickly.
_Hatch here_, come here.
_Bing_, the devil.
_Bing lee_, devil miss me.
_Moolie_, death.
_Moolie_, I'll kill you.
_Mooled_, murdered.
_Moolie a gaugie_, kill the man.
_Powiskie_, gun or pistol.
_Harro_, sword.
_Shammel_, sword.
_Chourie_, knife.
_Rachlin_, hanged.
_Sallah_[206], to curse.
_Klistie_, soldier.
_Nash_, deserter.
_Grye-femler_, horse-dealer.
_Staurdie_, prison.
_Nak_, nose.
_Yak_, eye.
_Yaka_, eyes.
_Mooie_, mouth.
_Vast_, hand.
_Sherro_, head.
_Femmel_, hand.
_Lowie_, coin or money.
_Lowa_, silver.
_Curdie_, half-penny.
_Bar_, five shillings.
_Size_, six.
_Grye_, horse.
_Greham_, horse.
_Prancie_, horse.
_Aizel_, ass.
_Jucal_, dog.
_Routler_, cow.
_Bakra_, sheep.
_Matchka_, cat.
_Bashanie_, cock.
_Caunie_, hen.
_Thood_, milk.
_Molzie_, wine.
_Bulliment_, loaf of bread.
_Neddie_, potato.
_Shaucha_, broth.
_Mass_, flesh.
_Habben_, bread.
_Pauplers_, pottage.
_Paunie_, water.
_Paurie_, water.
_Mumlie_, candle.
_Blinkie_, candle.
_Flatrin_, fish.
_Chizcazin_, cheese.
_Romanie_, whiskey.
_Casties_, wood.
_Filsh_, tree.
_Lodlie_, quarters.
_Choar_, to steal.
_Chor_, a thief.
_Bumie_, to drink.
_Jaw vree_, go away.
_Graunzie_, barn.
_Graunagie_, barn.
_Clack_, stone.
_Yak_, fire.
_Peerie_, pot.
_Treepie_, pot-lid.
_Roy_, spoon.
_Skew_, platter.
_Swag_, sack.
_Ingrims_, pincers.
_Yog-ingrims_, fire-irons.
_Sauster_, iron.
_Mashlam_, brass or metal.
_Fizam_, grass.
_Penam_, hay.
_Geeve_, corn.
_Greenam_, corn.
_Beerie_, ship.
_Outhrie_, window.
_Nab_, horn.
_Shucha_, coat.
_Scaf_, hat.
_Gogle_, hat.
_Cockle_, hat.
_Calshes_, breeches.
_Teeyakas_, shoes.
_Olivers_, stockings.
_Beenship_, good.
_Baurie_, good.
_Shan_, bad.
_Rauge_, mad.
_Riah_, _Rajah_, chief, governor.
_Been riah_, the king.
_Been mort_, the queen.
_Been gaugie_, gentleman.
_Been riah_, gentleman.
_Been mort_, lady.
_Yagger_, collier.
_Nawken_,[207] Tinkler, Gipsy.
_Davies_, day.
_Rat_, night.
_Beenship mashlam_, good metal.
_Beenship-rat_, good-night.
_Beenlightment_, Sabbath-day.
_Shan drom_, bad road.
_Shan davies_, bad day.
_Gaugie_, man.
_Managie_, woman.
_Mort_, wife.
_Chavo_, son.
_Chauvies_, children.
_Praw_, son.
_Prawl_, daughter.
_Nais-gaugie_, grandfather.
_Nais-mort_, grandmother.
_Aukaman_, marriage.
_Carie_, penis.
_Bight_, pudenda.
_Sjair_, to ease nature.
_Jair dah_, a woman's apron.
[206] _Sallah_, in the Scottish Gipsy speech, properly signifies
accursed, or detested. It is one of the most abusive expressions that
can be used towards your fellow creatures. Nothing terrifies a young
Gipsy so much as to bawl out to him, "_Sallah, jaw drom_," which, in
plain English, nearly means, "You accursed, take the road."
It appears that, in Hindostanee, _Salla_ is a word of the highest
reproach, and that nothing can provoke a Hindoo so much as the
applying of it to him. When cursing and swearing, by what would appear
to be the Deity, the Gipsies make use of the word _Sallahen_.
[207] _Nawken_ has a number of significations, such as Tinkler, Gipsy,
a wanderer, a worker in iron, a man who can do anything for himself in
the mechanical arts, &c., &c.
I was desirous to learn, from this Gipsy, if there were any traditions
among the Scottish Gipsies, as to their origin, and the country from
which they came. He stated that the language of which he had given me a
specimen was an Ethiopian dialect, used by a tribe of thieves and
robbers; and that the Gipsies were originally from Ethiopia, although
now called Gipsies.[208] He now spoke of himself and his tribe by the
name of Gipsies, without hesitation or alarm. "Our Gipsy language,"
added he, "is softer than your harsh Gaelic." He was at considerable
pains to give me the proper sound of the words. The letter _a_ is
pronounced broad in their language, like _aw_ in paw, or _a_ in water;
and _ie_, or _ee_, in the last syllable of a great many words, are
sounded short and quick; and _ch_ soft, as in church. Their speech
appears to be copious, for, said he, they have a great many words and
expressions for one thing. He further stated that the Gipsy language has
no alphabet, or character, by which it can be learned, or its
grammatical construction ascertained. He never saw any of it written. I
observed to him that it would, in course of time, be lost. He replied,
that "so long as there existed two Gipsies in Scotland, it would never
be lost." He informed me that every one of the Yetholm Tinklers spoke
the language; and that almost all those persons who were selling
earthen-ware at St. Boswell's fair were Gipsies. I counted myself
twenty-four families, with earthen-ware, and nine female heads of
families, selling articles made of horn. These thirty-three families,
together with a great many single Gipsies scattered through the fair,
would amount to above three hundred Gipsies on the spot. He further
mentioned that none of the Yetholm Gipsies were at the market. The old
man also informed me that a great number of our horse-dealers are
Gipsies. "Listen attentively," said he, "to our horse-coupers, in a
market, and you will hear them speaking in the Gipsy tongue." I enquired
how many there were in Scotland acquainted with the language. He
answered, "There are several thousand." I further enquired, if he
thought the Gipsy population would amount to five thousand souls. He
replied he was sure there were fully five thousand of his tribe in
Scotland. It was further stated to me, by this family, that the Gipsies
are at great pains in teaching their children, from their very infancy,
their own language; and that they embrace every opportunity, when by
themselves, of conversing in it, about their ordinary affairs. They also
pride themselves very much in being in possession of a speech peculiar
to themselves--quite unknown to the public.
[208] The tradition among the Scottish Gipsies of being Ethiopians,
whatever weight the reader may attach to it, dates as far back, at
least, as the year 1615; for it is mentioned in the remission under
the privy seal, granted to William Auchterlony, of Cayrine, for
resetting John Faa and his followers. _See page 113._--ED.
I then sent for some spirits wherewith to treat the old chief; but I was
cautioned, by one of the family, not to press him to drink much, as,
from his advanced age and infirmities, little did him harm. The
moment you speak to an intelligent Gipsy chief, in a familiar and
kindly manner, putting yourself, as it were, on a level with him, you
find him entirely free from all embarrassment in his manners. He speaks
to you, at once, in a free, independent, confident, emphatic tone,
without any rudeness in his way of addressing you. He never loses his
self-possession. The old chieftain sang part of a Gipsy song, in his own
language, but he would not allow me to write it down.[209] Indeed, by
his manner, he seemed frequently to hesitate whether he would proceed
any further in giving me information, and appeared to regret that he had
gone so far as he had done. I now and then stopped him in his song, and
asked him the meaning of some of the expressions. It was, however,
intermixed with a few English words; perhaps every fifth word was
English. The Gipsy words, _graunzie_ (barn), _caunies_ (chickens),
_molzie_ (wine), _staurdie_ (prison), _mort_ and _chauvies_ (wife and
children), were often repeated. In short, the subject of the song was
that of a Gipsy, lying in chains in prison, lamenting that he could not
support his wife and children by plunder and robbery. The Gipsy was
represented as mourning over his hard fate, deprived of his liberty,
confined in a dungeon, and expressing the happiness and delight which he
had when free, and would have were he lying in a barn, or out-house,
living upon poultry, and drinking wine with his tribe.[210]
[209] The Scottish Gipsies have doubtless an oral literature, like
their brethren in other countries. It would be strange indeed if they
did not rank as high, in that respect, as many of the barbarous tribes
in the world. People so situated, with no written language, are
wonderfully apt at picking up, and retaining, any composition that
contains poetry and music, to which oral literature is chiefly
confined. In that respect, their faculties, like those of the blind,
are sharpened by the wants which others do not experience in indulging
a feeling common to all mankind.
A striking instance of a people, unacquainted with the art of writing,
possessing a literature, is said to have been found in Hawaii; and to
such an extent, as to "possess a force and compass that, at the
beginning of the study of it, would not have been credited."--ED.
[210] A song which a female Gipsy sang to Mr. Borrow, at Moscow,
commenced in this way, "Her head is aching with grief, as if she had
tasted wine;" and ended thus, "That she may depart in quest of the
lord of her bosom, and share his joys and pleasures."--ED.
This family, like all their race, now became much alarmed at their
communications; and it required considerable trouble on my part to allay
their fears. The old man was in the greatest anguish of mind, at having
committed himself at all, relative to his speech. I was very sorry for
his distress, and renewed my promise not to publish his name, or place
of residence, assuring him he had nothing to fear. It is now many years
since he died. He was considered a very decent, honest man, and was a
great favourite with those who were acquainted with him. But his wife,
and some other members of his family, followed the practices of their
ancestors.
Publish their language! Give to the world that which they had kept to
themselves, with so much solicitude, so much tenacity, so much fidelity,
for three hundred and fifty years! A parallel to such a phenomenon
cannot be found within the whole range of history.[211] What will the
Tinklers, the "poor things," as Sir Walter Scott so feelingly called
them--what will they think of me, after the publication of the present
work?[212]
[211] Smith, in his "Hebrew people," writes: "The Jews had almost
lost, in the _seventy_ years' captivity, their original language; that
was now become dead; and they spoke a jargon made up of their own
language and that of the Chaldeans, and other nations with whom they
had mingled. Formerly, preachers had only explained subjects; now,
they were obliged to explain words; words which, in the sacred code,
were become obsolete, equivocal, dead."--ED.
[212] The Gipsies have been much annoyed, in late times, by people
anxious to find out their secrets. The circumstance caused them, at
first, much alarm as to what it meant; but when they came to learn the
object of this modern Gipsy-hunting, they became, in a measure,
reconciled to their troubles; for they were perfectly satisfied that
the labours of these inquisitive people would, in the language of
Ruthven, "be in vain." But the attempt of our author, with his "open
sesame," caused not a few of them to travel through life with the
weight of a millstone hanging about their necks, which the
publication, now, is perhaps calculated to lighten. The "giving to the
world everything relative to their tribe," was something they were
more apt to over than under estimate. To be "put in the papers,"
judging from the horror with which such is regarded by our own humble
people, was bad enough; still, the end of that would, in their
peculiar way of thinking, be merely the "lighting of the candles, and
curling the hair, of the gentle folk." But to have themselves put in a
book--to see themselves, in their imaginations, "carried about in
every bit herd-laddie's pouch," was something that aggravated them.
The presumptuous pride, the overweening conceit of a high-mettled
Scottish Gipsy; his boasted descent--a descent at once high,
illustrious, and lost in antiquity; his unbounded contempt for the
rabble of town and country--rendered him, under the circumstances,
almost incapable of brooking the idea of seeing his race exposed to,
what he would consider, the ridicule of the very herds. The very idea
of it was to him mortifying and maddening. Well might our author, from
having been so much mixed up with the Gipsies, show some hesitancy ere
taking a step that would have brought such a nest of hornets about his
ears. But, all things considered, my impression is, that the outdoor
Gipsies, at the present day, will feel extremely proud of the present
work; and that the same may be said of all classes of them, if one
subject had been excluded from the volume, over which they will be
very apt to growl a little in secret.--ED.
While walking one day, with a friend, around the harbour of Grangemouth,
I observed a man, who appeared above seventy years of age, carrying a
small wooden box on his shoulder, a leathern apron tied around his
waist, with a whitish coloured bull-dog following him. He was enquiring
of the crews of the vessels in the port, whether they had any pots,
kettles, or pans to repair. Just as my friend and I came up to him, on
the quay, I said to him, in a familiar manner, as if I knew exactly what
he was, "_Baurie jucal_," words which signify, in the Gipsy language, a
"good dog." Being completely taken by surprise, the old man turned
quickly round, and, looking down at his dog, said, without thinking what
he was about, "Yes, the dog is not bad." But the words had scarcely
escaped his lips ere he affected not to comprehend my question, after he
had distinctly answered it. He looked exceedingly foolish, and afforded
my friend a hearty laugh, at his attempt at recovering himself. He
became agitated and angry, and called out, "What do you mean? I don't
understand you--yes, the dog is _hairy_." I said not another word, nor
took any further notice of him, but passed on, in case of provoking him
to mischief. He stood stock-still upon the spot, and, keeping his eyes
fixed upon me, as long as I was in sight, appeared to be considering
with himself what I could be, or whether he might not have seen me
before. He looked so surprised and alarmed, that he could scarcely trust
himself in the place, since he found, to a certainty, that his grand
secret was known. I saw him a short while afterwards, at a little
distance, with his glasses on, sitting on the ground, in the manner of
the East, with his hammers and files, tin and copper, about him,
repairing cooking utensils belonging to a vessel in the basin; with his
trusty _jucal_, sitting close at his back, like a sentinel, to defend
him. The truth is, I was not very fond of having anything further to do
with this member of the tribe, in case he had resented my interference
with him and his speech. This old man wore a long great-coat, and
externally looked exactly like a blacksmith. No one of ordinary
observation could have perceived him to be a Gipsy; as there were no
striking peculiarities of expression about his countenance, which
indicated him as being one of that race. I was surprised at my own
discovery.
A Gipsy informed me that almost all our thimble-riggers, or
"thimble-men," as they are sometimes called, are a superior class of
Gipsies, and converse in the Gipsy language. In the summer of 1836, an
opportunity presented itself to me to verify the truth of this
information. On a by-road, between Edinburgh and Newhaven, I fell in
with a band of these thimble-riggers, employed at their nefarious
occupation. The band consisted of six individuals, all personating
different characters of the community. Some had the appearance of
mercantile clerks, and others represented young farmers, or dealers in
cattle, of inferior appearance. The man in charge of the board and
thimbles looked like a journeyman blacksmith or plumber. They all
pretended to be strangers to each other. Some were betting and playing,
and others looking on, and acting as decoys. None besides themselves
were present, except myself, a young lad, and a respectable-looking
elderly female. I stood and looked at the band for a little; but as
nobody was playing but themselves, the man with the thimbles, to lead me
on, urged me to bet with him, and try my fortune at his board. I said I
did not intend to play, and was only looking at them. I took a steady
look at the faces of each of the six villains; but, whenever their eyes
caught mine, they looked away, or down to the ground, verifying the
saying that a rogue cannot look you in the face. The man at the board
again urged me to play, and, with much vapouring and insolence, took out
a handful of notes, and said he had many hundreds a year; that I was a
poor, shabby fellow, and had no money on me, and, therefore, could not
bet with him. I desired him to let me alone, otherwise I would let them
see I was not to be insulted, and that I knew more about them than they
were aware of. "Who the devil are you, sir, to speak to us in that
manner," was the answer I received. I again replied, that, if they
continued their insolence, I would show them who I was. This only
provoked them the more, and encreased their violent behaviour. High
words then arose, and the female alluded to, thinking I was in danger,
kindly entreated me to leave them. I now thought it time to try what
effect my Gipsy words would produce upon them. In an authoritative tone
of voice, I called out to them, "_Chee, chee!_" which, in the Scottish
Gipsy language, signifies "Hold your tongue," "be silent," or
"silence."[213] The surprised thimble-men were instantly silent. They
spoke not a word, but looked at one another. Only, one of them whispered
to his companions, "He is not to be meddled with." They immediately took
up their board, thimbles and all, and left the place, apparently in
considerable alarm, some taking one direction and some another. The
female in question was also surprised at seeing their insolent conduct
repressed, in a moment, by a single expression. "But, sir," said she,
"what was that you said to them, for they seem afraid?" I was myself
afraid to say another word to them, and took care they did not see me go
to my dwelling-house.[214]
[213] A lady, who had been seventeen years in India, told me that
"_Chee_, _chee_" was, in Hindostanee, an expression of reproof,
corresponding exactly with our "Fie, shame!" "Oh fie, shame!"
[214] About four years after this occurrence, I was invited to dine at
the house of a friend, with whose wife I was not acquainted. On being
introduced to her, I was rather surprised at the repeated hard looks
which she took at me. At last she said, "I think I have seen you
before. Were you never engaged with a band of thimble-men, near
Newhaven?" I said I was, some years ago. "Do you recollect," continued
she, "of a female taking you by the arm, and urging you to leave
them?" I said, "Perfectly." "Well, then, I am the female; and I yet
recollect your words were _Chee, chee_." She mentioned the
circumstance to her husband at the time; but he always said to her
that I must have been only one of the blackguards themselves,
deceiving her. He would not listen to her when she described me as not
at all like a thimble-rigger, but always answered her, "I tell ye,
woman, the man you spoke to was nothing but one of these villains."
The thimble-riggers who molested Mr. Rose, ship-builder, so much, also
answered my Gipsy words distinctly; and, ever afterwards, took off
their hats to me, as I passed them playing at their game.
[The thimble-men here alluded to took up their quarters immediately to
the west of Leith Fort, where the road takes a turn, at a right angle,
a little in front of Mr. Rose's house, and there takes a similar turn
towards the west: the best position for carrying on the thimble game.
So exasperated was this gentleman, when, by every means in his power,
he failed to dislodge them, that he sent some of the men from his
yard, to erect, on the spot, a pole, which he covered with sheet-iron,
to prevent its being cut down; and placed on the top of it a board,
having this upon it, "Beware of thimble-riggers and chain-droppers,"
with a hand pointing directly below. This had no effect, however, for
the "knights of the thimble" pursued their game right under it. A
gentleman, in passing one day, directed their attention to the board,
but the only reply he got was, "Bah! that's nothing. Where can you
find a shop without a sign? and where's the other person that gets a
sign from the public for nothing?"
Thimble-rigging is peculiarly a Gipsy game. In Great Britain, the
Gipsies nearly monopolize it; and it would be singular if some of the
American thimblers were not Gipsies.--ED.]
One of the favourite, and permanent, fields of operation of these
thimblers is on the Queensferry road, from where it is intersected by
the street leading from the back of Leith Fort, on the east, to the new
road leading from Granton pier, on the west. This part of the
Queensferry road is intersected by about half-a-dozen cross-roads, all
leading from the landing and shipping places at the piers of Granton,
Trinity, and Newhaven. These cross-roads are cut by three roads running
nearly parallel to each other, viz., the road along the sea-beach,
Trinity road, and the Queensferry road. A great portion of the
passengers, by the many steamboats, pass along all these different
roads, to and from Edinburgh. On all of these roads, between the water
of Leith and the Forth, the thimble-riggers station themselves, as
single individuals, or in numbers, as it may answer their purpose. In
fact, this part of the country between the sea and Edinburgh, is so much
chequered by roads crossing each other, that it may be compared to the
meshes of a spider's web, and the thimblers as so many spiders, watching
to pounce upon their prey. The moment one of these sentinels observes a
stranger appear, signals are made to his confederates, when their
organized plan of operations for entrapping the unwary person is
immediately put in execution. Strangers, unacquainted with the locality,
are greatly bewildered among all the cross-roads mentioned, and have
considerable difficulty in threading their way to the city. One of the
gang will then step forward, and, pretending to be a stranger himself,
will enquire of the others the road to such and such a place. Frequently
the unsuspecting and bewildered individual will enquire of the thimbler
for some street or place in Edinburgh. The decoy and the victim now walk
in company, and converse familiarly together on various topics; the
thimbler offers snuff to his friend, and makes himself as agreeable as
he can; while one of the gang, at a distance in front, drops a watch,
chain, or other piece of mock jewelry, or commences playing at the
thimble-board. The decoy is sure to lead his dupe exactly to the spot
where the trap is laid, and where he will probably be plundered. One or
these entrapments terminated in the death of its subject. A working man,
having risked his half-year's wages at the thimble-board, of course lost
every farthing of the money; and took the loss so much to heart as, in a
fit of despondency, to drown himself in the water of Leith.
In the beginning of 1842, I fell in with six of these thimble-riggers
and chain-droppers, on Newhaven road, on their way to Edinburgh. I was
anxious to discover the nature of their conversation, and kept as close
to them as I could, without exciting their suspicions. Like that of most
people brought up in one particular line of life, their conversation
related wholly to their own trade--that of swindling, theft, and
robbery. I overheard them speaking of "bloody swells," and of dividing
their booty. One of them was desired by the others to look after a
certain steamboat, expected to arrive, and to get a bill to ascertain
its movements exactly. He said he would "require three men to take care
of that boat"; meaning, as I understood him, that all these men were
necessary for laying his snares, and executing his designs upon the
unsuspecting passengers, as they landed from the vessel, and were on
their way to their destinations. The manager of the steamboat company
could not have consulted with his subordinates, about their lawful
affairs, with more care and deliberation, or in a more cool,
business-like way, than were these villains in contriving plans for
plundering the public. On their approach to Pilrig street, the band
separated into pairs; some taking the north, and some the south, side of
Leith walk, for Edinburgh, where they vanished in the crowd. Their
language was fearful, every expression being accompanied by a terrible
oath.
On another occasion, I fell in with another band of these vagabond
thimble-men, on the Dalkeith road, near Craigmiller Castle. I asked the
fellow with the thimbles, "Is that _gaugie a nawken_?" pointing to one
of the gang who had just left him. The question, in plain English, was,
"Is that man a Gipsy?" The thimbler flew at once into a great passion,
and bawled out, "Ask himself, sir." He then fell upon me, and a
gentleman who was with me, in most abusive language, applying to us the
most insulting epithets he could think of. It was evident to my friend
that the thimble-man perfectly understood my Gipsy question. So enraged
was he, that we were afraid he would follow us, and do us some harm. My
friend did not consider himself safe till he was in the middle of
Edinburgh, for many a look did he cast behind him, to see whether the
Gipsy was not in pursuit of us.[215]
[215] There is a Gipsy belonging to one of these bands, known by the
soubriquet of the "winged duck," from having lost an arm, of whom I
have often heard our author speak. He is what may be called the
captain of the company. A description of him, and his way of life, may
be interesting, inasmuch as it illustrates a class of Scottish Gipsies
at the present day.
About the year 1853, three young gentlemen, from the town of Leith,
had occasion to take a stroll over Arthur's Seat, a hill that
overhangs Edinburgh, on the east side of the city. In climbing the
hill, they observed, a little way before them, a man toiling up the
ascent, whom they did not notice till they came close upon him, and
who had evidently been laying off on the side of the path, and entered
it as they approached it. He appears about sixty years of age, is well
dressed, and carries a fine cane, which he keeps pressing into the
ground, to help him up the hill. Just as they make up to him, he
abruptly stops, and turns round, so as almost to touch them. "Hech,
how! I'm blown, I'm blown; I'm fairly done up. Young gentlemen, you
have the advantage of me; I'm getting old, and it is hard for me to
climb the hill." (Blown, done up, indeed! The fellow has stamina
enough to outclimb any of them for years yet.) An agreeable
conversation ensues, such as at once gains for him the confidence of
the youths. He appears to them so mild, so bland, so fatherly, so
worthy of respect, in short, a "nice old cove," who is evidently
enjoying his _otium cum dignitate_ in his old age, in some cottage
near by, upon a pension, an annuity, or a moderate competency of some
sort. During the conversation, he manages to ascertain that his young
friends have not been on the hill for some time--that one of them,
indeed, has never been there before. All at once he exclaims, "Ah!
what can this be? Let us go and see." Upon which they step forward to
look at a person like a mechanic playing at the thimbles. Placing his
arm around the neck of one of the young men, he begins to moralize:
"Pray, young gentlemen, don't bet, (they had not shown the least
symptoms of doing that;) it's wrong to bet; it's a thing I never do; I
would advise you not to do it. This is a rascally thimbler; he'll
cheat, he'll rob you." At this time there are three playing at the
board, winning and losing money rapidly. The "old cove" becomes
impatient to be gone, and motions so as to imply, "Boys, let us go,
let us go." Moving a few steps forward, he halts to admire the
scenery, (but casts a leering eye in the direction of the board.) "Ah!
there's another goose gone to be plucked; let us see what luck he
meets with."
Now thimble rigging is the game, of all others, by which the
uninitiated can be duped. They see the pea put under one of the
thimbles, (nutshells they are, indeed;) there seems to be no doubt of
that. The thimbles are then so gently moved, that any one can follow
them. The pea is not afterwards tampered with--that is evident. All,
then, that remains to be done, is to lift the thimble under which the
pea is, and secure your prize. But the thimble man, with his long
nail, and nimble finger, has secured the pea under his nail, or, with
the crook of his little finger, thrust it into the palm of his hand,
while he pretended to cover it with the thimble. An accomplice, to
make doubly sure of the pea being under the thimble, lifts it, and
shows a pea, which he, by sleight of hand, drops, and, while
pretending to cover it, as nimbly takes it up again.
Betting and playing go on as before. The player makes some fine hauls,
but loses a game. He swears that foul play has been used. An
altercation follows. The man at the board gets excited, and to show
that he really is honourable in his playing, exclaims, "Well, sir,
there's your money again; try another game if you have a mind." "Now
that is really honest, and no mistake about it," remarks the "old
cove." Then the thimbler averts his head, to speak to a person behind
him, and the "old cove" slyly lifts a thimble and shows the pea, and
whispers very confidentially to his friends, "Now, young gentlemen,
you can safely bet a few shillings on that." They shake their heads,
however, for they know too much about thimbling. The "old cove" now
gets fidgety, and, managing to edge a little away from the board,
commences, in a subdued tone, to speak, in a strange gibberish, to
another bystander; but, forgetting himself, drops a word rather louder
than the others, on which, as he turns round and catches the eyes of
his young friends, he coughs and hems. On hearing the gibberish, a
fear steals over the young men, on finding themselves surrounded by a
band of desperadoes, in so solitary a place, and they make haste to be
off. But the "old cove," to quiet their suspicions, accompanies them
to a convenient spot, where he leaves them, to go to his home, by a
side-path that soon leads him out of sight. On separating, he looks
around him at the scenery, now lets fall his stick, now picks up
something, that he may, with less suspicion, watch the movements of
his escaped victims. They feel a singular relief in getting rid of his
company, and, with tact, dog him over the hill, till they see him go
back to the thimblers. They then think over their adventure, and the
strange jargon they have heard, and unanimously exclaim, "Wasn't he a
slippery old serpent, after all!"
On this occasion, there were no less than fourteen of these fellows
present, some of them stationed here, some there, while they kept
artfully moving around and about the hill, so as not to appear
connected, but frequently approached the board, to contribute to and
watch their luck. They personated various characters. One of them
played the country lout, whose dress, gait, gape, and stare were
inimitable. On the slightest symptom of danger manifesting itself,
they would, by the movement of a hat, scatter, and vanish in an
instant.
Among the people generally, a mystery attaches to these and other
thimble-men. No one seems to know any thing about them--who they are
or where they come from--and yet they are seen flitting everywhere
through the country; but hardly ever two days together in one dress.
But the mystery is solved by their being Gipsies. They are dangerous
fellows to meddle with; yet they seem to prefer thimbling,
chain-dropping, card-playing, pocket-picking, in fairs and
thoroughfares, and pigeon-plucking in every form, to robbery on the
high-way, after the manner of their ancestors.
Thimble-rigging, according to Sir J. Gardner Wilkinson, was practised
in ancient Egypt. He calls it "thimble-rig, or the game of cups, under
which a ball was put, while the opposite party guessed under which of
four it was concealed."--ED.
The Gipsies in Scotland consider themselves to be of the same stock as
those in England and Ireland, for they are all acquainted with the same
speech. They afford assistance to one another, whenever they happen to
meet. The following facts will at least show that the Scottish and
Irish Gipsies are one and the same people.
In the county of Fife, I once fell in with an Irish family, to
appearance in great poverty and distress, resting themselves on the side
of the public road. A shelty and an ass were grazing hard by. The ass
they used in carrying a woman, who, they said, was a hundred and one
years of age. She was shrunk and withered to a skeleton, or rather, I
should say, to a bundle of bones; and her chin almost rested on her
knees, and her body was nearly doubled by age. On interrogating the head
of the family, I found that his name was Hugh White, and that he was an
Irishman, and a son of the old woman who was with him. I put some Gipsy
words to him, to ascertain whether or not he was one of the tribe. He
pretended not to understand what I said; but his daughter, of about six
years of age, replied, "But I understand what he says." I then called
out sharply to him, "_Jaw vree_"--("Go away," or "get out of the way.")
"As soon as I can," was his answer. On leaving him, I again called,
"_Beenship-davies_"--("Good-day.") "Good-day, sir; God bless you," was
his immediate reply.
I happened, at another time, to be in the court-house of one of the
burghs north of the Forth, when two Irishmen, of the names of O'Reilly
and McEwan, were at the bar for having been found drunk, and fighting
within the town. They were sentenced by the magistrates to three days'
imprisonment, and to be "banished the town," for their riotous conduct.
The men had the Irish accent, and had certainly been born and brought up
in Ireland; but their habiliments and general appearance did not
correspond exactly with the ordinary dress and manners of common Irish
peasants, although their features were in all respects Hibernian. When
the magistrates questioned them in respect to their conduct, the
prisoners looked very grave, and said, "Sure, and it plase your honours,
our quarrel was nothing but whiskey, and sure we are the best friends in
the world;" and seemed very penitent. But when the magistrates were not
looking at them, they were smiling to each other, and keeping up a
communication in pantomime. Suspecting them to be Irish Gipsies, I
addressed the wife of McEwan as follows: "For what is the _riah_
(magistrate) going to put your _gaugie_ (man) in _staurdie_, (prison)?"
"Only for a little whiskey, sir," was her immediate reply. She gave me,
on the spot, the English of the following words; adding, at the same
time, that I had got the _Gipsy_ language, but that hers was only the
_English cant_. She was afraid to acknowledge that she was a Gipsy, as
such a confession might, in her opinion, have proved prejudicial to her
husband, in the situation in which he was placed.
_Gaugie_, man.
_Managie_, woman.
_Chauvies_, children.
_Riah_, magistrate.
_Chor_, thief.
_Yaka_, eyes.
_Grye_, horse.
_Roys_, spoons.
_Skews_, platters.
_Mashlam_, metal.
I observed the woman instantly communicate to her husband the
conversation she had with me. She immediately returned to me, and, after
questioning me as to my name, occupation, and place of residence, very
earnestly entreated me to save her _gaugie_ from the _staurdie_. I asked
her, how many _chauvies_ she had? "Twelve, sir." Were any of them
_chors_? "None, sir." Two of her _chauvies_ were in her hand, weeping
bitterly. The woman was in great distress, and when she heard the sound
of her own language, she thought she saw a friend. I informed one of the
magistrates, whom I knew, that the prisoners were Gipsies; and proposed
to him to mitigate the punishment of the woman's husband, on condition
of his giving me a specimen of his secret speech. But the reply of the
man of authority was, "The scoundrel shall lie in prison till the last
hour of his sentence." The "scoundrel" however, did not remain in
durance so long. While the jailer was securing him in prison, the
determined Tinkler, with the utmost coolness and indifference, asked
him, which part of the jail would be the easiest for him to break
through. The jailer told him that, if he attempted to escape, the
watchman, stationed in the church-yard, close to the prison, would shoot
him. On visiting the prison next morning, the turnkey found that the
Gipsy had undone the locks of the doors, and fled during the night.
O'Reilly, the other Gipsy, remained, in a separate cell, the whole
period of his sentence. When the officers were completing the other part
of his punishment--"banishing him from the town"--the regardless,
light-hearted Irish Tinkler went capering along the streets, with his
coat off, brandishing, and sweeping, and twirling his shillalah, in the
Gipsy fashion. Meeting, in this excited state, his late judge, the
Tinkler, with the utmost contempt and derision, called out to him,
"Plase your honour! won't you now take a fight with me, for the sake of
friendship?" This worthy Irish Gipsy represented himself as the head
Tinkler in Perth, and the first of the second class of boxers.
On another occasion, I observed a horde of Gipsies on the high street of
Inverkeithing, employed in making spoons from horn. I spoke to one of
the young married men, partly in Scottish Gipsy words, when he
immediately answered me in English. He said they were all natives of
Ireland. They had, male and female, the Irish accent completely. I
invited this man to accompany me to a public-house, that I might obtain
from him a specimen of his Irish Gipsy language. The town-clerk being in
my company at the time, I asked him to go with me, to hear what passed;
but he refused, evidently because he considered that the company of a
Gipsy would contaminate and degrade him. I treated the Tinkler with a
glass of spirits, and obtained from him the following words:
_Yaik_, one.
_Duie_, two.
_Trin_, three.
_Punch_, five.
_Saus_, six.
_Luften_, eight.
_Sonnakie_, gold.
_Roug_, silver.
_Vanister_, ring.
_Rat_, night.
_Cham_, the moon.
_Borlan_, the sun.
_Yak_, fire.
_Chowrie_, knife.
_Bar_, stone.
_Shuha_, coat.
_Roy_, spoon.
_Chauvie_, child.
_Gaugie_, man.
_Mort and kinshen_, wife and child.
_Klistie_, soldier.
_Ruffie lee ma_, devil miss me.
_Nasher_, deserter.
_Daw-douglars_, hand-cuffs.
_Staurdie_, prison.
_Lodie_, lodgings.
_Vile_, town.
_Yak_, eye.
_Deekers_, eyes.
_Shir_, head.
_Test_, head.
_Nak_, nose.
_Mooie_, mouth.
_Meffemel_, hand.
_Grye_, horse.
_Aizel_, ass.
_Dugal_, dog.
_Bakra_, sheep.
_Ruffie_, devil.
_Bing_, devil.
_Feck_, take.
_Ruffie feck ma_, devil take me.
_Nawken_, Tinkler.
_Baurie-dews, Nawken_, good-day, Tinkler.
This man conducted himself very politely, his behaviour being very
correct and becoming; and he seemed much pleased at being noticed, and
kindly treated. At first, he spoke wholly in the Gipsy language,
thinking that I was as well acquainted with it as himself. But when he
found that I knew only a few words of it, he, like all his tribe,
stopped in his communications, and, in this instance, began to quiz and
laugh at my ignorance. On returning to the street, I repeated some of
the words to one of the females. She laughed, and, with much good
humour, said, "You will put me out, by speaking to me in that language."
These facts prove that the Irish Gipsies have the same language as those
in Scotland. The English Gipsy is substantially the same. There are a
great many Irish Gipsies travelling in Scotland, of whom I will again
speak, in the following chapter. They are not easily distinguished from
common Irish peasants, except that they are generally employed in some
sort of traffic, such as hawking earthen-ware, trinkets, and various
other trifles, through the country.
It may interest the reader to know how the idea originated that the
Gipsies, at all events their speech, came, or was thought to have come,
from Hindostan. According to Grellmann, it was in this way:
"The following is an article to be found in the Vienna Gazette, from a
Captain Szekely, who was thinking of searching for (the origin of) the
Gipsies, and their language, in the East Indies: In the year 1763, on
the 6th of November, a printer, whose name was Stephen Pap Szathmar
Nemethi, came to see me. Talking upon various subjects, we at last fell
upon that of the Gipsies; and my guest related to me the following
anecdote, from the mouth of a preacher of the Reformed Church, Stephen
Vali, at Almasch. When the said Vali studied at the University of
Leyden, he was intimately acquainted with some young Malabars, of whom
three are obliged constantly to study there; nor can they return home
till relieved by three others. Having observed that their native
language bore a great affinity to that spoken by the Gipsies, he availed
himself of the opportunity to note down from themselves upwards of one
thousand words, together with their significations. After Vali was
returned from the University, he informed himself of the Raber Gipsies,
concerning the meaning of his Malabar words, which they explained
without trouble or hesitation."[216]
[216] "The opinion, that the Gipsies came originally from India, seems
to have been very early entertained, although it was again soon
forgotten, or silently relinquished. Hieronymus Foroliviensis, in the
nineteenth volume of Muratori, says, that on the 7th day of August, A.
D. 1422, 200 of the Cingari came to his native town, and remained
there two days, on their way to Rome, and that some of them said that
they came from India, '_et ut audivi aliqui dicebant quod erant de
Indiâ_;' and the account which Munster gives of what he gathered from
one of the Cingari, in 1524, seems to prove that an impression existed
amongst them of their having come from that country."--_Bright._--ED.
None of the Scottish Gipsy words have as yet, I believe, been collated
with the Hindostanee, the supposed mother tongue of the Gipsies.[217] I
showed my list to a gentleman lately from India, who, at first sight,
pointed out, from among several hundred words and sentences scattered
through these pages, about thirty-nine which very closely resembled
Hindostanee. But in ascertaining the origin of the Gipsies, the
traveller, Dr. Bright, thinks it would be desirable to procure some of
the speech of the lowest classes in India, and compare it with the
Gipsy, as spoken in Europe; for the purpose of showing, more correctly,
the affinity of the two languages. He supposes, as I understand him,
that the terms used by the despised and unlettered Gipsies would
probably resemble more closely the vulgar idiom of the lowest castes in
India, than the Hindostanee spoken by the higher ranks, or that which is
to be found in books. The following facts show that Dr. Bright's
conjectures are not far from the truth.
[217] Mr. Baird's Missionary Report contained a collation of the
Scottish Gipsy with Hindostanee, but that appeared considerably after
what our author has said was written.--ED.
I had occasion at one time to be on board of a vessel lying in the
harbour of Limekilns, Fifeshire, where I observed a black man, acting as
cook, of the name of John Lobbs, about twenty-five years of age, and a
native of Bombay, who could neither read nor write any language
whatever. He stated that he was now a Christian, and had been baptized
by the name of John. He had been absent from India three years, as cabin
boy, in several British vessels, and spoke English well. He appeared to
be of a low caste in his native land, but sharpened by his contact with
Europeans. Recollecting Dr. Bright's hint, it occurred to me that this
Hindoo's vulgar dialect might resemble the language of our Scottish
Gipsies. I repeated to him about one hundred and eighty Gipsy words and
expressions. The greater part were familiar to his ear, but many of them
that meant one thing in Gipsy, had quite a different signification in
his speech. I shall, however, give the following Gipsy words, with the
corresponding words of Lobb's language, and the English opposite.[218]
[218] Meeting a Bengalee at Peebles, begging money to pay his passage
back to India, I repeated to him, from memory, a few of the Gipsy
words I had collected a week before. After listening attentively, he
answered that it was the Moor's language I had got, and gave me the
English of _paunie_, water, and _davies_, day. I took the first
opportunity of mentioning this interview to the Gipsies, observing it
was the general opinion that their forefathers came from India. They,
however, persisted in their own tradition, that they were a tribe of
Ethiopians, which is believed by all the Scottish Gipsies. [See pages
113 and 315.--ED.]
SCOTTISH GIPSY. JOHN LOBBS' ENGLISH.
HINDOSTANEE.
_Baurie_, great,
grand, rich. _Bura_, Grand, good, great, rich.
_Been_, great, grand,
rich. _Beenie_, Grand, good, great, rich.
_Callo_, _Kala_, Black.
_Lon_, _Loon_, Salt.
_Gourie_, a man. _Gowra_, White man.
_Gaugie_, a man. _Gaugie_, or Rich man.
_Fraugie_,
_Mort_, a wife. _Murgia_, Dead wife.
_Chavo_, _Chokna_, A boy, a son.
_Praw_, _Praw_, Son.
_Prawl_, _Prawl_, Daughter.
_Nais-gaugie_, grand-
father. _Nais gaugie_, Old man.
_Nais-mort_, grand-
mother. _Nais mort_, Old woman.
_Riah_, _Riah_, A chief, a gentleman.
_Rajah_, a chief,
governor, _Rajah_, A chief, a lord.
_Raunie_, lady, wife
of a gentleman. _Raunie_, The wife of a prince.
_Been riah_, _Beenie riah_, The king.
_Been raunie_, _Beenie raunie_, The queen.
_Been gourie_, _Beenie gourie_, A gentleman.
_Bauree rajah_, _Bura rajah_, The king.
_Baurie raunie_, _Bura raunie_, The queen.
_Baurie forest_, _Bura frost_, _bura Great town.
malook_,
_Baurie paunie_, _Bura paunie_, The sea, the great water.
_Lon paunie_, _Loon paunie_, Salt water, the ocean.
_Grye_, _Ghora_, Horse.
_Prancie_, a horse. _Prawncie_, A gentleman's carriage.
_Gournie_, _Goroo_, A cow.
_Backra_, _Buckra_, A sheep.
_Sherro_, _Sir_, Head.
_Yak_, _Aukh_, Eye.
_Yaka_, _Aukha_, Eyes.
_Nak_, _Nak_, Nose.
_Mooie_, _Mooih_, Mouth.
_Chee_, _Jeebh_, The tongue.
_Chee chee_, _Choopra_, Hold your tongue.
_Femmel_, hand. _Fingal_, Ends of the fingers.
_Vast_, _Wast_, The hand.
_Peerie_, _Peir_, The foot.
_Gave_, _Gaw_, Village.
_Kair_, _Gur_, A house.
_Wautheriz_, _Waudrie_, A bed.
_Outhrie_, a window. _Outrie_, _Durvaja_, A door.
_Eegees_, bed clothes. _Eegees_, Bed curtains.
_Shuch-hamie_, _Shuamie_, A waistcoat.
_Jair-dah_, _Jairda_, Woman's apron.
_Gawd_, _Dowglaw_, A man's shirt.
_Teeyakas_, _Teeyaka_, Shoes.
_Scaf_, a hat. _Scaf_, a small piece of cloth tied around the
head, like a fillet.
_Skews_, _Skows_, Platters, jugs.
_Chowrie_, _Choree_, Knife.
_Harro_, _Dhoro_, Sword.
_Sauster_, iron. _Sauspoon_, Iron pot-lid, iron.
_Mass_, _Mass_, Flesh.
_Thood_, _Doodh_, Milk.
_Chizcazin_, cheese. _Chizcaizim_, Cheese-knife.
_Blaw_, meal. _Blaw_, Indian corn.
_Flatrin_, _Flatrin_, Fish of any kind.
_Shaucha_, broth _Shoorwa_, Soup.
_Molzie_, _Mool_, Wine.
_Romanie_, whiskey. _Rominie_, Spirits, liquor.
_Mumlie_, a candle. _Membootie_, Candles.
_Fluffan_, _Floofan_, Smoking tobacco.
_Yak_, _Ag_, Fire.
_Paunie_, _Paunie_, Water.
_Casties_, _Cashtes_, Fruit trees.
_Bar_, _Dunbar_, A stone.
_Sonnakie_, _Sona_, Gold.
_Roug_, _Roopa_, Silver.
_Chinda_, silver. _Chindee_, Silver, tin.
_Geeve_, _Guing_, Wheat.
_Mang_, _Chan_, _Jung_, The moon.
_Bumie_, _Boomie_, To drink.
_Mar_, _Marna_, To strike.
_Rauge_, _Rawd_, Mad.
_Choar_, _Chorna_, To steal.
_Chor_, _Chor_, Thief.
_Humff_, _Huff_, Give me.
_Moolie_, death,
to die, dead. _Moola_, Dead.
_Quad_, _Quid_, Prison.
_Staurdie_, prison. _Staurdee_, A prison, to confine, hold.
_Jaw vree_, _Jowa_, Go away.
_Auvie_, _Aow_, Coming, come here.
_Davies_, _Din_, Day.
_Rat_, _Raut_, Night.
_Pagrin_, _Pawgrin_, To break.
_Davies-pagrin_, _Dawis-pawgrin_, Day-break, the morning.
_Klistie_, a soldier. _Kleestie_, Black soldier, Sepoy.
_Nash_, deserter. _Natch_, To run away.
_Loudnie_, _Loonie_, A bad woman.[219]
[219] A lady who resided seventeen years in India, already alluded to,
mentioned to me that the pronunciation of the Hindoos is broad, like
that of the Scotch, particularly where the letter a occurs; and that
the Scotch learn Hindostanee sooner, and more correctly, than the
natives of other countries. For this reason, I am inclined to think
that the Scottish Gipsy will have a greater resemblance to Hindostanee
than the Gipsy of some other countries.
My informant understood, he said, two of the dialects of Hindostan, the
one called the Hindoo, and the other the Moors' language. The former, he
said, the English in India generally spoke, but understood little of
the latter; and that he himself did not know a word of the language of
the Brahmins. When he failed to produce, in the Moors' language, the
word corresponding to the Gipsy one, he frequently found it in what he
called the Hindoo speech. The greater part of the Gipsy words, as I have
already mentioned, were familiar to his ear; but many of them that
signified one thing in his speech, meant quite another in Gipsy. For
example, the word _Graunagie_, in Gipsy, signifies a _barn_; with Lobbs,
it meant an _old rich man_. _Coories_, bed clothes or blankets,
signified, in Lobbs' dialect, _ornaments for the ears_. _Dill_, a
servant maid, according to Lobbs, was a _church_. _Shan davies_, a bad
day, was the Hindostanee for _holiday_. _Managie_, a woman, signifies
the _name of a person_, such as John or James. _Chavo_, a son, meant a
_female child_; and _Pooklie_, hulled barley, _anything fine_. The two
Gipsy words _Callo_ and _Rat_ are black and night; but, according to
Lobbs, _Callorat_ is simply anything dark.[220]
[220] In the report of the Fourteenth Gipsies' Festival, held at
Southampton, under the superintendence of the Rev. James Crabb, the
Gipsies' friend, on the 25th December, 1841, is the following
statement:
"The above gentleman, (the Rev. J. West, one of the speakers at the
festival,) with the Rev. Mr. Crabb, and two elderly Gipsies, who speak
the Gipsy language, called, the following morning, on a lady who had
long resided in India, and speaks the Hindostanee language; and it was
clear that many of the Rommany (Gipsy) words were pure Hindostanee,
and other words strongly resembled that language."--_Hampshire
Advertiser, 1st January, 1842._
This statement, made some years subsequent to the period at which I
took down the words from Lobbs and the Gipsies in Scotland, is nearly
in my own words, and proves that my opinion, as to the close affinity
between Hindostanee and the Scottish Gipsy language, is correct.
To confirm my collection of Scottish Gipsy words, I will collate some of
those which I sent to Sir Walter Scott, for examination but not for
publication, with those to be found in Mr. Baird's report, a publication
which I first saw in 1842.
SCOTTISH GIPSY. YETHOLM GIPSY. ENGLISH.
_Gaugie_, _Gadgé_, Man.
_Managie_, _Manishee_, Woman.
_Mort_, Wife.
_Chavo_, (_chauvies_, _Shavies_,
children,) children, Son.
_Praw_, _Gouré_ a boy, Son.
_Prawl_, _Racklé_, a girl, Daughter.
_Riah_, _Rai_, a gentleman, A chief.
_Rajah_, Governor.
_Baurie_, _Baré_, Good.
_Sherro_, _Shero_, Head.
_Yak_, _Yack_, Eye.
_Yaka_, Eyes.
_Nak_, _Nak_, Nose.
_Mooie_, _Moi_, Mouth.
_Vast_, _Vastie_, Hand.
_Grye_, _Gr[=a][=i]_, Horse.
_Bashanie_, _Basné_, Cock.
_Caunie_, _Kanné_, Hen.
_Drom_, _Drone_, Road.
_Gave_, _Gaave_, Village.
_Graunagie_, Barn.
_Graunzie_, _Gransé_, Barn.
_Kair_, _Keir_, House.
_Outhrie_, Window.
_Yag_, _Yag_, Fire.
_Thood_, _Thud_, Milk.
_Mass_, _Mass_, Flesh.
_Peerie_, (or
_blawkie_,) _Blakie_, Pot.
_Paunie_, _Pawné_, Water.
_Paurie_, Water.
_Molzie_, _Mul_, Wine.
_Roy_, _Roy_, Spoon.
_Nab_, Horn.
_Chorie_, Knife.
_Chowrie_, _Chouré_, Knife.
_Shuha_, _Shohé_, Coat.
_Scaf_, (or _gogle_,) _Gogel_, Hat.
_Harro_, Sword.
_Beerie_, Ship.
_Bumie_, _Peevan_, drinking, To drink.
_Choar_, To steal.
_Chor_, _Tschor_, Thief.
_Staurdie_, _Stardé_, a jail, Prison.
_Moolie_, _Moulian_, dying, Death.
_Moolie_, _Moulé_, to kill, I'll kill you.
_Bing_, _Bing_, The devil.
The following Scottish Gipsy words appear to have some relation to the
Sanscrit:
SCOTTISH GIPSY. SANSCRIT. ENGLISH.
_Yag_, _Agnish_, Fire.
_Paurie_, _Varni_, Water.
_Casties_, _Cashth_, Wood.
_Duff_, _Dhupah_, Smoke.
_Sneepa_, _Sweta_, White.
_Callo_, _Cala_, Black.
_Sherro_, _Sira_, The head.
_Rajah_, _Rajah_, Lord.
_Vast_, _Hastah_, The hand.
_Praw_, _Putra_, Son.
_Gave_, or _Gan_, _Gramam_, A village.
_Mar_, _Mar_, To strike.
_Loudnie_, _Lodha_, loved, A whore.
In order to show the relationship of the language of the Gipsies in
Scotland, England, Germany, Hungary, Spain, and Turkey, and the affinity
between it and the Persian, Hindostanee, Sanscrit, Pali, and Kawi, I
append a table containing the first ten numerals in all these tongues:
TABLE OF THE FIRST TEN NUMERALS IN VARIOUS GIPSY DIALECTS, COMPARED WITH
THOSE IN OTHER ORIENTAL LANGUAGES.
++------++-----------+--------+------------+-------+--------+-------+
|| || Scottish |English | German |Hunga- |Hunga- |Turkish|
|| || Gipsy. | Gipsy. | Gipsy. | rian | rian | Gipsy.|
|| Eng- || | | | Gipsy.| Gipsy. | |
||lish. ++-----------+--------+------------+-------+--------+-------+
|| || W. S. |HOYLAND.|GRELLMANN. |BRIGHT.|BORROW. |HOYL'D.|
|| || | | | | | |
++------++-----------+--------+------------+-------+--------+-------+
||One ||Yaik |Aick |Ick, Ek |Jeg |Jek |Yeck |
||Two ||Duie |Dooce |Duj, Doj |Dui |Dui |Duy |
||Three ||Trin |Trin |Trin, Tri |Tri |Trin |Trin |
||Four ||Tor |{Shtar, |Schtar, Star|Stah |Schtar |Shtiar |
|| || |{Staur | | | | |
||Five ||Punch, Fo |Panji | {Pantsch, |Paunch |Pansch |Panch |
|| || | | {Pansch | | | |
||Six ||Shaigh |Shove |{Tschowe, |Schof |Tschov |Shove |
|| || | |{Schow, Sof | | | |
||Seven ||Naivairn |Heftan |Efta |Epta |Efta |Efta |
|| ||[221] | | | | | |
||Eight ||{Naigh, |. . . |Ochto |Opto |Ochto |Okto |
|| ||{Luften | | | | | |
||Nine ||Line |Henya |Enja, Eija |Ennia |Enija |Enia |
||Ten ||Nay |Desh |Desch, Des |Desh |D[=o]sch|Desh |
++------++-----------+--------+------------+-------+--------+-------+
++------++--------+--------+-------+---------+---------+-------+-------++
|| ||Spanish |Persian.|Vulgar |Sanscrit.|Sanscrit.| Pali. | Kawi. ||
|| || Gipsy. | | Hindo-| | | | ||
|| Eng- || | |stanee.| | | | ||
||lish. ++--------+--------+-------+---------+---------+-------+-------+|
|| ||BORROW. |BORROW. |JOHN |POLOCK. | BORROW. |POLOCK.|POLOCK.||
|| || | |LOBBS. | | | | ||
++------++--------+--------+-------+---------+---------+-------+-------++
||One ||Yeque |Ek |Yek |Eka |Ega |Ekka |Eka ||
||Two ||Dui |Du |Doh |Dui |Dvaya |Di |Dui ||
||Three ||Trin |Se |Tin |Tri |Treya |Tri |Tri ||
||Four ||Estar |Chehar |Char |Chater |Tschatvar|Chatwa |Chator ||
|| || | | | | | | ||
||Five ||Pansche |Pansch |Paunsh |Pancha |Pantscha |Pancha |Pancha ||
|| || | | | | | | ||
||Six ||Job, Zoi|Schesche|Shaiah |Shat |Schasda |Cho |Sat ||
|| || | | | | | | ||
||Seven ||Hefta |Heft |Saut |Sapta |Sapta |Sap |Sapta ||
|| || | | | | | | ||
||Eight ||Otor |Hescht |Aut |Ashta |Aschta |At-tha |Asta ||
|| || | | | | | | ||
||Nine ||Esnia |Nu |Nong |Nava |Nava |Nowa |Nawa ||
||Ten ||Deque |De |Dest |Dasa |Dascha |Thotsa |Dasa ||
++------++--------+--------+-------+---------+---------+-------+-------++
[221] The four last of these numerals, in the Scottish Gipsy language,
differ very considerably from the corresponding ones in the Table. I
leave the matter to be settled by philologists.
That the Gipsy language, in Scotland, is intermixed with cant, or slang,
and other words, is certain, as will appear by the specimens I have
exhibited.[222] I am inclined to believe, however, that were the cant
and slang used by our flash men and others carefully examined, much of
it would turn out to be corrupted Hindostanee, picked up from the
Gipsies. I have, after considerable trouble, produced, and, I may
venture to say, faithfully recorded, the raw materials as I found them:
to separate the other words from the original and genuine Gipsy, is a
task I leave to the learned philologist. I shall only observe, that the
way in which the Gipsy language has been corrupted is this: That
whenever the Gipsies find words not understood by the people among whom
they travel, they commit such to memory, and use them in their
conversation, for the purpose of concealment. In the Lowlands of
Scotland, for example, they make use of Gaelic,[223] Welsh, Irish, and
French words. These picked-up words and terms have, in the end, become
part of their own peculiar tongue; yet some of the Gipsies are able to
point out a number of these foreign words, as distinguished from their
own. In this manner do the Gipsies carry along with them part of the
language of every country through which they pass.[224]
[222] It is remarkable, considering how much the habits and
occupations of the Gipsies bring them in contact with beggars,
thieves, and other bad and disorderly characters, how few of the slang
words used by such persons have been adopted by them.--_Rev. Mr.
Baird's Missionary Report to the Scottish Church, 1840._--ED.
[223] Of the Highland Gipsies, I had the following account from a
person of observation, and highly worthy of credit: There are many
settled in Kintyre, who travel through the Highlands and Lowlands
annually. They certainly speak, among themselves, a language totally
distinct from either Gaelic or Lowland Scotch.--_Blackwood's
Magazine._--ED.
[224] "There is reason for supposing that the Gipsies had been
wandering in the remote regions of Sclavonia, for a considerable time
previous to entering Bohemia--the first civilized country of Europe in
which they made their appearance; as their language abounds with words
of Sclavonic origin, which could not have been adopted in a hasty
passage through a wild and half populated country."--_Borrow._
That the Gipsies were, in some way, drawn together, at a very remote
age, and became amalgamated, so as to form a race, can hardly admit of
a doubt. But it is an opinion that has no reasonable foundation which
supposes that they suddenly took their departure from India, and
travelled together, till they entered and spread over Europe. They
may, as I have conjectured in the Introduction, have separated into
bands, and passed into countries in Asia, as they have done in Europe;
and existed in Asia, and Africa, long before they appeared in Europe.
For this reason, their language ought to vary in different countries;
and it would be enough to identify them as the same race, were the
substance of their language and their customs, or even their cast of
mind, the same. In speaking of the Hungarian Gipsies, Grellmann says,
that their speech contains words from the Turkish, Sclavonian, Greek,
Latin, Wallachian, Hungarian, and German; but that it would not be
absurd to pronounce that there remain more, or at least different,
Gipsy words among those residing in one country than another.--ED.
In concluding my account of the Scottish Gipsy language, I may observe,
that I think few who have perused my details will hesitate for a moment
in pronouncing that the people have migrated from Hindostan. Many
convincing proofs of the origin of the race have been adduced by
Grellmann, Hoyland, and Bright; and I think that my researches, made in
Scotland alone, have confirmed the statements of these respectable
authors.
The question which now remains to be solved is this: From what tribe or
nation at present in, or originally from, Hindostan are the Gipsies
descended? That they have been a robber or predatory nation, from
principle as well as practice, I am convinced little doubt can be
entertained. Even yet, the greater the art and address displayed in
committing a dexterous theft or robbery, the higher is the merit of such
an action esteemed among their fraternity. I am also convinced that this
general, or national, propensity to plunder has been the chief cause of
the Gipsies concealing their origin, language, customs, and religious
observances, at the time they entered the territories of civilized
nations, and up to this time. The intelligent old Gipsy, whose
acquaintance I made at St. Boswell's, distinctly told me, that his tribe
were originally a nation of thieves and robbers; and it is quite natural
to suppose that, when they found theft and robbery punished with such
severity, in civilized society, everything relating to them would be
kept a profound secret.
The tribe in India whose customs, manners, and habits have the greatest
resemblance to those of the Gipsies, are the _Nuts_, or _Bazegurs_; an
account of which is to be found in the 7th volume of the Asiatic
Researches, page 451. In Blackwood's Magazine we find the following
paragraph relative to these Nuts, or Bazegurs, which induces a belief
that these people are a branch of the Gipsy nation, and a tribe of the
highest antiquity. They are even supposed to be the wild, aboriginal
inhabitants of India.
"A lady of rank, who has resided some time in India, lately informed me
that the Gipsies are to be found there, in the same way as in England,
and practise the same arts of posture-making and tumbling,
fortune-telling, stealing, and so forth. The Indian Gipsies are called
Nuts, or Bazegurs, and they are believed by many to be the remains of an
aboriginal race, prior even to the Hindoos, and who have never adopted
the worship of Bramah. They are entirely different from the Parias, who
are Hindoos that have lost caste, and so become degraded."
The Nuts, or Bazegurs, under the name of Decoits or Dukyts, are, it
seems, guilty of frequently sacrificing victims to the goddess Calie,
under circumstances of horror and atrocity scarcely credible. Now the
old Gipsy, who gave me the particulars relative to the Gipsy sacrifice
of the horse, stated that sometimes both woman and horse were
sacrificed, when the woman, by the action of the horse, was found to
have greatly offended.
In the ordinances of Menu, the Nuts, or Bazegurs, are called _Nata_.
Now, our Scottish Gipsies, at this moment, call themselves _Nawkens_, a
word not very dissimilar in sound to _Nata_. When I have spoken to them,
in their own words, I have been asked, "Are you a _nawken_?" a word to
which they attach the meaning of a _wanderer_, or _traveller_--one who
can do any sort of work for himself that may be required in the world.